tell it like it isn't
DESCRIPTION
Teacher Resources for the atyp 2011 production, "Tell it Like it Isn't"TRANSCRIPT
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.
Tell it Like it Isn’t
atyp production February 2011
Teacher's Resource Kit
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) production:
Tell it Like it Isn’t.
The notes and activities have been divided into three components:
Before you see Tell it Like it Isn’t
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Tell it Like it Isn’t
After you see Tell it Like it Isn’t
They are designed for students from Years 11-12, however some of the activities could
be adapted for younger year groups. NSW BOS Syllabi have been used as a guide for
this resource kit. It is recommended before using the recommended 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 Tell it Like it Isn’t:
Theatrical Form: Monologue
Getting Started: Inspiration
The Play: Director Notes
In Rehearsal
Theme: First Love
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Tell it Like it Isn’t:
The atyp creative team
Interview with Co - Directors
Interview with Designer Adrienn Lord
Interviews with the cast
Interviews with the writers
Get Involved!
After you see Tell it Like it Isn’t: Written Responses:
First Impressions
Design Elements
The Elements of Drama
Review
After you see Tell it Like it Isn’t: Practical Responses:
Stream of Consciousness
Staging a Monologue
Exploring Themes
Pacing and Punctuation
Introduction
Table of
Contents
Theatrical Form: Monologue
The monologue is a unique theatrical form that is used by playwrights as a means of
revealing a character‟s innermost thoughts and feelings. Although the monologue
generally stands alone without needing the surrounding context of a play, there are
variations on the form. The dramatic monologue is a form associated with the poetry
of Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson in the 19th Century. The soliloquy is a form of
monologue used within the context of a play and most famously employed by
Shakespeare. More recently, the monologue has emerged in popular theatre in
productions such as Eve Ensler‟s Vagina Monologues; Love, Loss, and What I Wore
by Nora and Delia Ephron and Angela’s Kitchen by Paul Capsis.
Before you see
Tell it Like it Isn’t
BRAINSTORM:
1. A monologue is a means of revealing a character‟s
innermost thoughts and feelings. Discuss what other forms of
art, literature and music have the same purpose. You may
talk about journals, songs on the radio, blogs etc.
PRACTICAL TASK:
Stream of consciousness (Part A)
1. Write or type continuously for 10-15 minutes on any topic of
your choice. The point of this exercise is to write whatever is
in your mind, with no concerns about grammar or
punctuation. Even if you don‟t know what to write, write
that. As one of the writers says, “Not everything you write will
be gold.”
2. Reread your work, highlighting your favourite words, phrases
and/or sentences.
3. Cut out the highlighted parts and rearrange them into a new
piece. This can be abstract or with meaning. Paste the
rearranged work on a fresh sheet of paper.
REFLECTION:
1. What did you notice when you wrote out your own personal
interior monologue?
2. When selecting your favourite parts, did the writing retain the
essence of your interior thoughts and processes?
3. Keep this work for an activity after the performance.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Classroom Activity
Getting started: Inspiration
Where do you begin when starting a
new writing project? In the Fresh Ink
program, Lachlan Philpott offered
stimuli to get the writers to think about
what they connected to at the age of
17- songs, art, politics, stories about
love.
The Play: Director’s Notes –
Lachlan Philpott
Almost all young actors who come to
atyp will negotiate the complex needs
of Drama for their HSC. Sustaining a
solo performance for more than six
minutes is tough especially when you
have two or three markers sitting in
front of you marking your work.
Any Drama teacher will tell you the
issues start much earlier. The first one is
finding decent material - a monologue
that hasn‟t been done to death but
still works, a monologue which you can
connect to as an actor which also
ticks the markers‟ rubric.
I have always felt that there is
something odd about Australian
teenagers spending hundreds of hours
preparing a seven minute rendition of
an ancient southern belle or a snooty
English lord. In the absence of a strong
range of other options, however what
choice is there?
This Fresh Ink project aims to address
some of these issues. We have
commissioned twelve emerging
Australian writers to create real,
relevant and challenging eight minute
monologues about seventeen year
olds to be performed by seventeen
year olds.
This project was at the heart of the
Fresh Ink 18-26 program in 2010 which
focussed a group of really talented
emerging writers on creating a range
of new writing and required them to
constantly ask the question „what is
the role of the writer?‟ As the director
of this program I was encouraging
them to look beyond the personal as a
stimulus for their writing and instead
examine the world around them to see
where they could engage in others
lives. The drive of the Fresh Ink
program reflects a personal concern I
have about the need to re-engage
writers as storytellers in contemporary
culture. By this I mean that the written
word has meant that in many
circumstances nobody needs to listen
to the story teller as they did in more
traditional cultures and as a
consequence the writer has become
less important than the writing. The
Fresh Ink program goes against many
other writing programs by placing the
writer at the centre of the program.
