Play's Situation example essay topic

Essay Question: The situation, the characters, the capacity of the play to keep one guessing and the use of the vernacular are qualities which make 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' more than an ordinary play. Discuss. An extraordinary play is where the play, via the actors, exchanges something and leaves and impression on the audience. 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' written by Ray Lawler tells about the struggle of how a group of middle-aged adults, living in the '50's, have to cope with the realization that their youth is over, aging is inevitable and change is a season in life. It is written in a very austere, yet simple manner, truly mirroring the openness of the Australian character. Lawler cleverly combines the different qualities including written textual features such as the situation, the characters and the use of the vernacular to deepen the capacity of the play.

Lawler uses all these qualities to force the audience to respond, to keep guessing, to tease their expectations and emotions. In this way, 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' is more than an ordinary play. The situation that the play is balanced on, is vital in keeping the audience guessing and clinging to the edge of their seats. 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' does not have a tranquil or calmness of atmosphere. It is always changing and brewing, even from the beginning, when Pearl who is 'the outsider', replaces Nancy. Slowly, conflicting situations -- differing opinions, conflicting outlooks, arguments, fights, twisted emotions -- within the play emerge and grow between the various characters.

The situation is easy for the audience to relate to as it is totally relevant to the Australian lifestyle and background. It keeps the audience intense, waiting for the ever-building climax where all pretended gaiety and pride is stripped away, leaving emotions raw. It keeps the audience guessing and wondering, trying to grasp the impact and the shattered emotions, until the curtain falls. Thus, Lawler using the situation of the play, had made 'summer of the Seventeenth Doll' a unique and far from ordinary play. Characters are the life and essence of the play. Lawler uses stereotypical characters such as Roo and Barney to reflect on the Australian male.

Each of Lawler's main characters brings a depth and capacity to the play as they mirror the uncertainty of reality. this is what keeps the audience guessing. Each also has hidden and complex implicit conflicts, expectations, emotions and fears that they have to face and deal with according to their own character. Roo is able to grasp the effect of age and change, on the other hand, Olive can't and there is no resolution to her conflict, which is rather unexpected and makes 'Summer of the SEventeenth Doll' more than ordinary. Other characters like Pearl and Johnnie Dowd serves their purpose of being a constant reminder of reality and effectively contrast with the others. Lawler has used simple, yet complex characters that change and grow along with the play, to keep the audience guessing, making 'summer of the Seventeenth Doll' far from ordinary. 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' is written with the traditional Australian vernacular such as "Gawd, what a low suspicious sort of coot you are"", real wag" and "got 'em to take a couple weeks off for a booze-up in town".

Lawler uses idioms and slang in a realistic and unaffected manner that marks the characters as truly Australian. In this play, the vernacular greatly reflects the Australian character and style of simplicity, forthrightness and the way Australians live their lives, which is clearly portrayed in characters. For example, Roo has a very direct manner and Olives displays how Australians always look at the positive side of life. Lawler also integrates the vernacular into the play, unit it becomes a quality and nature of the play and its parts.

It plays a crucial role in creating the originality of the play and gives it an extraordinary character, in comparison to many other international plays. Lawler has used 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' to relate and impact the audience very effectively through the play's situation, characters and the use of the vernacular. He has weaved all these qualities to produce a play that has the capacity to play with the expectations of the audience and to keep them guessing until the very end. For this reason, 'Summer of the Seventeenth doll' has proved to audiences everywhere that it is a more than ordinary play, a work of Australian art that will not be forgotten.