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A teacher and student resource that explores elements of Lachlan Philpott's award winning play, Silent Disco
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Silent Disco
atyp, Griffin Theatre & Hothouse
Production
May 2011
Teacher's Resource Kit
TEACHER RESOURCE PACK
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.
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), Griffin
Theatre and Hothouse Theatre production: Silent Disco.
The notes and activities have been divided into three components:
Before you see Silent Disco
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Silent Disco
After you see Silent Disco
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 Silent Disco
Theatre Marketing: How to get the word out there
Interview with the atyp Marketing Manager
In Rehearsal
The Performance: Behind the scenes of Silent Disco
The atyp creative team
Interview with the Writer and Director
Interview with the Designer
Get Involved!
After you see Silent Disco
First Impressions
Design Elements
The Elements of Drama
Write Your Own Review
After you see Silent Disco:
Exploring Themes: The Prop as Symbol
Exploring Themes: “Marching to the beat of a different drum..”
Script Analysis
Introduction
Table of
Contents
In a world bombarded by screen and technology, theatre advertising often gets
drowned. In the following activities, you will be asked to take some time to look at
the theatre advertising around you. Notice other types of advertising and how they
compete for your attention.
Theatre Marketing: How to get the word out there
Before you see Silent Disco
BRAINSTORM:
In groups of three to four, brainstorm as many types of
advertising as you can. Think about print, screen, internet and
any other forms.
As a class collate all of this information. Note whether you see
this type of advertising when you fill in the observation table in
the next part of this activity.
PRACTICAL:
Over a period of five days, notice all of the theatre (including
musicals) advertising around you. Fill in the table below.
What type of
advertising?
(e.g. bus
shelter, radio
etc.)
Where did
you see it?
When did
you see it?
What did
you think
about it?
How
effective was
it?
REFLECTION:
As a class, take some time to present your findings. Discuss the following
questions.
What were the most common forms of advertising?
What were the most effective forms of advertising?
What did you learn through this observation activity?
Classroom Activity
Classroom Activity
Silent Disco marketing has been unique in that it has drawn upon the
ideas of the youth advisory panels at Griffin Theatre (the Grif Graf) and
atyp (the Atypicals). Chalk paint graffiti, tumblr accounts, twitter,
facebook and postcards have all been part of the marketing strategy
for this production.
PRACTICAL:
Look at the stencil below. The image was used as a stencil for the chalk
graffiti. One of the main characters is “Squid”.
What are some words that come to mind when you view the
image?
If you didn‟t know anything about the play and you saw this
image on the ground what do you think it would be
advertising or saying?
Is it an effective way of advertising a play? Why? Why not?
Create your own stencil to advertise your Drama class. Think
about symbols and messages that you intend to convey to
the observer.
REFLECTION:
In your Drama journal, write a 500 word response to the
importance of effective advertising for theatre productions.
Draw upon your observations and reflections from the
activities you have completed.
Interview with atyp Marketing Manager: Claire Harris
How do you initially approach
the marketing for a production?
The best way to build a marketing
campaign for a production is to firstly
look at traditional marketing
techniques which include advertising,
marketing collateral distribution, e-
news, website promotion, publicty etc.
and once all that is covered you need
to look at non-traditional ways to
market a show. These can include
online strategy such as facebook,
Twitter, youtube, Tumblr etc. or in the
case of Silent Disco, the coordination
and recording of a silent disco Flash
Mob, a graffiti campaign and the
hosting of an actual silent disco. All
these things running alongside each
other are sure to get the word out and
sell tickets!
What has been different about
this production?
What we have loved about this
production is that it is a world premiere
and it is written by a fantastic
Australian Playwright, Lachlan Philpott.
All companies involved have a passion
for new Australian works and we all
feel really excited to be able to
present Lachlan‟s award winning play.
How does your marketing reflect
the overarching themes of Silent
Disco?
We have kind of taken a „street‟
approach to our campaign for Silent
Disco. The play is set in Sydney so
doing things like the graffiti campaign
and the flash mob in the city promotes
the show by making it feel very grungy
and local, just like the play.
What are the unique challenges
in marketing this play? What
are the rewarding aspects of
marketing this play?
