VCE DRAMA REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE:
BOY GIRL WALL RESOURCE NOTES
Margie Bainbridge, Buckley Park College May 2012
PRESHOW TALK : MEG UPTON
The performance revolves around creation and recreation.
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Many scenes are enacted and played out and transformation is a key aspect.
The Narrator is the key storyteller- relates directly to the audience and sometimes the narrator plays
different roles. The narrator takes up the role of a lecturer.
The play has a linear narrative: begins Tuesday morning and finishes Thursday.
It is filmic in a lot of its aspects –it moves with simultaneous story
-there are many different spheres within the play:
Spheres of differing realities:
Outer sphere is the narrator’s world, inside sphere is Thom and Alethea and then there is the
sphere of the abstract world (power box, wall, ceiling, door)
The location of the play is in Australia.
Looking at the set: it is symmetrical, split in half.
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-the sound box is not hidden- items are out on the open in front of the audience.
-it is flexible which aids transformation- multiple locations and times.
The character constructs the world as it goes.
-the main character is the narrator/
27 characters are played by the one person.:
1. Narrator
2. Daphne-Thom’s mum
3. Tuesday: like Clark Kent mild mannered
4. Thom
5. Rima-star gazer
6. Mel- boss: amalgam of every evil boss you could think of
7. Demi Papadopoulos
8. Kathleen Jones: Alethea’s mum
9. Alethea’s laptop
10. Mad Magpie of Montgomery Road
11. William McCabbie-78, Lay preacher and drives a taxi
12. Wall- young romantic
13. Floor
14. Doors
15. Power box
16. Allan- gothic librarian, medieval recreationist
17. Monday
18. Wednesday
19. Thursday
20. Friday
21. Human Statue
22. Ceiling: grumpy
23. Cats
24. Penelope the bike
25. Marko: Alethea’s publisher
26. Sock Thom
27. Shadow Terry
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STAGECRAFT
How does stagecraft help tell the story?:
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Set is like a floor plan
Prop- chalk
-notion of permanency and impermanency: things can be rubbed out.
How does the use of the space help to show these characters? Characters are placed in a certain
area.
It’s a studiospace- and the set is centred for the seating. The staging is flexible.
End on configuration: the performance space ends where the seating bank begins (However
Stibbard chooses to begin the performance from the audience- he brings us into the production and
the world of the character)
Set: corridor is where the days of the week stand, the two rooms denote Alethea’s and Thom’s
apartment.
LIGHTING:
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Lighting sets the mood, set distinct times of the day, atmosphere, shows the actor to the audience.
There are 2 huge lightbulbs that hang over the set. (sun and stars)
-there are also 3x fluorescent tubes- blue, white, pink
-footlights
-overhead projector is also used as a light source.
The light represents location.
Thom’s light , Alethea’s light and symbolic representation.
SOUND
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Sound underscores a scene, accompanies, there are compositions that relate to different
characters.
Sound desk out in view: Brechtian: showing all the stagecraft.
-recorded and live sound: bell, baby piano, metal ruler, xylophone, drum machine
Music: 80s and 90s classic stuff is used.
-sound is beautifully thought-through
Small babyish instrument-childish which goes with the set. Eg: the wall is young .
Chalkboard =playing with emotions
Sound designer: Nerrida Waters, Original compositions: Nerrida Waters
COSTUME
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Black suit, white shirt, navy blue tie, (Meg said a black tie but it looked navy blue to me) black
converse shoes
The show overall is very active, physical theatre.
Stylised movement is used to represent dance. There are exaggerated movements, gestures.
-use of puppetry (dream sequence, shadow puppetry OHP and sock puppetry.
Stibbard is a standup comic and storyteller. He speaks directly to the audience.
-Stibbard breaks the 4th wall, which is very Brechtian. There is alienation and distancing
List of conventions:
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Direct address
Transformation of object, space and time
Episodic structure
Creation/recreation
Pathos
Caricature
Stereotypes-quickly and broadly shows the character to the audience.
Expressive skills: boy and gesture, voice, facial expressions, movement, sound and language:
these are all manipulated to demonstrate the character.
The above are notes from Meg Upton’s preshow lecture.
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BRIEF NOTES ON PERFORMANCE 2/5/12: Margie Bainbridge
THE OPENING
Recorded music underscores the opening. It is a Hollywood big show tune which sets the mood of show
biz: exaggerated big feel for the audience, which is similar to the performance they are about to see.
