Study notes

A student:

• H3.2 analyses, synthesises and organises knowledge, information and opinion in coherent, informed oral and written responses.

Drama Stage 6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009, p 22.

A student:

• H3.2 analyses, synthesises and organises knowledge, information and opinion in coherent, informed oral and written responses.

Drama Stage 6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009, p 22.

Theoretical and experiential evidence – in a class workshop exploring the scene, 'Hiding Sandy', we considered how to shape the dramatic action powerfully, whilst layering evocative performance technologies, to convey the sense of isolation and desperation that Sandy experienced whilst ‘always on the run’. We directed Sandy to run the perimeter of the stage, clearly distressed as he shouted, 'Always on the run'. In contrast, an image of a family portrait was created by the other four characters, (Aunt and her family), downstage centre, standing in a tight shaft of light, connected and happy. 

Experiential evidence – included above in the description of the class workshop, for example, 'we directed Sandy'.

Conventions, techniques, forms, styles:

• Tableau (frozen image) – the aunt’s family portrait 

• Transformational acting 

• Repetition – 'always on the run'

• Contrast.

Impact on audience – Sandy’s disconnection from family and the sense of belonging that family provides, and the distress that caused him, was conveyed powerfully through this blocking and lighting state. This disconnection and dislocation made me really feel for Sandy as an audience member and reflect on how the children and families impacted by The Stolen Generations policies must have felt being forcibly taken.

Theoretical and experiential evidence – when workshopping the scene, 'Hiding Sandy', I played the character of Sandy. In the opening moment, Sandy is fishing and his sense of connection with Country and his culture are conveyed through the action choices conveying Sandy’s joy at catching a fish. As I ‘reeled it in’, moving with energy to downstage centre, a big grin across my face, Sandy’s sense of belonging and connectedness in this place was theatricalised. We imagined a golden wash of light to convey the dawn and the sound effects of native birds calling as they flew across the projected image of the water, as Sandy held dramatic focus downstage. 

Experiential evidence – included above in the description of the class workshop, for example, 'I 'reeled it in', moving with energy to downstage centre'.

Conventions, techniques, forms, styles:

• Soundscapes 

• Projection 

• Acting choices – miming fishing 

• Mood 

• Dramatic focus 

• Tension  

• Vocal dynamics.

Impact on audience – I could tell this mood of contentment was broken by the urgent calling of Sandy's mother, standing upstage on one of the beds, as our audience murmured with concern when one of my yelps as Sandy sounded wounded. The tension rose as the mother’s vocals built in both volume and urgency, and one of my classmates commented that this really resonated with her experiences of missing her mother.