The challenges with this play are similar
to promoting any play. It is a
competitive market, all Sydney Theatre
companies want ticket buyers to
spend with their company and come
and see their productions. Also, in a
world so heavily driven by on-line
communication it is increasingly
difficult to get people‟s attention
amongst all the on-line noise. You
really need to find your points of
difference and exploit those. The
rewarding aspects are when you get a
positive response from people. You
only have to look on atyp or Griffin‟s
facebook page to see how excited
people are about the show. This
makes us get excited too.
Who is your target group and
how do you want them to
respond (apart from coming to
see the production)?
It‟s not just about selling tickets to the
show but an exercise in branding. We
want young people to see our stuff
and think, “Wow. Those companies
are cool!”
What advice would you give to
aspiring young theatre
marketing managers?
Think outside the square. The world is
saturated in advertising and traditional
marketing stuff so you really need to
look at innovative ways of reaching
your target market. And the key –
have fun with it!
In Rehearsal
Classroom Activity
Have a look at the picture below of the cast in rehearsal:
BRAINSTORM:
In groups of three discuss the following questions. Record your answers to
share with the class.
What do you think is happening in this scene?
What do you think may have happened immediately preceding
this scene?
What do you think may happen after the scene?
Who has the higher status? Why?
PRACTICAL TASK:
In your groups, recreate the moment from the picture. Improvise
what you think will happen next in the scene.
Show the class your improvisation.
REFLECTION:
Comment on what worked in each scene, what there could have
been more of and how the scenes could be changed to
demonstrate a shifting status.
Silent Disco Creative Team
atyp Artistic Director Fraser Corfield
Griffin Theatre Artistic Director Sam Strong
Writer Lachlan Philpott
Director Lee Lewis
Assistant Director Kai Raisbeck
Designer Justin Nardella
Production Mgr Glen Dulihanty
SX Design Stefan Gregory
LX Design Ross Graham
Stage Manager Natasha Marich
Silent Disco Cast
Squid Meyne Wyatt
Tamara Sophie Hensser
Dane Kirk Page
Petchall Camilla Ah Kin
The Performance:
Behind the Scenes of
Silent Disco
Interview with Director, Lee Lewis and Writer, Lachlan Philpott
Writer – Lachlan Philpott
Director – Lee Lewis
Classroom Activity
PRACTICAL TASK:
For the interview with Lachlan and Lee, go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2UlI8MxGyU
REFLECTION:
After watching the clip, answer the following questions:
What mood does the music in the promo video evoke for you?
Why did Lee want to direct Silent Disco?
What is Lachlan‟s approach to reflecting the language of
teenagers?
Why see Silent Disco?
Why is it important to see contemporary Australian work?
How do you initially approach the
design for a production?
My first approach to any production is the
script – it is the recipe and guide. This
particular script was full of beautiful imagery,
which Lachlan creates with words. It was my
job and challenge to find a visual answer to
this. After researching the places and settings
which these characters inhabit, the director
and I then chose and eliminated visual
elements in order to break it down to the
essentials. We created a space which gives
the audience a distinct environment, yet
doesn‟t lock them into one particular location.
Your set design uses a mixture of
textures and materials – what have
you used and how do they reinforce
(or work against) the issues explored in
the play?
Silent Disco presents the many rules and
regulations in place during adolescence and
these are translated into the visual elements of
the set. This is displayed in the references to
park-itechture and public space design – trip
hazards are removed – handrails and yellow
lines guide us – and the rubber floor protects
our fall.
What are the unique challenges in
designing for this piece?
The play itself consists of multiple settings and
multiple characters played by single actors.
From a design perspective you have to resist
being excessive and literal and must force
yourself to find the essence of what is needed.
The venue also offers many challenges. As a
designer, you must work with these in mind.
The limitations, in their own way, influence
such things as the placement of the fence
and shape of the floor.
How do you want the audience to
respond to your work?
I hope audiences enjoy the production and
that all the elements come together and work
together. I want audience members to find
references within the set which they are
familiar with. I also want the simplicity of the
design to allow audiences to imagine the
locations in the journey that the actors take us
on. In contrast to the stylized set, Tamara and
Squid should feel like two real people that you
might go to school with or see on a bus.