Stibbard begins in the audience. He is on the stairs making jokes about Kate Winslett (with arms out in a
Titanic gesture) and as he walks down the stairs he mentions the Sound of Music-he walks down and then
up a few steps , recalling the “Doh Rey Mi” montage from the film.
He also throws the light onto the set using a magic trick of throwing light between his fingers and then
lighting up the bulb. As he says “Consider the sun”- the xylophone music begins which is a motif
throughout the performance when philosophy about the sun and the cosmos occurs.
TRANSFORMATION
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The chalk drawings help to transform the space. He is literally drawing the set as the play unfolds.
There are clever instances where the drawing of the “alien pervert” becomes the top of the laptop.
At one point Stibbard puts his head aganst the chalk board in a position where the antennae are
coming out of his head. This make his transform into the alien for a moment.
The chalk drawing of the radio telescope becomes Alethea’s bowl of soup later in the play.
The alarm clocks: Thom’s is digital and Alethea’s is analogue. Humour when the actor turns off the
alarm clocks and as he hits the board the alarm sound stops. More humour is created when he
must write in the numbers before he can turn off the analogue clock. The tension between the
sound desk, Nerrida and the performer begins at this humourous moment. Their “tense”relationship
is used to create humour for the audience and also to assist with the Brechtian technique of
breaking down the 4th wall and showing the artiface of theatre.
The Overhead Projector:This vital prop becomes an essential part of the play, reflecting aspects of
the set and creating lighting effects. It is transformed into a character and also reflects the shadow
of a character. The cord of the OHP also denotes the half way point and the other white line
depicting the wall
As Melvin the boss, Stibbard turns the OHP onto himself and this makes his shadow loom large on
the back curtain, dominating the set. Melvin talks to the OHP as if it is Thom. The OHP becomes
part of the play and is used as a character. Melvin transforms the OHP into a puppet.
Transformation of objects, space, props and character are the essential element of the play. As there is
only one actor , then it is vital that things can be transformed so as to tell the audience the story. It is
impressive that Stibbard plays 27 characters and they all seem like we are watching another person,
another character. Transforming the aspects of the performance also provide a pace and fluidity to the
show. There is a smooth, seamless transformation of things for the audience which helps to tell the story.
BREAKING THE 4TH WALL
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The audience are spoken to directly during the performance
An audience member controls the structure of the play at one point when he is asked by Thom what
he should do about his job.
Stibbard as narrator begins in the audience
Stibbard comes out of character to be “Stibbard the actor” for a moment.
Stibbard the actor pretends to laugh as if he is enjoying the sparring with Nerrida the sound desk
operator.
Stibbard makes mental notes about the audience: when a joke doesn’t work or perhaps the
audience don’t laugh loud enough- he states: “Wednesday night audience didn’t like the IT joke….”
On the night we we were there someone in the audience sneezed and Stibbard came out of
character to say ‘bless you’
The breaking of the 4th wall and constant address to the audience helps to bring the audience into the story.
We can not be passive observers – we are part of the action. There is an intimacy created between the
actor and the audience. This creates more impact for the audience. This definitely suits the theme of the
production- a love story-intimate like a love story. The audience also need to care about the characters and
the breaking of the 4th wall helps to establish a rapport with the major characters of Thom and Alethea.
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DIALOGUE
Refering to the magpie using alliteration to emphasize the speech: “big balled bastard” and at the end of
the play: “bent , broken, buggared bird”. Other alliterations are used with the bird: “mad magpie of
Montague Road”.
The dialogue is modern for a modern audience with humour created through puns (IT joke), alliteration,
recognizable comic situations and absurdist situations. The rhythm of the dialogue for the most part is fast
paced. At moments of sadness- Thom contemplating the girl next door, the action and dialogue slows to
emphasise the pathos. The dialogue is approachable and friendly not the academic language of a real
lecture. The situations depicting in the dialogue can be related to by the members of the audience. The
delivery of the dialogue is friendly towards the audience like the narrator is telling us the story and bringing
us into the world of the characters.
The dialogue is written to suit the character that the narrator is playing at that point. It is interesting that
inanimate objects are given dialogue. The absurdist notion of a lightbox being a philosopher creates pathos
for the audience in a similar way to the dialogue of the wall, ceiling and floor.
