Rising Water- Tim Winton

Last Wednesday, our year 11 literature class gathered to the art centre to see the play, 'rising water' by Tim Winton. I hadn't read or seen anything of Tim Winton's previously, but supposedly he was a brilliant writer.

As we walked into the playhouse, I noticed that we were the youngest of the audience. Majority of the viewers were over the age of 60. The curtains were opened, exposing the scene. The audience instantly became aware the characters lived on water, not only by the title, but by the scenery.

Upon the stage were three boats in which the three main characters lived in, which was tied to a pier. The set was well executed was very realistic. The flooring was well designed, as it was made to look like water.

This play was set in Fremantle on Australia day. It appeared the whole town was celebrating.  Australians, in the play, were depicted as 'bogans' and quite racist. I felt this was unrealistic interpretation of Australians. Much Australian vernacular was used throughout the play.   

Baxter, Cole and Jacque are in such a free place, yet their boats are tied to the post. In reality they are trapped by events in their past. They like to keep to themselves; it’s as if they had come to the marina to hide from their troubles. So I think the location/ situation the characters are in is a metaphor for their lives. Their insecurities suggest a sense of isolation and lack of freedom. When a young woman (about 20), from the UK, named Dee is introduced in the story, they each reveal their troubling pasts. A depressing vibe is captured from the beginning of the play. It's obvious the characters are lonely, hopeless and suffer from lack of fulfillment in their life. Isolation and freedom are key themes within the play.
The main character, Baxter, played by John Howard, was previously a high school principal and married with two children. He is now separated from his wife as she committed adulatory, as a result, his children no longer talk to him as they believe he didn't try hard enough to keep the marriage together, which I think is a pathetic excuse not to talk to your father, if anything they should hate the mother for cheating in the first place.  

When two high school students are kicked out of home because one was found to be pregnant, Baxter decided to take them in. He had started up a program for teen mothers in need. I believe he did this because his own mother had had him when she was a teenager. When the boyfriend wrongly accuses Baxter of ‘Kiddy fiddling’, his reputation is ruined, forcing him into this state of isolation.

Dee also offers sex to Baxter in exchange for money, which he immediately declines. In the end, he gives her money for nothing in return. I think this really shows the selflessness of the character and how judgmental people in society can be.  

By the end of the play, the audience cannot help but pity this character, as we understand his difficult life.

Cole is a typical Aussie bloke, whose past was only spoken about briefly. He was previously an accountant, something neither of his neighbours were aware of. This again shows you may see someone quite often but might not know much about them.

Jacque is a lesbian and recovering alcoholic, whom we only get a glimpse of.
Dee is more of a free character, as she was exploring Australia as a backpacker which is symbolic of the liveliness and freedom in which the character represents. This character comes into the story when she is dumped by her boyfriend, leaving her broke with nowhere to go. She rudely invites herself on Baxter's boat, where questions about his past begin to arise. Usually I can tolerate English accents, but her sloppy speech irritated me, especially when she spoke for a long period of time. I understand that she was drunk, but it shouldn't take that long to sober up.

Baxter is the only character that went into detail. They mentioned some personal issues in others characters lives, but I didn't feel it had much relevance to the plot. Randomly, a boy would enter the stage between scenes, who we assume is a reflection of Baxter as a boy, when he begins to talk about his mother during the second half. The concept of the boy confused me at bit, it was not very clear.

In the beginning, they appear stagnant, like their lives aren't really going anywhere. I think it shows how you can live so close to someone, yet you may not truly know their history. There was no major event in the story. It was basically just the characters confessing events from their past.

Although I liked the set, I would have liked a change in scenery, but it remained the same throughout the entire show, apart from the end. The dialogue required the audience to listen quite attentively, but I couldn't help but zone in and out, as there was too much dialogue. I felt it was too much like a novel and did not capture the dramatic feel of a play.

The part I found most captivating was when Dee fell into the water and was being saved by Cole and Baxter. The audio and use of light were very effective in this scene. Dee appeared as if she were glowing under water. This was probably the highlight of the play; though I was disappointed nothing more really happened.

In the end, Dee sinks Baxter’s boat, ‘you’ll thank me later’ she had said. The sink of his boat was symbolic of the change in the character. I was quite amazed by how they were able to move the boat beneath the set.

 
I did not feel the play was appropriate for our age group. Swearing we can handle, but the adult themes did not relate to us. It was supposedly a 'comedy', yet the only way I knew if anything was supposed to be funny was when I'd hear others laughing. I felt the comebacks were too quick so it wouldn't give you enough time to process each line.

‘Rising water’ was really not my cup of tea. Winton is yet to master the art of playwriting, but he has potential.  Perhaps it would be more successful in the form of a novel?

Hear you me- Jimmy Eat World

Lyrics below:
"There's no one in town i know
You gave us someplace to go
I never said thank you for that
Thought i might get one more chance

What would you think of me now?
so lucky
so strong
so proud
never said thank you for that
now i'll never have a chance

May angels lead you in
hear you me my friends
on sleepless roads the sleepless go
may angels lead you in

What would you think of me now?
so lucky
so strong
so proud
never said thank you for that
now i'll never have a chance

May angels lead you in
hear you me my friends
on sleepless roads the sleepless go
may angels lead you in

If you were with me tonight
i'd sing to you just one more time
a song for a heart so big god wouldn't let it live

May angels lead you in
hear you me my friends
on sleepless roads the sleepless go
may angels lead you in

May angels lead you in
hear you me my friends
on sleepless roads the sleepless go
may angels lead you in"

There's something about this song that always makes me want to cry. The first time I heard this song was in the film, 'A Cinderella Story'. This is a sad song that allows me to reflect on deaths that have occured throughout my life. Although it is slightly depressing, I love the lyrics and music, which make htis song special. 

