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WWEE WWAANNTT TTHHIISS PPLLAAYY TTOO CCHHAANNGGEE TTHHEE WWOORRLLDD.. AND IF NOT THE WORLD, THEN JUST EVERYONE IN IT. CUT SNAKE is a magical, high-energy piece of contemporary, non-naturalistic Australian theatre, collaboratively created by independent theatre company Arthur. It connects to many aspects of the VCE Drama curriculum. These notes have been produced for you – the students and teachers studying CUT SNAKE – by us – the artists that made it. We figured it might be helpful if you knew what we were thinking – why we made some of the choices we made, how we came up with some of the things we came up with, how on earth we decided on ‘Jumper’ as a character name… These notes focus on the Key Skills and Key Knowledge that students are required to successfully complete Drama Outcome 3 (Performance Analysis). Have fun. CUT SNAKE is hell mad. You’ll love it. We hope this kit is helpful, but if you’ve got more questions, you should definitely contact us. Definitely. EEMMAAIILL belinda@arthurproductions.com.au TTWWEEEETT @arthurprod FFAACCEEBBOOOOKK facebook.com/makersofplay WWEEBBSSIITTEE www.arthurproductions.com.au

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CCOONNTTEENNTTSS.. BBEEFFOORREE TTHHEE SSHHOOWW WWHHAATT TTHHEE HHEELLLL IISS CCUUTT SSNNAAKKEE?? 44

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS 55

TTHHEE SSTTOORRYY 55 TTHHIINNGGSS YYOOUU SSHHOOUULLDD KKNNOOWW 66

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION 6

WE JUST MADE THIS UP 6

THERE IS SUCH THING AS MAGIC 6

THE TEAM 6

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS 7

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK 8

REMEMBER: BLINK & YOU’LL MISS IT 8 AAFFTTEERR TTHHEE SSHHOOWW OORRDDEERR OOFF SSCCEENNEESS 99 SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 11 “THE BUS CRASH” 1100

SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 22 “BOB TELLS HIS LIFE STORY” 1111

SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT:: IIMMAAGGEE 11 “KIKI CLIMBS A MOUNTAIN” 1122 SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 33 “THE TIME TRAVEL” 1133

DDIISSCCUUSSSSIIOONN AANNDD AANNAALLYYSSIISS 1177 THE WORLD OF CUT SNAKE 17

STRUCTURE 17

PERFORMANCE STYLES 18

CHARACTERS and EXPRESSIVE SKILLS 18

STAGECRAFT ELEMENTS 19

ACTOR-AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP 20

DRAMATIC ELEMENTS 21

THEMES 22

EXTRA THINKING 22

SSAAMMPPLLEE SSHHOORRTT AANNSSWWEERR QQUUEESSTTIIOONNSS 2233 PPEERRFFOORRMMAANNCCEE AANNAALLYYSSIISS AASSSSEESSSSMMEENNTT 2233

PPRREEVVIIOOUUSS PPRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN IIMMAAGGEESS 2244

CCRREEDDIITTSS 2266

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WWHHAATT TTHHEE HHEELLLL IISS CCUUTT SSNNAAKKEE?? AA QQUUIICCKK OONNLLIINNEE SSEEAARRCCHH RREEVVEEAALLSS TTHHEE FFOOLLLLOOWWIINNGG::

1. URBAN DICTIONARY RECKONS:

2. GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH RECKONS: 3. INSTAGRAM RECKONS #MADASACUTSNAKE

WWHHAATT DDOO YYOOUU RREECCKKOONN??

� What does CUT SNAKE make you think of? � When do you use this expression? In what contexts?

To describe what? Is it used as a verb? A noun? � Start thinking about the clues you are getting from

the title as to what the show might be like or about.

WWEE RREECCKKOONN:: IITT’’SS AA WWAAYY OOFF LLIIFFEE

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SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS KKiikkii, BBoobb and JJuummppeerr are best friends with extravagant and idiosyncratic dreams.

Kiki wants to dance the tango on Mount Kilimanjaro with a bearded lady, Jumper is in love with a snake called Trix, and Bob’s an ordinary bloke who might just hold the secret to time travel.

CUT SNAKE is a tale of growing up, dying young and being extraordinary no matter what.

TTHHEE SSTTOORRYY

CUT SNAKE begins with Jumper narrating his own death in a bus accident in Europe-Asia. It then goes forward and back in time as we learn more about him, and the effect his death has on his two best friends Kiki and Bob. After Jumper’s death, his journal is returned to his friends – the journal he promised to write in every day to record his extraordinary experiences – but it’s empty. Jumper hasn’t written a word. We then skip back in time and see how Kiki, Bob and Jumper became friends, and why Jumper decided to travel to Europe-Asia in the first place.

We then pick up again after Jumper’s death and see Kiki’s story. Kiki puts an enormous amount of pressure on herself to chase a life full of extraordinary experiences: she and Jumper’s pet snake Trix perform their cabaret act all over the world, she climbs Mount Kilimanjaro with a band of gypsies and falls in love with a bearded lady named Lady Godiva. But all of her experiences are marred in some way – the snake eats the gypsies, the bearded lady wants to become a man… and suddenly the extraordinary life Kiki wanted to lead is leaving her cold.

Then we see Bob’s life story. Bob – who was pretty much born an ordinary bloke – spends his whole life focused on practical things. He gets married, has kids, does his job, and then dies – an ordinary life. Or so he’d like to believe. In reality he struggles to reconcile a significantly extraordinary experience in his ordinary life, a time when he experienced something absolutely, scientifically impossible: he and his grandson Tim see a fairy. Remembering his best mate Jumper, who always chased adventure, Bob embarks on a mission to honour Jumper and invent time travel – to great success. He manages to visit Adam and Eve, John Lennon and Jesus… and then, finally, his best friend Jumper on the day that he died. In a final goodbye to his best friend, Bob convinces Jumper to write his memories and experiences down in his journal – and then leaves a secret note for him on the back page. Then Bob leaves, and Jumper dies all over again.

