Download teachers` notes - Australian Institute of Music

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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
DRAMATIC ARTS
2013 GRADUATING COMPANY PRODUCTION
CHEKHOV IN HELL
TEACHERS’ NOTES
1. SYNOPSIS
2. THE PLAYWRIGHT: DAN REBELLATO
3. WRITER’S NOTE
4. REBELLATO’S OTHER PLAYS
5. THE DIRECTOR: JASON LANGLEY
6. SHOW INFORMATION
7. NOTES FROM CAST AND CREATIVES
8. CHEKHOV IN HELL Q & A
9. THEATRE ETIQUETTE
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
Synopsis:
Dramatic Arts at AIM presents the Australian premiere of Dan Rebellato’s Chekhov in Hell; an
intelligent comedy with a sting in its tail.
If Russian playwright Anton Chekhov awoke today, what would he think of the world?
How would today’s world compare with his dreams of the future 100 years ago? After spending
100 years in a coma Anton Chekhov wakes up to find himself in 21st century London.
Confused and disorientated Chekhov ventures off to explore our contemporary world.
Something we are so familiar with but so alien to him.
Rebellato’s Chekhov in Hell paints a terrifyingly accurate portrait of 21st century society as it is
experienced through the eyes (or Pince-nez) of one of the world’s greatest observers of human
nature, Anton Chekhov. Encountering hilarity and heartbreak, Chekhov discovers that the
hopes and dreams he envisioned for the world have mostly been replaced by greed and
ambition. Is all hope lost for humanity or is there still some room for redemption?
The Playwright: Dan Rebellato
Dan Rebellato, born in South London 1968, is an English dramatist and academic. While
attending university in Bristol and then doing a PhD at Royal Holloway, Rebellato became
inspired by post structural thinkers like Derrida and Foucault as well as leading philosophers
of the German critical tradition, Kant, Adorno, and, more recently, the Anglo-American
philosophical tradition.
Rebellato has written extensively for radio and the stage and is a regular contributor to the
political and academic world. He is Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Royal Holloway,
University of London, where he teaches British theatre, playwriting, theory and philosophy,
contemporary theatre, and music and performance. He has chaired numerous platforms for the
National Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, and Manchester Royal Exchange, is an artistic
associate for Analogue Theatre Company, a regular contributor to the Guardian stage blog, and
a contributing editor for New Theatre Quarterly and Associate Editor of Contemporary Theatre
Review.
Rebellato has written numerous articles on modern and contemporary theatre, examining the
works of playwrights such as Sarah Kane, David Greig, David Hare, Mark Ravenhill,
Caryl Churchill, Simon Stephens, Dennis Kelly, Dario Fo, Noel Coward and Terence
Rattigan. He is the author of such academic works as 1956 and All That (1999), Theatre and
Globalization (2009), Contemporary European Theatre Directors (2010), and The Suspect Culture
Book (2013) and has co-edited the Contemporary Theatre Review, New Theatre Quarterly and
the Theatre and Performance series for Palgrave Macmillan.
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
Writer’s Note on the production
A design but not a set.
No props, unless Chekhov touches them. No costume, unless Chekhov’s wearing it.
There should be an arbitrary relationship between actor and character. Women can play men
and vice versa, old playing young etc. But not systematically. At points identity should be
undecidable. Is Marcia black or white? I don’t know.
None of the above applies to the first scene and not to Chekhov. (But Aleksandr, and Olga in
the Northern Lights, I don't know?)
I’d like an audience to experience the scene titles. Spoken? Projected? Written? Printed? I don't
know.
I think Scene 22 is a tear in the middle of things.
-------------//------------‘But he’s got nothing on at all!’ said a little child at last. ‘Good gracious, listen to the voice of
innocence,’ said the father, and what the child had said was passed by whispers through the
crowd until at last all the people cried, ‘but he’s got nothing on at all!’ That made a deep
impression upon the Emperor, who realised that they must be right, but thought,
‘Nevertheless, I must carry on until the end.’ and the Chamberlains walked with yet greater
dignity, carrying the Emperor’s cloak, which did not exist. - Hans Christian Andersen, The
Emperor’s New Clothes
You ask me what life is. That’s like asking what a carrot is. A carrot is a carrot, and there’s
nothing more to know. - Anton Chekhov
Other Stage Plays by Dan Rebellato
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We, Margaret, 2011.
