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Teacher resources and classroom activities for atyp's 2012 production ot "Max Remy Super Spy".
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max remy super spy
atyp teacher resources
October 2012
Photo: Angelo Sgambati
Photo: Olivia Martin-Maguire
The atyp show, Max Remy Super Spy is based on the imaginative and brilliantly inventive
Max Remy Super Spy novel by Deb Abela. We are thrilled to bring this internationally
celebrated novel to the stage.
atyp Education creates teacher resources that assist your students to make the most of
their theatrical experience. For this production, Deb has a wonderful website with
excellent resources that we’d like to endorse. She has worksheets that can be copied
and creative lessons that your students will love. Follow this link for more information:
http://www.deborahabela.com/site/Teacher_Resources_files/max_remy_notes_2011.pdf
This pack (compiled and created by Heather Clark) is designed to give you, and your
students, information and activities that enhance your experience onf the atyp
production. NSW BOS Syllabi have been used as a guide for this resource kit.
Heather Clark
Education Manager
Australian Theatre for Young People
atyp SEEKS TO CREATE EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE EXPERIENCES THAT ENGAGE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS AS ARTISTS
AND AUDIENCES
atyp is driven by the belief that the arts have the power to transform lives, enrich communities and
ultimately impact on the future of our nation. The power of stories and storytelling, of sharing experiences
and seeing life from another’s point of view, are integral to everyone’s growth and development.
Our work is motivated by the need to improve access and opportunities for all young Australians to
participate in the arts and to encourage them to share their stories, regardless of economic, geographic or
social barriers. We provide a supportive, creative environment for artists of all ages to take risks, engage,
challenge and test ideas and, in doing so, uncover their creative potential.
All atyp programs generate stories told by young people via the development, production and promotion
of new writing, and the maintenance of the dynamic creative hub that connects young people with
experienced professional artists locally and nationally.
Before you see Max Remy Super Spy
Have you Read the Book?
The Performance:
Behind the Scenes
The Creative Team & Cast
Jo Turner: The Code-Cracker Playwright
Fraser Corfield: The Director (aka “Chief”)
In Rehearsal
Classroom Activity 1
After you see Max Remy Super Spy
Making Imagination Everyday
Classroom Activity 2
Classroom Activity 3
Classroom Activity 4
Classroom Activity 5
What Makes Drama Dramatic
Design Elements:
Classroom Activity 6
The Elements of Drama:
Classroom Activity 7
Write a Review:
Classroom Activity 8
Get Involved!
table of
contents
Think of books that you’ve read that have been made into films or theatre productions.
They’re often quite different. In groups of 3-4 fill in the table below and then share with
your class.
Book ~ Movie ~ Theatre
production
What was the
same?
What was
different?
Which did you
prefer? Why?
E.g. Peter Pan ~ Hook
Do you think Max Remy Super Spy theatre production will be different to the novel?
YES NO
have you read the book?
before you see
max remy super spy
Why / Why not?
Max Remy Super Spy atyp Creative Team atyp Artistic Director & Director Fraser Corfield
Playwright Jo Turner
Assistant Director Sarah Parsons
Production Manager Liam Kennedy
Stage Manager Asha Watson
Designer Emma Reyes
SX Design Michael Toisuta
LX Design Christopher Page
The Brains behind the show! Photo: Claire Harris
Max Remy Super Spy atyp Cast
At atyp we make theatre by young people, for young people. Our cast members range
from 16 to 26 years of age.
Emmanuelle Mattana
Mia Orszaczky
Ondine Karpimellison
Lucy Avvenevole
Charlotte Pitt
Zai Nath
Iris Simpson
Natassija-Belle James
Kate Wagstaff
Joel Franco
Asha Boswarva
Joshua Chazan
the performance:
behind the scenes of
max remy super spy
Max Remy is awesome; a thirteen year old girl who takes on the most dastardly villains in
the world. Like many great spies, Max’s successes are not always by design, she has luck
and a brilliant sidekick (Linden) always on her side. We love her because she stands up
for what is right and good in a crazy world and also because she takes herself ever so
slightly too seriously.
