Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources
About heartBeast Boutique Theatre
heartBeast is a not-for-profit theatre organisation that offers artists the opportunity to investigate
and explore their performance philosophy and skills of artistry through an aesthetic prism that
meshes heightened theatricality with the organic performance of archetypal, contemporary, local
and world stories.
Through ongoing exploration, creativity and performance, heartBeast develops and presents a
repertoire of heightened, adventurous theatre that enthrals and engages audiences to reconsider
their personal perspectives, philosophies and place in the world.
heartBeast's goal is to explore and manifest theatricality to make a difference.
Explaining our name:
heartBeast: We are all beasts of the heart, every one of us. Being human means engaging with the
moments, memories and stories of our day to day lives, enmeshed with those heightened
moments of love, passion, grief, anger, despair, sorrow, fear, happiness, grace and elation. These
emotional states are said to live in our hearts. Our human reactions to these make us the beasts
that we are - beasts of the heart - heartBeasts.
Synopsis & Setting
It's the summer of 1967 and the Christmas holidays have descended on three different families.
Tom and Meg have just performed in their school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and
have taken a liking to each other. However, bags and cars need to be made ready for the yearly
adventure of the Christmas holidays with their separate families.
Roy, the headmaster, and his wife, Coral, are grieving the loss of their son in the Vietnam War.
Coral hasn't dealt with it well and Roy is unable to console her. They have booked a holiday in a
luxury Gold Coast hotel in an attempt to lift their spirits and get closer together.
Tom's parents, Vic and Harry, are working class English immigrants. They are off on a camping
holiday with a tent and a car. The holiday has been the dream of a difficult year in which Tom has
been ill and received a diagnosis of leukaemia. Harry, Vic and Tom play a game of pretence of Tom
not knowing how serious the situation really is for him.
Meg and her parents, Jim and Gwen, are taking their boat and new caravan to a beachside caravan
park with all the amenities. Conflict arises when Jim's Christmas present to Gwen is left at home. A
committee of campers, caricatures of suburban life, confront Jim with a petition to 'improve' the
caravan park and its environs.
Coral, in an attempt to reassure Roy, starts going out of her way to meet people at their Gold Coast
hotel. After a disastrous conversation with Leonie, she meets Rick, a young man on his honeymoon
and uncertain of what life has offered him. Their relationship comes to an abrupt end when Roy
discovers them together on the rooftop and threatens to have Coral committed.
As the conflicts within the families come to a head a storm, whipped up by mischievous fairies,
wrecks Gwen and Jim's caravan park leaving them with no option but to head home. They find
themselves at the secluded beach and camping grounds where Tom and his family are. Coral, on
the run from Roy, has been hitchhiking and has also found her way to this magical beach. Tom is
the only one who recognises her and together they write and perform a play for the campers'
variety night – a play about loving, letting go and standing alone.
As the new year begins, the story ends as it began, at school.
Characters
Tom
17 years old, son of Vic & Harry
Vic
Mother of Tom, wife of Harry, English immigrant
Harry
Father of Tom, husband of Vic, English immigrant, factory worker
Meg
17 years old, daughter of Gwen & Jim
Gwen
Mother of Meg, wife of Jim
Jim
Father of Meg, husband of Harry, office worker
Roy
Headmaster of Tom & Meg's school, husband of Coral
Coral
Wife of Roy
Rick
Young man on his honeymoon at Gold Coast hotel
Leonie
Holiday maker at Gold Coast hotel
Miss Latrobe
Teacher & Director of Tom & Meg's end of year play
Storm Fairies
Wreckers of Gwen & Jim's caravan & boat
Campers
Group of caravan park holiday makers who want to improve the park
MC
Introduces the Campers Variety Night
Cast & Creatives
Tom / Rick / Storm Fairy
Patrick Bell
Vic / Fourth Camper / Fairy/ Storm Fairy
Sherri Smith
Harry / Third Camper / Fairy / Storm Fairy
Brian Bolton
Meg / Dancer
Johance Theron
Gwen/ Fairy / Dancer
Jacqueline Kerr
Jim/ Fairy
David Patterson
Roy / First Camper / MC
Warwick Comber
Coral
Adrienne Costello
Miss Latrobe / Leonie / Second Camper / Storm Fairy
Liliana Marcone
Director & Designer
Michael Beh
Assistant Director
Rebecca Condon
Stage Manager
David Bentley
Lighting Designer
Jason Harding
Costume Realiser
Jan Mandrusiack
The Space
heartBeast recognises the original inhabitants of the land - the Turrbal People - where we gather
to make, share and celebrate life stories through our theatre practice.
