Silent Disco

atyp, Griffin Theatre & Hothouse

Production

May 2011

Teacher's Resource Kit

TEACHER RESOURCE PACK

atyp is exclusively devoted to young people. We are driven by the idea that the arts can inspire

creative, courageous and confident young people wherever they are and whatever they want to be.

We believe that the arts have the power to transform lives, enrich communities and ultimately impact

upon the future of our nation. Our work is motivated by the need to improve access for all young

Australians to share their stories and participate in the arts regardless of economic or geographical

barriers.

Our Vision: to be the leading Australian youth theatre company, inspiring and nurturing imagination,

confidence and creativity in young people across the country.

At the heart of our company lies collaboration between professional artists and young people. Working

together we create inspiring theatre that engages with contemporary social issues and provides a

space for young people to celebrate their creativity and Rise Up and Act!

Above all, atyp inspires young people to make great theatre.

This Resource Kit has been designed as a classroom tool to assist with the preparation,

evaluation and analysis of the Australian Theatre for Young People (atyp), Griffin

Theatre and Hothouse Theatre production: Silent Disco.

The notes and activities have been divided into three components:

Before you see Silent Disco

The Performance: Behind the scenes of Silent Disco

After you see Silent Disco

NSW BOS Syllabi have been used as a guide for this resource kit. It is recommended

before using the recommended websites in this kit that teachers first visit the sites to

assess suitability of content for your particular school setting.

We hope you find these activities useful and that they enhance your creative arts

experiences in the classroom.

Heather Clark

Education and Outreach Manager

Australian Theatre for Young People

Before you see Silent Disco

Theatre Marketing: How to get the word out there

Interview with the atyp Marketing Manager

In Rehearsal

The Performance: Behind the scenes of Silent Disco

The atyp creative team

Interview with the Writer and Director

Interview with the Designer

Get Involved!

After you see Silent Disco

First Impressions

Design Elements

The Elements of Drama

Write Your Own Review

After you see Silent Disco:

Exploring Themes: The Prop as Symbol

Exploring Themes: “Marching to the beat of a different drum..”

Script Analysis

Introduction

Table of

Contents

In a world bombarded by screen and technology, theatre advertising often gets

drowned. In the following activities, you will be asked to take some time to look at

the theatre advertising around you. Notice other types of advertising and how they

compete for your attention.

Theatre Marketing: How to get the word out there

Before you see Silent Disco

BRAINSTORM:

In groups of three to four, brainstorm as many types of

advertising as you can. Think about print, screen, internet and

any other forms.

As a class collate all of this information. Note whether you see

this type of advertising when you fill in the observation table in

the next part of this activity.

PRACTICAL:

Over a period of five days, notice all of the theatre (including

musicals) advertising around you. Fill in the table below.

What type of

advertising?

(e.g. bus

shelter, radio

etc.)

Where did

you see it?

When did

you see it?

What did

you think

about it?

How

effective was

it?

REFLECTION:

As a class, take some time to present your findings. Discuss the following

questions.

What were the most common forms of advertising?

What were the most effective forms of advertising?

What did you learn through this observation activity?

Classroom Activity

Classroom Activity

Silent Disco marketing has been unique in that it has drawn upon the

ideas of the youth advisory panels at Griffin Theatre (the Grif Graf) and

atyp (the Atypicals). Chalk paint graffiti, tumblr accounts, twitter,

facebook and postcards have all been part of the marketing strategy

for this production.

PRACTICAL:

Look at the stencil below. The image was used as a stencil for the chalk

graffiti. One of the main characters is “Squid”.

What are some words that come to mind when you view the

image?

If you didn‟t know anything about the play and you saw this

image on the ground what do you think it would be

advertising or saying?

Is it an effective way of advertising a play? Why? Why not?

Create your own stencil to advertise your Drama class. Think

about symbols and messages that you intend to convey to

the observer.

REFLECTION:

In your Drama journal, write a 500 word response to the

importance of effective advertising for theatre productions.

Draw upon your observations and reflections from the

activities you have completed.

Interview with atyp Marketing Manager: Claire Harris

How do you initially approach

the marketing for a production?

The best way to build a marketing

campaign for a production is to firstly

look at traditional marketing

techniques which include advertising,

marketing collateral distribution, e-

news, website promotion, publicty etc.

and once all that is covered you need

to look at non-traditional ways to

market a show. These can include

online strategy such as facebook,

Twitter, youtube, Tumblr etc. or in the

case of Silent Disco, the coordination

and recording of a silent disco Flash

Mob, a graffiti campaign and the

hosting of an actual silent disco. All

these things running alongside each

other are sure to get the word out and

sell tickets!

