EXTINCTION BY HANNIE RAYSON

B Y E U RI PI D ES

1 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019

Table of Contents

2 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

On reading Extinction by Hannie Rayson I was struck by how detailed and nuanced her characters were crafted. At first glance the play appeared to be about four passionate individuals broadly aligning themselves with either saving the natural environment or exploiting it at any cost. Closer analysis revealed a story of complex personalities struggling to come to terms with their own desires, changing values and inevitable extinction that mirrors the overarching themes of the play.

For Complete Works’ incursion performance, we have compressed the action of a two act play into a single 75 min act that keeps linear structure to the story.

In her stage directions, the playwright makes use of projection, computers, remote cameras and mobile phones to combine concerns of the natural world with modern technology. We have chosen not to incorporate this technology in our presentation but read stage directions where necessary and make simple use of props and set pieces to ground the audience in the world of the play. Characters wear a single costume throughout, and then either add or subtract an item to denote change of scene, time or location.

Much of the language is blunt and to the point, reflecting the characters’ strong opinions. There is lot of swearing in the play. It’s used to express intense anger and serious intent, sometimes with humorous effect. We have chosen not to censor the playwright’s use of strong language or her characters’ use of alcohol, but we have tempered any overt intimacy.

The characters in Extinction embody values that are aligned with either the environment or the economy. We concentrate on how the characters’ shifting loyalties and inconsistent ethical positions are revealed throughout the play.

3 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 At the end of Act 1, we take a moment to reflect on what has been revealed up to that point. We observe how the characters are tempted to forsake their moral values and the further deterioration of their ethical principles as self- interests and emotions take over. This is mirrored in the looming degradation of a clean environment by a powerful polluter. We then move forward to see if love and loyalty win out over revenge and betrayal, or if the characters irreconcilable beliefs will break their relationships apart. We also explore how the playwright either follows or departs from gender stereotypes as the action gains momentum. We explore how the relationships of the characters can be just as fragile and flexible and the ecosystems they’re fighting for.

We have chosen to use the Extinction Insight Text Guide by Sue Sherman as our academic resource in staging our presentation. The following collection of useful notes are a direct transcription of the Insight publication. They included Sue Sherman’s suggested insights on essay construction with example questions and two sample essays.

Andrew Blackman

4 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 CREATIVE TEAM

Andrew Blackman, Annie Last, Leigh Scully, Director Heather Dixon-Brown Andy Dixon

Jessica Stanley, Simon Oats, Production Manager Piper Ross Harry Jewell Laura Cooney

Assistant Production Manager Alicia Beckhurst

Photography

Jack Dixon-Gunn

5 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 CHARACTERS

Piper Ross is an American conservation biologist who is involved in a koala breeding program at San Diego Zoo and acts to save the Otway tiger quoll from extinction. Her response to endangered species is very emotional. Piper is compassionate and loyal, but her emotions sometimes cloud her judgment.

Harry Jewell is the charming, wealthy and sexually predatory CEO of the mining company Powerhouse. He represents the power of economic interests that override environmental concerns and he is used to getting what he wants. Harry is ultimately undone by emails about his sexual activities that are sent to the university staff and board of his company. In the end, it is difficult to determine whether Harry’s seemingly altruistic good deeds stem entirely from self-interest or from a genuine desire to make a change in his life.

Andy Dixon is a proud, stubborn, self-sacrificing, idealistic veterinarian. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, his own imminent ‘extinction’ parallels the fate of many endangered species. He is a passionate environmentalist whose values are the antithesis of Harry.

Heather Dixon-Brown, sister of Andy, is a successful university professor, separated from her husband and attracted to Harry Jewell. Her approach to endangered species is entirely practical and is representative of professionals who work in a highly competitive environment, who often priortise work over personal relationships and sometimes make compromises to survive.

6 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Hannie Rayson in rehearsals, 2019 – Photo © Complete Works Theatre Company

Hannie Rayson has established a reputation for topical, complex dramas written with wit and humour. A graduate of University and the Victorian College of the Arts, she has an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from and is a Fellow of the Australian Centre at the . Her plays have been extensively performed around and internationally. They include Please Return to Sender, Mary, Leave It Till Monday, Room to Move, Hotel Sorrento, Falling From Grace, Competitive Tenderness, Life After George, Inheritance and Two Brothers. She has been awarded two Australian Writers’ Guild Awards, four Helpmann Awards, two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award as well as The Age Performing Arts Award. She also wrote Scenes from a Separation with .

For television she has written Sloth (ABC, Seven Deadly Sins) and co-written two episodes of Sea Change (ABC/Artists Services). A feature film of Hotel

7 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Sorrento, produced in 1995, was nominated for ten Australian Film Institute Awards. In 1999 she received the Magazine Publishers’ Society of Australia’s Columnist of the Year Award for her regular contributions to HQ magazine.

Hannie made playwriting history when Life After George was the first play to be nominated for the Miles Franklin Award. In 2006 she was nominated for the Melbourne Prize for Literature, a prize for a -based writer whose body of published or produced work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life.

“I wrote this play because I wanted to understand what it means that a species might go extinct in my lifetime. Just wink out of existence. I wanted to understand the human cost.” Hannie Rayson

Sourced from https://readingaustralia.com.au/books/extinction/ and used by Complete Works Theatre Company as background research material.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Here's a snippet from Hannie Rayson’s interview on The Garret: Writers on Writing.

"As a play-writer I - or I have in the past, maybe not so much these days - I have worked like an investigative journalist, where I articulate or identify a particular social phenomenon which I don't quite understand, and then I use the writing of the play to make sense of this conundrum I see at this crossroads of our culture”.

To listen to the full interview or to read a transcript go to: https://thegarretpodcast.com/hannie-rayson/

8 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 INTRODUCTION AND SYNOPSIS OF EXTINCTION

The tiger quoll once ruled the dense Otway forest but is now almost extinct. A wild, rainy night, a twist of fate and an injured tiger quoll bring together a passionate environmentalist and an unlikely Good Samaritan. Both are hell- bent on saving the species, but intentions are murky. What will be compromised in the quest to save the quoll? Nothing is black and white in this intriguing story about love, sex, money and power played out under the shadow of global warming.

Extinction is a timely and intelligent new Australian play by Helpmann award winning playwright and screenwriter Hannie Rayson (Hotel Sorrento, Life After George). It delves deep into the heart of our own morals, choices and tightly- held convictions. Extinction wraps an important conservation message around a unique and personal human story.

Extinction raises questions about what is worth saving and whether or not funds for conservation projects should be accepted from environmental polluters. While Hannie Rayson provides no simple answers, she challenges the audience to examine their own responses to some serious environmental concerns.