For the HSC monologues project Fresh
Ink writers: Jasper, Jo, Nakkiah, Phil, Tim
and Zoe began by visiting schools in
March 2010 to chat with HSC Drama
students and teachers to get an idea
of what was expected in the HSC .
Each of the writers felt a strong desire
to challenge a commonly voiced
assumption from students which was
that it was somehow not „acting‟ if the
role they chose to portray in their HSC
was somebody their age who was
voicing an experience close to their
own. I would suggest that this is closer
to acting in the true sense.
The process of developing the
monologues has been driven by this
aim and has been structured as a
series of consultations, readings and
drafts. I acknowledge and thank the
writers for their perseverance and their
mentors for nurturing.
At our Fresh Ink National Studio in
December 2010, writers from across
Australia came together at Bundanon
and their primary task was to produce
a monologue to add to the pool of
work created for this project. Some of
these monologues are included in the
performance you see and we are
excited to include the work of Chris,
Finn, Jess and Sarah.
I hope that HSC students see a
performance that offers a new way of
seeing their HSC IP.
This project has been complicated to
realise. The balance between
considered refining of new writing,
working with emerging actors and
creating the right show for the target
audience has required careful
thought. If experiencing the
performance makes a difference to
HSC Drama students, then the care
has been worthwhile.
Classroom Activity
DISCUSSION:
Brainstorm what you connect with now, at your age. Create areas
in the classroom – music, art, politics, stories about love, films,
websites, facebook pages, youtube clips etc. Each student has a
booklet of post-it notes that they can write on and stick to the area
of discussion. Speaking is allowed in this activity.
-
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
PRACTICAL TASK:
Students move to one particular area (i.e. music). It‟s not necessary
to have equal numbers of students in each area. Each group then
creates a still image to reflect the responses that have been written
down. Each person in the group says a line (improvised) from the
physical stance they‟re in. Each group shows their still image to the
class silently, then a second time including their sentence.
REFLECTION:
Does everyone in the class connect with the same types of music,
film etc? What surprised you in the still images? What did you
connect with in the still images that you viewed? What are your
expectations for Tell it Like it Isn’t? Think about the staging of 11
monologues, sound, lighting as well as some of the themes that may
be explored.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
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.
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.
Theme: Love
Tell it Like it Isn’t brings up issues of first love. It makes us ask questions such as: Why do
we fall in love? What are the shades (e.g. dark aspects and light aspects) of love?
How do we process the feelings associated with love? What is unique to a “first love”
experience?
Classroom Activity BRAINSTORM:
As a class brainstorm the different types of love (e.g. unrequited,
familial, romantic etc.)
Discuss images, symbols and colours that you associate with
these types of love.
PRACTICAL TASK:
The following activity is called Silent Conversation
1. Write each of these types of love and their associated
symbols on separate pieces of butcher‟s paper.
2. Place each sheet of paper on different tables around the
room.
3. Walk around the room silently, with your own pen or texta,
write your own comments on each sheet. You may return to
each sheet, comment on other people‟s comments or make
suggestions yourselves. Leave at least 15 minutes for this
activity.
REFLECTION:
1. Read out loud the comments made on each sheet. Discuss
some of the “silent conversations” that have arisen.
2. How have these “conversations” changed or expanded your
ideas about the theme of love?
Tell it Like it Isn’t atyp Creative Team: Artistic Director Fraser Corfield
Co-Director Lachlan Philpott
Co-director Luke Kerridge
Designer Adrienn Lord
Production Mgr Liam Kennedy
SX Design Ekrem Mulayim
Costume Design Jasmine Christie
Stage Manager Jonathon Ware
LX Design Chris Page
Administrator Drew De Mullich
Tell it Like it Isn’t atyp Cast At the Australian Theatre for Young People we make theatre by young people, for
young people. Our cast members range from 16 to 26 years of age.
Rosie Connolly 17
Felix Dupuy 22
Joshua Forward 21
Laura Hopkinson 17
Sophie Irvine 18
Danny Kim 21
Adam Marks 19
Kyle McLeavy 18
Gabrielle Nemeth-Taylor 19
Patrick Richards 18
Julia Rorke 16
The Performance:
Behind the Scenes of
Tell it Like it Isn’t
Behind the scenes:
Co-Director – Lachlan Philpott
This is an unusual
production in that you
have been involved from
the conception of the
ideas right through to the
production. What has that
been like for you?
It has been really exciting because it is an
opportunity to explore collaboration in a
number of ways; emerging writers
collaborating with each other and mentors to
make new text, emerging writers and actors
collaborating together with a range of artists
to realize the texts in performance which when
brought to stage should create a meaningful
project for the audience which has a purpose
beyond entertainment.