What has been different about

this production?

What we have loved about this

production is that it is a world premiere

and it is written by a fantastic

Australian Playwright, Lachlan Philpott.

All companies involved have a passion

for new Australian works and we all

feel really excited to be able to

present Lachlan‟s award winning play.

How does your marketing reflect

the overarching themes of Silent

Disco?

We have kind of taken a „street‟

approach to our campaign for Silent

Disco. The play is set in Sydney so

doing things like the graffiti campaign

and the flash mob in the city promotes

the show by making it feel very grungy

and local, just like the play.

What are the unique challenges

in marketing this play? What

are the rewarding aspects of

marketing this play?

The challenges with this play are similar

to promoting any play. It is a

competitive market, all Sydney Theatre

companies want ticket buyers to

spend with their company and come

and see their productions. Also, in a

world so heavily driven by on-line

communication it is increasingly

difficult to get people‟s attention

amongst all the on-line noise. You

really need to find your points of

difference and exploit those. The

rewarding aspects are when you get a

positive response from people. You

only have to look on atyp or Griffin‟s

facebook page to see how excited

people are about the show. This

makes us get excited too.

Who is your target group and

how do you want them to

respond (apart from coming to

see the production)?

It‟s not just about selling tickets to the

show but an exercise in branding. We

want young people to see our stuff

and think, “Wow. Those companies

are cool!”

What advice would you give to

aspiring young theatre

marketing managers?

Think outside the square. The world is

saturated in advertising and traditional

marketing stuff so you really need to

look at innovative ways of reaching

your target market. And the key –

have fun with it!

In Rehearsal

Classroom Activity

Have a look at the picture below of the cast in rehearsal:

BRAINSTORM:

In groups of three discuss the following questions. Record your answers to

share with the class.

What do you think is happening in this scene?

What do you think may have happened immediately preceding

this scene?

What do you think may happen after the scene?

Who has the higher status? Why?

PRACTICAL TASK:

In your groups, recreate the moment from the picture. Improvise

what you think will happen next in the scene.

Show the class your improvisation.

REFLECTION:

Comment on what worked in each scene, what there could have

been more of and how the scenes could be changed to

demonstrate a shifting status.

Silent Disco Creative Team

atyp Artistic Director Fraser Corfield

Griffin Theatre Artistic Director Sam Strong

Writer Lachlan Philpott

Director Lee Lewis

Assistant Director Kai Raisbeck

Designer Justin Nardella

Production Mgr Glen Dulihanty

SX Design Stefan Gregory

LX Design Ross Graham

Stage Manager Natasha Marich

Silent Disco Cast

Squid Meyne Wyatt

Tamara Sophie Hensser

Dane Kirk Page

Petchall Camilla Ah Kin

The Performance:

Behind the Scenes of

Silent Disco

Interview with Director, Lee Lewis and Writer, Lachlan Philpott

Writer – Lachlan Philpott

Director – Lee Lewis

Classroom Activity

PRACTICAL TASK:

For the interview with Lachlan and Lee, go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2UlI8MxGyU

REFLECTION:

After watching the clip, answer the following questions:

What mood does the music in the promo video evoke for you?

Why did Lee want to direct Silent Disco?

What is Lachlan‟s approach to reflecting the language of

teenagers?

Why see Silent Disco?

Why is it important to see contemporary Australian work?

How do you initially approach the

design for a production?

My first approach to any production is the

script – it is the recipe and guide. This

particular script was full of beautiful imagery,

which Lachlan creates with words. It was my

job and challenge to find a visual answer to

this. After researching the places and settings

which these characters inhabit, the director

and I then chose and eliminated visual

elements in order to break it down to the

essentials. We created a space which gives

the audience a distinct environment, yet

doesn‟t lock them into one particular location.

Your set design uses a mixture of

textures and materials – what have

you used and how do they reinforce

(or work against) the issues explored in

the play?

Silent Disco presents the many rules and

regulations in place during adolescence and

these are translated into the visual elements of

the set. This is displayed in the references to

park-itechture and public space design – trip

hazards are removed – handrails and yellow

lines guide us – and the rubber floor protects

our fall.

What are the unique challenges in

designing for this piece?

The play itself consists of multiple settings and

multiple characters played by single actors.

From a design perspective you have to resist

being excessive and literal and must force

yourself to find the essence of what is needed.

The venue also offers many challenges. As a

designer, you must work with these in mind.

The limitations, in their own way, influence

such things as the placement of the fence

and shape of the floor.

How do you want the audience to

respond to your work?

I hope audiences enjoy the production and

that all the elements come together and work

together. I want audience members to find

references within the set which they are

familiar with. I also want the simplicity of the

design to allow audiences to imagine the

locations in the journey that the actors take us

on. In contrast to the stylized set, Tamara and

Squid should feel like two real people that you

might go to school with or see on a bus.

What advice would you give to

aspiring young designers?

Design can be a wonderful and imaginative

career, yet it has many challenges and can

be very intimidating and draining. For those

aspiring theatre designers – always have your

senses on. Look around at the whole world

you live in, and the world others live in. Listen,

touch, feel, smell – all of it. These experiences

are what influence and inspire. Above all –

never give up! Plays are reflections of

humanity and the world we live in, and you

have to be involved in it in order to create it

on the stage.

Interview with Designer, Justin Nardella

What attracted you to the part

that you’re playing?

I love the honesty of Petchall. It‟s a

world that Lachlan (the writer) knows

deeply, he doesn‟t shirk the darkness

or imperfections that exist for any of

the characters. For an actor he

provides great texture, emotional

terrain to explore over the rehearsal

period and the season.

Tell me what it’s like to shift

between characters in one play.

I have a number of roles in this play:

Petchall, Leanne (Tamara‟s mum),

Auntie and Dezzie. There is a patch in

the play where I kind of swim between

characters one after the other. In this

section of the play the shifts are fast

and because of the nature of the

theatre space at the Stables theatre,

being intimate, it‟s not appropriate or

possible to have massive costume

changes with wigs and the like. We‟re

working on more subtle shifts. Things

like an emotional state or thought can

sometimes be enough. The rhythms of

the characters are so different that

even in the same basic costume, the

way the characters inhabit it will make

them very separate. They all breathe in

their own way. It‟s my job to find and

create those subtleties. I love my job!

Have you ever been to a silent

disco? What was it like/ or what

do you imagine it to be like?

The assistant director, Kai, was sent on

assignment to one at the Australian

Museum where there is a silent disco.

We had a lot of conversations in the

first week about how the metaphor of

a silent disco could be applied to the

play. We discussed how all these

insular worlds of the characters exist

simultaneously, unaware of the

context of the others. We are all in the

same place at the same time –

experiencing very different things. It

seems symptomatic of fragmented

communities.

What have been the challenges

in rehearsing for Silent Disco?

The biggest challenge is the very

unusual narrative form that Lachlan is

developing. Learning it! Cues can

come from anywhere. A character

can be thinking (out loud) whilst

informing a moment in another scene.

It‟s tricky and very precise. I am paying

very close attention to the text for as

long as I can, resisting the temptation

to put the script down too early.

What advice would you give to

aspiring young actors?

Play every role as if it‟s Hamlet. Of

course not every role is at the centre of

the play. I mean no matter what the

size or shape of the role, if you pay the

same respect in creating it, then you

will always discover the life and fullness

each character has to offer you.

Interview with Actor, Camilla Ah Kin

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 !

Initial reaction

What was your initial reaction to the performance? What sticks out in your mind?

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Would you recommend the performance to a friend? Why / why not?

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Costumes

Describe the costumes. How was costume used to portray character? Was the use of

costume successful? Why / why not?

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Lighting

Describe the lighting. How was lighting used to set the scene and define the space?

Was the use of lighting successful? Why / why not?

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Set

Describe the set. What elements of playground architecture reinforced the themes of

the play?

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Design Elements:

After you see

Silent Disco

Sound and Music

Describe the sound and music design. Did this detract from or enhance the overall

production?

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Elements of Drama: Comment on how the performance used the elements of drama.

Tension: Where were the moments of

tension in the overall performance?

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Which moment held the most tension

for you?

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Recreate the tension in the moment as

a tableau.

Focus: How did the director draw the

audience's focus to the action she

most wanted you to see?

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Identify a moment that was really

successful in drawing focus?

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Space

How did the actors use the stage

space?

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What was the most interesting aspect

of the use of space?

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Movement

How was movement used to portray

each character?

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Symbol

Can you identify any symbols/motifs

used in the production?

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What were the most successful symbols

used?

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Mood / Atmosphere

Describe the mood of the piece.

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What sort of feeling did you have at

the end of the play? Was it different to

the feeling you had at the beginning

of the play? Why/Why not?

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Where were the climactic moments in

the performance?

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How did you feel at the end of the

performance?

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What devices were used to create

mood throughout the performance?

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Draw a mood map that reflects the

emotional journey of the entire play:

Character / Role

Did you think the actors were well cast

for their roles? Why/Why not?

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Identify one character that stood out

in your mind? Why were they so

memorable?