This time, when Jumper’s journal is returned, Kiki and Bob find that although Jumper didn’t have the capital-‘I’-Important experiences he had planned, they were still worthwhile adventures. They are also reminded that he hadn’t forgotten them. They still go on to live their lives – but this time a little differently. We watch as Kiki foregoes Mt Kilimanjaro and instead becomes an Olympic fencer. She meets James Turner, has a baby (Cardigan) and moves to the suburbs. Bob learns that you can have pretty extraordinary experiences, if you let yourself, and so the rest of his life is lived in the knowledge that he should probably just say HELL YES a little more (which he does). Kiki recognises that not everything in her life has to be extraordinary – that, in fact, there might be something extraordinary waiting for her deep in her ordinary suburban life.

In the final moment of the play, we learn what Bob’s secret message to Jumper was in the back of the journal – he finally worked out the answer to a question that had puzzled them as kids: who would win in a fight between a hippo and a horse?

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TTHHIINNGGSS YYOOUU SSHHOOUULLDD KKNNOOWW BBEEFFOORREE YYOOUU GGOO LLOOCCAATTIIOONN,, LLOOCCAATTIIOONN,, LLOOCCAATTIIOONN In this production, the performance takes place inside a tent. The seating configuration is end-on. The stage is not raised. Audience members sit on cushions on the floor, or on comfortable chairs and couches provided. There are blankets and cushions available for all. � CUT SNAKE has been performed in

courtyards, pubs, cabaret bars, indoors, outdoors… how do you think the location of the performance influences an audience’s understanding of a play?

� Are there places around your home or school that you think would be suitable to stage a piece of theatre? What are some of the considerations you need to make if you were to stage a show in this place? What kind of environment does your setting create for the audience? What kind of performance would suit this location? What would be the benefits/problems with staging something in this location? Would you stage your Ensemble Performance in this location?

WWEE JJUUSSTT MMAADDEE TTHHIISS UUPP The playscript of CUT SNAKE was devised by the performers, so it includes elements (such as the movement sequences) that only this specific team know about and can replicate exactly. Stage directions are open to interpretation and experimentation. � Read the note on ‘STYLE’ from the writers

at the start of the play. With that in mind, choose a random stage direction – say, the fairy sequence – and read it before you see the show. Later, evaluate how different your expectations were from the final product.

TTHHEERREE IISS SSUUCCHH TTHHIINNGG AASS MMAAGGIICC A key aspect of the play is the world – CUT SNAKE is set in a slightly altered version of the real world, where things are almost like normal, but not quite. Strange things aren’t strange, magic things can happen, impossible things are possible. The important part of this is that everything is treated as if it’s perfectly normal. That talking snake? Normal. That fairy? Real. In this way, the world of the play contains many elements of Magic Realism. � What do you know about MAGIC

REALISM? Google it. How might this style sit alongside non-naturalism? Do you know of any other plays/films/books that might fit into the category of Magic Realism?

TTHHEE TTEEAAMM We’ve each got our own titles and area of training and expertise – writers, directors, etc – but we are all credited as devisors, too. This is because we all had equal input into the work while we were making it. Director/Devisor PAIGE RATTRAY Writers/Devisors AMELIA EVANS and DAN GIOVANNONI Producer BELINDA KELLY Sound Design/Devisor TOM HOGAN Performers JULIA BILLINGTON, CATHERINE DAVIES and KEVIN KIERNAN-MOLLOY

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MORE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

PPRREEVVIIOOUUSS PPRROODDUUCCTTIIOONNSS CUT SNAKE has had two previous productions – one at the Sydney Fringe Festival and one at the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2011). Here are two pieces of writing that might help you get a sense of the play before you see it – a media release, and a review.

WWHHAATT DDOO YYOOUU RREECCKKOONN??

THE WORLD OF THE PLAY

� After reading the media release and the review, what do you know about the production? What questions do you have?

� How does each of the above pieces set up the world of the play for you? � What are you expecting?

REVIEW ‘CUT SNAKE’ Arthur, Melbourne Fringe Review by Cameron Woodhead, 7/10/2011

4 stars

CUT SNAKE is mad. Hell mad. I loved it.

Arthur harnesses a highly physical theatre style to a narrative drenched in comic excess. It has a World According To Garp feel, and is up there with the craziest stories about grief ever told.

Three oddball characters (Julia Billington, Catherine Davies and Kevin Kiernan-Molloy) wrestle the unformed clay of youth, moulding magic and mayhem with every twist. The show’s about dying young and being the underhorse, inventing time travel and using ‘hell’ as a modifier; about dreaming big, eccentric dreams and running with them.

Expect hilarious clowning and precise caricature, backyard acrobatics and sock puppetry, lightning slapstick, high-altitude tangos and one glorious half-nelson. None of it feels contrived either. Paige Rattray’s direction achieves a fluid integration with the maximalist script (Amelia Evans and Dan Giovannoni). It’s a joyous, poignant, and incredibly funny ride.

MEDIA RELEASE Arthur presents CUT SNAKE, a David Lynch-esque dance-musical-play hybrid performed in a secret location at the Melbourne Fringe Festival from the 28th September to 8th October at 7pm.

For audiences aged 9-99, CUT SNAKE is high-octane physical theatre about big questions and small moments, devised by a group of award-winning NIDA and VCA graduates.