The name of the show, “Tell it Like it Isn’t” could
provoke the audience to think that it’s a
production that twists the truth, is that your
intention?
I did not choose the name! This sometimes
happens in theatre companies.
Our Artistic Director Fraser chose the name
and we have thought about it a lot…how do
you make a name like that work to represent
a series of monologues which have no
immediate relation except for the way they
have been produced.
I struggled with the name a lot but then I was
on the treadmill at the gym and watching
channel V and realized that this is what pop
stars do. They sing songs with lyrics which do
exactly that - tell it like it isn‟t. Some pop stars
like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga sing lyrics that
somehow perforate a cultural psyche: lyrics
about love or anger or a silly facial expression
and they tell it like it isn‟t. Only problem is,
sometimes people think it‟s how it is.
So we decided to explore this idea a bit in the
play which accounts in some way for the
musical content.
How did you pull together such a wide range
of different scripts?
The writers used their own range of experience
and a fair serve of imagination. We offered
stimuli to get them to think about what they
connected to at 17- songs, art, politics stories
about love and first times.
Many of the works were produced at the Fresh
Ink National Writers studio. For the studio, each
of the writers bring along a song and an
object they connected to at 17 which they
could share with the group. This offered a
starting point for some of the writers.
How do you direct essentially quite individual
pieces and give them a sense of cohesion?
Luke and I have worked with the actors and
creative artists to find links between the
monologues. Some are thematic- the idea of
light or love as an example, some are physical
motifs running through the pieces such as AFL
or driving, some are sounds connections
identified by Ekrem sound designer].
A director‟s job is to find such links and then
figure out how they can support the text and
the way that actors realize it.
Is there an overarching theme or direction to
the pieces?
That is probably different for each audience
member and I would suggest that it should be
that way. We all read theatre differently. It is
one of the things that makes it exciting.
What have been the challenges in directing 11
individual performances?
Monologues can be challenging to direct
because they are by nature quite artificial.
People don‟t often speak their thoughts or
narrate a story aloud and often we find
ourselves asking questions like;
“Who is she/he speaking to?” or
“Why have they chosen to tell the audience
that?”
The rehearsals have been focussed on finding
the mood of each piece and testing what
works for the staging of it. Some work best with
nobody on stage but the actor, others work
better with the support of the ensemble or
sound.
Some rely on the actor emoting, others are
best pulled right back.
This process takes time. From a directorial view
point too it is about balancing the needs of
the actor, a tight rehearsal schedule, a small
production budget and the need to serve the
needs of the audience. Most important in this
project (although all I have previously said is
very important) is attempting to maintain the
integrity of the words the writer wrote in the
first place.
How do you want the audience to respond to
the work?
Honestly.
What advice would you give to aspiring young
directors?
We need fearless directors who have genuine
commitment to realising Australian plays.
If that sounds like you- make sure you want to
direct for the right reason- directors aren‟t
dictators, they are leaders and they need to
lead the collaboration and to do so, they
need to get it. Try doing everything in the
theatre at least once; learn how lights work,
what a stage manager does, how to design
and what it feels like to be directed as an
actor. Write something and see how it feels to
let go of it.
I would also recommend immersing yourself in
all types of arts- they bleed into each other
and never forget the audience…they matter.
Co-Director – Luke
Kerridge
The name of the show,
“Tell it Like it Isn’t” could
provoke the audience to
think that it’s a production
that twists the truth, is that
your intention?
The show had been
christened before I was involved, so it was a
great invitation to link the name to the content
of the monologues. Lachlan and I talked a lot
about pop music – how some artists (think Katy
Perry or Taylor Swift) sing about love and life in
a way that reflects a fiction rather than the
true experience. This has inspired some of the
musical content in the show. I suppose I also
link the name to the somewhat artificial nature
of monologues – creating a context in which
these characters can believably speak their
private thoughts to the audience in an
authentic way.
How did you pull together such a wide range
of different scripts?
Great consideration was given to which scripts
would make up the show as we had a wide
range of fantastic pieces to choose from,
unfortunately too many to include! We
wanted it to be a group consensus so we
talked to the actors about their thoughts on
each piece and involved the entire creative
team in selecting the ones that best made up
a show. We wanted to offer the audience a
range of characters and situations whilst also
creating a cohesive piece.
How do you direct essentially quite individual
pieces and give them a sense of cohesion?