The play deals with two core related issues: one is the damaging effects of mining activities themselves, and the other is the harmful consequences of coal-fired power.

9 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 ANALYSIS OF EXTINCTION

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE COAL INDUSTRY

Arguments to support the coal industry are voiced by Harry Jewell, CEO of Powerhouse mining. He claims Australia's credible supply of coal has enabled continuous economic growth and he argues that exporting coal supports developing nations’ ‘right to electricity’ (p 38). Harry also defends coal mining is a major contributor to the Australian job market: ‘I can't save the world, okay. But I can help to bring jobs and people back to my hometown’ (p 37).

Harry also argues that the coal industry demonstrates a commitment to clean coal (p 61) and is developing technology to ensure coal can be used without contributing to global warming. What he doesn't say, however, is that these technologies are costly and energy-intensive and, as such, are probably not attractive to the profit driven coal industry. In response to Piper's suggestion about solar, wind and tidal power, Harry argues that the Chinese will ‘go on buying coal wherever they can get it’ (p 38). This apparently absolves him of any responsibility for the environmental damage caused by China's use of coal-fired power.

Since 2013, when the play was written, there has been a decline in our use of domestic coal, while our use of alternative energy sources such as gas, wind and solar, continue to rise.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE COAL INDUSTRY

Community and Health Issues

In Extinction, Andy is the most passionate opponent of the coal industry. He refers to Harry as ‘Mr Evil’ because of his plans to explore coal: in the Otways (p 27). The local farmers are ‘furious’ at the proposed intrusion onto their lands. While not directly mentioned in play: mining poses health risks to local communities. Rayson’s play suggest that, unless we are directly affected, we tend not to care. Harry's efforts to have the mining exploration (and any

10 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 future mining operations) moved ‘30 miles west’ of where he grew up (p 39) exemplifies this morally irresponsible attitude.

Pollution

Coal mining accounts for significant levels of air pollution, with 77% of minuscule dust particles being discharged from coal mines. These are very small particles that are particularly dangerous to humans (and other animals) because they can lodge the lungs. Andy’s comment about Harry spewing crap into the atmosphere (p 73) recognises this danger.

Fossil Fuels and Global Warming

A 2017 report by the Climate Council revealed that climate change, driven by greenhouse gas pollution from coal burning and other fossil fuels, is increasing the severity and frequency of many extreme weather events in Australia such as heat waves, bushfires and intense rainfall. Burning coal and other fossil fuels anywhere in the world (such as in China, where Harry’s company sells coal) increases the incidence and severity of extreme weather events across the globe.

Biodiversity Loss

Increasing numbers of endangered species - such as those in the Dixon- Brown index (p 19) - reveal an alarming loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is ‘the number, abundance, composition, spatial distribution, and interaction of genotypes, populations, species, functional types and traits, and landscape units in a given system’ (Diaz et al 2006). Biodiversity influences ecosystems, and ultimately benefits humans by making ‘human life both possible and worth living’. Humans benefit from ‘diversity of organisms that we have learned to use for medicines, foods, fibres, and other renewable resources’ (Diaz et al 2006). Biodiversity also influences human access to water and

11 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 basic materials for satisfactory life. Piper's observation that ‘when a species goes extinct our humanity goes with it’ (p 27) can be seen as an acknowledgement of the potential threats to our species from global warming.

Energy companies like Harry’s have contributed significantly to biodiversity loss, and Dixon Brown's decision to accept his money for the project to save tiger quolls (a species she considers statistically incapable of survival) makes her seem hypocritical as well as unethical. Andy’s reference to Dixon-Browns ‘environmental vandalism’ (p 71) suggests that her acceptance of funding from Harry's company makes her implicit in the damage to the environment caused by coal-fired power.

Alteration and Loss of Habitat

Loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on the world ecosystems. We have dramatically modified natural landscapes, decreased the populations of certain species by fishing and hunting, and transferred species from one part of the world to another. The operation of the natural environments caused the loss of native vegetation and a decrease in the number of animals that can feed and live in. The transformation of the forest into ‘prime agricultural land’ (p 23) significantly decreased the number of tiger quolls. When Harry was a child living in the Otways, the farmers considered the quolls to be pests that needed to be eradicated (p 6). This also helped to drive them to the edge of extinction.

Moreover, the introduction of non-native species (cats, sheep and cattle) into natural environments (such as the Otways) has led to imbalance in ecosystems. To reverse this imbalance, Harry proposes a cat eradication program as well as habitat restoration (p 47), which would be adversely affected by pollutants from mining coal if discovered and mined in the Otways.

12 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 GENRE, STRUCTURE & LANGUAGE

GENRE

The play uses plot, character and settings to tell a story. In Extinction four characters appear on stage and because their roles are roughly equal importance, the play is called an ‘ensemble piece’. Each character embodies particular themes and issues explored in the play, although sometimes their views alter in response to changing situations and relationships.

Playwrights also use generic features that are unique to performance, such as sets, stage directions, sound effects, props, lighting and costume. These are effective in subtly revealing aspects of theme and character.

STRUCTURE

Extinction is to act play divided into 12 scenes. Its uninterrupted linear structure registers the passing of time and is a reminder of Andy’s progressive deterioration and his impending death.

In the progression from one scene to the next, the characters’ shifting loyalties and inconsistent ethical positions are observed, and particular scenes are strategically placed to make this point. For example, Piper’s adamant refusal to become involved with Harry's tiger quoll project at the end of Act 1 is followed by Harry's seduction of Piper at the start of Act 2.

LANGUAGE

Much of the language in Extinction is blunt and to the point, reflecting the characters’ strong opinions. The use of swear words or profane language is pervasive in Extinction often with humorous effect. Swearing can also express intense anger and serious intent, for example the verbal interchange between Andy and Harry (p 91) is violent and conveys their enmity with each other, as well as their rejection of each other's values and attitudes.

13 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 THEMES, IDEAS & VALUES

THEME: EXTINCTION

Key Quotes

‘There's always a last one, isn't there? The last thylacine. The last dodo. Maybe this is the last tiger quall.’ Harry (p 10)

‘I have a terminal illness.’ Andy, (p 74)

‘We’re all just passing through.’ Piper, (p 96)

Loss of Species

In the opening scene we are asked to consider the extinction of endangered species such as the tiger quoll, and the attempts to save the species which are dependent on limited government funding. Dixon-Brown explains that ‘too much government money is wasted trying to say doomed animals’ (p 26).