CUT SNAKE is the story of best friends Kiki Coriander, Bob and Jumper. Kiki wants to dance the tango on Mount Kilimanjaro with a bearded lady, Jumper is in love with a snake called Trix and Bob’s just an ordinary bloke who might hold the secret to time travel. Their friendship is tested when at 19, Jumper dies unexpectedly in a bus crash. CUT SNAKE explores the ordinary and extraordinary effects this has on those that remain. Developed with the assistance of Arena Theatre Company’s Inside 130 residency and drawing on influences as eclectic as cabaret, David Lynch and Tina Turner, CUT SNAKE has a highly physical style, combining music, movement and text. Strictly limited audiences will meet on the steps of the Arts House and be led somewhere extraordinary.

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MORE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

QQUUEESSTTIIOONNSS YYOOUU SSHHOOUULLDD AASSKK Before you see the show, consider what you know so far: � Consider the title of the play – what does it evoke for you? � What are you now expecting, knowing all that you know – the title, the world, the performance

space. What are your expectations of the work? � Do you know any other films, books or plays that might fit into the category of MAGICAL

REALISM? � Do you and your friends have plans for overseas travel? Are you taking a gap year? Uni? TAFE?

Schoolies? Why are you doing those things? What’s exciting about this next phase of your life? � Are you expecting the play to ‘teach’ you anything? Do you think all plays have a lesson or a

moral? � In CUT SNAKE, three actors play many roles – how might they transform from one to another? � Would you consider this production a mainstream production or a fringe production? Why? Does

the venue give you any clues to this? Does the venue suit a non-naturalistic performance? � Who else is in the audience when you see the show? Is it a cross-section of the community? Who

do you think this play was written for? Is there any actor-audience interaction before the play starts?

RREEMMEEMMBBEERR:: BBLLIINNKK && YYOOUU’’LLLL MMIISSSS IITT Theatre’s ephemeral. As soon as a line is said, it disappears – you can’t rewind and listen to it again. It’s also different every time you do it. Sometimes a line is said in a way that makes it funny, other times in a way that makes it sad, other times someone’s sneezing and you miss it altogether. This means that it’s important to be curious – ppaayy aatttteennttiioonn ttoo ddeettaaiillss. It can be easy to just slip into the world of the play and forget you should be ‘reading’ the play as well as watching it.

At the end of the show, try and write a few things down – if you can’t write it down, just have a conversation about them. Talking through it once will help you remember it tomorrow. Doing this after the show will help you write on it later.

An easy way to break it up is by thinking of:

� What you SAW – sets, lights, props, costumes, characters, acting techniques, the theatre.

� What you HEARD – music, the script (dialogue, monologue, language), songs, body percussion.

� What you FELT – Did the play move you? Was it funny? Did it make you angry, sad, or leave you bemused? Was it confusing, convoluted, or did it make sense?

It’s important that, as well as paying attention to these things, you also have an opinion.

WWAASS IITT GGOOOODD?? DDIIDD IITT WWOORRKK?? IIFF YYEESS,, WWHHYY?? IIFF NNOOTT,, WWHHYY NNOOTT??

The audience member is an active participant in theatre. Be active!

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OORRDDEERR OOFF SSCCEENNEESS This is the order the scenes appear in.

11.. TTHHEE SSTTAARRTT:: KKIIKKII’’SS CCAABBAARREETT 22.. TTHHEE BBUUSS CCRRAASSHH 33.. TTHHEE TTEELLLLIINNGG 11 44.. JJUUMMPPEERR’’SS SSTTOORRYY

aa.. JJUUMMPPEERR MMEEEETTSS KKIIKKII bb.. JJUUMMPPEERR MMEEEETTSS BBOOBB cc.. JJUUMMPPEERR && BBOOBB’’SS BBIIGG QQUUEESSTTIIOONNSS dd.. JJUUMMPPEERR HHAALLFF IINNVVEENNTTSS TTIIMMEE TTRRAAVVEELL ee.. JJUUMMPPEERR MMEEEETTSS TTRRIIXX ff.. JJUUMMPPEERR && KKIIKKII WWRREESSTTLLEE WWIITTHH TTHHEEIIRR FFEEEELLIINNGGSS gg.. JJUUMMPPEERR LLEEAAVVEESS FFOORR EEUURROOPPEE--AASSIIAA..

55.. KKIIKKII’’SS SSTTOORRYY aa.. KKIIKKII AANNDD TTRRIIXX GGOO OONN TTOOUURR bb.. KKIIKKII MMEEEETTSS AA BBEEAARRDDEEDD LLAADDYY cc.. KKIIKKII CCLLIIMMBBSS AA MMOOUUNNTTAAIINN dd.. KKIIKKII DDAANNCCEESS TTHHEE TTAANNGGOO ((HHAAPPPPYY)) ee.. KKIIKKII’’SS PPLLAANNSS AARREE FFOOIILLEEDD ff.. KKIIKKII DDAANNCCEESS TTHHEE TTAANNGGOO ((SSAADD))

66.. BBOOBB’’SS SSTTOORRYY aa.. BBOOBB TTEELLLLSS HHIISS LLIIFFEE SSTTOORRYY bb.. BBOOBB SSEEEESS AA FFAAIIRRYY cc.. BBOOBB IINNVVEENNTTSS TTIIMMEE TTRRAAVVEELL

ii .. BBOOBB MMEEEETTSS JJEESSUUSS ii ii .. BBOOBB MMEEEETTSS JJOOHHNN LLEENNNNOONN

ii ii ii .. BBOOBB MMEEEETTSS AADDAAMM AANNDD EEVVEE iivv.. BBOOBB MMEEEETTSS JJUUMMPPEERR OONN TTHHEE DDAAYY HHEE DDIIEEDD

77.. TTHHEE TTEELLLLIINNGG 22 88.. TTHHEEIIRR LLIIFFEE SSTTOORRIIEESS,, AAGGAAIINN,, BBUUTT FFAASSTTEERR,, AANNDD AA LLIITTTTLLEE BBIITT DDIIFFFFEERREENNTT 99.. TTHHEE AANNSSWWEERR TTOO TTHHEE MMIILLLLIIOONN DDOOLLLLAARR QQUUEESSTTIIOONN

WWHHAATT DDOO YYOOUU RREECCKKOONN??

