teacher resource for jo turner's dramatic adaptation of "ishmael and the return of the...
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A student and teacher workbook that provides practical classroom activities relating to Jo Turner's, "Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs".TRANSCRIPT
Photo: Angelo Sgambati
Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs
atyp & Riverside Theatre Production
May 2011
Teacher's Resource Kit
“Riverside Theatres offers the chance to be entertained…Not a day goes by when there isn’t something
new and exciting happening at Riverside” Robert Love – Riverside Theatres Director
Home to over 600 shows every year, Riverside Theatres offers an exciting variety of professional live theatre,
dance, comedy, film and musical performances.
Riverside‟s relaxing courtyard is the perfect space to unwind with a drink before heading into one of our
three theatres for a night of friends, fun, fiction and fantasy!
As the leading entertainment venue in Greater Sydney, and located along the river, Riverside Theatres is
the highlight of a great night out in Parramatta.
atyp is exclusively devoted to young people. We are driven by the idea that the arts can inspire
creative, courageous and confident young people wherever they are and whatever they want to be.
We believe that the arts have the power to transform lives, enrich communities and ultimately impact
upon the future of our nation. Our work is motivated by the need to improve access for all young
Australians to share their stories and participate in the arts regardless of economic or geographical
barriers.
Our Vision: to be the leading Australian youth theatre company, inspiring and nurturing imagination,
confidence and creativity in young people across the country.
At the heart of our company lies collaboration between professional artists and young people. Working
together we create inspiring theatre that engages with contemporary social issues and provides a
space for young people to celebrate their creativity and Rise Up and Act!
Above all, atyp inspires young people to make great theatre.
This Resource Kit has been designed as a classroom tool to assist with the preparation,
evaluation and analysis of the Australian Theatre for Young People (atyp) and
Riverside Theatre production: Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs.
The notes and activities have been divided into three components:
Before you see Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Ishmael and the Return of the
Dugongs
After you see Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs
NSW BOS Syllabi have been used as a guide for this resource kit. It is recommended
before using the suggested websites in this kit that teachers first visit the sites to assess
suitability of content for your particular school setting.
We hope you find these activities useful and that they enhance your creative arts
experiences in the classroom.
Heather Clark
Education and Outreach Manager
Australian Theatre for Young People
Before you see Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs
Musical Context: The Music of the 80s
Sound FX: Meaning through Music
In Rehearsal
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs:
The atyp creative team & cast
Interview with the designer
Interviews with the cast
Get Involved!
After you see Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs:
First Impressions
Design Elements
The Elements of Drama
Review
Exploring Themes: A Boal Approach to Bullying
Introduction
Table of
Contents
Musical context: The Music of the 80s
Because the play is an adaptation of the novel, Ishmael and the Return of the
Dugongs by Michael Gerard Bauer, grab a copy and have a read before you see the
play. You may also like to read the prequel, Don’t Call Me Ishmael.
Before you see
Ishmael and the Return of the
Dugongs
PRACTICAL TASK:
The Dugongs, Ishmael‟s Dad‟s band, was playing the live band circuit in
the 1980s. In our production, composer Michael Toisuta was
commissioned to write music with an “80s feel”. In order to gain an
understanding of the musical context of the play, the following activity
will provide a fun view into the past.
Ask your parents, or people who remember the band scene of the
1980s, what songs and music they most enjoyed. List the bands, their
songs and try to listen to recordings of them. Use the following table
to help you with your research.
1. Create a table:
Band
Name
Song Title Themes of the
song
Your response to
the music
REFLECTION:
1. What differences do you notice between music of the 80s and
music of today? Are there any similarities and if so, what are
they? Have the themes of songs changed over the past thirty
years? If so, in what ways?
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Classroom Activity
Sound FX: Meaning through Music
Classroom Activity
BRAINSTORM:
View the following link on youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUa23yevmVo
As a class, discuss your impressions of the “dugong”. How does it
move? What are its most obvious features? If it were a human,
what type of person would it be? What sort of environment does
it live in? Keep in mind your responses when you view the play
and ask yourself, “How does the “dugong” relate to the play?”
PRACTICAL TASK:
In groups of four or five, create a soundtrack for the film clip
above. You may create a sound-scape vocally, use a program
like “Garage band” or use musical instruments. When creating
your soundtrack, think about the mood you want to evoke. Do
you want to work with the images or against them? Why? What
effect will this have on the audience?