“The writing is fast-paced and obviously intended to present the story as a humorous, rather than dramatic
piece of live theatre. Stibbard does not fail to deliver each line with impact, effortlessly jumping from
character to character, sometimes portraying a day of the week, sometimes a laptop, sometimes Alethea’s
agent who manages to be less human than both.” REVIEW http://www.answersfrom.com/find-answers-lovestory/
THE SET (Jonathon Oxlade)
A black curtain surrounds the set and the theatre. This is a studio performance space and the blcka curtain
can be moved depending on the desired configuration. In this case the staging is an “end on”
configuration.
When the actor walks in front of the OHP the transparency is then reflected on his face and body- the actor
becomes a part of the set.” Several times when the narrator stands in the light of the OHP the set is
reflected onto him.
The actor also rolling around on the floor the chalk drawings on the floor rub off onto the suit, making the
actor ‘wear the set’ by the end of the play. The building plan on the floor is an interesting idea and is
connected to the idea of the wall ‘having a plan’ of getting the two characters together.
There is a flexibility and fluidity in the way the set is designed which matches the stream of dialogue
created in this one actor show. The blackboards can be transformed through the chalk and the overhead
transparencies. They denote a classroom a lecture type situation but also there is a sense of childishness.
All blackboards are used to help create the story for the audience. The blackboards dominate the set and
dwarf the actor and are a vital part of telling the story. The blackboard is symbolic of a classroom, a lesson.
The main characters learn lessons of life.
LIGHTING (designer: Keith Clark)
Use of OHP to create huge dominating shadows, aspects of the set (magpie, bicycle, tree) are represented
through a transparency which is created through the light of the OHP. The stars of the universe are also
created through the OHP. A magical moment for the audience is when the actor seems to carry the 3 stars
in his hand. The three stars in a line similar to the real constellation of Orion (Orion’s belt) but also they
represent the 3 lights/characters- boy, wall, girl. This idea of carrying light is also denoted at the beginning
of the play when the actor carries the light in his fingers.
Fluoro lights above flashing during the disco scene - pink and blue creating atmosphere of the disco.
At one point where the character of Thom is tossing up what he should do. All of the house lights come on
above the audience. The audience at this point become part of the show as one audience member offers a
decision
In the epilogue the fluoro lights come on bringing the audience back to reality: “That’s pretty much it.” The
fluros then fade for the final light bulb which is switched off in a similar way to how the play began with a
flick of the actor’s hand.
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MUSIC
Disco of the 80s represented in music: “Do the Hussle”
The drumbox creates a different tension and has an interesting effect on the timing and pace of the
performance.
Magpie sound is also on sound tape as well as the sound of the magpie’s wings being made by a flapping
transparency.
“Walking on Sunshine”- to help depict happiness of character. The music helps to show the audience what
is in the character’s head: “Don’t Cry out Loud”
Battle music as Alethea goes to kill the magpie of Montague Road
The music helps to create the atmosphere of the various settings and it also enhances the mood of the play
and emphasizes the mood of the characters. The music is playful and also creates humour- from the daggy
disco music to the over the top battle music.
PROPS
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Handlebars of bike- a little absurd for a ladies bike to have tassles hanging down- like a child’s bike
which fits the notion of child’s play established through the set being childish in parts (the baby
blackboards, the baby piano)
Uses the transparency from the OHP as if it is a flapping bird.
Electrical cord on the OHP creates the wall.
The OHP- used to reflect set, make lighting effects and also is used as a puppet to become a
character/
Chalk: vital for the telling of the story- most important prop. Helps to manipulate the space. Also
Dave the computer –the laptop bit came away from the blackboard but this created a surprise for
the audience because it was not realized that it was a separate piece until this moment. Stibbard
acknowledges the audience’s surprise. The computer was at the bottom of the alien pervert
antennae. The detachable lap top also has the chalk drawing of the apple symbol on it to create
further humour for the audience.
The spikey helmet- like a battle helmet. Pieces of white plastic protrude from the bike helmet. It
looks menacing and fierce but also comical and absurdist.
Red handkerchief to wipe brow and also demonstrates fire and blood.
Red and yellow cellophane used on the bird transparency to show the destruction of the bird.
Transparencies of the OHP: magpie, tree, bike, the stars of the universe, loving couple depicting
Thom and Alethea at the end of the play.
The props are deliberately minimalistic but extremely effective in enhancing the action of the play and
providing meaning for the audience. The use of chalk and the overhead projector is vital to the telling of the
story. These two props help to move the narrative and provide a fluid movement of the story- transforming
things as it progresses. The actor would have had to practice the drawing with the chalk. He appears to do
it so effortlessly and quickly. This would have been rehearsed many times by the actor to get the fluidity of
the movement in order to communicate quickly.
