PRELIMINARY EDUCATION NOTES

A LA BOITE AND PLAYLAB CO-PRODUCTION

BY KATHRYN MARQUET

THE DEAD DEVILS OF COCKLE CREEK

PREPARED BY CLAIRE CHRISTIAN

LA BOITE THEATRE COMPANY

2EDUCATION NOTES DEAD DEVILS OF COCKLE CREEK

CONTENTS

ABOUT 3

FORM, STYLE & CURRICULUM LINKS 3

THINGS TO PONDER 3

RESEARCH 4

FOR YOUR INFORMATION 4

Your Voices. Your Stories. Your Theatre.

La Boite holds a unique place in the hearts and minds of artists and

audiences in Queensland. For more than 90 years, La Boite has

represented the adventurous and alternative. There has always been a

strong focus on the development of new work and artists, and today is

no different.

The stories, ideas and voices of our city and country are many and

varied and as such La Boite seeks to represent and engage in this

beautiful and rich diversity; the diversity of form, ideas, ethnicity,

gender – of identity.

Theatre has the capacity to embrace difference in so many ways.

La Boite push the boundaries of form by collaborating with some

extraordinary partners to stretch theatrical, physical and musical

boundaries. La Boite plays with contemporary circus, visual theatre,

opera and cabaret, classical text, the theatrical and extraordinary

international talents. This varied menu aims to enliven and inspire our

existing audiences and draw new audiences to share in the La Boite

experience – the experience and magic of live performance in our

unique Roundhouse Theatre.

ABOUT LA BOITE

THEATRE COMPANY

LA BOITETHEATRE COMPANY

Education Partner

EDUCATION NOTES DEAD DEVILS OF COCKLE CREEK

LA BOITE THEATRE COMPANY

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CAST & CREATIVESDIRECTOR/DRAMATURG IAN LAWSON DESIGNER VILMA MATTILA LIGHTING DESIGNER CHRISTINE FELMINGHAM SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER WIL HUGHES PERFORMERS JOHN BATCHELOR, JULIAN CURTIS, KIMI TSUKAKOSHI & EMILY WEIR

ESTIMATED RUNNING TIME1 HOURS 40 MINUTES (NO INTERVAL)

RECOMMENDED FOR Suitable for students in grades 11 and 12.

WARNINGS• Drug Use and References

• Severe Coarse Language

• Adult Themes: Murder, physical assault, threats of physical violence.

• Adult Humour: Including jokes about - religion, paedophilia, incest, rape.

• Fake blood, poo and vomit used

PURPOSE• To challenge or provoke

• To entertain

CONTEXT• Sociological

• Cultural

• Personal

• Geographical

• Environmental

ABOUT WORLD PREMIERE

McDonagh meets Tarantino in a biting new comedy about leading the charge for change.

Working out of a small shack in the isolated wilds of south-western Tasmania, George, an environmental scientist, is trying to save the world one Tassie Devil at a time. Since she was a small girl she has dreamt of halting the advance of climate change, but saving a species in the middle of nowhere will have to do, for now.

Sharing the cramped shack with George is Harris, a ranger with an annoying chicken nugget obsession, who has been charged with bringing a feral dog plague under control to help protect George’s work with the Devils. Across one night, when two unexpected visitors trigger a series of events, George is going to discover that ideology can only take you so far when sometimes the problem just needs a damned good beating.

A co-production between La Boite and Playlab, The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek is a dark comedy by Brisbane’s Kathryn Marquet (Pale Blue Dot).

THEMES• Environmental Destruction and Conservation

• Morality and Ethics

• Belief Systems and Faith

• Ecofeminism

• Capitalism/Consumerism

• Anti-Intellectualism

THINGS TO PONDER

FORM, STYLE &

CURRICULUM LINKS

• Dark Comedy

• Realism

• Elements of Australian Gothic

• Elements of Absurdism

• New Australian Work

CHARACTERS Think about what these characters may be like, based on how they are described in the play.

George Templeton. Female. An Australian zoologist. 30-ish.

Harris Robb. Male. A national park ranger from New Zealand. 30-ish.

Mickey O’Toole. Male. An Irish capitalist. 40’s.

Destinee Lee. Female. A first-generation Asian-Australian and Australian Girl Guide. 15.

STEREOTYPES AND CONTRADICTIONS Get students to create a document thinking about stereotypes for particular people. They could jot these down. Create monologues or scenes reflecting their stereotypical characters. You could hot-seat and meet these characters.