� These scene titles help tell the story – what do they provoke for you? � What do they tell you about the story? About its structure? Look for clues. � As an activity, divide the scenes up amongst small groups – perhaps each group

could take on one character’s life story. o Using tableau, represent each scene title (not what happens in the scene). o You could present the scenes in sequence using the Brechtian technique of

placards/signs. o Extend the tableaus into short vignettes where the only dialogue comes

from the title of the scene (ie, for ‘Bob sees a fairy’, the dialogue might be: “I’ve seen a fairy!”)

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SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 11 ““TTHHEE BBUUSS CCRRAASSHH”” This is Jumper’s opening monologue, taken from the start of the play.

Jumper is on a rickety old bus, heading into the mountains. He’s feeling a little queasy. Behind him, the other performers are also on the bus – rickety and wild.

Jumper Don’t ever let people tell you that getting out of bed and taking life by the balls helps cure a hangover... If you get out of bed, your hangover takes you by the balls and before you know it, the most important bus trip of your entire European adventure is compromised.

This might look like a fail – hungover, again, with nothing to show for itexcept drunken photos in hostel bars. But this is actually a win. Because I’m going somewhere. I don’t know where, but it’s important. A Historical Site Of Some Sort. I bought a ticket. From a guy with a red hat. The bus came, we all got on. And even though right now all I want to do is get off and have a little nap in that bush over there… I need to suck it up. Pull it together. There will be something worth writing in this journal – I will remember something from this trip other than the taste of vomit in my mouth. I’m going to own it. I’m going to ride the waves of this hangover and own it. Yes, world. I am on a bus. Right now, I am on. A. Bus.

All three perform a movement piece inspired by the events of the bus crash

The bus heads into the mountains. Tiny roads and sheer cliffs. We get to the top of this little rise, and before I can see what’s on the other side, this mangy dog runs in front us. We swerve – we don’t want to hit him. Except we do hit him, and then we hit a tree. And then we go through the tree and through the metal road barrier, and the bus does this wicked little tumble over the edge of the cliff and smacks its head on a rock.

Then we roll. We’re rolling. The woman in front of me dives on top of her kids but she misses them, and they get lost amongst smoke and bags and other bodies. I’ve got one hand on the seat in front of me and the other holding my journal. We roll again and I’m thrown head first into the window, I let go of my journal to brace but it’s too late, my neck snaps. There’s glass everywhere, and screaming. We’re being tossed around like little chunks of meat, flesh ripping open. We roll and roll and when we finally hit the bottom...

Jumper braces for impact – Kiki and Bob smash into him. They all turn out and see:

The whole bus bursts into flames.

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS � How does this ddiirreecctt aaddddrreessss from Jumper in the opening scenes help establish an aaccttoorr--

aauuddiieennccee rreellaattiioonnsshhiipp? � What is the mmoooodd that is established by this monologue? How did the use of ssoouunndd help

communicate this mood? � In what ways did you see a ttrraannssffoorrmmaattiioonn ooff ppllaaccee occur in this scene? What eexxpprreessssiivvee

sskkiillllss were used to help this? � What ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee ssttyylleess are demonstrated in the theatrical playing of this scene? That is, in

the live version of this monologue, what performance styles were being used? To what effect? � What tthheeaattrriiccaall ccoonnvveennttiioonnss did you see in the performance of this scene?

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SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 22 ““BBOOBB TTEELLLLSS HHIISS LLIIFFEE SSTTOORRYY”” ttaakkeenn ffrroomm ““TTHHEEIIRR LLIIFFEE SSTTOORRIIEESS,, AAGGAAIINN,, BBUUTT FFAASSTTEERR,, AANNDD AA LLIITTTTLLEE BBIITT DDIIFFFFEERREENNTT”” This is the second time Bob says this monologue – this time it’s peppered with more embellishments and a bit more whimsy.

Crusty Old Man Bob hobbles up nice and close to the audience.

Bob I was born on November 5th 1986. A Tuesday.

My friend – my best friend, Jumper, died when I was 19

I met Ally in the police force and had two kids, Rex and Grace. Every now and then we’d take them over to my friend Kiki’s house and they’d play with her boy Cardigan. Ally called Kiki’s ‘the menagerie’ but I know she secretly loved it… When she had a miscarriage it was Kiki she talked to.

When we retired we took a trip to… now, don’t tell me… you come in on the train, all of a sudden there’s just water on both sides of you – it was like flying. Venice! We saw six rats. It was beautiful.

Then Ally got cancer… and died

Once, when I was fishing with Tim, that’s my grandson - we saw a fairy. Actually, a fairy. Then I invented time travel! I met Christ and John Lennon, Adam and Eve... and visited my old friend Jumper on the day he died. I wrote in his journal – the answer to the million-dollar question.

I had a heart attack. I moved into a hospice and fell in love again, with Yvonne Sinclair. I got up the courage to tell her but she wasn’t interested. I had another heart attack and died.

It was a Tuesday

And that was that.