Since 2011, heartBeast has called Trinity Hall at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Fortitude Valley
home in an astoundingly beautiful heritage venue that stretches back to the early days of when
Fortitude Valley was settled.
Trinity Hall has a strong history of being the home for theatre organisations in the Valley. In the
1970s and 80s it was used regularly by Brisbane's acclaimed TN! Theatre as a rehearsal venue,
while they performed across the street at their theatre in Brookes St.
Trinity Hall was also used by Queensland Theatre Company for rehearsals during that time.
So now heartBeast calls Trinity Hall home. It is not a theatre within the traditional sense but it is a
place of theatricality with a special splendour - a vintage elegance and simplicity rarely found in
Brisbane.
The Stage
Like Shakespeare's plays, the action of Away takes place in a number of locations. Locations are
suggested by dialogue rather than scenery.
HeartBeast's production takes place on a bare thrust stage with gauzy blue -green curtaining at the
sides and back.
Context and Connections
The Sixties
Michael Gow has set his play, Away, in the 60's, specifically the summer of 1967-1968, perhaps the
climax of this optimistic and contradictory decade. By the 1960s, the 'Baby Boom' generation (born
at the end of the Second World War) had become the 'teenage market' and had lowered the
average age of the Australian community to such a point that there was an environment
developing where the traditional domains of youth – hope, enthusiasm and optimism – were
becoming majority opinions. The spirit of youthful optimism took to the streets and mass protest
rallies actually forced an end to Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.
This hopeful spirit didn't really come to an end until the oil shocks, and the attendant energy crisis
of 1974. In Australia, it was a time of the mining booms, when unlimited affluence seemed
possible, and full employment was still a reality.
For many Australians, it was their first taste of wealth and security. Characters like Gwen and Jim
have their roots in the poverty of the Depression and war years. Vic and Harry, like many migrants,
came for a slowly rebuilding Europe. For families like these, the annual holiday 'away' was a
precious time for enjoying a few weeks leisure, and one of the most important rituals of the year.
(extract from: Education Students of Drama at BCAE Kelvin Grove (1989), QADIE SAYS Vol 14 No 2: AWAY Teachers
Information Kit, Drama Queensland. Http://www.dramaqueensland.org.au/)
Time Line
1929
The Great Depression
1939
'Gone With The Wind' was released
1939-45
World War II
1949-66
Sir Robert Menzies (Prime Minister of Australian for the second time) &
his wife, Dame Patti
1960
People born in the 'Baby Boom' era became teenagers
1962-72
Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War
1964
The Beatles visit Australia
Chips Rafferty – pg.3 (page numbers refer to script references)
Chips Rafferty (1909-1971) was an iconic Australian actor. Rafferty's
onscreen image as a laconic bushman struck a chord with film goers
and he soon became the most popular Australian actor appearing in
films like Forty Thousand Horsemen and Eureka Stockade. Hollywood
beckoned and he appeared alongside the likes of Marlon Brando in
Mutiny on The Bounty and Elvis Presley in Double Trouble.
Bex – pg.8
Bex is a powder compound analgesic. In the 50's through to the 70's,
Australian women suffered an epidemic of kidney failure after
overusing Bex. It was seen as an all-cure for women who felt unwell
or depressed and became an Australian cultural tradition. The
advertising campaign slogan went, “a cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie
down.”
Laurence Olivier -pg.14
Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was an Oscar winning English actor and
director, regarded by many critics as the greatest actor of the 20th
century. Nominated for eleven Oscars and winning four, he was
noted for his performances in Hamlet, Henry V, Othello, Richard III
and Wuthering Heights.