That has been the biggest challenge of
creating this show. We worked with the
themes that run through multiple pieces and
expanded on some of these in the transitions
and musical elements of the show. The
challenge also informed how we went about
creating the show. It was very important to
Lachlan and I that it be a collaborative
process; from our initial conceptual meetings,
including the selection of the pieces, we
involved the entire creative team. My feeling
was always that a united team vision would
help balance the inherent disparateness of a
show comprised of monologues. I believe a
rehearsal process is clearly visible in the final
production so it was important to build a
collaborative approach in from the outset.
Is there an overarching theme or direction to
the pieces?
First Love. First Heartbreak. Shadow and light.
Presence and absence. Speaking up.
Speaking from the heart.
What have been the challenges in directing 11
individual performances?
Retaining the unique world of each piece
whilst placing them in the context of the larger
show. Determining when the rest of the
ensemble can support the text and when the
best way to support the writing is to leave it to
just one performer. For the performer, a lot of
imaginative work needs to be done to access
the world of the character, as they don‟t have
anyone else on stage to help him or her
create it!
How do you want the audience to respond to
the work?
Honestly. Hopefully it‟s a fun experience that
opens up some theatrical possibilities for their
own work.
What advice would you give to aspiring young
directors?
See as much theatre as you can. Study books,
films, plays, art – any storytelling form – to
develop an appreciation of the craft of
storytelling.
And then I would probably pass on some of
the best advice I have been given – to „follow
your pulse‟. Good theatre is born of good
ideas and the idea should be one that gives
you goose bumps when you think about it.
And to begin. Not to wait for the perfect
circumstances to create work but to start with
what you have right now. A lot of learning will
happen on the job!
Behind the Scenes:
Set Designer – Adrienn Lord How do you initially approach the design for a
production?
The key to any design is the script. Everything
comes from the words on the page. The
challenge is that within a good script there are
a billion stories and attempting to tell them all
will inevitably end in a muddled mess of mixed
messages. With that in mind, I always try to
understand all the stories as best I can from as
many viewpoints within the script. I try to see
each moment from every character's point of
view, and the view of the world around them,
then how it all fits into our world, and finally,
what I personally think. Once I have an
understanding of the complexities, the visual
response is completely instinctual, but not
always easy to find. The only way forward is to
experiment, experiment, experiment. More
often than not, the most brilliant idea actually
doesn‟t work when translated into a physical
form, but seeing it is the only way to know why.
The key is to find the very simple and potent
good idea within it.
How do you create a design for essentially
quite individual pieces and give this
production a sense of cohesion?
My key for Tell it Like it Isn’t was to work to the
commonalities, the experiences of youth and
love. The details of each specific monologue
tells itself clearly, with little to no need for
design support in a narrative sense. The main
duty of this set is to provide an emotional
context into which the pieces fit. As such, I
have endeavoured to create a pocket of
isolation in an urban environment, a place
where a person can go to take a breath from
the pressures of their lives and share an
intimate moment.
Co-director Luke Kerridge mentioned that the
pieces explore the ideas of shadow and light.
Have you incorporated that into your design
and in what ways?
I haven't. The idea of light and shade is
expressed beautifully in the performance and
lighting of the piece. To restate the theme in a
physical sense would only distract from
something wonderful. As such, the best thing I
could do was to give it space to be explored
by those whose crafts suit it best.
What are the unique challenges in designing
for this piece?
Above all, the venue. The configuration of the
space provides only a small amount of fully
viewable performance space. Finding an area
where all the ideas of the all of the pieces
could be physically expressed took a lot of trial
and error to resolve.
What advice would you give to aspiring young
designers?
If you‟re curious; explore, learn and discover. If
you‟re excited; do it right away. If you‟re
scared; confront it, and it will always be easier
than not. Above all, find your own answers.
There are no truths in theatre, only honesties.
Rosie Connolly – 17 years old Why did you audition for Tell it Like it Isn’t? I was getting bored during the holidays and I really liked the idea
of working monologues together to create a unified piece of
theatre. I was also really interested to work with young writers and
see what type of theatre was coming from them.
How do you approach preparing a monologue?
I like to start by reading the monologue and getting a sense of
the world of the character. A monologue, for me, is a tiny
moment in the whole life of a character so I think it's important to understand where
they have come from and where they are going. I also like to learn my lines as quickly
as possible because I find it easier to work and make choices if you don't have to
work with a script in your hand.
Because preparation for a monologue can be quite solitary, how have you worked
with the other actors in the production?
The whole process has been quite collaborative, with a lot of group discussion about
all the monologues which is really useful. Also, the ensemble works to enhance the
meaning and ideas of each piece as we perform, so it's almost like eleven short
group scenes instead of eleven monologues.
What are the differences between the preparation for a monologue and the
preparation for a play with several characters?
With a monologue, the entire shape of story takes place within one moment and
within one person, so it's much more important to have a sense of the structure and
where you're heading in a monologue. Plays are also much more focused on
relationships and playing off other characters, where most monologues are either to
the audience or to only one person, so it's a different type of relationship that you
have to prepare.