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Actor-Audience Relationship

What was the role of the audience in

the performance?

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How did the characters relate to the

audience?

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The play is about young people and

the adults in their lives. Did you identify

with any of the characters? Why/Why

not?

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Write Your Own Review A review is an important part of theatre criticism. It gives an account of the

production with the writer's opinion of the success of the performance. Become an

atyp theatre critic! Use the scaffold below to write a review of Silent Disco.

Send it to heather@atyp.com.au

We'll publish well written reviews on our website.

How to write a review:

Remember to:

- Paint an accurate picture of the production for someone who has not been

there

- Give a personal opinion about the success of the performance

You may wish to approach your review writing by following guidelines:

1. State the details of the production, where, when, by who.

2. A synopsis of the overarching plot of the play (without giving away the

ending!)

3. Background of the show and the unique aspects of the production.

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.

Remember to make it concise and clear.

Try to write your review in 300 words.

We look forward to receiving your reviews!

Exploring Themes: The prop as symbol In Silent Disco, the ipod becomes a symbol of the time in which the play is set.

Characters use the ipod to escape from difficulties in their lives, to disengage with the

environment around them, and to tap into another world or perception of the world.

Ms Petchall, a teacher, uses the confiscated ipod to taste the world of her students

and she is surprised by its ability to infuse her life with excitement and invincibility.

“In my handbag – the confiscated ipod.... It’s like some drug that keeps things

out insulates me from the drone of it all and I feel incredible. Invincible”

The music becomes the soundtrack for her ideal world and life.

Classroom Activity

After you see

Silent Disco

PRACTICAL TASK:

Create a playlist that you can listen to on your mp3 player

or mobile phone. Include one of each of the following

types of music:

- Classical

- Heavy metal

- Folk

- R & B

- Disco

- Opera

- Children‟s nursery rhyme

- Rap

- Jazz

- Australian National Anthem

- World music (e.g. Indian, African)

Listen to the songs at different times of the day, while

you‟re doing different activities. For example, you may

listen to them walking to school, training for sport,

shopping etc.

Record your responses in your Drama journal or exercise

book in a table

Type of music What you were

doing

What effect it had

on you

REFLECTION:

How has this focus on the simple use of a prop changed

your understanding on the importance of symbolism?

Exploring Themes: “Marching to the beat of a

different drum” Silent Disco explores a range of themes related to the experiences of young people

in contemporary society. It raises issues and then seeks to explore their antitheses. For

example, the connection between Squid and Tamara is juxtaposed with the

breakdown of relationship between them and their parents. The characters each

walk their own journey, reflected in the symbolic use of ipods and the way in which

characters narrate the action around them.

Classroom Activity

BRAINSTORM:

As a class brainstorm the themes that you noticed in Silent Disco.

Write them on post-its and place them on a wall in your class room.

Cluster the post-its into groups of related topics.

PRACTICAL TASK:

Get into groups of four or five. Each group take one of the above

topics and use it as inspiration to create a tableaux (still picture).

Each person in the tableaux then starts, one by one, their own

rhythm. As the whole group eventually joins in, each member

should continue with their own rhythm, trying not to be influenced

by the other members.

After 1-2minutes, start to allow the other members in your group to

influence your rhythm, so that eventually, you are all making the

same beat. This may be different to any other rhythm already

established.

REFLECTION:

Using your logbook or journal, write your responses to the following

questions:

What was it like playing your own rhythm? Was it easy/difficult?

Why/Why not?

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How is that reflected in life? Is it easy to be influenced by those

around you or do you find it easy to forge your own path?

Why/Why not?

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Script Analysis

Silent Disco breaks down traditional script writing through its use of character

narration. Characters comment on their surrounds, their feelings and their

experiences as writers of their own reality. The writer, Lachlan Philpott, says that he

used this device to explore the notion of being physically present, while mentally and

emotionally elsewhere.

Classroom Activity

PRACTICAL TASK:

Tell your own story. In pairs, go outside of your classroom. Take

turns narrating one another‟s actions. For example Person A may

get a drink at the bubbler. Person B says, “She leant down to the

bubbler. The water trickled down her chin. She wiped it with her

left hand and stood up. She looked across the playground and

saw a teacher in the distance.”

In the same pairs, narrate what‟s happening to you and what

you‟re thinking about while you walk around an outside area at

your school.

Record your narration.

REFLECTION:

Listen to the recording of your narration. What do you notice?

Are there common threads in your narration? Does your

narration evoke a particular mood? What is your language like?

Do you notice punctuation?

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From the above recording, write a 200 word monologue. You

may use direct quotes from your recording or use it as inspiration

for a new piece of theatre.