What advice would you give to
aspiring young designers?
Design can be a wonderful and imaginative
career, yet it has many challenges and can
be very intimidating and draining. For those
aspiring theatre designers – always have your
senses on. Look around at the whole world
you live in, and the world others live in. Listen,
touch, feel, smell – all of it. These experiences
are what influence and inspire. Above all –
never give up! Plays are reflections of
humanity and the world we live in, and you
have to be involved in it in order to create it
on the stage.
Interview with Designer, Justin Nardella
What attracted you to the part
that you’re playing?
I love the honesty of Petchall. It‟s a
world that Lachlan (the writer) knows
deeply, he doesn‟t shirk the darkness
or imperfections that exist for any of
the characters. For an actor he
provides great texture, emotional
terrain to explore over the rehearsal
period and the season.
Tell me what it’s like to shift
between characters in one play.
I have a number of roles in this play:
Petchall, Leanne (Tamara‟s mum),
Auntie and Dezzie. There is a patch in
the play where I kind of swim between
characters one after the other. In this
section of the play the shifts are fast
and because of the nature of the
theatre space at the Stables theatre,
being intimate, it‟s not appropriate or
possible to have massive costume
changes with wigs and the like. We‟re
working on more subtle shifts. Things
like an emotional state or thought can
sometimes be enough. The rhythms of
the characters are so different that
even in the same basic costume, the
way the characters inhabit it will make
them very separate. They all breathe in
their own way. It‟s my job to find and
create those subtleties. I love my job!
Have you ever been to a silent
disco? What was it like/ or what
do you imagine it to be like?
The assistant director, Kai, was sent on
assignment to one at the Australian
Museum where there is a silent disco.
We had a lot of conversations in the
first week about how the metaphor of
a silent disco could be applied to the
play. We discussed how all these
insular worlds of the characters exist
simultaneously, unaware of the
context of the others. We are all in the
same place at the same time –
experiencing very different things. It
seems symptomatic of fragmented
communities.
What have been the challenges
in rehearsing for Silent Disco?
The biggest challenge is the very
unusual narrative form that Lachlan is
developing. Learning it! Cues can
come from anywhere. A character
can be thinking (out loud) whilst
informing a moment in another scene.
It‟s tricky and very precise. I am paying
very close attention to the text for as
long as I can, resisting the temptation
to put the script down too early.
What advice would you give to
aspiring young actors?
Play every role as if it‟s Hamlet. Of
course not every role is at the centre of
the play. I mean no matter what the
size or shape of the role, if you pay the
same respect in creating it, then you
will always discover the life and fullness
each character has to offer you.
Interview with Actor, Camilla Ah Kin
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.
Get Involved !
Initial reaction
What was your initial reaction to the performance? What sticks out in your mind?
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Would you recommend the performance to a friend? Why / why not?
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Costumes
Describe the costumes. How was costume used to portray character? Was the use of
costume successful? Why / why not?
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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?
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Set
Describe the set. What elements of playground architecture reinforced the themes of
the play?
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Design Elements:
After you see
Silent Disco
Sound and Music
Describe the sound and music design. Did this detract from or enhance the overall
production?
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Elements of Drama: Comment on how the performance used the elements of drama.
Tension: Where were the moments of
tension in the overall performance?
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Which moment held the most tension
for you?
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Recreate the tension in the moment as
a tableau.
Focus: How did the director draw the
audience's focus to the action she
most wanted you to see?
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Identify a moment that was really
successful in drawing focus?
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Space
How did the actors use the stage
space?
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What was the most interesting aspect
of the use of space?
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Movement
How was movement used to portray
each character?
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Symbol
Can you identify any symbols/motifs
used in the production?
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What were the most successful symbols
used?
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Mood / Atmosphere
Describe the mood of the piece.
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What sort of feeling did you have at
the end of the play? Was it different to
the feeling you had at the beginning
of the play? Why/Why not?
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Where were the climactic moments in
the performance?
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How did you feel at the end of the
performance?
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What devices were used to create
mood throughout the performance?
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Draw a mood map that reflects the
emotional journey of the entire play:
Character / Role
Did you think the actors were well cast
for their roles? Why/Why not?