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS � How do you respond to this monologue? How does it make you feel? What does it make you think

about? � How do the performer’s eexxpprreessssiivvee sskkiillllss help communicate ppaatthhooss in this scene?

ACTIVITY � Using your own life as an example – or, if you’d prefer, someone you know exists, but don’t know

personally (ie. Lady Gaga, or your dentist) – write your own timeline, starting with birth, and going through to the end of their life. Mark the important or significant moments. What makes them significant or important? You’ll need to make a few of these things up – how do you think you/they might live out your days?

� Try and keep the facts simple, but embellish the important bits. � Share your timeline with a partner. � In pairs, choose one of the timelines to enact in one minute – a one-minute life cycle. This might

be a series of vignettes, or freeze frames. What expressive skills will you use?

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SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT:: IIMMAAGGEE 11 ““KKIIKKII CCLLIIMMBBSS AA MMOOUUNNTTAAIINN””

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS Look carefully at the image above, which depicts (left to right) Lady Godiva, Kiki, Trix, the narrator, and the band of gypsies. � How does this image capture the actors’ use of eexxpprreessssiivvee sskkiillllss? � Identify a tthheemmee in CUT SNAKE and describe how it is present in this image. � In this scene dialogue, narration and physical movement combine to tell the story.

o Evaluate the actors’ ability to ssuussttaaiinn tthheeiirr cchhaarraacctteerrss whilst speaking and moving in time.

� How is the ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee ssttyyllee of non-naturalism demonstrated in this image? � What ssttaaggeeccrraafftt eelleemmeennttss are at play in this image and how do they contribute to the mmoooodd

of the scene?

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SSCCEENNEE EEXXTTRRAACCTT 33 ““TTHHEE TTIIMMEE TTRRAAVVEELL”” This scene shows Bob travelling through a number of time periods, then finally arriving on Jumper’s bus just before Jumper dies.

Bob arrives in 10 BC, and finds himself face to face with… Bob Are you Jesus? Jesus Yeah, man Bob I’m Bob. I’m from the future. I invented time travel Jesus Right on. I’m eating dates Bob I’ve never had a date before Jesus You want to share with me man? Bob Ok

Jesus shares his dates with Bob. They chew and chew… Jesus How did you know my name? Bob You’re pretty famous. Jesus Right on. Bob Can I get a photo?

He snaps a selfie with him. Jesus Peace be with you, brother.

They sing again, and Bob dives back into time and arrives in 1968, face to face with… Bob Are you John Lennon? John Yeah man, who are you? Bob Bob! John That’s cool Bob Are you eating a sticky date pudding? John With double cream. Bob Can I have a bit?

He shakes his head ‘no’, his mouth too full to answer. Bob Can I get a photo? John Oh. Go on but just don’t tell Yoko

He snaps a selfie with him and leaves. Peace be with you, man.

Bob dives back into time and arrives at the beginning of time, face to face with… Bob Are you guys...? Eve Who else would we be? Look around – it’s the beginning of time. Bob Did all that stuff really happen? With the snake and the apple? Eve Does everyone know about that? Bob Yeah… Eve What are people saying?! Bob That you destroyed the utopian unity between the sexes, made woman subordinate to man and

forced people to endure painful childbirth. Eve Are you serious! That snake hypnotised me, then tricked me! Tell them, Adam… Adam? Adam I’m staying out of this

14

Eve Oh, yeah, that’d be right, Mr “Is it nice? Give me a bite!” Adam Aw, c’mon babe- Eve I just wish you’d have the guts to stand up to him for once!

He snaps a selfie with them and leaves. Bob dives back into time and arrives in 2005. He’s on a bus.

Bob Is this seat taken? Bob sits down next to a seedy looking 18 year old… Jumper. They bobble along, Bob staring at his friend.

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS � Identify three tthheeaattrriiccaall ccoonnvveennttiioonnss present in this scene and discuss how they support a

major tthheemmee in the play. � At the end of this scene (when Bob arrives on the bus), a piece of music we’ve already heard

starts playing (song title: “The Bus Crash Revisited”). When did we hear it before? In what way does hearing this mmuussiicc again contribute to the ppaatthhooss or mmoooodd of the scene?

� Give an example of where mmaaggiicc rreeaalliissmm is evident in this scene. � Are these mmoonnttaaggeess or vviiggnneetttteess? What is the difference between the two? � How do the actors use eexxpprreessssiivvee sskkiillllss in the ttrraannssffoorrmmaattiioonn ooff ppllaaccee?? Are there other

theatrical conventions at play that support this transformation? � In what way is ttrraannssffoorrmmaattiioonn ooff oobbjjeecctt evident in this scene? Was it successful? What

expressive skills supported this transformation?

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EEXXAAMMPPLLEE AACCTTIIVVIITTYY

Identify the ddrraammaattiicc eelleemmeennttss, ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee ssttyylleess and tthheeaattrriiccaall ccoonnvveennttiioonnss at play in the opening scene of CUT SNAKE (below). There are HEAPS.

THE START: KIKI’S CABARET

We’re in a dark and smoky cabaret lounge – a dimly lit underground wunderland. Our Narrator takes to the stage, steps up to the microphone and draws a quiet breath. He eyeballs the audience…

Narrator Ladies, gentlemen and all those in between. Please put one hand like this – and another like this – and smack them together over and over for our opening act – the strange and extraordinary Kiki Coriander and Trix the snake!

Kiki and Trix perform their one-woman, one-snake cabaret, a high-energy double-act. They swing and roll and twirl. Things are about to get crazy when:

Bob enters.

The dance stops and Kiki stares at Bob.

He whispers the terrible news to her. She falls. Jumper catches her, and then puts her to her feet. She looks at Bob.