Kim Novak -pg.20
Kim Novak (born Marilyn Novak , 1933-) is an American actor. Former
model Novak was brought in to replace Rita Hayworth and marketed
as an equivalent to Marilyn Monroe. Some of her notable movies
include Picnic (for which she won a Gold Globe award), The Man
With The Golden Arm (starring opposite Frank Sinatra) and Alfred
Hitchcock's Vertigo.
Nasho -pg.27
The National Service Scheme operated from November 1964 to
December 1972. It was based on a birthday ballot of 20 year old
men who had registered with the Department of Labour and
National Service. Those chosen by ballot were called up to perform
two years' continuous full-time service in the Regular Army
Supplement, followed by three years' part-time service in the Regular
Army Reserve. From 1965 to 1972, 15,381 national servicemen
served in the Vietnam War, with 200 killed and 1,279 wounded. The
National Service Scheme was abolished on 5 December 1972 by the
newly elected Labor government.
Commos -pg.27
Commos is a colloquial term derisive of Communists and
Communism. With the Vietnam War's influence, Communism was
feared amongst the Australian populace because it could take away
their democratic freedoms.
Dame Patti -pg.27
Dame Patti Maie Menzies (1899-1995) was the wife and widow of
Australian Liberal Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. She was a huge
contributor towards women's rights and charity work.
Bit of a Beatle -pg.28
The Beatles were a rock group from Liverpool. In the ealy 60's, the
group sported the same mop-top haircut which was popularly known
as the Beatle Haircut. Due to the popularity of the The Beatles, the
haircut was widely imitated during the 1960's. Some UK schools
banned the style, believing it to be a sign of social decay.
Hokey Pokey -pg.52
The Hokey Pokey, song and dance, became a popular party game for
adults in the 50s and 60s and today is seen as a child's game.
Coelacanth -pg.54
The coelacanth is a species of fish and represents the oldest lineage
of living fish known to date. They first appear in the fossil record
about 390 million years ago. The average weight is 80kgs and they
can reach up to two metres in length.
(From: Armstrong, D. & Puncheon, J. Performance Notes for Educators QTC & Griffin Theatre Co, 2005)
Shakespeare
Away owes much of its literary and some its dramatic achievement to its consciously defined
relationship with the plays and features of Shakespeare. The play begins and concludes with
scenes from Shakespeare. Martin Thomas has commented “...in this way Gow props the work
between the classical forms of comedy and tragedy, registering a movement from a situation of
order, (the completion of comedy) to a position of impending disorder, (the opening of tragedy).”
His text is rich in Shakespearian allusions. At times, these are invoked consciously, for example,
Tom refers to his gift to Meg as “a mere bauble” and he directly quotes the “Ill met by moonlight”
which is completely lost on Gwen, of course, since she isn't fond of Shakespeare. “I beg your
pardon?” she retorts.
At other times, these classical allusions are not so clearly evoked. For example, when Gwen,
hysterical, empties her bag to prove once and for all she does not the misplaced keys, she replaces
each item with a neurotic “no.” There are seven “no's” in all in the script, a direct echoing of the
famous seven “no's” of despair of King Lear. Even though Gwen unconsciously echoes the work of
Shakespeare, she remains the only one of the parents, who did not appreciate the Shakespearian
play. ...but whose idea was it to do Shakespeare? Very silly choice, if you ask me”, she says.
Intertextuality or cross-referring of literary or musical references is a common feature of the
modernist school of writing in poetry, novel, drama or music, making it difficult sometimes to draw
a convincing dividing lines between conscious quotations and unconscious ones.
In performance, one is presented with a full theatricality which extends the boundaries of
naturalism and which conveys the emotional resonances of Away. Everyone knows there are no
such things as fairies, but to avenge Tom's hurt and take revenge on Gwen for her nasty, prejudiced
comments regarding his family, the fairies to appear and wreck Gwen's comfortable, secure
holiday.