Whistleblower, 2011,
He Sees You When You're Sleeping, 2010.
Manchester, 2010,
Chekhov in Hell, 2010.
Beachy Head, 2009
Theatremorphosis, 2009
Static, Tron, Glasgow, 2008
Mile End, 2007
Futurology, 2007
Outright Terror Bold and Brilliant, 2005
A Modest Adjustment, 2005
Here's What I Did With My Body One Day, 2004
See Dan Rebellato’s website for a full list of his stage and radio plays and other publications:
http://www.danrebellato.co.uk
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
The Director: Jason Langley
Since graduating from Theatre Nepean at the University of Western Sydney with a Bachelor of
Arts (Performing Arts), Jason has worked as a freelance director and actor.
In the past year Jason has directed three new works – Say Hello First for Cupboard Love
Productions at The Old Fitz, Go Your Own Way for the Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and
Hong Kong Cabaret Festivals and a workshop of the play Happy Hour at the Q Theatre;
Sydney and Melbourne seasons of the play Here Lies Henry, Brigadoon for the CQU
Conservatorium and three productions for WAAPA – Once On This Island, How To Succeed In
Business Without Really Trying and Noel Coward’s Easy Virtue.
In recent years Jason directed the world premiere and National tour of Breast Wishes,
As You Like It for the Shakespeare Centre, The Double Bass for the Sydney Fringe Festival,
two seasons of the Australian comedy Boyband, The Windows Project for the Darlinghurst
Theatre Company, Elegies for Meredith Shaw Productions, Batboy, A Chorus Line, Ragtime
and Loving Repeating at WAAPA, Take Two for Christine Dunstan Productions and The 25th
Annual Premier’s Christmas Concert at the Entertainment Centre. He was Resident Director on
the Australian Tour of The Woman In Black and directed the entertainment for the 2007, 2009
and 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards.
Jason’s recent acting credits include Under Ice at the Stables Theatre, Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk
at Belvoir, Piranha Heights for Shedding Skin and he was nominated for a Sydney Theatre
Award for his performance in No Way To Treat A Lady at the Darlinghurst Theatre Company.
He also played Brave Sir Robin in the Australian premiere of Monty Python’s Spamalot
at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne.
Chekhov In Hell marks Jason’s fifth production for AIM Dramatic Arts, the others being Easy
Virtue, Yesterday An Incident Occurred, The Skriker and The Rimers Of Eldritch.
About the Production
Chekhov in Hell is the culmination of 2 years of training by the 2013 Bachelor of Performance
Graduating Company. Working with guest industry director Jason Langley and under the
guidance of industry mentors Tim Burns (Stage Management), Margaret Davis (Dramaturgy),
Peta Downes (Production Management and Marketing), Tobhiyah Stone Feller (Design),
Anca Frankenhaeuser (Movement), Eddi Goodfellow (Lighting, Sound and AV Design) and
Antony Grgas (Voice and Accent), the Graduating Company has designed, created and
produced all elements of this production. In addition to this, they will also perform as the cast
for the characters of Chekhov in Hell.