We jump back in time to the moment of the bus crash.

You might want to do it in charts, such as these:

OOPPEENNIINNGG SSCCEENNEE

DDrraammaattiicc eelleemmeenntt HHooww iiss iitt uusseedd?? WWhhaatt iiss tthhee eeffffeecctt??

Contrast

Contrasting a lively, energy-fuelled scene (the Cabaret performance) with a sad and mournful movement sequence (the falling/catching)

The pathos of the next scene – the bus crash – is increased because the audience have already gone on an emotional journey.

OOPPEENNIINNGG SSCCEENNEE

PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee ssttyylleess HHooww iiss iitt uusseedd?? WWhhaatt iiss tthhee eeffffeecctt??

Non-naturalism The opening address is from a narrator, who speaks in direct address to the audience.

The audience is instantly involved in the world of the play by being asked to applaud Kiki’s cabaret act.

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EEXXAAMMPPLLEE CCHHAARRAACCTTEERR CCHHAARRTT

Use this example chart to detail the expressive skills used by each actor when playing their many characters. We’ve started one for you. If you need help remembering who played who, have a look at your script.

JUMPER Played by Kevin Kiernan-Molloy COSTUME: Plain white singlet, suspenders, grey trousers (pant legs rolled up to knees), bare feet. TRANSFORMED INTO: Lady Godiva, Tim, Adam, Jesus, John Lennon, James Turner

CCHHAARRAACCTTEERR FFAACCIIAALL EEXXPPRREESSSSIIOONN

VVOOIICCEE GGEESSTTUURREE MMOOVVEEMMEENNTT

Jumper Teenage scowl Broad Australian accent, youthful, almost his natural voice

Chloe (Lady Godiva)

High-pitched, overly effeminate contrasted with a deep masculine tenor when transitioning to a male, caricatured accent (Texan)

Stroking her beard

Pointed toes

James Turner Broad Australian accent, masculine sounding (deep) – similar to Jumper, but older.

Hands on hips, legs spread, shoulders back

John Lennon

WWHHAATT DDOO YYOOUU RREECCKKOONN??

EXPRESSIVE SKILLS

� Each of the characters in CUT SNAKE is carefully constructed. Mock up your own chart like the one above and consider how the actors used a range of expressive skills to create each one.

� Don’t forget to EVALUATE these character choices – were they convincing? Did they work to full effect? If they did work, why? If they didn’t, why not? You might find the best way to start evaluating is to ask your classmates – what do they think? Do you think the same?

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DDIISSCCUUSSSSIIOONN AANNDD AANNAALLYYSSIISS

TTHHEE WWOORRLLDD OOFF CCUUTT SSNNAAKKEE A discussion of the world of a play should include reference to: location, time period, and context. CUT SNAKE is set primarily in a non-specific Australian town, and relocates briefly to a range of locations all over the world.

We like to think the kids have grown up somewhere regional – like Castlemaine or something – but we also didn’t want to specify a location exactly. We wanted it to feel like they could have been from anyone’s hometown. DAN GIOVANNONI, co-writer.

The audience are given a few references to time: Bob says he is born in 1986, and goes fishing with Tim (his grandson) in 2046. He also says that he was 19 when Jumper died. From this information, can you work out a rough time period for the play?

Ask yourself:

� What makes this a contemporary story?

� What stagecraft elements are there that help establish the world of the play?

SSTTRRUUCCTTUURREE

Structure is important in any play, but especially in a play where you move back and forth through time. We needed to be sure it made sense, that the audience knew what time period we were in, and that it helped us tell the story. DAN GIOVANNONI, co-writer

� In what way does the structure support the themes of the play?

� How is time used in the structure of the play? Is it disjointed? Linear?

� Where do you see the following conventions used in the performance:

o Montage

o Disjointed time sequence

o Vignette

� Are they used appropriately? How do they help contribute to the telling of the story?

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PPEERRFFOORRMMAANNCCEE SSTTYYLLEESS NNOONN--NNAATTUURRAALLIISSMM

We were influenced by many different performance styles. It’s overwhelmingly non-naturalistic, and we’ve borrowed from a lot of practitioners and methodologies. AMELIA EVANS, co-writer

� What are some of the non-naturalistic elements in CUT SNAKE? Consider:

o The use of direct address (what is an example of this in the play?)

o The use dance sequences and contemporary movement (think of an example of each)

o The way sound is used to help create mood (identify a point in the play where sound is used to good effect)

o The episodic structure and disjointed time sequences

� What performance styles do you recognise in CUT SNAKE?

� Can you think of examples of how CUT SNAKE demonstrates elements of the following performance styles or dramatists?

o Grotowsky, Suzuki, Commedia dell’Arte, Non-Naturalism, Brechtian techniques, physical theatre, Magic Realism

o Any others? Think of clear examples that easily illustrate your point.

When writing, we wanted to have the best of both worlds - the satisfaction of a story well told that you get from a play combined with the excitement of physical theatre and the fun of the circus. AMELIA EVANS, co-writer

� Evaluate the success of this fusion of styles.

CCHHAARRAACCTTEERRSS aanndd EEXXPPRREESSSSIIVVEE SSKKIILLLLSS

Each character has a different posture and hence has a different way of moving and gesturing etc. It is from here that a characters voice comes out. Whatever the physical choice I made for the character informs the change in my voice, as I'm moving about as this new character a voice comes out that I feel suits the body KEVIN KIERNAN-MOLLOY, actor (Jumper) I personally find characters through movement – how do they stand? What physically might they feel most confident/self-conscious about? I find voice then comes quite naturally from how the character holds their body. From here you can get specific about speech patterns and then how that character might behave in front of another character ie are they attracted to them? Do they dislike them? Do they feel powerful? And then experimenting with the opposite, because that’s how human beings often operate. Oh, and to keep things exciting, certain nuances creep in – this also helps to distinguish the characters (not only for the audience, but yourself as well!) CAT DAVIES, actor (Kiki)

� Think back and remember each of the characters Kevin and Cat played – what were the postures,

movements, gestures and character voices that distinguished each one from the next? For each character, identify:

o Facial expressions: a grimace, pout, smile, frown?