(Simon, L(1991).Michael GOW'S PLAYS - A thematic approach. Currency Press Pty Ltd)
Director’s Say
Michael Beh’s email interview with Xanthe Coward (XS Entertainment)
XC: heartBeast’s goal is “to explore and manifest theatricality to make a difference.” What’s the
difference you want to make and why is it important that you do so?
MB: When I began studying theatre I was inspired by my drama teachers at university, and the
work of great directors such as the Arianne Mnouchkine, Evgheny Vahtangov, Georgio Strehler and
Joan Littlewood. They all used theatrical storytelling to communicate message to the audience –
to create a heightened theatrical experience that is both entertaining and educative, that
transports and is magical – and in so doing communicates to its audience about the human
condition and how we can all be better people. I have always believed that that is the goal of good
theatre. That is my dream for heartBeast and the work we do. It is all about growing as a person to
make a better world. If heartBeast can inspire our audiences to take just a step in that direction,
than I will be happy.
XC: How did you come to set up heartBeast?
MB: I had done some work as part of Metro Arts Free Range Festival with a group of local
emerging artists. Some of them were ex-students of mine. Others were professional actors with
various levels of experience who were interested in creating an ensemble of independent theatre
makers. They were also interested in mentoring younger actors. Everyone wanted to keep
working together and so we did. That was in early 2010 and we then created Beautiful
Frankenstein as our first project.
XC: What have you enjoyed most about previous work with heartBeast?
MB: At heartBeast, we have the freedom to take risks. Because we work in a theatrically
heightened way, heartBeast productions can be uber theatrical in their use of physicality, voice,
costume, and makeup. I love the use of lavish and vintage costuming. I have become intrigued by
how costume tells story and helps the actor in their characterisation. I also enjoy how we can
equally revert to a deep intense realism with a simple scenography.
At the core of this stylistic choice are all the creatives and the people who support us. heartBeast
has become like a family. We always have someone new joining us, sharing their experience and
knowledge and in this way we make discoveries about others and ourselves as artists. This keeps
us moving in the creation of the heartBeast aesthetic and the style of work that we do.
XC: You’ve produced and/or directed more than 50 productions. What led you to the theatre and
what keeps you in it?
I have worked at professional, independent, university and secondary school levels in making
theatre. I was inspired to make theatre that makes a difference by my own teachers. As a director,
my favourite place is in the rehearsal room, working with artists to make discoveries. I especially
love the capacity for possibility that courageous actors have.
I am also entranced by the liminal space that is the wings - that transition place from real world to
theatrical world – our truth place. This sounds like a paradox but it isn’t. I have learned so much
about what it means to be a good person through the exploration of story, philosophy and
relationship in the theatre. It is the place where I feel most alive.
XC: Your upcoming production is the Michael Gow play, Away. What made you choose to stage this
work? How will another production of Away make a difference?
It has been a number of years since Away was staged in Brisbane. It is a classic Australian work
that pulsates with a heightened reality infused with mythic poeticism. I love good story telling. I
love Shakespeare. I love exploring the essence of being Australian, of place, identity and meaning.
Away is a journey play about redemption, about dealing with tragedy, about loss and love and
living. Away has all of that in it.
When I reread it I was overwhelmed by all of this and by how relevant Away is to today’s
audiences. Instead of Vietnam we have Afghanistan and Iraq, with parents grieving for sons lost in
battle. Instead of equal rights for women, we have the issue of equal rights for gay people,
refugees and other disenfranchised groups. We still have husbands and wives struggling with how
to communicate, listen and understand each other. And sadly, we still have parents losing their
children to the ravages of cancer.
Through all of this, Away engages contemporary audiences in our humanity. Perhaps it will
encourage people to be a little bit kinder, a little bit more understanding, a little bit more reflective
about who they love, why the love and how they love.
XC: What do you think is the difference in young people’s lives once they bring Drama into it? When
new artists come to heartBeast, what is their approach and what are their skills? Is there anything
you would like to see more of?