Thus it is not only environmental factors that contribute to the extinction of species, but also economic decisions made by governments about which species are ‘worth’ saving. On a larger scale, the environmentalists in the play believe that the continued increase in greenhouse gases will eventually lead to the extinction of life on earth, no matter how many endangered species are saved. Piper, for instance, admonishes Harry about the ‘massive damage to the ecosystem’ caused by mining. (p 37).

14 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019

Simon Oats and Jessica Stanley, 2019 – Photo © Complete Works Theatre Company

The Death of the Individual

Harry's capacity to ‘destroy a life’ shows how suddenly a life can be extinguished, and Andy's imminent extinction shows that randomly allocated genes can make life tragically short. Other tragedies, such as the untimely death of Piper's father (pp 7-8) and the suicide of Axel (the son of a friend of Piper's mother, (p 68) also accentuate the fragility of human life and Andy’s generic inheritance is especially tragic because he has so much life to live for.

Key point: In highlighting the fragility of life, Rayson reminds audiences not to take our survival, either as individuals or as a species, for granted.

15 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Fear of nonbeing

Harry claims that its ‘the dying' that worries Piper. This, he argues, is why she burdens herself with responsibility of ‘keeping everything alive’ (p 66) by involving herself in the koala breeding program, the tiger quoll project and Beasts expensive cancer treatment. Although Harry claims to not ‘think about death’ (p 66), his actions and ambitions suggest otherwise. The ‘highways and bridges and railroads’ Harry builds (p 63), and his need for his life to ‘count for something’ (p 92), betray a fear of death: he seeks to create permanent reminders of his existence to alleviate this disquiet.

Dixon-Brown’s index and Piper's efforts to save endangered species are also linked to this deeper anxiety. As Piper explains, ‘when a species goes extinct our humanity goes with it’ (p 27). This suggests that saving a species creates an impression of human control over ‘nonbeing’.

Other ways of managing fears about death are shown through the recurring motifs of alcohol and sex.

Key point: Rayson looks at various forms of extinction within the play, ranging from the deaths of individual people and animals to the disappearance of entire species, in order to highlight the interdependence of all living creatures.

16 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 THEME: POWER

Key Quotes

‘If you want to make a difference to “the environment”, you have to be rich.’ Harry (p 63)

‘It's my company . . . which I founded. Which I run . . . In which I am the largest shareholder.’ Harry (p 85)

‘You were charmed by Harry Jewell.’ Dixon-Brown to Piper (p 88)

Electrical Power

The play proposes that protecting the natural environment is crucial to human survival. Harry represents the power of coal mining companies to override environmental concerns.

Economic Power

In Extinction, economic power is acquired through the exploitation of natural resources and the disembodiment of those who stand in the way of profit. Rayson implicitly condemns the power of money to override environmental concerns and ethical beliefs. Cash-strapped Dixon-Brown is induced to accept Harry's offer of $2 million for tiger quoll research (p 48), and the Vice Chancellor considers Harry's ‘dirty money’ (p 48) a powerful weapon in the ‘war’ against other universities (p 17).

Political Power

The environment Minister requires Dixon-Brown to update her index (p 18). It is a political directive connected to government funding, which Dixon-Brown might lose she does not comply. This may well reflect the growing political power of ordinary people who are concerned about the environment. Many of them ‘spend their weekends planting trees or cleaning up riverbanks’ (p 64), and they are beginning to influence political decision-making. This,

17 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Rayson suggests is an encouraging sign, and challenges Harry’s confident assertion that if you make a difference to the environment, you have to be rich’ (p 63).

Another kind of political power exists within institutional hierarchies, which grant great power to those at the top. This power can be abused. Dixon- Brown’s position of authority for example, is used to remove Piper when they both become involved with Harry on a personal level (p 88). Dixon-Brown also uses her power to have the incriminating email on the university server deleted by Alan Dodd at 2 o'clock in the morning. (p 93).

Personal Power

Harry’s charismatic power coupled with his considerable sexual power enable him to successful seduce both Piper and Heather. The convergence of his sexual power with the power of the coal he mines to produce energy is not coincidental. Both kinds of power are exploitative. In the end, Harry’s power is used to protect him and further his interests. Rayson’s suggestion that there may be a more respectful way of dealing with relationships on the one hand and the environment on the other.

18 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 THEME: RELATIONSHIPS

Key Quotes

‘People who have normal mothers don’t understand the horrors of having a weird one.’ Piper (p18)

‘I won’t have a relationship with anyone who is prepared to become a pinup girl for the mining industry … even though you are my sister...’ Andy (p 75)

‘[Beast] understands me better than anyone in the world.’ Piper. (p 34).

Husbands and Wives

• Marital relationships are mostly unsuccessful – Dixon-Brown and (the Buzzard) husband, Harry and Stephanie are good examples. • When families disintegrate there is often bitterness and anger – Alison’s bitterness following the divorce with Piper’ father, Stephanie’s acrimonious email to the Powerhouse Board and the University, Harry’s daughter blaming him for her unhappiness. • Not all relationships are completely flawed. Harry’s parents are still married and although during the play Andy and Piper break up for a time, the strength of their love enables them to confront and deal with the sadness to come.

Parents and Children

• Harry and his daughter – their relationship is quite loving and supportive. Harry is a more successful father than he is a husband. • Heather Dixon-Brown and her son Max - we get no sense they are emotionally connected, • Piper is critical of her mother, Alison, who cares about animals but her weird extreme veganism undermines their relationship.

19 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Sibling Relationships

• Andy Dixon and Heather Dixon-Brown initially share a close loving relationship and she attempts to comfort him as his condition deteriorates, enduring his anger and scorn. Their relationship is badly damaged when she ‘endorses environmental vandalism’ through accepting funding from Harry Jewell and Powerhouse.

Annie Last and Leigh Scully, 2019 – Photo © Complete Works Theatre Company

Key Point: ‘We are all connected in some way to family’. Through family relationships, Rayson provides deeper insights into her characters by giving us access to some of the intimate moments they share.

Relationships with other Species

• Piper has a strong affinity with animals – her compassionate response to the injured quoll, her reaction to Beast’s illness and her mothering of the baby possum are examples. • Harry’s nostalgic story of a quoll named Errol Flynn from his childhood. • Dogs – Piper’s Beast and Alison’s dog spoilt in Central Park. • The interconnection between humans and animals is highlighted through symbolism – tiger quolls on the edge of extinction symbolise the vulnerability of wildlife and natural ecosystems.

20 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 THEME: GENDER

Key Quotes

‘Are you like some cliché person? Having an affair? With your secretary or someone?’ Piper to Harry (p 9)

‘Can you please find me a man to marry? I want to be a housewife.’ Heather Dixon-Brown to Andy (p 28)

‘Say: ‘I love you. I want to marry you and have babies and live in a house together.’ Piper to Andy (p 53)

Stereotypes of Femininity

Being emotional rather than rational is a quality traditionally associated with female stereotypes.