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Chekhov in Hell: Cast & Creatives
Director
Assistant Director
Dramaturg
Marketing Manager
Movement Coach
Voice and Accent Coach
Production Manager
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager (Lighting)
Assistant Stage Manager (Sound)
AV Designer / Technical Manager
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Set Designer
Set Coordinator
Costume Designer
Wardrobe Coordinator
Jason Langley (Industry Guest Director)
Sascha Hall
Demitra Sealy
Zasu Towle
Kevin Clayette
Naomi Parszos
Emma Medbury
Michelle McKenzie
Clancy Carraway
Luke Middlebrook
Tim Hope
Jessica Lowe
Vanessa Morrison
Matt de Haas
Aaron Sweeten
Phoebe Pearson
Jade Fuda
Anton Chekhov
Olga Knipper / Lynn
Dr Schwohrer / Aleksandr
Nicholas / Jessica
Gregor / Mike / Max
Nicola
Doctor / Kelly
Nurse / Sarah
Jade / Bobbi / Jamie
WPC Gregory / Irina
PC Aston / Steve / Clergyman
Claire / Valerie
Jemma / Marcia
Neil / Nick / Craig
Martice / Model / Selina
Security Guard / Cheryl
Tim Hope
Naomi Parszos
Matt de Haas
Zasu Towle
Kevin Clayette
Sascha Hall
Luke Middlebrook
Phoebe Elise Pearson
Demitra Sealy
Jade Alex
Clancy Carraway
Michelle McKenzie
Vanessa Morrison
Aaron Sweeten
Emma Medbury
Jessica Lowe
Tickets:
$15 General Admission
FREE for teachers/Students and Graduates of AIM
Purchase tickets online at:
http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/chekhov-in-hell-tickets-9152723041
This performance is rated (M) and is not suitable for students under the age of 15. It contains:
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No interval
Theatrical Haze
Partial nudity (no full frontal)
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Course language
Simulated Violence
Adult themes
Flashing / strobe lights
Notes from Cast and Creatives
“The hardest thing about playing a great writer is remembering you're playing a human and not
the pinnacle of human wisdom.” -Tim Hope: Chekhov
"Never judge your character. The more messed up they are, the more you should take them as
they are". - Matt De Haas: Set Designer, Aleksandr, Dr Schwohrer
“The costuming supports the action, setting and style of the production. The stark contrast of
Chekhov in his turn-of-the-century suit against the various incarnations of contemporary dress,
everything from the mundane to the ridiculous will be an entertaining and thought provoking
experience for the company and audience alike.” - Phoebe Pearson, Costume Designer
"Acting isn't about trying to make the audience like you. Your job is to tell the truth, not make
friends." - Emma Medbury: Production Manager, Martin, Seleena, Model
“My favourite part of starting a production is exploring and discovering your character. the
playwright leaves so many clues in the text and you have to play detective to find the truths, it
is from these truths that your character grows from.” - Jessica Lowe, Lighting Designer,
Cheryl, Body Guard
"I'm working on my feet, figuring out strategies & techniques as we go along. I'm trying to free
the actors from the left side of their brain, understanding that they can really hear the accents
for themselves. We're working with exercises that; allow them to recognise a beat & rhythm of
a particular accent, help them to understand that reaching out with consonants -not volumewill mean they can be heard by the back row & helping them to trust their own instincts to
allow their characters meaning to colour & energise the text." - Naomi Parszos, Vocal and
Accent Coach
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Chekhov in Hell Q & A
1. Could someone who had no idea who Anton Chekhov was enjoy this play?
Yes they could. In Chekhov In Hell, Anton Chekhov is less an historical
figure/playwright and more a representative body for an ‘alien’ in 21st century society,
observing and discovering with outside eyes a world we accept so readily and a society
we take for granted. However, undoubtedly, an understanding of who Chekhov was
will add an extra layer to the piece, enriching the audience’s experience.
2. Why did Dan Rebellato decide to use Anton Chekhov as the outside observer?
Anton Chekhov is thought to be one of the world’s greatest observers of human nature.
He spent much of his childhood on the outside, quietly sitting in his father's grocery
store, watching the customers and listening to their gossip, their hopes, and their
complaints. Hence, from a very early age he was an acute observer of human nature.
As a writer, Anton Chekhov did not subscribe to a particular religion or political
affiliation. But he was an active humanitarian, as seen in The Island of Sakhalin (1890) (a
study of convicts' lives that helped to effect social reform) and was often said to have
‘apolitical eyes’. He never judged his characters instead he just ‘observed’ them as they
were:
"The artist must be, not the judge of his characters and of what they say, but merely a
dispassionate observer."
- Anton Chekhov
Thus, Rebellato uses Chekhov as the outside observer because he is known to be a
figure of neutrality. The bulk of Rebellato’s play is set almost exactly 100 years after
Anton Chekhov’s real death (or in his play his comatose state) and this is no
coincidence. In many of his works, Chekhov’s characters often voice their hopes and
theories about what will become of the world in the future. Rebellato’s play allows
Chekhov the chance to see the world 100 years on. As we see, Chekhov does not
comment or judge the characters he meets and holds back all his opinions on our world
till right at the very end of the play. This allows the audience to develop and form their
own opinion on the world they see, watching it almost as if through fresh eyes.