REFLECTION:
Listen to each group‟s soundtrack while watching the clip. Do
you think the music worked with or against the images? What
effect did the music create? How does music impact visual
images?
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During the performance, notice the effect of the music. Be prepared to
discuss your response in class.
In rehearsal
Our cast members rehearse two evenings a week. They are all under 26 and some of
them are school students. Evening rehearsals allow our young actors to work and
attend school during our season.
Adam Marks, Matthew Friedman, Michael Brindley, Elena Burger
Photo: Claire Harris
Classroom Activity Have a look at the picture below of the cast in
rehearsal: What do you think is happening in this scene?
PRACTICAL TASK:
Recreate the moment from the picture, improvise what you
think will happen next in the scene.
Creative Team
atyp Artistic Director Fraser Corfield
Writer Jo Turner
Director Fraser Corfield
Assistant Director Elizabeth Gibney
Designer Jasmine Christie
Production Mgr Liam Kennedy
SX Design Michael Toisuta
LX Design Ben Cisterne
Stage Manager Sam Johnson
Administrator Drew De Mullich
Cast
Miss Turango Danielle King
Kelly Faulkner Emma Campbell
Sally Nofke Marguerite Assat
Prue Lesuer Elena Burger
Ishmael Lesuer Michael Brindley
Razz Man Adam Marks
Scobie Matthew Friedman
Prindabel Tom Gilmour
Bill Kingsley Sorie Bangura
Barry Bagsley Billy Mansour
Danny Wallace Cooper Torrens
Doug Savage James Hughes
Mr Barker Mark Ashmore
The Performance
Behind the Scenes of
Ishmael and the Return of the
Dugongs
Jasmine Christie – Designer
Interview with the Designer
Model box of “Ishmael” set
Photo: Claire Harris
How do you initially approach the design for a production?
First of all, I read and re-read the text and I try to gauge my instinctual response. Ideas
about feel, colours, style and other artistic reference start to emerge. From here, I usually
have discussions with the director as to what they feel is most important to the show, and
the ideas they most want to convey. With the director‟s vision in mind I start collecting
references from everywhere; magazines, photographs, art works, music, installations, and
often other productions. I collate these images to start to refine a “look”. From here, I
then look at the logistics of the show, number of scenes, props, costume changes and
the limitations and potential of the performing space, using venue plans. Using a model
box, and costume renderings I start to design the show, with ongoing discussions with the
director and other creatives such as lighting designers and stage management.
Throughout this whole process I try to always come back to the text, keeping in mind the
purpose of the production, which is important.
Prue’s costume design
Scobie’s costume design
What advice would you give to aspiring young designers?
Collect images. In boxes, on your desktop, collect images from
everywhere of things you love, shows you‟ve seen, fashion, artworks, films,
CD covers, photographs, graphic designs. Keeping these together, you
start to develop and refine your own aesthetic style, which begins to
come out in everything you do. Secondly, see all you can. This refers to
not only theatre, but exhibitions, ballet, animation, live music, films, music
videos. The more you see the more you begin to gauge the movements
of culture and be inspired by the new aesthetics of other people. And
thirdly, keep doing it. It‟s hard to do, but even when you‟re having a
“bad” day creatively, work through it and you do improve.
How do you create a design for a play that has so many different scenes?
This was indeed one of the biggest challenges. The piece not only takes place
in no less than 14 different settings, but also jumps from interior to exterior scenes
instantly. Fraser (the director) and I discussed this and felt, due to the nature of
the piece, being both a comedy and a piece about youth, we could afford to
be less literal in our interpretation of these scenes and also integrate the scene
changes into the pace and style of the show. For this reason, the set consists of
large movable flats that can be arranged in multiple configurations to suggest
the settings of the piece. For me, the most important elements of the show were
the themes of young love and the energy of youth today. It was a priority for
me to evoke this energy in the set through both colour and the street art style,
providing a visual backdrop to the action of the play.
Interviews with the cast:
Sorie Bangura - Bill Kingsley
How do you approach the preparation
for your role? Do you use particular
techniques? How about learning lines?