I believe that young people who seriously engage in Drama are opting for a journey of selfdiscovery. It is not easy work. You have to want it badly. It is not a place for ego and the trappings
of celebrity. I think if that is why you want to explore drama, then you are wanting it for the wrong
reasons. This is the expectation that I have of any new artist who comes to heartBeast. I expect
them to stay the distance, to be reliable, and honest and contribute to the ensemble - they are
immediately a part of the heartBeast family. They are encouraged to dive in deep straight away.
As we work together we discover more and more of their skills. In the past we have asked
different members of the company to do skills sharing workshops with each other. Thereby we
keep developing our own theatrical language and way of being, doing and making.
XC: Talk us through your audition process.
Our audition process is very simple: two contrasting monologues that we will explore through
redirection and improvisation. We have done group workshops when casting a number of people.
We always talk a lot, chat about the company, what the artist is looking for, to see if we are a good
match.
XC: What form does your creative process take? Can you talk us through that? (Can you talk about
what the differing roles entail, as you take on production or direction or design? Which is your
greatest passion?
This is a huge question. Focusing on directing - I am inspired by the fusion of heightened realism
and theatricality, especially as created by the Russian Theatre Director, Evgheny Vakhtangov and
his style of Fantastic Realism. I am very interested in actor’s manifesting plakative, physical work
that is driven by a strong interior life. By fusing the link between the two, we strive to create an
organic, heightened performance.
In order to do this as an ensemble we engage in a number of rehearsal tactics – from book work
and table reading, to games, exercises, workshops, the detailed exploration of voicing and physical
action choices. Different productions require different methodologies. I encourage the actors to
play. We do not set anything until we are very close to performance. I do ban the use of the word
‘blocking’ but we engage in ‘sculpting’ moments, transitions, actions and reactions.
This exploration of a fantastic style bleeds into the design of the show. I am particularly interested
in costuming that is aesthetically wonderful, supporting the manifestation of character, enabling
the actor and working with a simple scenographic set design. I like to create a space that allows
the actor to make strong physical choices and is not cluttered by a filmic realism that demands
furniture and all the physical manifestations of reality.
XC: What will we take away from any heartBeast production?
Joy. Creativity. Story. A great night of theatre. A shared experience, generously given by a
wonderful ensemble of local artists.
XC: What would you like to see more of, in the Australian theatrical landscape?
I would like to see more of our own stories being told. There are so many stories of our parents,
grandparents, great grandparents that are not being told - about who they were, there struggles,
their triumphs, how they engaged with the land and with each other that we need to remember
and manifest. In this vein, heartBeast is currently researching the stories of the history of
Fortitude Valley in preparation for a dynamic new work for 2016.
Theatre making also needs to be made more affordable for small to independent companies. In
this way, the savings can be passed on to audiences. heartBeast always tries to maintain low ticket
prices. This is one of the reasons that we do not work in expensive theatres. Our home is Trinity
Hall, a beautiful heritage venue in the heart of Brisbane. It is close to public transport and enables
a wide variety of audiences to attend. It used to be a rehearsal space for QTC and TN Theatre, so it
resounds with theatrical ghosts. It is a wonderful place that transports us and our audiences into a
total world of drama.
About the Writer
Michael Gow
Michael Gow has extensive writing credits for stage, screen and radio. His best known play is the
multi-award winning Away, a modern classic of Australian Theatre and one of the most performed
Australian plays. Others include Toy Symphony (critically acclaimed production at Belvoir Street
Theatre Upstairs in 2007), The Kid, On Top of the World, Europe, 1841, The Fortunes of Richard
Mahony and award-winners Furious and Sweet Phoebe, and Live Acts on Stage.
For television Michael wrote the mini-series Eden’s Lost, directed by Neil Armfield and Art’n’Life.
He also adapted his play Europe for radio and wrote The Astronaut’s Wife for ABC Radio.
His awards include two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, two Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Awards,
the Australian Writer’s Guild Major Award for Writing and for Best Play, a Green Room Award, an
AFI Award for Best Mini-Series.
