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Paragraph 2 The dramatic forms and theatrical techniques of //Ruby Moon// and //Stolen// borrow elements form contemporary Australian theatre and Absurdism, and assist in portraying the struggles of the characters within each text. Throughout //Ruby Moon// the Banter and silence is commonly found between Ray and Sylvie’s characters, whilst the physical routines and disjointed conversations are common amongst all the suspected neighborhood characters including; Dawn, Dulcie and Jimmy.The superficial 1950's husband and wife relationship, which the characters portray, is questioned by these techniques. The use of silence creates awkwardness between the two which informs the audience about unresolved issues in their past which these characters have experienced together. The use of banter suggests a practiced routine, however, the dialogue is disturbed which concludes that this routine may be the product of distorted emotions. In class we practiced and performed an extract from the introduction and were able to create an image of uncertainty. Classmates performed the opening lines when Ray arrived home from ‘work’, here the use of banter suggested that this arrival home was a routine for Ray and Sylvie perform frequently. Furthermore, the physical routines and disjointed conversations of the neighbourhood suggest each character has personal struggles. Dawn particularly demonstrates the physical routine and disjointed conversations. The repetitive use of rubber bands across and around the face proposes Dawn to practice self-harm. Dawn struggles with body image and accepting her appearance this is evident through her obsession with Ruby and the beautiful dolls. In class we rehearsed the physical routine of Dawn and the image each student created was a teenage girl struggling with body image, which was disturbing and troubling to watch. Similarly, the issues and themes of //Stolen// suggest emotional disturbance. The use of storytelling is affective as characters provide personal feeling towards the narrative. The struggles of each character are clear from the recalling of emotions. Shirley a stolen child who later becomes a mother who in turn is stolen is a vivid example of personal struggle. Shirley’s present state also reflects the history and struggles of her past, which again indicates pain and suffering. These techniques and conventions are an aid in understanding the struggles of the characters.

Kate- sorry my text is two colours i couldn't change it :)