3. Themes in the play?
The themes we have identified and chosen to investigate and work with in regards to
our telling of Chekhov in Hell are:
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Masks and facades
Sacrificing humanity for capitalism
Commodification of self
Culture of celebrity
Progress and greed
Madness and constant change in contemporary society
Alienation
Escapism
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
4. Are there any links/correlations between this play and any of the real Anton Chekhov’s
plays?
Dan Rebellato’s work is cleverly and intricately riddled with references from both the
real Chekhov’s life and works. The most important of those are the parallels drawn
from the relationship between Chekhov in Hell’s characters ‘Nicola’ and ‘Chekhov’ and
Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya characters ‘Sonya’ and ‘Uncle Vanya. The gentleness and
patience seen in Sonya is also seen in Nicola as she waits for news of her Uncle
Chekhov and follows him eagerly around London.
Furthermore, Chekhov always remained a comprehensive commentator on the
idiosyncrasies and mannerisms of his time. His characters are forever talking about
what they think will improve in the future and what they needed to do now to improve
their future. Among many others, Astrov in Uncle Vanya talks passionately about
improving the environment and his environmental concerns; Trepliov in The Seagull
talks on the need for new forms in Art “We need new art forms. New forms are wanted,
and if they aren’t available, we might as well have nothing at all”. Rebellato’s Chekhov in
Hell, through his Rip Van Winkle-like story, allows us a chance to look at our own
world again by giving Chekhov the chance to view the world 100 years later through his
ideals, questions and hopes for the future.
5. Extra Links to look at in regard to the Chekhov in Hell and Rebellato’s philosophy:
v Dan Rebellato’s Website: http://www.danrebellato.co.uk
v Dan Rebellato’s The Guardian blog page:
http://www.theguardian.com/profile/dan-rebellato
v Rip Van Winkle story: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/shortstories/UBooks/RipVan.shtml#top
v The Emperors’ New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson (In Rebellato notes
on the play he has proceeded the play with a quote from this story):
http://hca.gilead.org.il/emperor.html
v ‘Errand’ by Raymond Carver (In Chekhov in Hell, Dan Rebellato has based the
opening scene of his play on must of this short story interpretation of Chekhov’s
death): http://www.douban.com/note/128511922/
6. For students to consider while watching the play:
v What is your idea of what a play should do? Can you put it into one short
sentence?
v Did Chekhov in Hell do this?
v Would you tell someone else they had to see it? Why/why not?
v Was the play's representation of the contemporary world one you could identify
with?
v What does each character represent in 21st century life.
v How do you feel about the cult of celebrity?
v What do you think would have happened in 100 years?
7. Thinking about the production you just saw:
v What atmosphere did the whole production have?
v Was it what you expected? Why/ Why not?
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
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Did anything that you saw move or upset you?
Which of the characters engaged you the most?
Did this play end the way you thought it would?
Did you see all the themes portrayed in the play?
In Dan Rebellato’s notes on the production he states that there is “No props,
unless Chekhov touches them. No costume, unless Chekhov’s wearing it.”
However, we have gone against this note. How do the design elements:
costume, set, AV, sound and Lighting work to emphasise the themes of the
play?
v Can you imagine a production without this?
v How would you produce a production differently, perhaps following Rebellato’s
stage directions of no set?
Theatre Etiquette
Live theatre differs greatly from other medium such as film or television. Certain behaviour is
expected of audiences at live theatre events. Please ensure that you observe the following;
Ø Arrive on time. Latecomers will only be allowed in at certain intervals. Missing the
start of a performance will diminish your enjoyment and/or understanding of the piece.
It will also disrupt the show for the actors and other audience members, as audience
needs to go through the set to access the seating area others.
Ø Turn off mobile phones. The frequencies from the devices disrupt our sound
equipment.
Ø Visit the bathroom prior to the commencement of the performance. This show has no
interval.
Ø A member of the front of house staff will usher you to your seats. Follow their
directions.
Ø During the performance observe the following;
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No photography or recording the performance
No talking
No eating
We Hope That You Enjoy The Production
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AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC