EDUCATION On Cue MARY STUART Table of Contents About On Cue and STC 2 Curriculum Connections 3 Cast and Creatives 4 Th e Playwright in Conversation 5 Synopsis/Context 6 Context & History 7 Character Analysis 8 Style 13 Th emes and Ideas 14 Elements of Production 19 Reference List 20 Compiled by Jacqui Cowell. Th e activities and resources contained in this document are designed for educators as the starting point for developing more comprehensive lessons for this production. Jacqui Cowell is the Education Projects Offi cer for the Sydney Th eatre Company. You can contact Jacqui on jcowell@sydneytheatre. com.au. © Copyright protects this Education Resource. Except for purposes permitted by the Copyright Act, reproduction by whatever means in prohibited. How ever, limited photocopying for classroom use only is permitted by educational institutions. 1 About On Cue and STC ABOUT ON CUE ABOUT SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY STC Ed has a suite of resources located on our website to In 1980, STC’s fi rst Artistic Director Richard Wherrett enrich and strengthen teaching and learning surrounding defi ned STC’s mission as to provide “fi rst class theatrical the plays in the STC season. entertainment for the people of Sydney – theatre that is grand, vulgar, intelligent, challenging and fun.” Each school show will be accompanied by an On Cue e-publication which will feature essential information for Almost 40 years later, that ethos still rings true. teachers and students, such as curriculum links, information about the playwright, synopsis, character analysis, thematic STC off ers a diverse program of distinctive theatre of vision analysis and suggested learning experiences. and scale at its harbourside home venue, Th e Wharf; Roslyn Packer Th eatre at Walsh Bay; and Sydney Opera House, as its For more in-depth digital resources surrounding resident theatre company. productions, please visit the STC Ed page on our website. STC has a proud heritage as a creative hub and incubator Such resources include: for Australian theatre and theatre makers, developing and • Director documentaries producing eclectic Australian works, interpretations of classic • Design sketchbooks repertoire and great international writing. STC strives to create theatre experiences that refl ect Sydney’s distinctive personality and engage audiences. Strongly committed to engagement in the community, STC’s Education and Communities programs aim to inspire theatre appreciation and participation not only in theatres but also in schools, community halls; wherever people get together. STC off ers an innovative School Drama™ program; partners with groups in metropolitan Sydney, regional centres and rural areas; and reaches beyond NSW with touring productions throughout Australia. Th rough these partnerships and initiatives, STC plays a part in ensuring a creative, forward- thinking and sociable future by engaging with young people, students and teachers. Th e theatre careers of many of Australia’s internationally renowned artists have been launched and fostered at STC, including Mel Gibson, Judy Davis, Hugo Weaving, Toni Collette, Rose Byrne, Benedict Andrews and Cate Blanchett. STC oft en collaborates with international artists and companies and, in recent years, the company’s international profi le has grown signifi cantly with productions touring extensively to great acclaim. STC is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, by its arts funding and advisory body, and by the New South Wales Government through Arts NSW. sydneytheatre.com.au 2 Curriculum Connections Th e cast of Sydney Th eatre Company’s Mary Stuart. © Brett Boardman SUITABLE FOR Students in Years 10 to 12 SUBJECTS DRAMA HISTORY ENGLISH Stage 5 Stage 4 Stage 6 suggested related texts Dramatic Traditions and Performance Medieval Europe, Elizabethan Period Year 11: Advanced Module A - Styles: Scripted Drama Narratives that Shape the World Stage 6 Year 11: Extension 1 - Texts, Culture Stage 6 Extension History: Constructing and Value Links to Topic 3: Th e Voice of Women History, Case study of Medieval and Year 12: Common Module - Texts and in Th eatre early Modern History Human Experience Year 12: Extension 1 - Common Stage 6 Module: Literary Worlds Modern History Year 12: Extension 1 - Elective 2: Worlds of Upheaval 3 SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS Mary Stuart A new adaptation by Kate Mulvany, after Friedrich Schiller MORTIMER COMPOSER & RPT DEPUTY HEAD Fayssal Bazzi SOUND DESIGNER ELECTRICIAN/LIGHTING Max Lyandvert OPERATOR MARY STUART Harry Clegg Caroline Brazier FIGHT DIRECTOR Nigel Poulton RPT HEAD SOUND PAULET Kevin White Simon Burke ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Madelieine Humphreys RPT HEAD MECHANIST SHREWSBURY Steve Mason Peter Carroll VOICE & TEXT COACH Charmian Gradwell RPT HEAD FLYMAN BURLEIGH Chris Fleming Tony Cogin PRODUCTION