Michael is also a noted director, and was Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company from
1999 to 2010.
https://australianplays.org/playwright/CP-gowhig
Ideas, Activities & Tasks
Ideas
In keeping with our ‘green’ approach to education use our heartBeast’s IDEAS page for discussion
and improvisation.
http://www.heartbeast.com.au/ideas/
Images of the 1960’s from the State Archives as stimulus for further improvisation.
Dancing at the Orchid Beach Resort, Fraser Island, 27 September 1969
Burleigh Beach Tourist Park, Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, September 1969
Rudd Park Camping Ground, Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, May 1964
Chevron Hotel, Surfers Paradise, January 1963
Where Jim works?
1964 – looking fine!
Activities
Warm Up
Play Grandma’s Footsteps:
a. As yourself in the moment
b. As a heightened Realistic character or using Expressionism showing emotion, state of being
or attitude
c. Select a character from Away to ‘emblemize’ as a statue
Status
a) Give each student a ‘role’, eg headmaster, office worker, wife of office worker, factory
worker, migrant, etc.
Working in pairs or groups of three, students improvise situations such as:
 School Working Bee
 Outside a luxury resort
 On the beach
Discuss with players and observers the ways in which status was made clear.
b) Add an adjective to the role; grieving headmaster, harried office worker, insecure wife of
office worker, stoic factory worker, determined migrant.
Replay the improvised situations and observe the changing status.
Happy Families
Each student is privately given a character (Leonie’s husband and Rick’s wife may be included).
Students have to find their character’s family and pose for a family Christmas photo. The first
family to do so, wins.
Obstacle: They may not ask or give their character’s name or social role, eg headmaster.
A Play in 5 Moments
Working in small groups/ families/ relationships or as a whole class, students are to create frozen
image of a moment from each of the acts.
Playing Scenes – Script Extracts – Looking for what isn’t said
Hand out the script extracts. After doing a read and walk through, students choose ten lines and
note next to them what the character wants and what he/she is feeling. They then play their whole
scene with this new understanding for the class.
Act One, Scene Two
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
TOM:
MEG:
You going away tomorrow?
We’re leaving really early.
Well… have a good time.
Where are you going?
Up the coast. Some beach.
Have a good time.
Bound to.
See you.
Yeah… see you in the pictures.
You too.
No thanks.
You were really good in the play.
Bull.
You were!
Cut it out! I’ll get a fat head.
My olds are waiting for me.
Anyway, I got this for you. A memento of the play
Thanks.
It was a real laugh being in the play with you.
No-o…
It was! So I got you something as a token of appreciation.
What is it?
If you open it you might find out. It’s just a piece of junk, actually I nicked it. But it’s the
thought that counts.
You nicked it?
Actually, I got a night job and slogged me guts out for ten years to pay for it.
A brooch.
A mere bauble.
It’s really nice. That’s really nice of you.
Oh, stop before you start sobbing.
I really like it.
It’s from the bottom of my heart, actually.
I wish I’d got you something.
I have some beautiful memories.
Oh yuck.
Sick, eh?
It was good fun, though. Pity it was only for one night. Fancy doing it night after night
like in America. Plays go on for years there. London too. Wouldn’t you get sick of it?
Depends who else was in it. Be great if you hated everyone’s guts.
But then it’d only be the same as a proper job.
What are going to be when you grow up?
An Engine Driver. You?
Act Two, Scene Two
GWEN: Margaret? Do want these flippers to go?
MEG:
Yes.
GWEN: Well, do you think they’ll pack themselves? Do you think holidays happen by
themselves.
MEG:
No.
GWEN: Well, get those pillow slips. And I can’t see any beach towels here. I hope no one
expects to take any of my good towels down onto the beach. Did you hear me?
MEG:
Yes, I’ll get some now.
GWEN: Is that box of canned food out at the car? It should go in the boot.
MEG:
[Off, calling] Mum wants to know if the box of groceries has gone out.
JIM:
[Off, calling] Yes, it’s here.
MEG:
Yes, it’s there.
GWEN: Miracle of miracles. My head will split. Look how late it is. We won’t get enough sleep.
And we won’t get away before seven. Every lunatic will be on the roads in the morning.