What techniques do you use to develop your own internal monologue?
Trying to visualise the world around my character and how she would interact with
the people and places within it.
What are the most challenging aspects of this type of performance?
Sustaining interest and focus throughout the entire piece because you have no one
to play off or create ideas with - it all comes from you.
What advice would you give to HSC students preparing a monologue for their IP?
Choose a piece that really interests you but you don't completely understand or
know how to play straight away - you're working on it for a year so you want
something you'll be able to play with for that long.
Cast Interviews:
Cast Interviews: Sophie Irvine – 18 years old
Why did you audition for Tell it Like it Isn’t? I was looking to get experience and get back into stage stuff
after high school.
How do you approach preparing a monologue?
Basically learning the monologue is the most important thing for
me, it‟s tricky but once you have the monologue memorized,
you have freedom to experiment and try new things that will
eventually benefit your performance.
Because preparation for a monologue can be quite solitary, how have you worked
with the other actors in the production?
One of the greatest things about this production is the fact that it‟s a ensemble
piece, were all working together and its really lovely to have people with you on
stage while you do your monologue and to have people to bounce ideas off.
What are the differences between the preparation for a monologue and the
preparation for a play with several characters?
I suppose with the monologue there is a real importance of knowing your character
and knowing the situation he/she is placed in, because the story only comes from
you, it‟s essential you have a real feel for the character. And of course you HAVE to
know your lines because there are no real prompts from other peoples dialogue.
What techniques do you use to develop your own internal monologue?
References and ideas from other media such as a song or a movie or a image always
help me also constantly writing notes and ideas, it‟s important that you bring the
character to life in your head as much as possible.
What are the most challenging aspects of this type of performance?
I suppose it‟s very high energy but this production has been extremely challenging in
the best way possible, it pushes you be in tune with other performers but also work on
your own method as an actor.
What advice would you give to HSC students preparing a monologue for their IP?
Probably pick a monologue that you really love, because doing anything you don‟t
love for a long space of time can be extremely frustrating. Also, dedicate yourself.
Practicing and getting your teacher‟s help, whenever they‟re available, will
guarantee you will be satisfied by the end of the HSC. You do only have one shot at
it.
What advice would you give to young actors who would like a career in the arts?
I‟m really not the person to be giving out advice but just gaining experience,
practicing and experiencing all forms of your art will not only help you to perfect your
craft but it will also give you the drive to pursue it. I
nterviews:
Writer Interviews:
Vanessa Bates – First Light
How did you come up with the idea for your monologue? One of my relatives was nearly killed while rockfishing and told
me about it. One of his friends was washed into the ocean but
luckily survived. It was terrifying. I liked this story, the stakes, the
sense of human survival and I wanted to juxtapose this with the
idea of „first love‟ and the whole notion of being swept away by
a force you couldn‟t control.
What was the process involved in developing your character?
It seemed clear the character would be male and it reminded
me of young men I had known and their sometimes surprising
capacity for deep emotional communication. I just tried to make this character true,
make the character who survived the event the same character who had decided
the time was right to admit he was in love. Both things take courage.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
Making the deadline! Seeing all the brilliant monologues at the atyp National Studio
and realising I would be amongst them. And there was some seriously great work
done there.
What advice would you give to aspiring scriptwriters?
Read scripts. Practise writing. Watch plays. Make your deadlines.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Lachlan is fairly firm in his editing directions. “Too long. Cut it.” I think that‟s good.
Zoe Hogan - Principal
How did you come up with the idea for your monologue? My monologue is inspired by the frustrations faced by a very
particular age group – you‟re not a kid but you‟re not grown up,
you‟re spoken to like a child, but you feel like an adult.
What was the process involved in developing your character?
I had a very clear image of a girl, sitting in a chair, raising her
hand, then sending forth a tumult of words. Everything else
followed from that image.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
Sharing my first draft before I wanted to! Just letting it go.
What advice would you give to aspiring scriptwriters?
Write in your own voice – don‟t try and copy anybody else.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Seeing what lines and ideas interest them – because it‟s never what I expect.
Jasper Marlowe - ACL
How did you come up with the idea for your
monologue? As a teenager I had a knee reconstruction. It was
difficult but after a few months of physio I (hesitantly)
went back to playing soccer. Amongst a team you
never want to appear weak or fragile so the way you
deal with that is by playing harder and sometimes
more violently than everyone else. This solution to
appearing vulnerable (especially amongst young
men) was fascinating so I tried to create a character
that dealt with that.
What was the process involved in developing your character?
I wanted the audience to sympathise with Damien but also be completely horrified.