COSTUME
Although when first looking at the costume , it appears conservative. A suit denotes businessman and
concervatism, however the character is anything but. A suit is also something worn by a lecturer. The play
is a lecture , a lesson. It is important that the suit is black, as this makes the chalk marks of the set show up
on it. A very interesting effect for the audience. The white shirt reflects the OHP transparencies. The navy
blue tie is in contrast to the black and white suit. Another contrast is created through the use of Converse
runners- these are black and white like the suit. The actor wears the socks which will become part of the
play. In a sense the costume is a prop in the play. The actor wears the props and the set is reflected onto
the costume.
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EXPRESSIVE SKILLS
VOICE WORK (these notes are not final)
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The voice of the boss, Mel, is deeper
The floor has a very very deep voice
Scottish accent of the taxi driver, McCabbie. He is old as well and the voice is affected by this.
Voice work is used to denote characters from the Greek accent of Demi Papadopoulos to the
philosophical light box character.
The actor also uses his voice to create mood and atmosphere. His strained voice as he is passing
people ‘in the disco’ helps to create the feel of the disco.
The main voice of the play is the narrator who depicts the voices of other characters as he tells the
story. Stibbard’s voice is loud and clear and easily understood by the audience.
Language used can demonstrate character: eg- “Fuuuuucking Friday”. The use of a swear word
clearly denotes the character of this day of the week.
Delivery of Gothic librarian’s lines- shows character and creates humour.
MOVEMENT
Fast physical movement is used by the actor to move in and out of the settings and creating the story for
the audience. The pace of movement creates a rhythm- there are points of stillness in the show eg: Thom
in his apartment depressed and listening to Alethea next door, the human statue is still. The actor doesn’t
move until he hears the chime, actor lying on the floor at various moments also breaks the rhythm and pace
of the play.
Movement of hands create character and highlight aspects. Little freeze frames and tableaus using the
body denote mood. At various points within the play, the actor lifts his leg in a coy move to demonstrate a
character feeling happy, or emphasizing a point before transitioning.
FACIAL EXPRESSION
Big exaggerated facial expressions help to capture character and mood very quickly. There are also
introspective moments with Thom which are enhanced through a focused and thoughtful expression. Facial
expressions are used to demonstrate for example: cats, the evolution of man. As it is physical theatre, the
whole body is used to denote character and mood.
GESTURE
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Throwing the baby away as he moves onto another discussion-big gesture and then looks shocked
as he has thrown a baby- example of black humour.
Leaping up into the air during a run to denote carefree abandon or the happiness of the character ,
an exaggerated theatrical dance move.
Evolution of man: transform body physically demonstrating evolution then moves forward and back
demonstrating the same moves.
The crowded disco- moving his body between people. Repetition of gesture to denote the crowdmoving back and forward. This rhythmic movement recreates symbolically a crowded disco for the
audience.
Enacting cats and then becoming cats in a human body-Stibbard makes his body walk like a
‘thunderbird puppet’ to create the idea that cats are controlling and moving his body. He represents
the action of cats in a mansuit.
Talks about Angelina Jolie and holds his hands up to represents the boobs on a woman.
The narrator talks about Alethia having voices in her head. He holds both arms up and moves his
hands and fingers as if they are talking, he then places them either side of his head to denote this
idea of ‘voices in the head’
Introducing the cabbie character who is 87 he shakes his hand to denote an elderly person as he is
talking to the audience.
Stibbard’s hands are used to transform into different things: voices in alethia’s head, hands to
manipulate the sock puppets and also of course creating character gestures.
Slow motion run which creates a different rhythm for the audience of the movement of the actor. A
different pace of the performance is created at this point.
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The notion of oral sex on the sock puppet Thom is created through the gesture of the actor’s head
and lips sucking his forearm.
Mel the boss is depicted through the actor hunching is shoulders up high so as to appear as if he
has no neck. The upper part of his body is rigid with the lower part having a more relaxed look.
Gesturing with hands as if the hands are laughing depicting laughter behind his back.
As the performance is physical theatre then gesture is hugely important to denote character and setting.
Gesture is also a short hand communication with the audience. For example, when Stibbard uses his
hands to denote laughing behind a character’s back the audience ‘get it’ immediately. Gesture helps the
depiction of stereotypes. Another example of gesture helping to communicate ideas is when Stibbard does
the slowmotion run-this is a motif of love films and this suits the mood he is trying to create. It is also
humourous.. Gestures by the actor create much of the humour of the play.