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o Voice: tone, pitch, volume, timbre, accent?

o Gesture: expressive (eg. Mrs Broccolini falling to her knees with her arms outstretched is a classic expressive representation of anguish), physiological, cultural.

o Movement: body shape, gait, tempo, posture, body language

� What were some of the expressive skills used to transition between characters? Consider the moment of transformation for each of these characters.

o For example: how did Jumper transition into Lady Godiva? He adjusted his body into what position? How did his gait change? What did he do to his voice?

� Complete the included chart for each of the characters.

SSTTAAGGEECCRRAAFFTT EELLEEMMEENNTTSS SSeett

There is no formal set design for CUT SNAKE – because the show is so transportable, wherever it’s being performed becomes the set, which is really just a backdrop. For example, we did it in a kitchen in a pub, so the backdrop for that performance was a weird 1970s kitchen. We also did it in a park under a tree, so the tree was the backdrop. We did this because the central tension in the play is ‘ordinary vs extraordinary’. We think the experience of the play is quite extraordinary, so we want it performed in ordinary settings. PAIGE RATTRAY, Director.

� How does the idea of ‘no design as a design’ reflect the themes of CUT SNAKE?

� How do you think different locations would affect your understanding of the performance? Where did you see the performance?

� In what way did this production’s set contribute to the non-naturalistic performance style?

CCoossttuummee

The costuming really came from a desire for the actors to be comfortable (they do run around a lot) and also to help create a really intimate vaudevillian or Commedia-esque sort of vibe – a highly theatrical aesthetic. PAIGE RATTRAY, director.

� Discuss each actors costuming. Did you like it? Did you think it allowed them to successfully transition

between characters?

� If you were to re-design their costumes, what would you do differently? Why?

SSoouunndd//MMuussiicc

In composing the music for the ‘fairy’ sequence, I used the rhythm from Steve Reich’s Clapping Music as an inspirational starting point, to compose something that could provide a pulse for the performers. You can hear every instrument playing on a loop, but with a range of instruments starting on different beats at different times, what you are left with becomes too complex for your brain to follow. This creates a dreamlike sound that builds and fades to follow the dancers’ movements. Most of the instruments you hear play very percussive sounds, but they’re all trying to play as quietly as possible. This creates a very intimate and intricate little work, painting a scene behind the dancers. TOM HOGAN, sound designer

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� How does the sound that accompanies the fairy sequence impact on the scene? What mood or emotion does it evoke?

� Is sound important in CUT SNAKE? Why?

You can hear from the bus crash opening scene how intricately wound the sound is; with the script, movement and music all being developed at the same time, all the elements come together to tell their own part of the story. What you are left with is a combination of all your ideas, musical and otherwise, that had been developed right from the beginning. TOM HOGAN, sound designer

� How does the sound that accompanies Jumper’s opening monologue (The Bus Crash) impact on the

scene? What mood or emotion does it evoke?

� Consider that the ‘bus crash’ theme is played twice, and a version of the ‘tango’ three times. What effect does repeating music have? How did this help tell the story?

� Consider how Trix’s introduction music contributes to transformation of place. Was this used to good effect?

� You can listen to the CUT SNAKE sound design online: wwwwww..aarrtthhuurrpprroodduuccttiioonnss..ccoomm..aauu//ccuutt--ssnnaakkee--mmuussiicc

PPrrooppss

We decided very early on that we didn’t want to have lots of props. We wanted it to be highly theatrical, and that meant asking the audience to use their imaginations. Apart from costume pieces (masks, glasses), instruments (guitar) or characters themselves (the sock that becomes Trix and the Barbies that become the gypsies), the only prop is Jumper’s journal. That had to be real. AMELIA EVANS, co-writer

� What does Jumper’s journal represent? What is it a symbol of? What does the writer mean when she

says ‘That had to be real’?

� Did you notice how many items were mimed instead of props being used? What do you think this lack of props did to help the non-naturalistic style of the performance?

PPuuppppeettss

The main ingredient, and what I relied on the most when bringing Trix to life, was to forget about myself, and solely focus on the character of Trix; how she moves, how she thinks, how she breathes. Even though I'm not hiding behind anything when I operate her, the audience still forgets me because my focus is entirely on her. And then you just get creative and detailed - What kind of voice does a snake have? What movement quality? What are her habits? What does she like? What does she dislike? And very simply, what just feels fun to do as a performer? JULIA BILLINGTON, actor (Bob)

� In what way did the stagecraft element of puppetry help illuminate a major theme of CUT SNAKE?

� What expressive skills did Julia use to help create the character of Trix?

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AACCTTOORR--AAUUDDIIEENNCCEE RREELLAATTIIOONNSSHHIIPP

One of the first pieces of text we started playing around with was a monologue I had previously written. We read it as a group, and everyone really connected with it – the content as well as the form. The idea for having the story narrated kind of came from there – if Jumper could narrate his own death, then everyone else should get the chance to narrate their own lives. DAN GIOVANNONI, co-writer

� In what way does the Narrator’s opening lines help establish an actor-audience relationship? What relationship does the audience have with the actors onstage throughout the performance? How is this relationship maintained?