This required lots of re-drafting and culling of ideas that didn‟t contribute to him as an
empathetic character.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
Writing violence was hard. It‟s such a serious subject matter and I didn‟t want it to
come across as contrived or sensational. I found by drawing on my own personal
experiences was helpful in making it genuine and true.
What advice would you give to aspiring scriptwriters?
Read and write obsessively.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Witnessing how much an actor and director can bring to your words.
Chris Summers – Burnt
How did you come up with the idea for your monologue?
We were given the brief of writing a monologue about „first
love‟ for someone of Year 12 age, and encouraged to think
about „first love‟ as laterally as possible. I took the easy road
and wrote about a high school romance! But I didn‟t want it to
be as straightforward, or naturalistic, as just a character in a
slowly souring relationship. So I started to think about how I
could capture that sensational, all-consuming, uniquely
adolescent magic that is „first love‟. And it came to me that a
really exciting and theatrical way would be to take that love
out of our recognisable world. I decided that my character‟s
first love wouldn‟t be with someone he went to school with, or was friends with, or
even really knew – my character was to fall in love with a monster.
What was the process involved in developing your character?
No matter how wonderful or terrible or fantastic or psychotic a character of mine is,
they always have to have a grain of truth to which I can say: I understand you. That‟s
my first step with any character – discovering how I relate to them and why they are
important to me. I spent some time going back over teenage „romance‟ stuff I‟d
written (read: angsty poetry / LiveJournal entries), reconnecting and even reconciling
with my scorned teenage self! I took out the bits that I wanted to use, and slowly
began to flesh out the rest based on conversations and other people I knew. But
really, this monologue isn‟t so much about a character as it is about a character
feeling compelled to tell their story because of their experiences with other
characters. I‟m deliberately vague about a lot of the character detail, because I
want that detail to be filled by what they say, and do, in the narrative. I think that also
presents some exciting potential for actors / audiences – they too can fill in the gaps,
and decide who these characters are for themselves.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
For this monologue, I think it was finding a balance between a recognisable,
naturalistic world and the magical, more poetic, abstract world. In early drafts it
probably tilted too far one way, but I think I managed to get it close to right for the
final draft. Having a number of characters in the monologue was tricky too – I had to
make sure that they weren‟t cluttering the piece and making it too difficult on the
poor actor either!
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
We wrote the first drafts of the monologue at the atyp Fresh Ink camp up at
Bundanon in December. It was really exciting knowing that, all week as we wrote, the
actors were arriving to perform them for us on Friday night! They did a fantastic job
with little to no rehearsal. It was great to have all of us writers and actors and directors
sharing, and performing, the work together – collaboration is the heart of theatre.
Although with that said, since then, it‟s really been out of our hands! It‟s going to be a
lovely surprise seeing the monologue on opening night, because I haven‟t seen it
since that very first reading in December.
Sarah Hope - Elissa Louisa Smith Loves William Cornelius
Bennett Forever
How did you come up with the idea for your monologue? One of the requirements for the National Studio was to
bring along an object that other writers would find inspiring.
During one of our group sessions we shared these objects
with another writer and I was given a long stemmed pewter
rose. I began to imagine different situations that would
involve the pewter rose. I then became particularly
interested in how a school girl might experience and
respond to a romantic gesture in a public environment such
as school.
What was the process involved in developing your
character?
After the initial concept for the piece was put to paper it was important to consider
what the rest of my character‟s world was like in order to develop her story. This
required me to think about what the character‟s home life was like and how she
interacted with others around her such as her brother and best friend. Developing the
dynamics of her relationships had a major impact on the monologue and further
development of the character.
During master classes we were given activities that assisted us in gaining a thorough
understanding of our characters. For example: we were asked to write a list of
locations that our characters would typically be found in and in a different list,
locations that our characters were unlikely to be. It was then interesting to consider
how our characters would react if they found themselves in a location from the
second list.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
I sometimes have trouble finding the confidence to write my ideas down. This is why
support and advice from other writers is invaluable.
During the development process initial ideas will often change and develop. I often
find it a challenge to either take out chunks of the piece entirely or change
something so that the action is different but the feel of the piece is kept the same. At
the same time it is important to remember the differences between writing for stage
and writing for other mediums such as literature. These are skills I am still developing.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Working with the actors and directors helped me reflect on the piece from a different
perspective. The experience of seeing how an actor and director interpret the piece
adds a new light on what works structurally and how the character may be
perceived and considered for further development.
Jessica Bellamy – Little Love
How did you come up with the idea for your monologue?
All of what I write is inspired in some way by the work of W.B. Yeats – in this case, it was
the poem “When You Are Old” which is referenced directly in the text.