AFTER SHOW TALK WITH CAST AND CREW
-characters came from people they knew
Stibbard spoke about ‘parataxis’- honouring all levels of performance at once
-abstract world. Idea of a wall being a character is shown in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dreamone of the mechanics has a line: “I am the wall”.
The journey of the week-everyone can relate to this. They didn’t choose to use the weekend because
everybody’s Saturday is different but there is a commonality in the experience of the weeks by people.
Nerrida spoke about there being a different theme for each of the boy, girl, wall.
-music came from improvising with the characters
Keith spoke about the lighting and how it was minimalist lighting. The use of fluorescent lighting is to do
with a commonality as a lot of people have flourescents in their appartments.
There is a romance about the lightbulbs- they are large and exaggerated and stand out. More romance
in them as opposed to the fluorescent light tubes.
Music acts as a hook and brings the audience back to this character.
Acting- Brechtian- Brecht said you could show any performance without the words and still have
meaning for the audience
-takes a physicality that sketches characters in the same way that there are sketches on the
blackboard.
-Stibbard spoke about stand up comedy and how comics will often do an ‘act out”which is a quick acting
out of a scene. Stibbard has experience in stand up comedy and uses this technique of dropping in and
out of character and different characters.
There is no director in the traditional sense of theatre. Instead the group used ‘trusted outside eyes”in a
collaboration of direction. 6 people would watch and comment – not just a single person’s perspective.
The script began with 22 points creating a story arc.
Matthew has a classical writing back ground and he constructed much of the form of the play. The script
was passed back and forth and redrafted. Similar to situation comedy writing where the writers sit in.
Stibbard mentioned that the script was not finished it was always a work in progress with differing
performances given to the audience-no night is ever the same.
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OTHER REVIEWS AND RESOURCES FOR THIS PLAY: please note some are from 2011.
Lucas Stbbard in Boy Girl Wall. Photo: Al Caeiro
In contrast, Boy Girl Wall, a solo show by the Escapists now playing at the Lawler Studio,
completely fulfils its own ambition. The show turns on the high energy performance of Lucas
Stibbard, who plays the narrator and all the characters, including inanimate objects, binding the
story together with a hefty strand of meta-commentary. Matthew Ryan and Lucas Stibbard have
concocted a script that is basically an avalanche of surreal wit; it's a continual linguistic slide
between differing levels of reality that feels like a cross between Will Eno and the Mighty Boosh.
It's a simple tale of two people in unsatisfactory circumstances - the feckless Thom, wannabe
astronomer, and children's illustrator Alethea - who live next door to each other, but who have
never met. Their romantic meeting, after a series of absurd misadventures, is finally engineered by
chance, circumstance and the connivance of architecture. The robust comedy is leavened with a
sense of kooky wistfulness that never turns into the merely sentimental.
Jonathan Oxlade's set is a giant blackboard, and Stibbard draws most of his props - a pillow, a
clock - as he needs them. Various incidental characters are sketched in rapidly, in the
performance equivalent of skilled cartooning. Stibbard executes the show at an extreme pitch that
seems unfeasible, but sustains the pace with barely a wobble for over an hour. It's part of the
MTC's Education Program, and is perfect for a young adult audience: unpatronisingly intelligent
and wickedly funny. Recommended.
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Find answers: “Boy Girl Wall is a love story or more?”
April 28th, 2011 | Comments Off
Answers from Anya Tretyakova.
Boy Girl Wall Review
Boy Girl Wall is a love story – despite what its star, co-creator and co-writer Lucas Stibbard would have you
believe with his opening line. Throughout Stibbard’s (essentially) one-man show, we meet Thom and
Alethea, the romantic wall that separates their two apartments, a perverted alien and a murderous,
necrophiliac magpie, amongst a host of other animate and inanimate, but charmingly anthropomorphised
characters. Boy Girl Wall is a contemplative, optimistic exploration at what it takes for two people to meet
and fall in love, against all odds. It is a love story, which is concerned with everything that happens before
the boy meets the girl and how the universe conspires to make it so.
From the people who brought you Attack of the Attacking Attackers!, also presented at La Boite, Stibbard,
wife Neridah Waters (music, realiser), Matthew Ryan (co-writer, realiser) and newcomer Sarah Winter
(realiser) deliver a child-like story to enthral and capture the imagination of even the most hardened cynic.