I assess where my character stands
within the play, just from reading the
script, and in the process of the
rehearsal room I gain an
understanding of how he is seen by
others. From there it becomes about
fleshing out the character. Improvising
scenes with other characters helps in
the preparation of the character as
well as the willingness to go along with
various drama exercises. Learning lines
is not a problem due to the repetition
of lines in the rehearsal room.
What is the most interesting trait of your
character?
I like the way he is comfortable with
himself, he knows what and who he is
and although he is the victim of
bullying, he doesn‟t change who he is
to suit others.
Which parts of your character are the
most difficult to play?
He is a massive sci-fi expert, and the
research involved in that department is
a considerable amount to digest.
How does your character change and
how do you reflect this change in your
performance?
Out of all the introverted characters,
Bill seems to be the one who is able to
talk to girls without freezing or
stumbling over words. For me Bill starts
out as a nerdy “spaceman” and
although he does not abandon his
likes and interests, he is able to
conduct himself normally with women.
What advice would you give to other
young actors who would like a career
in the arts?
If it‟s the career you want, make sure
you‟re willing to accept all the
consequences that come with it, and if
you are willing to do so, go for it.
Matthew Friedman – James
Scobie
Why did you audition for Ishmael and
the Return of the Dugongs?
I‟ve always wanted to be involved in a
professional production, but until now
I‟ve been limited to school. My brother
(David) was particularly helpful in
bugging me until I sent an email to set
up an audition time.
What is the most interesting trait of your
character?
The trait that struck me the most about
Scobie is that he is biologically
incapable of fear, which could be
attributed to the brain operation that
he recently underwent. In the
character list he‟s described as „The
brainiest brainiac of all time‟ and a
„Chief debating wizard‟.
Most of the characters are quite close
to your actual age, do you feel you
are similar to them? Why/Why not?
There are quite a few things with which
I can relate to Scobie, even though he
is three years my senior. Scobie is a
much more exaggerated version of
me when it comes to academics and
debating. We‟re also both leaders in
our own way, and we‟re both able to
find means of connecting with a lot of
different people.
How does your character change and
how do you reflect this change in your
performance?
The main transformation within Scobie
is when he falls in love with Prue,
Ishmael‟s younger sister. Suddenly, this
usually confident genius is thrown way
out of his depth, into an alien world.
When uncomfortable, Scobie‟s
sentences become disjointed and
unsure, compared to his usual way of
talking which is smooth, sure and
confident.
What advice would you give to other
young actors who would like a career
in the arts?
Give things a go. Trying is the first step
to success, and you only risk
disappointment by auditioning for
roles. Even if you don‟t get the role, the
learning experience is well worth it.
Marguerite Assaf – Sally Nofke
Why did you audition for Ishmael and
the Return of the Dugongs?
I auditioned for it because I want to be
an actor and I thought theatre is
a great start and a very good
experience to help me be more
confident and get used to a big crowd
watching me. Also, because the play
seemed really funny and interesting I
really wanted to be a part of it.
How do you approach the preparation
for your role? Do you use particular
techniques? How about learning lines?
I read the lines and try to figure out
what she's thinking at the time and I try
and build up a personality for her by
the stuff she says. Learning lines isn‟t
really that hard for me, I'm just going to
read them over and over again so I
can get used to saying them and
know when and how to say them.
What is the most interesting trait of your
character?
I think she is very confident but when
someone says one thing that could
really put her down she loses all that
confidence. Of course, she regains it
afterwards.
Which parts of your character are the
most difficult to play?
I think when I have to make a lot of
eye contact. I can do it but it‟s kind of
hard for me to stay in eye contact for
a long time. I'm working it =).
Most of the characters are quite close
to your actual age, do you feel you
are similar to them? Why/Why not?
In some parts I feel like I'm similar
because she seems laid back with
everything. Sometimes I'm not similar.
For example, in the pool situation and
in the part where Razz makes her cry, I
think I would have reacted differently.
For the other characters, yes! I feel
there are a lot of similarities.
What advice would you give to other
young actors who would like a career
in the arts?
My advice is to be yourself, believe in
yourself, and don‟t give up!
Also, practice a lot because it makes a
big difference, it did for me. Have a
good attitude towards everything, get
feedback and work on your acting
Cooper Torrens – Danny
Why did you audition for Ishmael and
the Return of the Dugongs?
