Cosi Dramatic Elements Analysis
They’re like that
La Boit Theatre’s showcase of Cosi written by Louis Nowra and directed by David Berthold is an emotional play, talking of Love and fidelity. Self’s perception of other people; whether or not love is a strong enough reason to trust one another. Two excerpts centred on different themes will be analysed. This analysis will bring to light certain dramatic elements and viewpoints of time, body and space that Berthold has used to enhance the dramatic meaning of this production.
Cosi is set in Melbourne during the early 1970s. The play is about a young university student, Lewis (Benjamin Schostakowski) who is asked to direct a play for a mental asylum. Lewis becomes more involved in the play than he expected when he begins to build relationships with the patients. He is burdened by the strong opinions and expectations his peers have on love and fidelity. Louis Nowra includes dramatic techniques such as setting, humour, meta-theatre and symbolism to engross the audience into the world of Cosi while conveying certain themes. Two of many contrasting themes within Cosi are love and fidelity.
According to Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, the matter of fidelity is described to be a social standard that is never met. The notion of fidelity is touched upon regularly throughout ‘Cosi’. In particular, Act Two, Scene One, Lucy arrives at the institution to pick up Lewis, coincidently while Lewis has left the room. Lucy notices his script and begins to read it, finding it absurd that a man would ‘ruin [himself], for a worthless woman’, Lucy throws the script on the chair in disgust. This physical gesture re-establishes her viewpoint on the treatment of women. Lewis enters the room surprised to see Lucy there. At this point the actors are positioned centred stage away from any prop, this spatial relationship and clear view line draws the audiences focus to them. Moreover, Berthold has only allowed for Lucy and Lewis to be present on stage at this time. This choice
La Boit Theatre’s showcase of Cosi written by Louis Nowra and directed by David Berthold is an emotional play, talking of Love and fidelity. Self’s perception of other people; whether or not love is a strong enough reason to trust one another. Two excerpts centred on different themes will be analysed. This analysis will bring to light certain dramatic elements and viewpoints of time, body and space that Berthold has used to enhance the dramatic meaning of this production.
Cosi is set in Melbourne during the early 1970s. The play is about a young university student, Lewis (Benjamin Schostakowski) who is asked to direct a play for a mental asylum. Lewis becomes more involved in the play than he expected when he begins to build relationships with the patients. He is burdened by the strong opinions and expectations his peers have on love and fidelity. Louis Nowra includes dramatic techniques such as setting, humour, meta-theatre and symbolism to engross the audience into the world of Cosi while conveying certain themes. Two of many contrasting themes within Cosi are love and fidelity.
According to Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, the matter of fidelity is described to be a social standard that is never met. The notion of fidelity is touched upon regularly throughout ‘Cosi’. In particular, Act Two, Scene One, Lucy arrives at the institution to pick up Lewis, coincidently while Lewis has left the room. Lucy notices his script and begins to read it, finding it absurd that a man would ‘ruin [himself], for a worthless woman’, Lucy throws the script on the chair in disgust. This physical gesture re-establishes her viewpoint on the treatment of women. Lewis enters the room surprised to see Lucy there. At this point the actors are positioned centred stage away from any prop, this spatial relationship and clear view line draws the audiences focus to them. Moreover, Berthold has only allowed for Lucy and Lewis to be present on stage at this time. This choice