The writing is fast-paced and obviously intended to present the story as a humorous, rather than dramatic
piece of live theatre. Stibbard does not fail to deliver each line with impact, effortlessly jumping from
character to character, sometimes portraying a day of the week, sometimes a laptop, sometimes Alethea’s
agent who manages to be less human than both.
It is clear from the performance style, that this was indeed a collaborative work. The story is haphazard and
full of segues whilst somehow managing to cling to a clear and underlying narrative, inevitably heading to
the ultimate climax of Thom and Alethea’s meeting. During interviews with The Escapists (the name
Stibbard and co have given themselves as a collaborative ensemble) they emphasise the absence of clearly
defined roles in this project, with all members contributing to directorial, writing and realisation aspects of
the performance (Devising An Original Performance). This approach results in an organically devised
performance that flows from idea to idea like a proverbial stream of consciousness, allowing the audience to
be immersed in the story as well as keep up with the myriad of characters and ever-changing set, which is
mostly drawn and re-drawn with chalk by Stibbard.
In keeping with the idea of the theatre as a ‘black box’ (DAOP)– an idea almost perfectly encapsulated by
La Boite’s roundhouse theatre design – Stibbard uses a piece of chalk to draw bits and pieces of the set as he
requires them. The use of an overhead projector (with some very dodgy slides) comprises the bulk of the
special effects for the show. The lighting is minimal, but incredibly effective; the use of ordinary light bulbs,
scattered light from the overhead projector and at one point, a cleverly held penlight used to represent a
rather Doctor Who-esque crack in the universe, light up the minimalist set beautifully, oftentimes reflecting
the cosmic aspects of the storyline. Enhanced by Waters’ simple melodies on the xylophone and
glockenspiel, which easily achieve the desired effect of alluding to the contemplative nature of the story
(DAOP), the simple musical score manages to be both haunting otherworldly.
Dramaturgically speaking, the play is successful in combining seemingly unrelated elements of a rather
convoluted storyline, into a cohesive and unambiguous performance. The simple elements of the set,
lighting and sound designs only heighten the theatricality of the piece by drawing attention to the
components of the story that matter, rather than wasting time and energy on incidental information. The end
result is a highly concise and polished piece of drama, a tightly wound narrative which explores the essential
parts of the lives of two people, who have yet to meet. As with any love story, it leaves us hopeful and
optimistic about what awaits us as we step back into the outside world; no small feat in today’s sceptical
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society.
Although the performance makes attempts at being a contemporary, postdramatic performance and although
many elements of the play are undoubtedly postdramatic, many other aspects remain ‘traditionally’
dramatic. All this amounts to a hybrid piece of live theatre. Neither traditionally Aristotelian, nor entirely
postdramatic in nature – perhaps something that is post-postdramatic – which embodies neither theory, but
surpasses both as a chimeric adaptation.
Notably, Stibbard ‘breaks the fourth wall’ several times throughout the performance, at one point even
addressing a single member of the audience with a question regarding whether (as Thom) he should attend
his supervisor Mel’s “Theatre Sports Extravaganza” (Boy Girl Wall, 01/01/11). He refers to himself as “The
Narrator” as well as various characters and acknowledges that the audience is technically not part of the
diegesis he is representing, by observing that they are “…a group of people who aren’t really there…”
(BGW, 01/01/11). These techniques are obviously examples of contemporary postdramatic approaches to
theatre, especially when combined with Stibbard’s physical performance and the minimalist stage, lighting
and costuming design.
These postdramatic elements are cleverly executed so as not to interrupt the complicated narrative, however,
as an audience member and despite Stibbard’s constant addressing of the audience, it was all too easy to get
sucked back into the storyline; resulting in the peculiar effect of the ‘fourth wall’ being broken, only to be
rebuilt and broken again. The show’s narrative is far too coherent and engaging to ever leave the audience in
any danger of feeling alienated or reciprocally observed. Despite the elaborate narrative and serpentine
structure of delivery, there is a clear causal chain of events from beginning to end – indeed, from the very
beginning of Thom and Alethea’s birth – to the inevitable kiss that brings them together at last. The storyline
is not particularly linear, but cause and effect is still clearly established through time.
Sock puppets can fall in love?
The performance does not attempt to be naturalistic or ‘socially realistic’, but this is what makes it work so
well; the audience are forced to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps; to believe that sock puppets can fall
in love; that a wall can scheme with the floor and the ceiling to bring two people together and; to accept that
an alarm clock will ring until Stibbard draws it on the wall in chalk (in its entirety) before his character can
switch it off. These surreal elements leave one feeling as if they have walked into a dream, someone else’s
dream and are fortunate enough to watch.
