Contemporary

Year 12

 

VCE English: Units 3 & 4
Area of study: Creating and presenting
Selected context: Encountering conflict
Selected texts: The Crucible by Arthur Miller with comparative reference to The Secret River by Kate Grenville

Presentation

Four actors perform key scenes from The Crucible to identify the ideas and arguments associated with conflict with in the play, and detailed discussion and analysis between scenes reveals how and why Miller makes the language and stylistic choices he does. Areas that are addressed include:

• Background
• Themes and issues related to Encountering conflict
• Structure
• Style
• Characters
• Important Quotations

Passages and quotes from The Secret River are read to offer further examples of how conflict is manifested including it's causes and contributing factors.

In this program characters a put in the 'hotseat' and interviewed to reveal their inner most thoughts and motivations.

The Crucible - Synopsis

Set in the claustrophobic and dangerous times of the Salem witch hunts in 1692, The Crucible recreates the terrifying reality of a village in New England caught up in naming and blaming each other for acts of witchcraft and trafficking with the devil. Abigail and a group of other young girls seem possessed and in an attempt to escape retribution themselves, point the finger literally and figuratively at others. Of particular fascination is the flawed but ultimately heroic response by the protagonist, John Proctor, a man who has committed adultery but wants to save his marriage. He is identified as the chief perpetrator of witchcraft. His battle with Puritan authorities, jealous neighbours and those bent on personal revenge, suggest that love, integrity and dignity prevail. The Crucible becomes a metaphor for what happened in 1950’s Cold-War America where a number of people became entangled in the paranoid world of ‘reds under the bed’ and the ‘outing’ of ‘communists’. While the power of the play ensures its historical appeal, it remains disturbingly relevant for the early twenty-first century. (VCE English/ESL Text list 2010, Supplement 3)

The Secret River

Kate Grenville's acclaimed novel is set in the early nineteenth century. In 1806, protagonist William Thornhill is transported for the term of his natural life and with his family travels from the slums of London to New South Wales. After eight years as a convict, Thornhill is emancipated and sails up the Hawkesbury River to stake his claim of one hundred acres. Grenville presents a powerful, contemporary insight into the relationship between settlers, the land and the Aboriginal people. Based on the research into her own family history, the text deals with issues of identity, relationships, belonging and ownership. (VCE English/ESL Text list 2010, Supplement 3)

Show duration - 90 min

Tour dates in schools

Term 3: Monday 2 August - Friday 20 August

Requirements

Minimum performance space required: 6m x 6m

Set up time: 45 mins

Duration: 90 mins

Bump out time: 20 mins

Other: Access to power

Cost:

Groups over 120 student: $12.00 per student.
Groups under 120 students: $1440.00 minimum performance fee.
All prices include gst.
Cancellation fee applies.