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Scattered-‐Lives-‐Production-‐Resource-‐Notes.docx

© copyright sally mckenzie 2014 1

The Content

Scattered Lives is an ensemble performance based

on real and imagined characters. It gives students a

contemporary Australian work about situations on

their doorstep to unpack non-‐naturalistic

performance styles.

This researched-‐based play allows students to

reflect on how drama can highlight social, political

and historical contexts. The content is presented in

an historical context, charting as it does a range of

situations and conflicts that have brought people to

Australian shores, from 1959 to the present-‐day. Though minimally, this context also

references the Indigenous point-‐of-‐view in Scene 10 Speak Australian! What’s Australian?

Scattered Lives employs a range of performance styles from naturalism to non-‐naturalism. It

draws from traditions of Epic theatre in content and form. The work also aims to portray the

characters, based on the experiences of real people who have sought refuge in Australia, as

having emotions and responses that the audience can identify with and, in doing so,

illuminate the ‘human’ face of the refugee and provide an alternative picture to that often

sketched by the media.

The Form

With pathos and humour Scattered Lives employs contemporary dramatic forms to highlight

immediate social justice and political issues. It juxtaposes 4th-‐wall naturalism with elements

of Brecht and Epic theatre, including direct address.

Unfolding episodically, the play furthers

narrative through the use of such Brechtian

conventions as announcements, ‘audio

placards’. The production supports these with

a video image of the announcement projected

onto the lid of an opened suitcase, e.g. ‘This

story begins in Czechoslovakia in 1941’… thus employing Brecht’s alienation technique as the



actors break through the fourth wall and make direct contact with the audience, inviting

them to enter the work through objectivity rather than emotion. Other times the audience is

asked to emotionally identify with the characters and their situations.

The rhythm of the language used in the

opening is deliberately heightened, with an

almost iambic-‐pentameter rhythm, to give a

sense of formality to the privileged occasion

of sharing these peoples lives.

The major stories are laced together with

verbatim grabs. Grouped together by a

collective theme, these verbatim interstitial

scenes share insightful personal experiences

and are delivered in direct-‐address to the

audience. They are based on interviews

from a range of refugees. They herald the

content of the stories they introduce. For

example, Scene 13 ‘I thought’… leads to the

Afghani story and introduces detention centres.

Many of the longer stories are told over several scenes, usually employing an Aristotelian,

cause-‐and-‐effect rising dramatic action towards a climax. These scenes often exhibit

characteristics identified with naturalism, viz., motivations and intentions to create dramatic

tension.

Some stories employ both direct address and 4th wall. In the Chilean story, for example, the

actors play within the 4th-‐wall then talk directly to the audience. Most of the longer stories

are told this way, however, the Vietnamese story, ‘Fish Out Of Water’ is a monologue that is

performed almost entirely through direct-‐address except for occasional moments of

character self-‐reflection.

The actor-‐audience relationship is laid bare as the actors as Narrators step in and out of the

action. This creates a springboard for the students to analyse the actor-‐audience

relationship.



The Production

There are several constraints that impact on staging solutions. This touring production

travels into a diverse range of performing areas; some are designated performance spaces

and some non-‐designated performance spaces.

The actors and set are transported in one vehicle so everything that is used in the show must

be justified. Props and set are minimal and consist of several suitcases and ‘packing crates’

to signify journey. They are used as tables, seats and suitcases. The scenes are punctuated

and supported by music and vision, which is delivered via a computer, speakers and a

projector. The images, which include a range of material from the actual Chilean rebellion

referenced in the play, images of refugees and information relating to where and when the

upcoming story is set, are projected onto a cream suitcase, which remains open during the

entire performance. In terms of storytelling, the imagery projected on the suitcase doesn’t

further the narrative but assists to create context.

These staging elements draw from Epic theatre. This is theatre making without illusion.

There are no blackouts to end scenes and the sound and visual cues are activated in full view

of the audience.

Activating the vision and sound cues in front of the audience exposes the mechanisms of

theatre and actively works against the suspension of disbelief. Preparation of characters in

full view of the audience is also characteristic of Epic acting. The storytelling is often in the

past tense and in the 3rd person – another element identified with Epic theatre.

Blank pieces of paper are taken from the suitcase at the beginning of the performance.

These pieces of paper represent a person’s story -‐ a ‘scattered life’ and they are strewn

around the performance area and referenced through out the show, often used as the

stimulus for the next story to be told.

Props are representative -‐ a handbag for a mother, an apron for the shopkeeper, a bundle

for a baby. During the ‘Prologue’ a key symbol for the main characters is introduced, its

significance becoming apparent as the play progresses. The actors play over 20 roles. With

the use of a representational prop, a change in body rhythm or subtle vocal variation, in full

view of the audience they transform from one character to another.



I have made a directorial choice that the actors do not use heavy accents, which often lead

to audiences listening not to what is said, but how it is said. Rather, the rhythm of the

character’s language is exploited for dramatic effect. Position of the actor’s body in the

space assists to convey stepping in and out of the action. Images projected onto the suitcase

enhance meaning through symbolism. Music and projected imagery creates atmosphere

while providing respite to a text-‐heavy work. A repetitive stylized gesture becomes a symbol

of departure.

Conflict and tension can be found in the situations the characters are in, between the

protagonists in the stories and is intrinsic to the meta-‐narrative of the play itself. Rhythm is

manipulated to create the many characters played by the actors. Rhythm and juxtaposition

of rhythm is also embedded within the play’s dramatic form, which includes monologues,

duologues, multi-‐character scenes, shared-‐stories, direct address and 4th wall.

I have included a rough outline of the performance area.

AUDIENCE

The Numbers represent the following elements:



1. Opened cream suitcase onto which images project. Blank pieces of paper,

representing people’s stories, are also taken from this case

2. Opened suitcase from which props and minimal costume are taken. This suitcase

will eventually be used by Omyra in the Afghani story towards the end of the play

3. A wooden crate, which is used as a seat, something to stand on etc

4. 2 small wooden crates, which hold the computer and sound speaker

5. A non-‐practical suitcase, which is moved throughout the show, to become a

barrier, a seat, a suitcase

6. Pieces of paper – people’s scattered lives

Originally written as a 2-‐hander, the published play has over 20 nominated roles, providing

students with the opportunity to deconstruct an ensemble work with non-‐naturalistic

performance styles.

The touring production is a powerful resource for students to analyse and evaluate an

ensemble performance that employs non-‐naturalistic performance styles, includes

conventions that highlight the actor-‐audience relationship and manipulates a range of

dramatic elements.

Sally McKenzie

March 2014

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