• Piper’s emotional reaction to Beast’s illness • Alison’s highly exaggerated environmental values • Harry’s mother’s declaration that she is unfaithful to his father by falling in love with birds

Also part of the stereotypical representation of the feminine is Piper's beauty (p 30) - a traditional feature of fictional heroines. This emphasises the importance of a woman's appearance; the same is not the case for the male characters. Dixon Brown’s expenditure on beauty treatments (p 29) implicitly endorses the sexist notion that it is a woman's appearance that matters most. Yet, Rayson also emphasises Dixon-Brown’s departure from stereotypical femininity. With a PhD in statistics (p 25) and a mistrust of ‘cute’ animals (p 47), Dixon-Brown has created an algorithm to rank animals according to their chances of survival (p 26). What is puzzling, however, is how easily this unsentimental, professional woman is seduced by Harry Jewell, who charms her with his eloquence about the rainforest and his fondness for tiger quolls (p

21 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 49), despite the risk this poses to her professional reputation. This represents female identity as complex, with emotional needs being foreground but also having to be weighed against the sometimes competing demands of ethical and material concerns.

Key point: A stereotypically ‘feminine’ sensibility is often connected with environmental values and the ‘masculine’ is traditionally aligned with economic interests. The boundaries between these oppositions I blurred in the play and become more complicated as the play progresses.is made of Medea’s exotic nature as a barbarian witch, although the only character in the play who denigrates Medea for this is Jason, who uses whatever convenient ploy he can to justify his actions.

Stereotypes of Masculinity

Harry is defined by his wealth and power. Having ‘built Powerhouse from scratch’ (p 56), he is a self-made man. And the ‘highways, bridges and railroads’ (p 63) he will leave behind are a testament to his creative, traditionally ‘masculine’ power. Harry is also sexually experienced and highly predatory. His seduction of Dixon-Brown, and especially of Piper (p 61), makes him look like the archetypal male villain.

Jessica Stanley and Simon Oats, 2019 – Photo © Complete Works Theatre Company

22 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Andy is the character most committed to the environment, and he shares important values with Piper and Dixon-Brown. His actions, however, are often aligned with the conventional masculine paradigms: historic silence (a kind of heroic self-sacrifice) about his terminal illness, for example, might be construed as typically masculine (p 30). He is also plays ‘tragic hero’ - doomed by fate to an untimely death and proudly refusing to be pitied (p43). Andy’s stated decision to end his relationship with Piper because she supports Harry's ‘environmental vandalism’ (p 71) is highly idealistic, or perhaps extremely ‘stubborn’ (p 57).

As a result of Andy's refusal to compromise his principles, he alone occupies the moral high ground, which is, as Dixon-Brown points out, a lonely place to be (p 73). As the heroic loner, Andy fulfils a traditional male role in his pursuit of a seemingly unattainable ideal. Yet, through his reconciliation with Piper, he allows himself to feel pitied by her and accepts that he cannot ‘travel the road ahead’ alone (p 96).

VALUES AND ETHICS

KEY QUOTES

‘an institute committed to ecology accepting money from the biggest greenhouse polluters on the planet. Some people would think that was compromising . . . ‘ Dixon-Brown to Harry, (p 48)

‘I can assure you, there is nothing going on with me and Harry Jewell.’ Piper to Dixon-Brown (p 79)

‘Most people don't have the time to be the idealists you want them to be. They are too busy paying off the mortgage . . . ‘ Harry to Piper, (p 64)

The characters in Extinction embody particular values that are aligned with either the environment or the economy. The character adhering most uncompromisingly to his values throughout the play is Andy. His

23 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 environmental principles are more important to him than his sister and the woman he loves. He angrily accuses them of environmental vandalism (p 71) insisting that he will fight her until the day he can ‘no longer stand up’ (p 75). Rayson suggests that, despite their commendable values, highly committed individuals such as Andy and Piper's mother, Alison, often take such uncompromising ethical positions that they can drive people away (p 74). As he deteriorates, Andy becomes more inflexible, literally pushing away both Dixon- Brown and Piper.

Diametrically opposed to Andy is Harry, whose economic values not only contaminate the environment, but whose moral values (or lack thereof) corrupt those to whom Andy is closest. Harry convinces both Dixon-Brown and Piper to accept funding and employment from a profiteering ‘Carbon criminal’ (p 65), and to enter into inappropriate sexual relationships with him. Harry's economic values are clearly highly beneficial to himself. He makes a, ‘shitload of money’ (p 61) and can have everything he wants (p 69). Yet, he firmly believes that coal mining is beneficial to others: the Chinese, for example, who have ‘a right to electricity’ (p 38).

Harry is an optimist with a strong belief in ‘the human capacity to achieve great things’ (p 65), and he considers the future prospect of ‘clean coal’ (p 61) sufficient reason to inflict damage on the environment. Despite this, Harry also values the environment, he wants to protect the Otway rainforest and save the tiger quoll from extinction. Harry's apparent interest in environmental issues is intertwined with his personal connection with Otways, and he shows little regard for wider environmental issues. In the end, Harry's competing values are irreconcilable, and his primary concern is that he has ‘lost everything’ (p 92).

Between the strongly held views of Andy and Harry are the shifting positions of Piper and Dixon-Brown: environmentalists who are swayed by charisma and the persuasive power of Harry. Piper’s core values are underpinned by her environmental principles and a strong commitment to endangered

24 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 species. When she breaks up with Andy she adopts some of Harry's values, reiterating his fine sounding words about believing in his own species (p 76). This prioritises humans over other species, implying that ‘the human capacity to achieve great things’ somehow excuses the environmental degradation caused by coal-fired power’ (p 65). Piper naïvely accepts these propositions. Her sexual relations with Harry (p 61) and her disregard for her ‘carbon footprint’ in flying home to see Beast (p 69) highlight the extent of her ethical compromises. Her ethical position, it seems, fluctuates according to her involvement with either Andy or Harry.

Having initially rejected his two million-dollar offer for a research project, describing it as ‘dirty money’ (p 48), Dixon-Brown totally alienates Andy, who cannot tolerate her capitulation to ‘environmental vandalism’ (p 71). She deceives Piper over the incriminating email (pp87-8) and involves Alan Dodd in unethical behaviour when they delete the email from the university server (pp92-3). Dixon-Brown's actions show the steady deterioration of a person’s ethical principle when core values are tainted by self-interest. She becomes a symbol of the progressive degradation of a clean environment by a powerful polluting agent.

The ending of a work of fiction often reveals the authors values. In the final scene of Extinction, the values of Rayson's characters are either condemned or endorsed - although not unequivocally. Harry who loses ‘everything’ (p 92) elicits audience sympathy. Most sympathetically endorsed is Andy, not simply because he is dying, but because of his self-sacrificing nature and his strong commitment to environmental sustainability. It is these characteristics that Rayson values and asks audiences to value as well.

25 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 TWO INTERPRETATIONS OF EXTINCTION

The following discussion shows how contrasting interpretations of Extinction can be equally plausible. Note that very different interpretations of character can be supported by specific examples of dialogue, generic features, behaviour and events.

Interpretation 1: Extinction is a play about the power of money

Harry Jewell wants tiger quolls back in the Otway's, and his access to $2 million makes this possible. In Extinction, those with money are clearly able to exert their influence and act in ways that serve their own interests. The actions of wealthy characters, such as Harry and Clovis Carter, can damage people and have harmful consequences for the community and environment, yet they are unable to be restrained. Rayson suggests however, that the power of money can also result in unpleasant outcomes for those who misuse it. Despite this, it is the profit driven mining company, Powerhouse, that emerges victorious at the end of the play. Other kinds of power, such as the personal power of a forceful character and the political power of authority, can be employed to suppress and silence those who are less powerful; but it is the power of money that speaks most loudly.

Much of Harry's power is connected with his wealth, symbolised by his car (Porsche), referred to by Andy as a ‘cruise missile’ (p 13); the metaphor draws attention to its destructive capacity (it effectively kills the tiger quoll) and its expensive price tag. Harry’s position as CEO of Powerhouse granting access to farmland in the Otway's, despite the threat to the livelihood of farmers such as Corky Dent (p 24). Powerhouse’s enormous financial power and Harry's plan to ‘bring jobs and people back to [his] hometown’ (p 37) completely override farmers’ rights and environmental considerations. The power of mining companies is also destructive on a global scale. Highly profitable coal exports to developing nations such as China, which, Harry argues, have ‘a right to electricity’ (p 38), contribute significantly to global

26 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 warming and biodiversity loss. Harry's argument that ‘you have to be rich’ to make a difference to the environment (p 63) seeks to justify the damage caused by his vast mining operations. Ironically, the ‘difference’ that Harry will make by ‘spewing crap into the atmosphere’ (p 63) is a more damaged ecosystem. The irony is his desire to save one tiger quoll while contributing to the eradication of an entire species will not be lost on Rayson’s audience.

Harry's wealth also contributes to his charismatic personality; he is a man accustomed to getting everything he wants (p 69) and immediately commands the attention of Piper and the audience with his determination to save the tiger quoll. He gains Piper’s approval through his tenderness towards the injured quoll and the touching revelation of his love for his daughter, who has unfairly rejected him (p 7). Harry’s wealth also enhances his sexual power, and the connection he makes between money and eroticism (p 61) is highly revealing of his core values. He charms Prof Dixon persuading her to accept an offer of $2.8 million to restore the tiger quolls habitat (p 72), overwriting her ethical objections with the combined power of his language and his sexual appeal.

Indeed, Harry seduces both Dixon-Brown and Piper. Piper is impressed by his sexual expertise (p 67) and swayed by the strength of his belief in his own species to achieve great things (p 65) It is himself, however, in whom Harry believes most strongly, and he cites the ‘highways bridges and railroads’ (p 63) he has built as evidence of his power. Although Harry is partly redeemed by his desire to see the forest and his fondness for the quoll, it is money that most often motivates him. After he is sacked by the board of Powerhouse (p 88), Harry claims that he has lost ‘everything’ (p 92), which refers mostly to his wealth. Through his dramatic downfall, Rayson suggests that the pursuit of wealth and power creates a materialistic and destructive culture in which even the most powerful people can become victims.

Wealthier and more powerful than Harry is mining tycoon Clovis Carter, who manages to ‘muscle’ his way onto the Powerhouse board (p 56). The $30

27 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 million that the company will make (p 92) ensures that no one will ‘stand between them and the forest’ (p 91). The ethical compromises made by Dixon-Brown and the University Vice Chancellor in accepting Harry's ‘dirty money’ (p 48) also suggest that even the people seemingly most committed to the environment can be bought at the right price. Those who steadfastly stand by their environmental principles, such as Andy, are deemed ‘stubborn’ (p 57) and ‘negative’ (p 66) and are mocked or ignored. Throughout the play, the imagery connected with Andy subtly reinforces this point, Andy like the tiger quoll, is on the brink of extinction. Stage directions that draw attention to Andy’s loss of physical power (‘he clutches the side of the desk’ (p 73) also suggest the vulnerability of those who oppose the interests of big business.

Rayson’s play suggests that environmental degradation will make life unsustainable, not just for endangered species but ultimately for human habitation as well. The message for Rayson's audience is clear: like the cancer afflicting Piper's dog, Beast (p 33), the destruction of the environment can be slowed down if we care enough to take action. The play suggests that the challenge for human beings in the 21st century is to resist the power of money to provide short-term gain and to find a long-term sustainable balance between the environment and the economy.

28 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Interpretation 2: Rayson reminds us that it is our relationships that matter most

The characters in Extinction embody competing environmental and economic values, which come into conflict as the drama unfolds. In deciding what matters most, the characters are compelled to examine their value, sometimes making ethically unacceptable compromises and putting considerable strain on personal relationships. Also significant is the relationship between human beings and the environment which in Extinction, is often shown to be unsatisfactory. In the end, Rayson’s play shows that morally justifiable choices must be made in order to sustain relationships, both with other people and with the environment. Regrettably, in the pursuit of wealth and power, ethical values and fulfilling relationships are often sacrificed. Rayson's play shows how essential these relationships are for our physical survival and emotional well-being.

Despite his high-powered career, it is clear that Harry's family relationships matter a great deal to him. His close relationship with mother, who once had a pet tiger quoll (p 4), has made him protective of quolls and committed to restoring their habitat in the Otway's. Harry cherishes the memory of his grandfather who respected the forest and ‘allowed the mystery of it to be part of his life’ (p 49). His relationship with his daughter very important to him. He is distressed by her rejection of him and regrets not being there to share her precious teenage years (p 7). He is also deeply upset that his wife, Stephanie, leaves him for his ‘Best moment’ and is devastated when she sends incriminating email to all university staff on the board of Powerhouse (p 92). Harry, the smooth-talking environmental polluter and sexual opportunist, is humanised by his relationships with his family. Yet he has seemingly prioritised the company he ‘built from scratch’ (p 56) over his family. As he explains to Piper, ‘people like me work hard. We’re absent. We hurt people’ (p9). When Harry realises he has ‘lost everything’ (p 92), he means not only his company but also friendship, home and family. He has realised too late that these relationships are more important to him than wealth and power.

29 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Family is also important to Rayson’s characters, although some of their relationships are seriously damaged by the clash between their conflicting values. Andy confides in his sister, Heather Dixon-Brown, about the onset of his terminal illness because she's the person he is ‘closest to’ (p 43). Dixon-Brown's relationship with Andy is important to her. She wants to be there for him (p 43) as his illness progresses and to look after him, despite his hostility and aggression towards her (p 75). Yet when she accepts Harry's offer of funding, Andy tells her that she has destroyed their relationship and that he will fight her until the day he can ‘no longer stand up’ (p 75).

Andy's personal relationships are closely tied to his uncompromising environmental standards, and he considers shared values essential for sustainable relationships. Despite the fact that Andy is still in love with Piper, he ends his relationship with her, declaring that he does not want to be with someone who would even contemplate ‘environmental vandalism’ (p 71). Yet, as Dixon-Brown observes, Andy and Piper are ‘fundamentally right together’ (p 21), even if they ‘argue all the time’ (p 22). Piper's strong commitment to doing everything possible to help a dying loved one (p 35) affirms the importance of loving and compassionate relationships. Recognising this, Andy finally submits to Piper’s need to travel with him on the road that ‘leads to sadness’ (p 96).

The motif of human relationships in Extinction also encompasses the link between human beings and the natural world. As Piper puts it, ‘when a species goes extinct our humanity goes with it’ (p 27). This is a timely reminder that all life on Earth is dependent on increasingly fragile ecosystems. Rayson confronts audiences with the connection between their comfortable modern lifestyles, for which turning ‘the lights on’ (p 37) is essential, and the effects of global warming - particularly as a consequence of burning fossil fuels. Harry observes that people delude themselves by thinking that they simply need to ‘change the light bulbs’, ‘save your lunch wrap’ and ‘take your own scruffy bag to the supermarket’ (p 64) in order to save the planet. What is really needed, suggests Rayson, is a major reduction in greenhouse gases, which

30 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 means that people like Harry Jewell must stop ‘spewing crap into the atmosphere’ (p 73). This requires a more rapid transformation to solar, wind and hydropower in order to create a more sustainable relationship with the other organisms with which we share the planet (p 38).

The thematic link between the tiger quoll on the brink of extinction and Andy's terminal illness is another reminder of the ecological interdependence of animals and humans, and their mutual reliance on a sustainable planet. The image of a living, breathing tiger quoll seen by Andy and Piper on the monitor in the Rescue Centre (p 96) delivers an optimistic message about our relationship with the environment; it suggests that human intervention can protect endangered species. Although Andy will die, the human race, the world fragile and interlocking ecosystems, must survive.

Extinction shows that personal relationships can sustain the individual through difficult times, even though conflicting values and shifting ethical positions tend to damage these close connections, sometimes irrevocably. Extinction also suggests that the degree to which the characters respect and care for each other is a measure of the ways they interact with the environment. As Piper reminds us, ‘we all exist in relationship with one another’ (p 67).

31 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 ESSAY TIPS

This section focuses on your own analytical writing on the text and gives you strategies for producing high-quality responses in your coursework and exam essays.

ESSAY WRITING – AN OVERVIEW

An essay on a literary work is a formal and serious piece of writing that presents your point of view on the text, usually in response to a given topic. Your ‘point of view’ in an essay is your interpretation of the meaning of the texts language, structure, characters, situations and events, supported by detailed analysis of textual evidence.

ANALYSE – DON’T SUMMARISE

In your essays it is important to avoid simply summarising what happened in the text.

• A summary is a description or paraphrase (retelling in different words) of the characters and events. For example: ‘Macbeth has a horrifying vision of a dagger dripping with blood before he goes to murder King Duncan.’ • An analysis is an explanation of the real meaning or significance that lies ‘beneath’ the text words (and images, for a film). For example: ‘Macbeth's vision of a bloody dagger shows how deeply uneasy he is about the violent act he is contemplating and conveys his sense that supernatural forces are impelling him to act.’

A limited amount of summary is sometimes necessary to let your reader know which part of the text you wish to discuss. However, always keep this to a minimum and following immediately with your analysis of what this part of the text is really telling us.

32 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 PLAN YOUR ESSAY

Carefully plan your essay so that you have a clear idea of what you are going to say. The plan ensures that your ideas flow logically, but your argument remains consistent and that you stay on topic. An essay plan should be a list of brief points covering no more than half a page.

• Include your central argument and main contention - a concise statement of your overall response to the topic. • Write three or four points for each paragraph, indicating the main idea and evidence/examples from the text. Note that in your essay you will need to expand on these points and analyse the evidence. • STRUCTURE YOUR ESSAY

An essay is a complete, self-contained piece of writing. It has a clear beginning (introduction), middle (several body paragraphs) and end (the last paragraph or conclusion). It must also have a central argument that runs throughout, linking each paragraph to form a coherent whole.

The introduction establishes your overall response to the topic. It includes your main contention and outlines the main evidence you will refer to in the course of your essay. Write your introduction after you have done a plan and before you write the rest of the essay.

The body paragraphs argue your case - they present evidence from the text and explain how this evidence supports your argument. Body paragraphs need:

• A strong topic sentence (usually the first sentence) that states the main point being made in the paragraph • evidence from the text, including some brief quotations • analysis of the textual evidence, with explanation of its significance and how it supports your argument

33 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 • links back to the topic in one or more statements, usually towards the end of the paragraph.

Connect the body paragraphs so that your discussion flows smoothly. Use some linking words and phrases such as ‘similarly’ and ‘on the other hand’, they don't start every paragraph like this. Another strategy is to use a significant word from the last sentence of one paragraph in the first sentence of the next. Use key terms from the topic - or synonyms for them – throughout, so the relevance of your discussion to the topic is always clear.

The conclusion ties everything together and finishes the essay. It includes strong statements that emphasise your central argument and provide a clear response to the topic.

Avoid simply restating the points made earlier in the essay - this will end on a very flat note and implying that you have run out of ideas and vocabulary. The conclusion should be a logical extension of what you have written, not just the repetition or summary of it. Writing an effective conclusion can be a challenge. Try using the following tips.

• Start by linking back to the final sentence on the second last paragraph - this helps your writing to flow rather than leading back to your main contention straight away. • Use synonyms and expressions with equivalent meanings to vary your vocabulary. This allows you to reinforce your line of argument without being repetitive. • When planning your essay, think one or two broad statements all observations about the text wider meaning. These should be related to the topic and your overall argument. Keep them for the conclusion, since they will give you something ‘new’ to say but still follow logically from your discussion. The introduction will be focused on the topic, but the conclusion can present a wider view of the text.