During the devising stages of the performance, it is also quite clear that Stibbard and the other Escapists
wrote a play that was conscious of itself as a play; the storyline and dialogue is often self-reflexive and
breaks down the barrier between live theatre performance and audience, or the observer and observed. As
already mentioned, most markedly when Stibbard refers to himself as characters and audience as extradiegetic beings.
However, the performance does also incorporate many elements of traditional theatre. This performance is
nothing if not entertaining and somewhat cathartic – especially due to the beautifully predictable ending – an
ending even Disney would approve of. Most importantly, perhaps, the performance is a theatre of written
drama, enhanced by the simplest of elements. The use of literary devices such as the presence of the (selfaware) narrator and the beginning and ending of the performance looking and sounding suspiciously like a
prologue and epilogue, respectively. Also, Stibbard’s use of asides and interludes, such as the Voltron-suited
cat dream sequence (BGW, 01/01/011). As previously touched on, despite constant breaks in ‘the fourth
wall’, the illusion of observing a ‘real’ world is enhanced by the science fiction aspects of the storyline,
allowing the observer to feel they have magically travelled to that particular point in space and time, to see
Thom and Alethea’s story. This extraordinary aspect of the performance is what brings the postdramatic and
more traditional elements together, into a new breed of theatrical storytelling.
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The show succeeds on a multi-level basis; it tells a story about love, about two people who were destined to
meet, but it also explores the ‘what-if’ notion that all animals and objects, indeed everything in the cosmos,
has a mind and presence of its own. The technical elements enhance the dream-like, magical aspects of this
premise; whilst the mixing of traditionally dramatic and contemporary postdramatic styles highlight this as a
relevant piece of devised, performance theatre. Perhaps a new direction to explore, rather than stagnating in
the dichotomous ‘traditional vs. postdramatic’ theatre debate.
Above all, this play allows audience members to regress to a child-like time when all that was needed to
create worlds, was one’s imagination and perhaps a piece of chalk.
http://www.answersfrom.com/find-answers-love-story/
REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE: VCAA HANDBOOK
The assessment task allows the student to:

analyse ways in which performance styles that are not dependent on the lifelike representation of real life and
theatrical conventions are used in a professional performance of a play selected from the Unit 3 Drama playlist

analyse ways in which characters in the play are represented in performance through the actors’ use of expressive
skills including voice, movement, facial expression and gesture

analyse and evaluate ways in which dramatic elements, theatrical conventions and stagecraft are manipulated to
enhance the professional performance of the play

use the language of drama associated with the performance styles, traditions and practitioners from a range of
contemporary and/or cultural traditions to analyse and evaluate the play

have the opportunity to demonstrate the highest level of performance.
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
• ways in which performance styles that are not dependent on life-like representations of everyday
life and theatrical conventions are used in performance;
• ways in which characters are represented in non-naturalistic performance through the actors’ use
of expressive skills including voice, movement, facial expression and gesture;
• ways in which dramatic elements, theatrical conventions and stagecraft are manipulated to enhance
non-naturalistic performance;
• the language of drama associated with performance styles, traditions, and practitioners from
contemporary and/or cultural traditions relevant to non-naturalistic performance.
Key skills
These skills include the ability to
• analyse the representation of characters within a non-naturalistic performance;
• analyse and evaluate the manipulation of dramatic elements, theatrical conventions and stagecraft
within a non-naturalistic performance;
• analyse non-naturalistic performance styles within a production;
• use appropriate language of drama to analyse and evaluate a non-naturalistic performance.
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How are dramatic elements manipulated within the performance?
The 12 Dramatic Elements defined
These twelve dramatic elements are at the core of all drama. They can be used in isolation or
simultaneously and are
manipulated by the performer for dramatic effect.
1. Focus
Focus is often used interchangeably with the terms concentration and engagement, assisting the
performer in the
portrayal of believable characters. This also implies memorisation of text (including word, moves and gestures).
Furthermore, focus requires the channelling (focusing) of all the performer’s energies into achieving the given goals or
objectives of a character in a scene (otherwise known as ‘wants’).
2. Tension
Tension can sometimes be used as an interchangeable term with conflict. But where it differs, lies in the development
of suspense in a performance. As the audience anticipates certain outcomes in the plot, the tension builds. An obvious
example of rising tension is in a mystery or whodunit. The development of tension usually parallels the advancement
of the plot, leading to a crisis or climax. Tension is closely linked with timing.