I love participating in atyp productions;
it‟s very friendly and positive. Ishmael is
a great play, filled to the brim with the
essentials for great theatre – humour,
drama and romance.
How do you approach the preparation
for your role? Do you use particular
techniques? How about learning lines?
I try to imagine what the character‟s
life would be like and create a back
story for them to give them more
depth. Learning lines just comes with
practice. Read, read, read and then
try to say them without the script,
usually with a friend to prompt when
you forget.
What is the most interesting trait of your
character?
Danny is a big, testosterone-fuelled
bully who, along with Doug, is a
sidekick to Barry Bagsley. ..He tends to
be the friend that gets picked on when
no one else is around to harass.
Which parts of your character are the
most difficult to play?
Danny has to be „ruthless‟ in that he
has no remorse for his actions. I find it
difficult to think up ways to make
others miserable and pretend I have
no regrets.
Most of the characters are quite close
to your actual age. Do you feel you
are similar to them? Why / Why not?
I don‟t feel very similar to Danny; he is
far more brutish than I am, still I can
empathize with his „type‟ or „group‟ of
people.
How does your character change and
how do you reflect this change in your
performance?
Danny doesn‟t exactly change
throughout the play. Although in the
end he finds a productive outlet for his
energy in the band „B.A.R.R.Y‟ (Bad Ass
Rock „n‟ Roll Yeah) with Barry and
Doug.
What advice would you give to other
young actors who would like a career
in the arts?
Good luck.
How do you audition for an atyp show?
All atyp auditions are advertised on our website www.atyp.com.au and in our e-
newsletter. Once they are advertised call atyp to book an audition time 02 9270 2400.
atyp‟s productions provide students with the opportunity to work alongside
professional directors and creatives in staging a show, providing an opportunity for
them to learn from people who are actively working in the industry.
Get Involved !
Initial reaction
What was your initial reaction to the performance? What sticks out in your mind?
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Would you recommend the performance to a friend? Why / Why not?
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Design Elements Costumes
Describe the costumes. How was costume used to portray character? Was the use of
costume successful? Why / Why not?
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Lighting
Describe the lighting. How was lighting used to set the scene and define the space?
Was the use of lighting successful? Why / Why not?
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Set
Describe the set. Jasmine Christie wanted to reflect a fun, 2D set that reflected
cartoon elements. Was this successful? Why / Why not?
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After you see
Ishmael and the Return of the
Dugongs
Sound and Music
Identify a moment where the sound/music affected you as an audience member.
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The Elements of Drama Comment on how the performance used the elements of drama:
Tension: Where were the moments of
tension in the overall performance?
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Which moment held the most tension
for you?
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Recreate the tension in the moment as
a tableau.
Focus: How did the director draw the
audience's focus to the action he most
wanted you to see?
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Identify a moment that was really
successful in drawing focus?
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Space
How did the actors use the stage
space?
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What was the most interesting aspect
of the use of space?
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Movement
How was movement used to portray
each character?
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Symbol
Can you identify any symbols/motifs
used in the production?
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What were the most successful symbols
used?
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Mood / Atmosphere
Describe the mood of the piece.
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What sort of feeling did you have at
the end of the play? Was it different to
the feeling you had at the beginning
of the play? Why/Why not?
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Where were the high points in the
performance?
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How did you feel at the end of the
performance?
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What devices were used to create
mood throughout the performance?
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Draw a mood map of that shows the
emotional journey of the overall show:
Character / Role
Did you think the actors were well cast
for their roles? Why/Why not?
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Identify one character that stood out
in your mind? Why were they so
memorable?
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Actor-Audience Relationship
What was the role of the audience in
the performance?
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How did the characters relate to the
audience?
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The play is about young people and
the issues they face as teenagers. Did
you identify with any of the
characters? Why/Why not?
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Michael Brindley, Adam Marks
Photo: Claire Harris
Write your own Review A review is an important part of theatre criticism. It gives an account of the
production with the writer's opinion of the success of the performance. Become an
atyp theatre critic! Use the scaffold below to write a review of Ishmael and the Return
of the Dugongs.
Send it to [email protected]
We'll publish well written reviews on our website.