[Calling] I said every lunatic on earth will be on the roads tomorrow. And we’ll be
caught in the middle of it. [Back to Meg] I wish some people did a bit more, with a bit
more preparation. Instead of leaving it all to the last second. People think holidays
happen all by themselves.
MEG:
I think you should go to bed now.
GWEN: Ha! We’d still be here on New Year’s Day. No, I’ll keep going. I may as well.
MEG:
But your head’s killing you.
GWEN: I’ll have a Bex before bed.
MEG:
Why not stop, rest, relax? We’ll get there.
GWEN: Have you got the thermos organised yet?
MEG:
I’ll do it, don’t worry.
GWEN: I may as well be talking to a lot of brick walls. And what have you packed in the way of
clothes? You’re old enough to cope with that. I suppose you are. It’s up to you. Just
don’t come running to me when you’ve got nothing to wear. I told you two weeks ago,
as soon as your exams finished and over with, to start getting your things together.
MEG:
Yes, I done it. I’ve got a bag. Why can’t you relax?
GWEN: Don’t take that tone of voice. You’ll end up a snide miss and no one can stand that.
Everyone does what they have to. If we’re going to have any sort of reasonable holiday
we’re going o have to pay for it. We’re paying for it now, y spending all night packing up
to go.
MEG:
But it doesn’t seem much fun.
GWEN: Fun Now that’s a good word. Fun. T doesn’t seem much fun.
Act Two, Scene One
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
HARRY:
TOM:
You didn’t have to wait up for me.
There’s still a lot to do, you know.
I was all right.
Last minute things.
I got home in one piece, didn’t I?
I think your mother’ll need a trailer for her stuff.
I won’t need much
You feeling all right?
I’m not tired. I feel wide awake.
You looking forward to this trip?
Of course I am.
We are.
We’ve been talking about it for months.
It’ll be a good break.
That’s right. I’m thirsty.
We need a good break. From home, work.
You want a drink?
A cup of tea?
I feel like something cold.
It’s been a rough year.
I remember, you know.
On your mother.
Yes, I do know that. I remember it all.
So you can forgive us looking forward to this little trip?
Have I complained? Why do you think I don’t want to go?
Planning the holidays was as important to your mother as actually going away.
I want to go.
Something to look forward to.
Same for me.
A few weeks just with ourselves. Just with you. It’ll be good.
It’ll be terrific. I’ve looked forward to it. Ever since you suggested it I’ve wanted to go.
That day in the hospital and you brought in the tent and put it up in the ward. I
couldn’t wait for summer to come.
When you have your own kids you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Come on, Dad, you’re getting tired.
When you’ve got your own family Do you want a drink or not?
(All excerpts from: Gow, M. Away 1986 Currency Press)
Tasks:
Recommended for Years 10-12 classes. Feel free to adapt to suit your purposes.
Non-Practical Forming:
 Scriptwriting Individual: Create a script for a scene that is outside the action of script of
Michael Gow’s Away which demonstrates your understanding of the dramatic languages
and dramatic conventions of the text.
Practical Forming:
 Improvisation Group: You will be given a scene from Michael Gow’s Away to improvise. An
intervention will be offered by your teacher that will need to incorporated within the action
of your improvisation, demonstrating your understanding of the dramatic languages and
dramatic conventions of this text.
Presenting Individual:
 Present one of the monologues that are in Michael Gow’s Away.
Presenting Group:
 Michael Gow”s Away uses a variety of dramatic conventions to heighten the theatricality of
its performance. One of which is the ‘play within a play.
Choose one of the following scenes to present using Commedia dell’Arte, Heightened
Realism or Expressionism:


The Campers (Act Three, Scene Two)
The Sailor & The Mermaid (Act Four, Scene Three)
Responding:
 Michael Gow’s Away is framed by excerpts from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night
Dream and King Lear and makes uses of Shakespearean conventions. heartBeast Theatre
has a history of heightened theatricality in their work to layer meaning.
Discuss the effectiveness of heartBeast Theatre’s production of Away in achieving this.