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Identify one character that stood out
in your mind? Why were they so
memorable?
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Actor-Audience Relationship
What was the role of the audience in
the performance?
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How did the characters relate to the
audience?
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The play is about young people and
the adults in their lives. Did you identify
with any of the characters? Why/Why
not?
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Write Your Own Review 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 Silent Disco.
Send it to heather@atyp.com.au
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 play (without giving away the
ending!)
3. Background of the show and the unique aspects of the production.
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!
Exploring Themes: The prop as symbol In Silent Disco, the ipod becomes a symbol of the time in which the play is set.
Characters use the ipod to escape from difficulties in their lives, to disengage with the
environment around them, and to tap into another world or perception of the world.
Ms Petchall, a teacher, uses the confiscated ipod to taste the world of her students
and she is surprised by its ability to infuse her life with excitement and invincibility.
“In my handbag – the confiscated ipod.... It’s like some drug that keeps things
out insulates me from the drone of it all and I feel incredible. Invincible”
The music becomes the soundtrack for her ideal world and life.
Classroom Activity
After you see
Silent Disco
PRACTICAL TASK:
Create a playlist that you can listen to on your mp3 player
or mobile phone. Include one of each of the following
types of music:
- Classical
- Heavy metal
- Folk
- R & B
- Disco
- Opera
- Children‟s nursery rhyme
- Rap
- Jazz
- Australian National Anthem
- World music (e.g. Indian, African)
Listen to the songs at different times of the day, while
you‟re doing different activities. For example, you may
listen to them walking to school, training for sport,
shopping etc.
Record your responses in your Drama journal or exercise
book in a table
Type of music What you were
doing
What effect it had
on you
REFLECTION:
How has this focus on the simple use of a prop changed
your understanding on the importance of symbolism?
Exploring Themes: “Marching to the beat of a
different drum” Silent Disco explores a range of themes related to the experiences of young people
in contemporary society. It raises issues and then seeks to explore their antitheses. For
example, the connection between Squid and Tamara is juxtaposed with the
breakdown of relationship between them and their parents. The characters each
walk their own journey, reflected in the symbolic use of ipods and the way in which
characters narrate the action around them.
Classroom Activity
BRAINSTORM:
As a class brainstorm the themes that you noticed in Silent Disco.
Write them on post-its and place them on a wall in your class room.
Cluster the post-its into groups of related topics.
PRACTICAL TASK:
Get into groups of four or five. Each group take one of the above
topics and use it as inspiration to create a tableaux (still picture).
Each person in the tableaux then starts, one by one, their own
rhythm. As the whole group eventually joins in, each member
should continue with their own rhythm, trying not to be influenced
by the other members.
After 1-2minutes, start to allow the other members in your group to
influence your rhythm, so that eventually, you are all making the
same beat. This may be different to any other rhythm already
established.
REFLECTION:
Using your logbook or journal, write your responses to the following
questions:
What was it like playing your own rhythm? Was it easy/difficult?
Why/Why not?
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How is that reflected in life? Is it easy to be influenced by those
around you or do you find it easy to forge your own path?
Why/Why not?
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Script Analysis
Silent Disco breaks down traditional script writing through its use of character
narration. Characters comment on their surrounds, their feelings and their
experiences as writers of their own reality. The writer, Lachlan Philpott, says that he
used this device to explore the notion of being physically present, while mentally and
emotionally elsewhere.
Classroom Activity
PRACTICAL TASK:
Tell your own story. In pairs, go outside of your classroom. Take
turns narrating one another‟s actions. For example Person A may
get a drink at the bubbler. Person B says, “She leant down to the
bubbler. The water trickled down her chin. She wiped it with her
left hand and stood up. She looked across the playground and
saw a teacher in the distance.”
In the same pairs, narrate what‟s happening to you and what
you‟re thinking about while you walk around an outside area at
your school.
Record your narration.
REFLECTION:
Listen to the recording of your narration. What do you notice?
Are there common threads in your narration? Does your
narration evoke a particular mood? What is your language like?
Do you notice punctuation?
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From the above recording, write a 200 word monologue. You
may use direct quotes from your recording or use it as inspiration
for a new piece of theatre.
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