34 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 VOCABULARY FOR WRITING ON EXTINCTION

It is important not just to identify the following features but to show an understanding of how they convey meaning.

Characterisation: playwrights construct characters mostly through dialogue, relationships and stage directions. Andy’s staunch environmental standards, for example, shows that he is an uncompromising character. His dialogue is often straightforward and abrupt - as when he angrily orders Dixon-Brown to ‘leave [Him] alone (p 72); his actions can be rough - as when he pushes Dixon-Brown out of the door (p 75). His relationship with Piper shows that he is also loving and self-sacrificing. Emotional components of Andy’s character are revealed through tone - as when he sarcastically responds, ‘as if’, to Dixon-Browns’ concern that Harry might kill him (p 92). In this, as in many other instances, Andy’s language and actions are those of a dying man who is angry about the ‘mutation’ he has inherited (p 74).

Dialogue: Dixon-Brown's language is that of an intelligent professional woman when discussing university politics (pp17-18) and environmental research data (p 26). In informal conversation she is often witty: she described her ex- husband's idea of extreme adventure as ‘buying his socks from a different department store’ (p 21). She is vitriolic when she confronts Harry about his relationship with Piper (pp83-4) and is coldly clinical when she dismisses Piper from the project (p87). Sarcasm reveals her disapproval - for example, of Stuart Decker.

Piper’s language often shows a tendency to be highly emotional. She is sentimental about ‘adorable little koalas’ (p 52) and desolate over Beast’s cancer (p 32), for which she rather melodramatically blames her mother (p 33). She is completely overwhelmed by the death of her father (p 7). The intensity of Pipers emotions is evident in her determination to sacrifice herself for the man she loves.

35 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Harry’s language is that of the smooth operator who ‘sweet talks’ the Board of Powerhouse (p 91), and who charms and seduces the female characters, convincing them to abandon or at least compromise their principles. Harry can be intimate and confining with Piper, and blunt and abusive with Andy (p 91); in any situation he is adept at using language to achieve this purpose.

Setting: the time and place in which the action takes place, setting is also revealing of character. The animal rescue centre, for example, is connected with caring and compassion, and is often where Piper and Andy are located. Dixon-Brown's arrival there with a box of groceries for Andy (pp71-2) suggest her capacity for caring and compassion.

Costume: the clothes worn by the characters are also revealing of personalities and values.

Irony: this is an effect or tone created when an outcome is the opposite of what is intended by a character or expected by the audience. Harry's seduction of Dixon-Brown is part of his strategy to protect the Otway rainforest. Ironically, it is also the cause of his sacking by the board and the cancellation of the tiger quoll project designed to save the animals and the rainforest. Irony is also created by a significant discrepancy between appearance and reality; an audience is usually aware of this but particular characters are not. Piper sees Andy’s refusal to make a commitment to her is evidence of his lack of love for her, for example while the audience knows it is, in fact the opposite.

Lighting: the use of stage lighting can highlight (or possibly conceal) certain aspect of a setting or character.

Motif: a recurring image or idea in a work of literature is known as a motif. In Extinction, death is a motif, evident in the death of the tiger call in the opening scene; the suicide of Axel (the son of a friend of Piper's mother); and his terminal illness; and the possible extinction of life on earth.

36 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Stage directions: These are instructions in the text to show the director and set designer about the appearance of the set, and to the director and actors about delivery and body movements.

Symbol: An object that represents a larger concept or abstract quality is being used symbolically. For example, the powerful predatory birds Harry admires (the Powerful Owl and the Barking Owl, p 62) symbolise his sexually predatory intentions regarding Piper and Dixon-Brown.

Props: in the theatrical context, items associated with the set (such as the examination table in the rescue centre) or the characters (such as Harry's towel or Pipers syringe and saline in the opening scene) are known as props.

Tone: the tone of the piece is the emotion conveyed by a particular vocabulary or syntax, as well as (in the performance of the play) by actor’s vocal quality. For example, Andy’s terror and rage are evident when he describes the disease as ‘happening in my body . . . In every cell. Of my body’ (p 74). The emphasis on ‘my’ in and his first statement bluntly reminds his sister that she has not inherited the gene, and the truncated syntax and repetition in the following two statements reinforce the point and the emotion.

37 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 ESSAY TOPICS

Here are some examples of essay topics.

1. ‘The notion of extinction is explored in many different ways in Hannie

Rayson’s play.’ Discuss.

2. ‘Extinction suggests that the interest in the economy will always clash

with the needs of the environment.’ Discuss.

3. ‘The women in Extinction are portrayed as being weaker than the

men.’ To what extent do you agree?

4. “People are passionate about their moral principles which serve their

own purposes.” How true is this of the characters in Extinction?

5. ‘Extinction is more about revenge and betrayal than it is about love

and loyalty.’ To what extent do you agree?

6. “I don't want to be with someone who would even contemplate

environmental vandalism . . .”

‘Extinction shows us that shared values and beliefs are at the centre of

good relationships.’ Discuss.

7. ‘The characters care more about the animals in their lives than they

do about their personal relationships.’ Do you agree?

8. ‘Heather Dixon-Brown is an ambitious woman who is motivated only

by self-interest.’ Do you agree?

9. “[Andy] euthanises the quoll. It dies the heartbeat stops. Silence.”

How does the staging of the play convey ideas about extinction and

survival?

38 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 SAMPLES: ANALYSING A TOPIC

EXAMPLE ONE

QUESTION: ‘Extinction is more about revenge and betrayal than it is about love and loyalty.’ To what extent do you agree?

ANSWER:

INTRODUCTION

The arrival of Harry Jewell in the Otways propels the other characters in Hannie Rayson’s Extinction into conflict with each other as they align themselves with opposing economic and environmental values. Under Harry's influence, some characters betray their principals: Piper and Dixon-Brown establish professional and personal relationships with Harry, whom they consider to be an environmental polluter. Consequently, the supportive and loving relationships between Piper, Andy and Dixon-Brown are destabilised and they become bitter and vengeful. Piper betrays Andy with Harry, whose wife inflicts a savage revenge upon him. Yet the enduring love and loyalty shared by Andy and Piper are ultimately shown to be stronger than the anger and bitterness that pervades the play.

BODY PARAGRAPH OUTLINE

Paragraph 1: Betrayal and revenge are major motives in Extinction.