• Murderer

• Racist

• One Nation Supporter

• Feminist

• New Zealander

• Irish

• Girl Guide

• Asian

• Vegan

• Environmentalist

Discuss contradictions and what qualities their stereotypical characters could have that would make them contradictions – and make them more complex and real characters.

LA BOITE THEATRE COMPANY

4EDUCATION NOTES DEAD DEVILS OF COCKLE CREEK

CHARACTER CHARACTER TRAITS

GEORGE TEMPLETON

• Environmentalist

• Angry about humanity

• Impulsive

MICKEY O’TOOLE • Underworld figure

• Anti-racism

• Family man

DESTINEE LEE • First generation Asian-Australian

• School girl and Girl Guide

• One-Nation Member

HARRIS ROBB • Environmentalist that kills feral animals

• Romantic

• LOVES chicken nuggets

SETTING Read the setting description from the beginning of the play. You might like to create your own mood board – finding images that reflect the space. How might you transform a space to reflect these details? Think about production design (set, costumes, lighting and sound design).

The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek plays out in contemporary time with no break in time or space.

A ranger station in the South-Western Tasmanian wilderness, used for scientific research. Remote. No mobile signals out here. The occupants aren’t tidy. There’s multiple computer monitors: the screens are linked to cameras set up around the national park. A fireplace. A kitchenette includes a small freezer. On the table sits a gas lamp. There is a trail of dirt and mud on the floor leading into the bathroom, just offstage...

ORIGIN STORIES – why we are the way we areDiscuss origin stories and what they are. You might like to use comics or sections from famous films e.g. the death of Batman’s parents.

In the play George shares her origin story for why she cares so deeply about the environment.

You might like to write what you think this could be.

You might like to also have your class write about their own origin stories, a moment in their past that has informed who they are, or something they believe in, now. These could become monologues that other class members could share, or that you could script and perform.

If you don’t want to use your students own stories you could look at characters from plays, stories or films that your students are familiar with and have them bring these origin stories to life. Eg. Why does Lady Macbeth care so deeply about power? Why does Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire lie about her success? Why is Gwen in Away so tough on everyone? What makes Lewis in Cosi so compassionate?

HUMAN PLAGUEThe phrase HUMAN PLAGUE is used in the play. You might like to use this as a stimulus to create a movement piece or other creative tasks, exploring its meaning.

TASMANIAN DEVILS George has dedicated her life to Tassie Devils – you might like to do some research about them.

Save the Tasmanian Devil Program

http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/tasdevil.nsf

Australia Zoo Projects: Tasmanian Devil Conservation

https://www.australiazoo.com.au/conservation/projects/tasmanian-devils/

Tasmanian Devils Information for kids

http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/fauna-of-tasmania/mammals/carnivorous-marsupials-and-bandicoots/tasmanian-devil/tasmanian-devil-information-for-kids/tasmanian-devil-facts-for-kids

EXTINCT SPECIES You might like to use extinction as a topic to explore creatively. Perhaps your students could write from the perspective of one of these animals. Or use this research to inform another creative task.

11 Animals That Are Now Extinct ... And It's Our Fault

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/11-extinct-animals_n_4078988

De-Extinction: Bringing Extinct Species Back to Life

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/deextinction/

THYLACINE FOOTAGE George’s dream is to find a Tasmanian tiger. Discuss dreams and drive. Think about characters and plays and discuss their dreams.

Tasmanian tiger: Trio release footage they claim is sighting of thylacine

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-06/tasmanian-tiger-sighting-claimed-by-trio/8877598

Last Tasmanian Tiger 1933

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBpyAOpzlEE

All of the characters in The Dead Devils of Cockles Creek are contradictions. You could have your class discuss the contradictions in their own personalities.

EDUCATION NOTES DEAD DEVILS OF COCKLE CREEK

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The following issues are briefly discussed in the play. You might like to do some research before attending.

• Syria

• Protests against Donald Trump

• Battery Hens

• Global Warming

• Conspiracy Theories

• One Nation

• Scouts and Girl Guides

RESEARCH

INFORMATION

FOR YOUR

• Doors open 20 minutes prior to performance.

• Please brief your students about appropriate theatre etiquette before seeing the play. Due to the nature of the theatre configuration the students can be seen and heard by both the actors and fellow audience members.

• Photography and filming of the production is strictly prohibited due to copyright. Please ask your students to switch off their mobile phones inside the theatre. We also ask that all patrons refrain from taking food and drink into the theatre.

• Please do not bring school bags into the foyer and theatre.

• Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the show starting. If you are running late please call Box Office on 3007 8600 and let them know.