How to write a review:
Remember to:
- Paint an accurate picture of the production for someone who has not been
there
- Give a personal opinion about the success of the performance
You may wish to approach your review writing by following guidelines:
1. State the details of the production, where, when, by who.
2. A synopsis of the overarching plot of the play (without giving away the
ending!)
3. Background of the show and the unique aspects of the production.
4. Information about the style and genre of the piece.
5. Analysis of the mood and atmosphere created by the cast/designers.
6. Analysis of the choices made by the director.
7. Analysis of the performances of the actors.
8. Analysis of set, costume, lighting and design aspects and how these relate
to the themes of the show.
9. Your personal opinion supported by examples to justify your opinion.
10. Recommendation and / or overall rating.
Marguerite Assaf, Emma Campbell
Photo: Claire Harris
Remember to make it concise and clear.
Try to write your review in 300 words.
We look forward to receiving your reviews!
Exploring Themes: A Boal Approach to Bullying
Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs explores a number of themes that are
prevalent in the teen years – belonging, family, first love and bullying. In order to
explore the theme of bullying the following activities draw upon the teachings of
Augusto Boal.
Augusto Boal coined the term, “Theatre of the Oppressed”. In order to address issues
of inequality, disparity and injustice, he created the theatrical forms, “Forum Theatre”
and “Invisible Theatre”. These forms are theatrical experiences through which an
audience moves beyond being a spectator and becomes an integral part of the
action as a “spect-actor”. To learn more about Boal and his approach to theatre
read the following books -
Boal, A. (2000) Theatre of the Oppressed, London: Pluto Press.
Boal, A. (1992) Games for Actors and Non-Actors, London: Routledge.
Boal, A. (1998) Legistlative Theatre, London: Routledge.
Michael Brindley, Adam Marks
Photo: Claire Harris
Cooper Torrens, Sorie Bangura, Adam Marks
Photo: Claire Harris
Classroom Activity
BRAINSTORM:
In groups of three, discuss and record your answers for the following
questions (this is a brainstorming technique that will help you think
outside the box):
How is bullying like a zoo? How is bullying like an ocean? How is
bullying like a glass of water? How is bullying like a bush fire?
How is bullying like breakfast? How is bullying like a ballet?
Choose one of these metaphors that most reflects the theme of
“bullying” for you. You may like to create another metaphor
but try not to choose something that has obvious points of
similarity.
PRACTICAL TASK:
Create a tableaux (still picture) for the metaphor you have
chosen.
REFLECTION:
In your Drama Journal, draw a picture of your metaphor for
bullying. Be creative in your response. Use collage, pen and ink
or trace around found objects. Let the reflection speak for itself
without explanation.
You may like to share your reflection with the class. See if they
can determine which metaphor you‟ve used.
(The following activity is based on Boal‟s Forum Theatre taken from
Games for Actors and Non-Actors, p.p.243 – 245. Please refer to this for
a more full explanation of the roles and game):
BRAINSTORM:
Discuss the concept of “oppression”. Where do you see
oppression in your life? Where in Australia? Where
internationally?
What distinguishes an oppressor from a victim? List the attributes
of an oppressor. List the attributes of a victim.
In pairs, create a still picture that reflects the relationship
between oppressor and victim. Show this to the class.
PRACTICAL TASK
Form groups of five.
Drawing upon your responses to the above brainstorming
activity, create a scene that includes the following: a distinctive
setting, a bully, a victim, a witness, a bystander.
Discuss the central issue of the bullying situation. Why is the
victim being bullied? Where is the scene set? How do the
characters enter the scene? How does the crisis arise? Create
an ending which favours the bully and keeps the victim
oppressed. Make sure each character has a part to play in the
scene.
Group members choose their roles – bully, victim, witness,
bystander and “joker” (the MC or go-between the actors and
the audience).
The group plays out the scene for the rest of the class (or
another class altogether). They then replay the scene with the
“Joker” orchestrating the audience‟s response. This time, the
audience (spect-actors) can call out “stop”, take the place of
one of the actors and put forward/act out their own response or
solution to the bullying.
The role of the “joker” is to keep the action going and to take
suggestions from the audience as to how characters could
replay their parts in order to address the oppression.
REFLECTION:
As a class, discuss the outcome of the “scene”. What did you
notice about the original scene? How did it change? Were the
changes made possible to implement in a real-life situation of
bullying?
Classroom Activity