3. Timing
Timing in performance refers to dramatic timing of movements and gestures. We often take our
movements for
granted in everyday life, but when performing, the use of our body must be carefully considered. Timing can be
manipulated to create contrast in a scene or simply to demonstrate robotic, stylised and non-naturalistic movements.
Rhythm and pace are affected by timing.
4. Rhythm
Rhythm refers to the timing and pace of the drama. It also means the beat or tempo of the performance. As a rule,
rhythm should never be the same throughout the drama, regardless of its length. Rhythm can follow the emotional
state of one or more characters or the atmosphere of the performance at particular moments.
5. Contrast
Without the careful use of contrast a performance is boring and lacks tension. An obvious example of contrast is a sad
scene followed by a happy one. But contrast can be created in subtler and sophisticated ways, such as manipulating the
drama to create a change in setting, use of space or rhythm. The pace of scenes can also be altered, as can various
dramatic elements within one small section of a performance.
6. Mood
Mood is the feeling or tone of a performance. It refers to ambience or aura and is often created through a combination
of several dramatic and stagecraft elements working in harmony with each other. The mood of a performance is
closely linked with everyday feelings such as pity, anger, desire or frustration. Mood in drama can be created via
sound, lighting, movement, setting, rhythm, contrast, conflict and more.
7. Space
This dramatic element refers to the effective use of available space in a performance. Different levels of space are
utilised by the performer, such as sitting, bending over, lying down or crawling. Of course, using the space around you
can mean downstage and upstage or walking in or on a stage set. In order to use the space effectively, movement
becomes an important factor. Use of space also implies clearly communicating to the audience where the action is
taking place. This may include any changes in location that may occur in the performance (particularly if little or no
sets and/or props are being used and there is a heavy reliance on the audience’s imagination).
8. Language
The use of language in performance can be verbal, vocal or non-verbal. Language is the spoken text. It is the written
script realised in performance. While normally spoken by the actor, language can also be chanted or sung. It can also
be deliberately nonsensical (gibberish) for dramatic effect. The choice of language in performance is crucial, as it is
forms a major means of communicating the story of the drama to the audience. Exactly how the actor in performance
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uses language is usually determined by the expressive skill of voice. However, language can also be non-verbal,
commonly referred to as body language.
9. Sound
Modern theatrical practice relies on sound to assist in a number of ways. It can be useful in creating atmosphere or
mood. Actors and their bodies can construct effective sound in performance. Small props can also create sound effects
that can be used live during a show. Other uses of sound involve the implementation of technology, such as
instrumental recordings and sound effects on CDs and mp3 players (though this use of sound is technically a
stagecraft element in the theatre, not a dramatic element).
10. Symbol
The use of symbol in dramatic performance can be one of the simplest and also most complicated of all techniques.
Essentially, symbolism implies a greater meaning than the literal suggestion. Props are the easiest to work with
because objects in everyday life are symbols in society (for example a rose symbolises love; a cross symbolises
Christianity). Symbols can also be found in the use of colour. We often symbolise purple with royalty, red with anger
or desire, black with evil and darkness or white with purity and innocence. Colour association can be worthwhile
symbols with costumes, sets and props. But the most sophisticated use of symbol occurs with the application of
gesture and movement. A particular gesture performed by a character early in a performance can be repeated later
under different circumstances (context) and have a very different meaning. Used only once, a gesture can also be a
powerful symbol. Of course, all of the above examples can be combined for better effect.
11. Conflict
Playwright George Bernard Shaw (who wrote Pygmalion, which was later adapted to become the film My Fair Lady)
once said ‘No conflict, no drama’. How right he was! Drama that lacks conflict is normally dull and uninspiring. As a
rule, conflict should always be considered an essential ingredient for all dramatic performances. Conflict can be
between two or more characters, or simply one (inner conflict). Many Elizabethan soliloquies contain inner conflict
(‘To be or not to be…’ is an excellent example). Conflict on stage can be verbal, physical or non-verbal
(psychological). Conflict differs from tension in that it is often a fixed part of the structure of a play, with characters
destined to clash with one another from the outset.
12. Climax
Most drama will have one or more crises in the development of the plot. A crisis is a key moment of dramatic tension
and conflict in the play, usually occurring between two or more characters and having serious implications for the
outcome of the plot. The ultimate crisis, or highest peak, is usually called the climax and often (but not always) occurs
toward the end of a performance. There can also be more than one climax, although this is uncommon.
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