At atyp National Studio, we were asked to bring in a song that spoke to us when we
were 16 years old. I brought in “Bound to Ramble” by the John Butler Trio. The lyrics
about “walking blindly” really touched a chord, and set me off on a trajectory of
wondering about blindness and love connecting. I was also fascinated by the idea
of short, fleeting love being just as powerful and memorable as something lengthy or
prolonged, hence the idea of “little love”.
What was the process involved in developing your character?
I enjoy writing the voices of teenage characters, particularly teenage boys. I thought
about Adam‟s physical and inner self and let the words shape him as I went. Where
the character really emerged was in the re-drafting.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
Finding a compromise between the heightened poetry of some of Adam‟s insights,
and the fact that he is in many other ways quite casual and colloquial in his speech
and choice of subject.
What advice would you give to aspiring scriptwriters?
Read and see lots of plays. Eavesdrop on public transport and write down what you
hear. Make a playlist for everything you write to help you through what can be a
difficult process. Proudly declare yourself as a writer, because not only is it a very
special thing to be, but by naming yourself in such a way, it forces you to actually do
some writing so you‟re not a liar.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Considered and insightful feedback from Lachlan Philpott, and beautiful staging
ideas that I wouldn‟t have considered otherwise.
Finn O’Branagain – Pink Fireworks
What was the process involved in developing your character?
I thought about how I felt when I was in high school, and how my friends and I
behaved. I thought about the teenagers I know today. And I kind of smooshed a
person out of that! When I start, I often have a clear sense of the character‟s voice.
The rest of the character flows from that. I guess we are what we say.
What was the most challenging part of the process of scriptwriting?
Deciding what to put in and what to leave out. Finding the most important bits that
the story needs.
What advice would you give to aspiring scriptwriters?
Write every day. It doesn‟t matter what it is or if it is good, just keep your hands
moving. One of the most liberating things that has been told to me is that „not
everything you write will be gold‟. Allow yourself to practice. You don‟t have to show
anyone your first draft! You will find the gold when you sift through it later.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of collaborating with the actors and
directors?
Hearing the words aloud. Having the opportunity to feel them living outside of my
own head. To see how other people hear them, and what they think. It‟s pretty
special, and I feel very lucky to have been able to do this project.
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.
Advice to aspiring young writers from our playwrights:
Sarah Hope - Elissa Louisa Smith
Loves William Cornelius Bennett
Forever
Chris Summers – Burnt
Get Involved !
Have the courage to start. This
might include research as well as
writing. Once you begin, things will
become clearer and your ideas
will develop. I often have to
remind myself that getting stuck
while writing is a part of the
development process. During
these times it is important to ask
the right questions of yourself, your
character and your story. This
requires experimenting with
different processes in order to
discover what works best for you
and your individual approach to
writing.
Always think about the ‘truth’ in
what you are writing. That doesn’t
mean you should ‘write what you
know’ – in fact, quite the opposite.
It means that whether you are
writing a naturalistic drama about
dysfunctional dynasties or a
futuristic farce set on Mars, you
should always be able to find
some kind of honest, personal
connection to it. Never feel limited
by what you know, but always feel
grounded by what you feel.
Initial reaction
What was your initial reaction to the performance? What sticks out in your mind?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Would you recommend the performance to a friend? Why / why not?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Design Elements Costumes
Describe the costumes. How was costume used to portray character? Was the use of
costume successful? Why / why not?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Set
Describe the set. Why do you think the designer created a playground for the set?
Was this approach successful? Why / why not?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Sound and Music
How was sound and music used to create atmosphere?
After you see
Tell it Like it Isn’t
Written Responses
Identify a moment where the sound/music affected you as an audience member.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Which moment held the most tension
for you?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Recreate the tension in the moment as
a tableau.
Focus: Tell it Like it Isn’t is a collection
of monologues with all actors on stage
all the time. How did the director draw
the audience's focus to the action he
most wanted you to see?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Identify a moment that was really
successful?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Space
How did the actors use the stage
space?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
How did the set reflect the theme of
“first love”? What was the most
interesting aspect of the use of space?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Movement
How was movement used to portray
each character? How effective was
the use of unified movement? Why?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Symbol
Can you identify any symbols/motifs
used in the production?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
What were the most successful symbols
used?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Mood / Atmosphere
Describe the mood of the piece.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
What sort of feeling did you have at
the end of each monologue? Did it
change? Why/Why not?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Where were the high points in the
performance?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
How did you feel at the end of the
performance?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
What devices were used to create
mood throughout the performance?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Draw a mood map of that shows the
emotional journey of the overall show:
Character / Role
The show has 11 actors. How did the
cast portray character?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
How successful was this?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Identify 2 characters that stood out in
your mind? Why were they so
memorable?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Actor-Audience Relationship
What was the role of the audience in
the performance?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
How did the characters relate to the
audience?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
The Co-Director, Lachlan, says that he
wanted to create characters that Year
12 students could relate to. Did you
identify with any of the characters?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Was this successful? Why/ Why not? _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Reviews: 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 Tell it Like it Isn’t.
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 monologues (without giving away
the ending!!!)
3. Background of the show, importance of the production (including the
background of the scriptwriting process).
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 of 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.
Remember to make it concise and clear.
Try to write your review in 300 words.
We look forward to receiving your reviews!
Classroom Activity
After you see
Tell it Like it Isn’t
Practical Responses
PRACTICAL TASK Stream of consciousness (Part B)
For this task you may use the work completed in the
activity Stream of Consciousness (Part A) or you may like
to start the process again starting with a stream of
conscious response to the production Tell it Like it Isn’t.
Take the pasted rearranged words and by adding
words, sentences and/or phrases, give the piece
meaning. You should end up with a new piece of
writing.
Work in pairs and perform your piece for one another.
REFLECTION: Give your partner feedback using the
following questions:
What worked?
What could there have been more of?
What if..... (give suggestions for the writing).
Staging a monologue There can be a tendency for actors, when performing monologues, to be restrained
in movement. The following activity encourages students to bring movement into
their piece and to take the focus from “acting” and add elements of surprise to the
piece. Students may use the piece they‟ve written or a pre-written monologue.
Classroom Activity BRAINSTORM: In class, come up with a list of things the
actors must do during their monologue (e.g. repeat one
action five times; stage a small accident; spontaneously
sing at some point; look up for at least 10 seconds etc). List
about ten different actions the actor must perform. Be
imaginative.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
PRACTICAL TASK: In pairs, students incorporate the
elements in each of their monologues. Perform them for
the class.
REFLECTION: What happened to the performances when
these elements were incorporated?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Exploring themes:
Tell it Like it Isn’t explores the theme of “first love” from a range of different
perspectives. Characters tell their stories, reflect on how they‟ve been changed by
relationships and reveal their desires. In Little Love, by Jessica Bellamy, we see a
character change his personal point of view. Think about what might cause a
change in ideals and point of view.
Classroom Activity
Read the following three quotes from Jessica Bellamy‟s
Little Love.
Adam:
Bat eyes is a loser. Massively. Cares about work only, nothing else.
We love to talk about her. Bat Eyes No Friends – half blind, half
not...
I stop walking. Surprised. Didn’t know tears could come out of bat
eyes, especially Bat Eyes No Friends...
She lets me follow her home, right into her room. It’s a rainbow.
Velvet cushions, silk bedspread, curtains made of organza. Flowers
– crisp and fresh and sweet.Tinkly things and water sounds. A
chugging fan. A leather desk. Things to touch and smell and hear
– everywhere.
Bat Eyes and me. Short, and little. New Stars. New poems. But still,
love.
Read the passages as a class.
PRACTICAL TASK:
In small groups, create a series of four still pictures that represent
Adam‟s shifting view of Bat Eyes. Try to reflect his transformation in
a non-literal way.
REFLECTION:
Referring to the quotes above and the monologue as a whole,
why does Adam change his mind about Bat Eyes? Why is he
surprised by the Bat Eyes‟ tears? The description of Bat Eyes‟
bedroom uses imagery that involves all of the senses. What effect
does this have on the audience?
Does this monologue change the way you view people who are
different to yourself? Should it? Why/Why not?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Pacing and punctuation:
A number of the writers enjoyed hearing their written words come to life as they
worked with the actors. In an actor‟s tool kit, comes the ability to play with the written
word and give voice to it. In a monologue with virtually no punctuation, like Boot by
Joanna Erskine, the actor has licence to play and create different moods and
meanings through vocal shifts.
Classroom Activity
Read the following excerpt from Boot by Joanna Erskine. Read
silently by yourself.
...and I have to say
pull over
pull over Julia
and she ignores me
says
hey Mike want to know how fast I can go and he says
whatever
and Katie says just drop us home Julia
and Zoe ways take the next left at that Shell
but instead
Julia floors it
and Zoe and Katie are yelling
stop it stop it
but Julia just laughs
again
and
goes faster
and faster
and faster
and faster and starts to swerve left
and right
and left
and right
into the
tree...
PRACTICAL TASK:
In small groups read the excerpt in a variety of ways:
Change tempo (fast, slow, extremely slow/fast).
Change tone (high, low).
Play with options for punctuation.
Add pauses. Make them as long as you can.
Change how you say words (clearly articulated, drawling,
syncopated).
REFLECTION:
Discuss how the changes in delivery of the lines affect the
character.