What is the Matter with Mary Jane?

by Wendy Harmer

  After reading the introduction, work as a whole class to identify how the writers have used language to show the change in character and the development of the story. For example: On p.4 Sancia becomes the MD. The character of the MD uses colloquial language such as‘All ya gotta do’. This is against the traditional portrayal of an MD who would usually use formal language and jargon. This juxtaposition of language highlights the surreal nature of the situation from Sancia’s point of view. Like satire, the surreal nature of her situation invites the audience to question the probability/likelihood of the situation.

  In the mirror

  As a whole class, read through the scene and discuss the use of rhyme/poetry. Working individually, the students choose one section of the scene and rewrite the scene in a different form or genre, for example, documentary drama, comedy, teen romance etc. Using a think, pair, share strategy, the student’s share and then edit their work. After completing the edit, the students publish their work in any format of their choosing. After publishing their work, the students reflect on the similarities and differences between the original and the adapted version of the text. The reflections should include any changes to the language used; any changes to the character and any differences in meaning that may be interpreted by the reader/audience.

  At the table

  Read through the scene ‘at the table’ and identify the language features that are used. For example: Sancia uses asides to talk to the audience and reveal information that she does not want her mother to know. The use of factual information in the asides, for example, ‘That’s seven more calories’, serves several purposes. It foreshadows Sancia’s future challenges with her body image and self esteem and it shows the audience how consumed the character of Sancia is with calorie consumption and how she hides this from her mother. After analysing the language features and what these tell the audience, students use this analysis as the basis of an online blog/series of posts from the point of view of Sancia or Sancia’s mother or another character that they think is of importance. The students swap and respond to another person’s post/s in character, for example as a friend, relative or stranger.

  This scene is also the first time we meet The Coach voice—or what is often called the Eating Disorder voice. The first introduction to this voice is passive and understated. As the play progresses The Coach voice becomes a more active voice (by becoming a stronger and more prevalent voice in Sancia’s life). The final showdown between Sancia and the Coach voice occurs in the last scenes where Sancia finally breaks down and asks for help. Divide the students into small groups and ask the students to scan through the script and identify the language features that show The Coach voice as passive and The Coach voice as active.

  The introduction of The Coach voice also indicates a change in the action of the play. This can be seen as the end of Act 1. The ‘fun and games’ aspect of Sancia’s life are now over and the play moves into a more in depth analysis of What is the Matter with Mary Jane?. This new voice is effectively a new character in the play, indicating the arrival and development of Sancia’s Eating Disorder. The Coach voice is developed systematically as a character. Initially The Coach voice appears to help and support Sancia, however, as the character develops and grows it begins to take over Sancia’s world, her health and her self-esteem. In clinical terms, the Eating Disorder Self (The Coaching voice) is quite commonly referred to during recovery. The Heathy Self, the voice that is used to help a patient get well, is also referred to in recovery. It is very common in recovery for the patient to be encouraged to ‘talk’ to the Eating Disorder Self, to challenge the bullying and tyranny that a patient feels at the hands of this voice.

  As a whole class, or in small groups, discuss the presence of another self in the play and any other literature that the students may be aware of. After the discussion, ask the students to create a diary or blog entry on any topic that is of importance to them. After writing the entry, ask them to create a two other diary/blog entries, this time from the point of view of another self. The first of these entries should use a passive voice while the second of these entries should use an active voice. After writing the diary/blog entries the students should write two more entries, both in active voice. These entries should challenge the point of view of the other self (similar to the recovery exercise discussed above). At the completion of this task, the students should reflect on the presentation of The Coach voice in What is the Matter with Mary Jane? and what they have learnt about the play through this exercise.

  Excuses

  Working in small groups, students read the scene out loud. In the same groups, students discuss the effect of hearing this dialogue as a monologue in the first person. As a group, discuss the effect that hearing this scene in a different first person point of view may have, for example, from the point of view of Gen on the phone, or Sancia’s father overhearing the conversation. Working individually, the students write part of this scene from the point of view of another character.

  Working individually, students think about a time when they have given an excuse not to attend an event with their peers or family. Students write a short, reflective piece on this event thinking about: why they gave the excuse; how they gave the excuse; what language they used when giving the excuse and how what effect did giving the excuse have on them emotionally. After writing the reflective piece, the students should write a short statement that looks at the difference between giving an excuse and being true to yourself when you don’t want to anticipate in a task or have conflicting priorities, with a focus on the emotional response they have and the language that they use.