Deborah Abela’s fabulous series of books are a cavalcade of madcap adventures and
larger than life characters, with more twists and turns than a bowl of Spaghetti. Trying to
wrangle these intertwining noodles into a short, sharp, action-packed play for and by 9-
13 year olds has been a fantastic challenge. I had to alter many things – apologies to
those purists of the book - but the important thing when adapting for the stage is to stay
true to the style and flavour of the original and keep the inner truth of the characters
and story. If I have managed to do that, then I am a happy playwright.
Plays for young people can at times be earnest with an educational tendency; this
adaptation of In Search of The Time and Space Machine has no truck with that. It’s
cartoonlike in its comedy; fast-paced, slapstick, self-referential and fun. Well, ok, there
are times when it’s a tiny bit serious. It is Max Remy after all.
The play is totally open to the actor’s and director’s imagination, so there are no props,
no tricks, no set; just the actors, who play all the characters, animals, sounds and objects
in what ever way they like.
This group of super-talented young actors are a true theatre ensemble. They have the
whole storytelling job in their hands. There have been plenty of experienced folk around
to help get this far, but once the first cue is called on show night, everything is entirely up
to them. They must stand alone on stage, with no exits, for a whole hour, and enthral us
this super spy story.
How exciting, and terrifying, and exciting!
jo turner: the code cracker playwright
Of all the ages we work with at atyp, the group I find most fascinating, magical and
mercurial are young people aged between 10 and 13. It’s the time we start to leave the
certainty of being a kid and board the exciting, confusing, unstoppable teenage train
that takes us to adulthood. It’s an age where toys, i-phones, mp3 players and wild
imaginations live side by side. Where innocence starts to mix with adult concepts and
old ideas start to be questioned. It’s the beginning of independence.
This is the element that Deborah Abela has captured so beautifully in the Max Remy
series of books. Max Remy travels the world, fights bad guys, drives cars, stands up for
herself … but the idea of kissing a boy is still yuck. Her novels are a celebration of the
time in our lives when we daydream worlds where anything can happen, then act them
out.
Working with Jo Turner to put Max on stage, we talked a great deal about how we could
embrace telling this story, rather than trying to recreate the book scene by scene.
Deborah’s books have a richness in our imagination that could only be poorly replicated
on stage.
The idea behind the staging of this production is that a group of extremely talented
young performers have been given all the ingredients they need. There are props, sound
effects, costumes, an empty space and an audience. There is no adult hidden
backstage whispering lines or telling people to stay focussed. There is no safety net. This
is young actors hopping on the train to being adult actors, and taking us for a crazy ride
in the process. I hope you enjoy it.
fraser corfield: director (aka Chief)
Our cast members rehearse two evenings a week and Sundays. 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.
Photos: Olivia Martin-Maguire
in rehearsal
Have a look at the pictures below of the cast in rehearsal: What do you think is happening in each scene?
What are the characters feeling/ thinking?
PRACTICAL TASK
With your classmates, physically recreate the actors’ positions and facial
expressions.
Hold the position and then improvise a monologue from that starting place.
Remember, there is no right or wrong in this activity. Have fun with where
you can go in the improvisation!
classroom
activity 1
Max Remy Super Spy makes use of everyday objects for sounds and props. A mop
becomes a dog; talc powder becomes the exhaust fumes of a car. Everything you see
on stage, you can do yourself! The following photos are to get you started.
making imagination everyday
PRACTICAL TASK
It’s just a door. But who’s coming through?
Take turns to stand behind the door to your classroom.
Before you come in, decide who you are. (Are you a teacher, a policeman, a famous
hip hop artist?)
