Workshop 1 – atmosphere

Learning intention

In this activity, the objective is to immerse your audience in the opening scene of Life Without Me by Daniel Keene. You will explore contemporary Australian theatre conventions and how you can enhance the script's symbolism, including the ominous storm mentioned in the stage directions.

Assumed knowledge

• A working knowledge of contemporary Australian theatre conventions

• Select a different scene to any you have worked with from previous activities.

Instructions

• As a class, stage a reading of a 1 to 2 minute excerpt of the opening scene of the play. Pay special attention to the opening stage directions. Discuss what atmosphere is being prompted by the writing and what conventions of theatre could be used to develop this atmosphere. Take a moment to visualise and feel the atmosphere described in the play.

• Discuss various contemporary Australian theatre conventions that can be applied to the scene. These could include non-linear structure, transformational acting, stylised movement, or any other convention you find interesting and relevant.

• In groups of 3 or 4 , assign roles (actors, directors, designers) and choose one contemporary Australian theatre convention you would like to focus on in your performance of Scene One.

• Rehearse your scene and add any elements of production that you have available to enhance your use of your chosen convention in capturing the initial atmosphere of the play.

• Each group will present their interpretation of the opening to the class.

• After each performance, engage in a class discussion. Reflect on how well the group conveyed the atmosphere of the storm using your chosen convention. Discuss the impact of this approach on the audience's understanding of the cultural, social, political and personal issues and concerns of the play.

Reflection

Individually, reflect on your experience and learning during this workshop. Write a paragraph in your study notes addressing the following question (around 250 words).

How did your group's use of your chosen convention contribute to establishing the atmosphere and engaging the audience in the symbolism of the opening of the play? In your response, you should refer to theoretical and experiential evidence from the activity.

You may also want to add this workshop evidence to you study notes (see the Study notes page).