I have done some research on this song and found that this song had been dedicated to Mykel and Carli, two people who had started the Weezer fan club in 1994 and passed away after a car accident in 1997. They had not only helped out Weezer, but many other bands, including 'Jimmy Eat World'. They were known to be kind to all and offered shelter to passing bands.

I think this song is about the death of a loved one and not getting a chance to say thank them for all they had done. It's also about not being able to say goodbye, but wishing them to be in a better place (heaven). It's a beautiful song that I would request to be played at my funeral.

Hear you me-Jimmy Eat World 

Don't look now- opening scene

This opening scene depicts the innocence and naivety of children. All seems quite at ease, but there is an eeriness that is evident due to the soft music played in the background. The audience can sense something off about the scene, as if something is about to happen. This feeling broadens when the closes up on the water, showing the reflection of the girl in the red raincoat. This scene cuts to the parents sitting inside the house. We notice the music instantly stops in this scene. We also take in the parents lack of care for their children as they leave them unsupervised. When the father is looking at images of a church, we notice there is a figure wearing a red raincoat, quite like the one worn by the daughter. This is a sign of her upcoming death in the scene. The ignorance of the parents is also shown when the boy rides over glass and falls off his bike. They are far too consumed in their work to acknowledge their own children. The picture that the father had been examining then begins to bleed. The father instantly knows his daughter is in trouble and comes to her aid, unlike the mother who continues with her work, oblivious to the events occurring outside. Unfortunately the daughter was unable to be saved and drowns. The music becomes louder, which adds to the overwhelming situation in the film.

Don't look now-opening scene

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg -The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

'Les Parapluies de Cherbourg' (the umbrellas of Cherbourg), was made in 1964, directed by Jacques Dem.
The opening music instantly creates a sad atmosphere due to the use of the violins. The camera shows us a view from above, as rain begins to fall on the bricks. People begin to open up umbrellas of different colours. This scene cuts to a train station and then we see a couple.
This film is completely sung in french. I may not speak french, but it is clear by the music and expressions of the characters what this film is about (with or without the subtitles).
The young woman is clearly devastated, as her lover is leaving her behind. The male has a pained expression, which indicates his sadness and guilt for leaving his companion behind. She begs him to stay, though he does not have a choice, as he is to go to war. He will return in two years if he survives the war and she has promised to wait for him.
When they say their final goodbyes at the train station, the female becomes smaller and smaller as the camera moves further away. This is to show the painful separation the young couple have to endure.

Link to this scene
    

Dancing at the cafe - Bande a Part (AKA Band of Outsiders)

This is a famous scene from the french film 'Bande a Part' (band of outsiders), directed by Jean-Luc Godard. It is a black and white film, made in 1964. This scene shows three people randomly dancing in a cafe, repeating the same steps over and over again. This dance is commonly known as 'the Madison'. The music used is upbeat and is true to the time the film was made. The music would stop at randomly for the narrator to comment. They are outsiders to the people in the cafe, hence the name 'band of outsiders'. I found this dance annoying and overly repetitive. This scene drags on for quite a while. It may have been original and amusing for its time, but personally I think it's quite dull. This was said to be a 'comedy', though I don't really see what's so funny about three people dancing in cafe.
 
Although I have only seen this particular part of the film, I have researched the storyline. In short, it is basically about three people, whom we saw in this scene, who plan a robbery. From what I've read, this scene really has no purpose to the film whatsoever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6pOXjQLh7Y&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6pOXjQLh7Y&feature=related

Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit

Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit is a short story written by Sylvia Plath. It highlights the realisation of the cruelty of reality through the eyes of a child. 

Characterisation of characters: Uncle Frank, David and mother:
Uncle Frank: his niece looks up to him and is depicted as a heroic figure in the story. Frank is waiting to be drafted to the Army, as it is in the middle of WWII. He shows much love and compassion towards his family, as well as understanding. He seems to want to aid everyone's problems and keep the peace. This is shown when he says 'we'll pay for another snowsuit anyway just to make everybody happy'. He is kind and considerate of others and is a good role model to his niece.

David Sterling: David is a good friend of the girl, who he lives down the road from. Him and the girl are almost inseperable in the beginning of the story as they always played games together. Their friendship ends after the incident with Paula Brown and her snowsuit. He basically turns on her when he informs the girls mother of this occcurence.

Mother: the mother is a caring and sincere character. She is distressed about the war and appears slightly unstable, especially as her husband is dead.   

Snowdrops- Leslie Norris

In class, we analyzed the short story ‘Snowdrops’, written by Leslie Norris.

Snowdrops are used in the story to reflect humans in a state of vulnerability and fragility, much like the delicacy of the flower. The unnamed boy in the story represents the innocence and naivety of children. His fellow school mate, Edmond, is quite the opposite to the boy. We see the contrast between the two characters as Edmond is much more mature and aware of the world around him.  Whereas the boy is full of imagination and is oblivious to the imperfections of life. He sees life as exciting and full of adventure. This is shown when he exaggerates little things such as his bacon sandwich. He seems to find minor things such as this fascinating, even though 'its just bacon', as Edmonds points out.  

Ms Webster, the teacher, stays strong for the children by putting on a brave face. It is evident that she is deeply affected by the death. Although it was not widely known of their romantic relationship, it becomes quite obvious when she deliberately takes the children out to see the snowdrops and the exact time of the funeral.   

After witnessing his teacher crying due to the death of her lover, the boy is confronted with the realisms of reality.  We see a change in this character as he has a growing awareness of his surroundings. He sees the world is not as glamorous as he had once thought.