When you walk through, don’t speak; just let your physicality show who you are. The
class has to guess your character.
after you see
max remy super spy
classroom
activity 2
BRAINSTORM
How do you feel when you dress up to go to a party? How do you feel when you’re
wearing your PJs?
Clothes make us feel differently and act differently. A lot of actors use their costumes
(including wigs and props) to help them become their character.
PRACTICAL TASK
Everyone bring in a range of props and accessories from home, put them in a big
garbage bag and mix them up. Pull on item out and use it to create a completely new
character. Swap your prop and become someone else.
In character, meet someone else in your class and have a conversation with them. This
is a great starting point for playbuilding!
REFLECTION
Use the following questions to prompt a discussion with your classmates:
How did you feel being “someone else”?
Was it difficult to swap characters? Why / Why not?
Why do you think characters are so important to a story?
classroom
activity 3
My great aunt was a little girl during the Depression in Australia. Her family didn’t have
enough money to buy her a doll, so she pretended that a little three-legged stool was
her doll. She played with it for hours on end. It’s amazing what you can believe and
create with your imagination.
You’ll notice in Max Remy, there are some great creations that cost very little and yet
work brilliantly. The photo above is a dog made from a mop. The handle becomes a
very effective leash which gives the impression that the dog actually moves!
PRACTICAL TASK
Create your very own “dog on a leash” or “mouse on a mini-leash”
Bring in:
Bottle brush, dishwashing brush, or mop;
felt for eyes and a nose;
ribbons etc for decorations
glue
Wrap the handle in ribbon (for the lead) and create your little pet using the materials
you brought in from home.
Name your new little pal. What is the personality of your pet? Is it energetic, shy etc.
Move it in such a way that reflects its personality.
Move around the class and let you “pet” interact with other “pets” in the room.
classroom
activity 4
Max Remy makes use of “found objects” to create a soundtrack to the show. With
today’s technology you can find any sounds you like, but in the early years of movies
and radio, stage managers had to make the “real” sounds and then record them.
Watch this clip for an example of a modern day foley artist (sound effects person)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKDjLseCyVw
PRACTICAL TASK
In groups of 4-5, choose a fairytale
Your task is to create a soundtrack to the fairytale. You may choose one
person to be the narrator and the others to create the sound effects.
Try to use “found” sounds (i.e. use what you already have in your classroom.
Perform your fairytale, with sound effects, to the class
classroom
activity 5
Costumes
Draw a picture of some of the costumes you noticed in the play
design elements
what makes drama
dramatic?
classroom
activity 6
Lighting
What colour lights were used? What feelings did they make you feel?
Colour of lights
(Colour in the square)
Feeling
(Draw a face with the expression you felt)
e.g.
Set
Draw a picture of the set.
Sound and Music
What was your favourite sound? Why?
Match the drama element to the definition.
Dramatic tension The overall feeling, tone or atmosphere
of the drama.
Contrast Duration (past, present, future); era
(generation, season, age); tempo.
Symbol Opposites that create dramatic
meaning.
Time The moment in the drama that directs
attention to something to make it
significant.
Space Surprise, the unexpected, mystery and
conflict.
Focus The use of objects, visuals or people to
represent meaning.
Mood Where the drama occurs – size, shape
and size.
Where in the play did you notice:
Dramatic tension
Contrast
Symbol
Time
Space
Focus
Mood
elements of drama
classroom
activity 7
A review is a form of writing that gives your opinion on what you have seen, viewed or
read. It helps to give the reader an idea of what they will see without giving too
much away.
How to write a review:
Remember to:
- Paint a word picture of the production for someone who has not been there
- Give your personal opinion about the success of the performance
Include some of these details in your review:
1. Give details of the production, where, when, by who.
2. What was the play about (don’t give 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.
Send it to [email protected]
We'll publish well written reviews on our website.
Remember to make it concise and clear.
Try to write your review in 300 words.
We look forward to receiving your reviews!
extension task: write an atyp review
classroom
activity 8
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 !