  As a class, collect images and articles about women from newspapers, online news sites, magazines and any other relevant source. Discuss a selection of the articles, focusing on how language and image is used to portray women. After analysing the images, evaluate what statements the media is making about women, how women see themselves and how men see women. Discuss how realistic these images and portrayals are and if the students think these are a true representation of society.

  In the Toilet

  Read the scene to the students. As they listen to the scene, they should take note of any language features that stick out to them. After reading the scene discuss the language features that stuck out to the students and identify, analyse and evaluate each of these. For example:

  • metaphor. The word ‘TRASH’ has multiple meanings for example the information in the magazine is garbage, the people who read the magazine are not as intelligent or sophisticated and are therefore ‘trashy’.

  • humour. The phrase ‘pulled me out with a magnet’ is humorous as it conjures an image of a very small person being dragged out of a hole with a very large magnet. This image is not only incongruous but also quite ridiculous.

  • facts. The ‘ten tell-tale signs’ reveal Sancia’s eating disorder for the audience, helping them draw together the story they have heard/seen so far (weight loss, changes in pattern of mealtimes, obsessive food preparation etc) with other potential signs they will see in the play. The commentary that follows each of these facts shows Sancia disputing the fact, or denying the tell tale signs. This reveals the depth of Sancia’s eating disorder and foreshadows a possible climactic point in the play.

  Mirror

  Students choose a piece of music that they think represents the scene. One way to do this is to imagine the scene is in a movie. What music would be playing behind it? Working in small groups students play their music for each other and justify their choice of music.

  Hospital

  Divide the students into small groups to read through the scene. After reading the scene, the students discuss and describe the tone of the piece, identify what words or phrases contribute to the tone.

  Choose one scene where Sancia is talking to someone else, for example, to the girls from school, and rewrite the scene so it is told from the other person’s point of view. The new scene should include any important dialogue, though
ts, reflections and emotions. After constructing the first draft, the students swap their piece with another student for editing and feedback. Using the feedback from their peers, the students further refine their piece and publish the new scene using the appropriate digital software.

  At the psychiatrist’s office

  Read through the scene as a whole class. The end of the scene uses foreshadowing, ‘The Beast was loose. Be afraid. Be Very, Very Afraid!’ As a class discuss who/what the beast may be and what there is to be afraid of. Working individually, students write a diary entry, or a series of entries based on their predictions.

  Binging with Sancia

  Working individually, students read through the scene and identify the different types of language and literature features that have been used for example humour and satire. Analyse and evaluate one to two examples of each of these language features.

  As a class discuss why you think Wendy Harmer and Sancia Robinson chose to write this scene in the form of television show. As part of the discussion, the class should explore the advantages and disadvantages of performing this scene in different styles, for example as a documentary, or a discussion between Sancia and a psychiatrist.

  After the binge

  Read through the scene and in small groups discuss the changes in Sancia from the start to the end of the play.

  Write a letter to Sancia as a 16 year old, foreshadowing what will happen in her life and supporting her to seek help.

  In the Mirror

  As a class, brainstorm what Sancia is thinking as she looks into the mirror. Justify the responses based on evidence from the text.

  Activities for Drama: General

  Monologue

  What is the Matter with Mary Jane? is an extended monologue, sometimes referred to as a monodrama. There are two types of monologue, active and narrative. Active monologue is a technique used to persuade the audience. In narrative monologue the character is usually telling or revealing a story to the audience.

  A monologue can be further broken into soliloquies, apostrophes and asides. In a soliloquy the character is generally speaking to themself, revealing their thoughts and feelings to the audience but not engaging directly with the audience. In an apostrophe, the character addresses an imaginary person or object. An aside, generally shorter than a soliloquy or an apostrophe, involves a character revealing information to the audience that cannot be overheard by the other characters.

  Activities:

  After conducting a moved reading of the script, divide the students into small groups to complete the following tasks:

  1. identify two examples of active monologue and predict the effect on the audience.

  2. identify two examples of narrative monologue and predict the effect on the audience.

  3. perform one active and one narrative monologue, record the performance and evaluate in relation to the elements of drama.

  4. discuss the importance of using both active and narrative monologue in performance.

  5. identify where any soliloquys, apostrophes and asides occur in the play.

  6. identify and analyse the purpose of the soliloquys, apostrophes and asides in the play using the elements of drama as a framework.

  7. in small groups, choose any scene and recreate the scene so that it is no longer a monologue (duologue, multiple characters). Perform the scene and record the performance for subsequent viewing. After watching the performance, write a short reflective statement about the dramaturgical challenges of changing a monologue into a scene for more than one character.