MANAGER Genevieve Jones REHEARSAL LEICESTER PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew McFarlane STAGE MANAGER Brett Boardman Minka Stevens DAVISON PRODUCTION Rahel Romahn DEPUTY STAGE PHOTOGRAPHER MANAGER Brett Boardman QUEEN ELIZABETH Katie Hankin Helen Thomson 1 HOURS 40 MINUTES, ASSISTANT STAGE NO INTERVAL AUBERSPINE MANAGER Matthew Whittet Ella Griffin YOUNG GIRL WIG, MAKEUP Darcey Wilson & WARDROBE SUPERVISOR DIRECTOR Toni Paul Lee Lewis DRESSER SET DESIGNER Zoe Lawson Elizabeth Gadsby FOH SOUND OPERATOR COSTUME DESIGNER David Trumpmanis Mel Page RPT HEAD ELECTRICIAN LIGHTING DESIGNER /PRODUCTION Paul Jackson ELECTRICIAN Andrew Tompkins MARY STUART PREMIERED AT ROSLYN PACKER THEATRE, ON TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY PRODUCTION PATRON THE VINE FOUNDATION 4 The Playwright in Conversation Mary Stuart is a new Australian play. Can you talk about How does this adaptation of Mary Stuart and the production the experience of adapting Mary Stuart and writing it for a comment on women in power? contemporary Australian audience? Elizabeth and Mary were very strong women; they were Aft er reading the Schiller which was translated from German survivors. Th ey had both been abused by men in their lives I started to write and get to the heart of what the story is. I and had to hold on and stay strong. I wanted to cut the men then read other adaptations which were mostly written by away as the story from a male perspective has already been white European men. As an Australian female playwright I told. I was more interested in the perspectives of the women. had to think about what I wanted to say. I wanted to give the Th ey could have and should have been allies. In a patriarchal women more agency. In other versions I read the queens were world we fi nd it hard to have one woman in power, the chess pieces, but in this version I wanted them to be the nevertheless two. I’m interested in the animosity between chess players. women in power and exploring this dynamic in the play. Early in the process I knew we were casting Helen Th omson Elizabeth wasn’t threatened by Mary’s son, James as she was and Caroline Brazier. I love writing for actors and wrote this by Mary. Elizabeth knew how to control men, she didn’t have play with these two wonderful actresses in mind and with the same understanding and control of women. their voices in my head. Th is set the core of what I wanted to say, to write for these strong actresses with two strong female Aft er Elizabeth died, James, Mary’s son ruled England. characters pitted against one another. Once James took the throne, he removed every painting of Elizabeth. He also created a huge monument of Mary that Th e Schiller version was written in verse and prose. My dwarfed Elizabeth’s, moving Mary’s body to Westminster version uses more colloquial language. I think it’s interesting Abbey. James played the long game, wooing Elizabeth during to see royalty doing normal things and speaking colloquially. her life so he would be in her favour. Elizabeth referred to Most of the play takes place behind the scenes, behind closed him as her son when she imprisoned Mary. It was clever doors, not at a large royal event. Th e colloquial language and heartless of James to not help his mother when she was suited the scenes I was writing, creating an everyday feel. imprisoned, as he could have used his favour with Elizabeth to help Mary and prevent her execution. Th e wonderful Schiller version set up the convention of the third act where the two queens met. Th is never happened in Can you describe the inspiration for the costume design in real life. In other versions of Mary Stuart a man usually set up the play? the meeting. I wasn’t interested in a man setting up or being present at the meeting. I wanted it to be in the minds of the In the Elizabethan era, colour was very symbolic. Royalty women. We could then explore the idea of the friendship were the only people who could wear purple. Th e most and alliance that could have been. At the end of the party expensive colour to wear was black as black dye was there is an intimate scene between Mary and Elizabeth, expensive so only wealthy people wore black. Red was where they talk heart to heart. Th e end of this scene when it the colour of martyrs. In the fi nal scene of the play, Mary escalates to violence happens because of Mary’s frustration Queen of Scots appears in black, she takes this costume off to being imprisoned for 19 years. It could also be seen to have to reveal a white dress representing purity, then she takes happened because of Elizabeth’s guilt at locking Mary up. We off this costume to reveal an elegant red dress, symbolising expect the violence at the end of the play for the execution, martyrdom. Th e red dress symbolises that Mary is the victor but the violence in this scene is sudden and may shock the in the play.