� In what way does the breaking of the fourth wall help tell the story of CUT SNAKE?

� How does the theatre space (the tent) affect the actor-audience relationship?

DDRRAAMMAATTIICC EELLEEMMEENNTTSS Dramatic elements can be used together or separately to create a range of dramatic effects. For example, 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. SOURCE: THEDRAMATEACHER.COM

� In Jumper’s opening monologue, what is the rhythm of the language? Is it slow? What about the

physical rhythm? Is it the same? If so, what is the combined emotional effect? If not, how do the two rhythms juxtapose to create meaning? How does the rhythm of this scene create drama?

Conflict:

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.

SOURCE: THEDRAMATEACHER.COM

� What is the central conflict of CUT SNAKE?

� How does inner conflict manifest? In which characters? How does this keep us engaged?

o For example, Bob’s inner conflict might be that he wants to ignore the extraordinary things in his life but can’t reconcile seeing the fairy. What emerges from this inner conflict? For Bob, perhaps it’s a final attempt to resolve his inner conflict, which sees him invent time travel. Do you think this is accurate? Try it with Trix, Kiki and Jumper.

� Find examples of verbal, physical and non-verbal conflict in the play. As a guide, conflict generally occurs between two or more people who want the same or different things.

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

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such as pity, anger, desire or frustration. Mood in drama can be created via sound, lighting, movement, setting, rhythm, contrast, conflict and more. SOURCE: THEDRAMATEACHER.COM

� How did you feel when you left CUT SNAKE? What was the mood at the end? Do you think this was a

deliberate choice to end the play with this mood?

� Identify three different moods present in the play. What dramatic and stagecraft elements were at play to help create those moods? Identify at least one of each.

And more… � What do you think is the climax of CUT SNAKE? Why?

� What examples of contrast can you recall?

� What symbols are present in the work? What are some examples of the ways symbol is used in the play?

TTHHEEMMEESS

The themes of CUT SNAKE became the big questions - the ones we couldn't answer easily - the ones that even talking about is hard. AMELIA EVANS, co-writer

� What are some of the ‘big questions’ you think CUT SNAKE is dealing with?

o Can you ever get over the death of a loved one – especially a teenager?

o How do you live an extraordinary life in an ordinary world?

o How do you maintain connection with your friends?

o How can you look to the future with hope when the adult world seems so depressing?

� There are plenty more: list some.

� What are some of the ‘big questions’ in your life? Do you think these questions are the same for everyone? What are the universal ‘big questions’ and why are they universal?

� How are the themes of loss and grief explored in CUT SNAKE? Consider in particular how these themes are explored through theatrical style, expressive skills and the use of stagecraft.

o What dramatic techniques are used to explore Kiki’s grief?

EEXXTTRRAA TTHHIINNKKIINNGG:: Consider how CUT SNAKE might tie into real-world events and scenarios. Read this article about Australian palliative care nurse Bonnie Ware’s book called The Top Five Regrets of Dying in which she details what she thinks are the top five regrets of her patients on their death bed. LINK www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/common-regrets-of-the-dying-20120716-224y2.html

� Discuss how the idea of regret is present in CUT SNAKE. There have been a series of tragic accidents in the past 12 months involving young Australians on holiday. Read this article about a Melbourne teen who was fatally injured in an accident in Laos. LINK www.news.com.au/national-old/man-found-dead-after-tubing-accident-in-laos/story-e6frfkvr-1226253908055

� How might a story such as this contain links to Jumper’s story?

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SSAAMMPPLLEE SSHHOORRTT AANNSSWWEERR QQUUEESSTTIIOONNSS PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee AAnnaallyyssiiss AAsssseessssmmeenntt

1. Provide examples of how the themes of grief and loss are explored in CUT SNAKE.

2. Discuss three theatrical conventions used within the performance and give examples.

3. Select and list two characters. Evaluate how the actor used two expressive skills to communicate that character to the audience.

4. List three dramatic elements used. How did they assist in giving the performance the non-naturalistic style? Examine how they were created.

5. Name two stagecraft elements present in the performance and evaluate how effectively they were manipulated.

6. Describe aspects of the performance that can be linked to the influence of a dramatist or dramatists. Reflect on what this brought to the performance.

SSUUGGGGEESSTTEEDD AACCTTIIVVIITTIIEESS PPUUPPPPEETTRRYY Using only the things available to you in your classroom – pencil cases, socks, basketballs, etc – recreate the characters of Jumper, Kiki and Bob.

� How would you represent them with objects/puppets? � What are their characteristics? � What performance skills would you use? � Present to the group, share your findings, discuss.

MMOONNTTAAGGEE What other periods in history might Bob have visited in his time-travel montage? Pick three events (real or fictional) and represent them:

� Firstly, in freeze frame or tableau � Secondly, in a short vignette � Consider your transitions between each time period.

BBEEAATTBBOOXX In pairs, your own list of questions that you’d like to know the answer to, and set them to a rhythm. Think about what Jumper and Bob did in CUT SNAKE – how they used their voice (pitch, in particular), as well as their bodies to help them communicate the emotion and feeling of the scene. Present to the class or to small groups. Then, if you’ve got time, choose one of these questions as the ‘Million Dollar Question’ and, in a short vignette, recreate it.

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PPRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN IIMMAAGGEESS TAKEN FROM THE MELBOURNE FRINGE PRODUCTION, 2011 The night that it was performed in a 70s replica kitchen above a pub.

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CCRREEDDIITTSS © 2013 Notes prepared by Dan Giovannoni for Arthur. With thanks to Megan Twycross for her feedback, support and additional notes. Images used in this kit remain the copyright of their owners.