  Activities for Drama: Scene by Scene

  Introduction

  After conducting a moved reading of the scene, divide the students into pairs. One member of the pair becomes the sculptor and the other member of the pair becomes the sculpture. Working stanza by stanza, the students take it in turns to create a sculpture (freeze frame) that represents the scene. Students take a photo of each of the sculptures. After all of the photos and sculptures have been completed, the students analyse and discuss the images in relation to the elements of drama identifying any changes they would like to make to the sculptures. The students return to working on the sculptures, this time adding a word or sound to each image and creating a transition between each image. The students perform their pieces for the rest of the class, recording their work either as a series of photos or video recording. In the same pairs, the students use their recording to evaluate their performance and to write a reflection on their performance in their journals.

  In the mirror

  As a whole class, read the scene, firstly to themselves and secondly as one individual performing to the class. After completing the two readings, identify how the elements of drama have been used in the scene.

  Working as a whole class, perform the whole scene using the dramatic conventions of a Greek chorus (movement, harmony, individual and group narrative etc). Record and watch the performance and discuss how the change in style has enhanced the script or detracted from the script.

  In small groups, devise a performance piece that either uses monologues or a Greek chorus to create a performance based on an issue of importance to the group. The students should rehearse their performance and then share their work with another group for feedback using the elements of drama as a framework. The students should then refine their work and then perform the work for the rest of the class. Record the performances so the students can, working individually, evaluate their own work and the work of one other group using the elements of drama as a reference point.

  At the table

  Working in pairs the students complete the following tasks. One student becomes the director, and one student becomes the performer. The students rehearse the scene, as it is, ready for performance. In the same pairs, the students use the script as the basis of a performance in a different genre of their choice, for example, using Brecht style signs to convey the asides, or using physical theatre to create a visual representation of the calories that consumed/counted. After rehearsing both performances, the students record and compare and evaluate the two performances using the elements of drama. As part of the evaluation, the students should identify two moments in each performance that works well and why they worked well, and one moment in each performance that they could improve upon, why it wasn’t working and how they could improve the moment.

  Jogging

  Divide the class into three groups. The first group rehearses and performs the scene as a solo performance. The second group rehearses and performs the scene with two actors: Sancia and the drill sergeant. The third group rehearses and performs the scene as a chorus. After the students have performed the scenes, they should reflect on which of the scenes they connected with the most and why and which of the scenes they connected with the least and why. The students should use the elements of drama to frame their reflection.

  Excuses

  Divide the class into pairs or small groups. In their pairs/groups the students create two performances. In the first performance, divide the scene amongst the groups so each student has an opportunity to perform as Sancia. In the second performance, the students create a duologue between Sancia and Gen. After rehearsing the scenes, the students record and reflect on their own work from a dramaturgical point of view. For example: what are the challenges in communicating emotion and character development in each performance?

  In the toilet

  Working as a whole class, read through the scene and identify how it can be performed as a whole class rather than one actor. For example: using mime, chorus, freeze frames, sound scapes, alternating the main character etc. Mark the script to indicate where each dramatic theatrical convention or device would occur. As a class, predict what effect the dramatic conventions and devices would have on the play for example: a soundscape will create/add to the atmosphere and tension but may distract from the core dialogue. Rehearse, perform and record the scene. Watch the performance and evaluate the predictions for the performance
with what the students see. For example: we predicted that the soundscape would create atmosphere but may distract from the dialogue, however, the soundscape worked well to create dramatic tension and therefore enhances the dialogue, rather than distracts from it.

  Divide the class into small groups and allocate each group one of the ‘Ten Tell-tale signs that you have an eating disorder’ (some of the smaller signs may need to be combined). Working in their groups, the students create a series of freeze frames that represent the main themes and issues in the allocated sign/s. Using the freeze frames as the basis, the students create a short play about the freeze frames they have created, where each freeze frame is the basis of a scene. After rehearsing their performances, the students perform their play for the class. The students assess the work of another group using the elements of drama as a framework. The students then share and discuss their assessment with the other group.

  Hospital

  Divide the class into pairs. Read through the scene and mark on a copy of the script any directorial notes. The students take it in turns to direct each other in the scene. After directing each other, they compare and contrast the approach that each took and discuss the scene from the point of view of an actor and a director using the elements of drama to frame the discussion.

  At the psychiatrist office

  Read through the scene as a whole class and identify the key moments of tension, focus, atmosphere and how the characterisation is working. After marking these down on the script, divide the class into small groups and ask each group to perform the scene, in a style of their choice, as long as they can keep the main points of tension, focus, atmosphere and characterisation.