• The arrival of Harry introduces the motifs of betrayal and revenge. His wife has betrayed him by having sex with his best friend, apparently as revenge for the way he has hurt her by being ‘absent’ (p 9). • Dixon-Brown betrays her environmental and ethical principles by accepting Harry's ‘dirty money’ (p 48) and having sex with him. • Piper betrays her emotional and ethical principles by accepting a job from Harry.

39 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 • Harry feels betrayed by Stephanie when she sends the incriminating email that destroys him - Stephanie also takes revenge on Harry for his infidelity with Dixon-Brown.

Paragraph 2: Nearly all the characters in Extinction seek vengeance at some point.

• Having sex with Harry is Piper's revenge against Andy for his refusal to commit to a long-term relationship. • The Board of Powerhouse takes revenge on Harry by sacking him for misrepresenting the tiger quoll project as an environmental-impact study. • Dixon-Brown takes revenge on Piper, for whom Harry abandons her for , by implying that the incriminating email was about Piper and Harry and also by sacking her. • The characters’ desire for vengeance suggest a degree of vindictive self-centeredness.

Paragraph 3: Ultimately the forces of love and loyalty are just as important as those of betrayal and revenge.

• Dixon-Brown shows loyalty to Andy by enduring his anger and abuse and attempting to care for him as his condition deteriorates. • Although it can be seen as Clovis Carter's revenge, there is a satisfying sense of moral justice in Harry's sacking by the Powerhouse Board. This could also be seen as an example of Clovis Carter's loyalty to his niece - Harry's wife. Piper and Andy are reconciled, and Piper’s dog, Beast, has treatment for his cancer. Piper's commitment to those she loves- especially when they are on the edge of ‘extinction’ - shows that love and loyalty can have positive effects.

40 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 CONCLUSION

In a play that abounds with active betrayal and revenge, there are also inspiring acts of love and loyalty. Andy's self-sacrificing love for Piper, and Piper's determination to travel ‘’the road that leads to sadness’ with Andy, demonstrates the strength of their relationship. This is represented by the Tiger quolls steady heartbeat on the monitor. The heart, which is symbolic of both love and life, shows the importance of unselfish and compassionate relationships, both between human beings and with all living creatures. These relationships, in turn, will help to enrich and preserve all life on earth.

41 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 QUESTION: “[Andy] euthanises the quoll. It dies the heartbeat stops. Silence.” How does the staging of the play convey ideas about extinction and survival?

ANSWER:

In Extinction, the death of a tiger quoll is the prelude to a bleak narrative that includes terminal illness and the possible extinction of endangered species. Through the recurring motif of death, Hannie Rayson conveys deep concerns about global warming and the extinction of life on earth. These concerns are subtly reinforced by the staging of the play, and also by the construction of characters who struggle with ethical dilemmas and personal crises. As audiences engage with the characters, and contemplate the alarming effects of emotional destruction, they are presented with the depressing vision of the future; yet Rayson also suggests that there is hope.

Andy’s ‘terminal illness’, keeps the presence of death centre stage and his dialogue includes many direct references to his death. He tells his sister that ‘the gun has gone off ‘and he is heading for ‘blindness and gibbering dementia’. His is tone is harsh and confronting as he resists his sister's well- meaning attempts to comfort him and immerses himself in the horrific details of his illness. Stage directions throughout the play carry visible reminders of his physical decline. In the opening scene he ‘staggers and collapses’ and later in the play he ‘drops an item and clutches the side of the desk.’ The tiger quoll on the edge of extinction as a symbolic connection with Andy: in particular, the injured quoll in the opening scene, which Andy euthanises because, like him it has ‘no hope of surviving’. Audiences are strongly positioned to sympathise with Andy, not only because of his tragic fate but also because of his unwavering commitment to the environment. He alone resists Harry Jewell, whose coal mining activities contribute to global warming. The thematic link between and his deterioration and the endangered tiger quoll highlights significant environmental concerns, which unlike Andy's illness might be alleviated if appropriate action is taken.

42 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Stage directions are effectively combined with symbolism and dialogue to emphasise the play’s focus on death and destruction. Harry, the primary agent of destruction, is symbolically linked to the predatory birds he admires, the Powerful Owl and the Barking Owl. His Porsche is described by Andy as a ‘cruise missile’, a weapon used to destroy military targets; it represents Harry's power as CEO of the mining company whose operations will further damage the fragile ecosystem of the Otways and push endangered species closer to extinction. Revealed through Harry's dialogue is his family's connection with the destruction of local native flora and fauna. This includes farmers on his father's side who eradicated tiger quolls, and generations of timber cutters on his mother's side. Rayson also emphasises Harry's capacity for destruction through a thematic connection between his coal mining activities, which ‘spew crap into the atmosphere’, and the power of his ‘dirty money’ to corrupt Dixon-Brown. In accepting his offer of $2.8 million, she compromises her professional integrity and her environmental principles. Ironically, Harry's actions are also self-destructive and he ultimately loses everything. His sense of loss is conveyed in stage directions that described him as ‘distraught’ and ‘devastated’. Moreover, the relentless pursuit of wealth and power in the modern world, as Rayson clearly reminds the audience, can also result in the extinction of life on earth.

Despite a focus on death and destruction, Rayson offers the audience moments of optimism through the imagery of renewal. Pipers dog, Beast, will receive treatment for his cancer, and Piper reminds Harry that there are people who ‘spend their weekends planting trees or cleaning up riverbanks’. Thus Rayson’s message of hope is not so much about someone like Harry being ‘Master of the Universe’, but more about the willingness of ordinary people transform ‘the way they live’. This is a clear invitation to the audiences, we can also take action to minimise the impact of human activities on the environment. Also positive is the repair of Andy and Piper’s damaged relationship. Indicating his need to have her back in his life. In

43 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 doing so, he accepts her pity and compassion, and her need to travel with him on the ‘road that leads to sadness’.

The progression from the play’s pessimistic opening scene to the subdued optimism of attending audiences feeling cautiously hopeful for the future. In the end, Extinction celebrates the potential of human relationships - with each other and with the natural world - to put things right.

44 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019 Online Resources

Below is a list of online resources. These include links to pages with additional information on themes (and more) that can be used as background research for students or in the classroom.

Insight Text Guide - Extinction by Sue Sherman http://www.litcharts.com/lit/medea

Reading Australia, biography on the Playwright Hannie Rayson https://readingaustralia.com.au/books/extinction/

The Garret: Writers on Writing, To listen to the full interview or to read a transcript go to: https://thegarretpodcast.com/hannie-rayson/ References

Sherman, s. (2017). Insight Text Guide - Extinction Available at: https://www.schoolbooks.com.au/books/product/insight-text-guide:-extinction

45 Complete Works Theatre Company – Extinction Teachers' Notes 2019