1 Brian Reager October 14, 2012 Malinda Sorci Directing III

Far Away Script Analysis

In order to come to grasp the style of Caryl Churchills Far Away one must first throw out all conventional ideas of analyzing and dissecting a realist play. Tori Haring-Smith explains that the vocabulary of a realism play versus a non-realism play is vastly different, and therefore one cannot be analyzed without accepting these differences (Haring-Smith). Instead of linearity, characters, and psychological, physical and thematic coherence, non-realism deals with associative images, figures, and mood, tone, and image resonance (Haring-Smith). Churchill writes in a nonrealistic form, which makes straightforward conflicting forces and active terms hard to pinpoint. In terms of conflicting forces, Far Away doesnt have a clear black and white conflict to emphasize the overall significance; rather it has images and tones that contrast each other, which help to further the story. Instead of focusing on a characters psychology, Churchill focuses on the mood and the tone of the dystopian government that she has established. The characters relationships contrasted with the imagery brought up in the play is what gives the piece its chaotic and apocalyptic tone. Instead of linearityas is the case with most realismChurchill uses images and vignettes. For example theres a whole scene without dialogue

2 involving hundreds of men and women being paraded through the streets wearing gaudy, humiliating hats; followed immediately by two main characters continuing to strengthen their love for each other through flirtatious exchanges. The play begins in Harpers house at night. Churchill is unspecific as to where the house is or where in the house it takes place. Whats most important is the dialogue being exchanged between a young Joan and her aunt, Harper. Joan is unable to go back to sleep after witnessing her uncle participate in a gruesome act of violence against a group of people that are being held in a lorry in their backyard. Harper tries to get Joan to go back to sleep but when Joan has finally realized the whole truth as to what her uncle is doing, Harper explains that she is part of a big movement now to make things better. You can be proud of that. You can look at the stars and think here we are in our little bit of space, and Im on the side of the people who are putting things right, and your soul will expand right into the sky (Churchill, 142). Joan asks Harper if she can help, giving in to a new way of thinking and adapting to a new circumstance. Joan, as well as other characters in this play, continues to adapt to the situations presented in the play. Churchills style ensures that these situations will be presented as an apocalyptic pageant rather than your typical human experience. Several years later Joan is working at a hat factory alongside a young man named Todd. The two exchange friendly advances, but their friendship leads to more forbidden discussions; the corruption behind how they get their checks through the hat company. The two continue to mention the parade that theyre making the hats for, however the audience doesnt know who theyre being made

3 for. Joan is hesitant at first due to her fear of letting down the company she worked hard to be employed at, however after Joan wins the parade competition, she seems to be more daring to discover the corruption behind the hats. The most famous and most chilling scene in the play is the no-dialogue Parade of prisoners of war wearing hats. Immediately following this scene we are juxtaposed with the two lovers flirting back and forth. The most disturbing realization made in the play is when Joan and Todd acknowledge that their hats are being made for prisoners of war, but the corruption theyre implying involves the amount of money that they are being paid rather than the human indignites. This sort of contrast in subject matter and mood gives the play its overall disturbing and apocalyptic tone. As stated above, Churchills non-realism structure allows contrasting imagesas apposed to dialogue aloneto be the mechanism used to tell the story. Another several years later brings us back to Harpers house. This time Joan is asleep offstage and hasnt woken upan interesting contrast to the first scene where she was awake and refused to go to sleep. Todd and Harper discuss the world that has recently begun to be at war with one another. This war involves, inanimate objects, small children, care salesmen, and all form of animal life to be fighting against each other. Todd is insinuated to be on leave from the military and Joan seems to be escaping from an unseen force in order to be reunited with Todd. Harper worries that Joan will be discovered and all their lives will be in danger. Joans final monologue that follows describes her journey here, almost matter-offactly and not surprised. She describes that all the countries are utilizing inanimate objects, small children (etc.) to fight. Joan seems to have given up hope and accepts

4 this new situation with open arms. Churchill seems to use this blown up, chaotic, apocalyptic setting to exercise her characters tolerance for their situation as she has done in plays like Cloud Nine and Top Girls. The spine of the play is to establish normalcy amidst chaos. Of course the play explores the questions of trusting ones government, trusting ones family, our desensitization towards human indignities, and our actions inadvertent effect on others; but the goal that all of the characters hope to achieve is normalcy. Joan accepts a new normalcy after Harper assures her that the mistreatment of the enemies of the state in their backyard is for the best, she hoped to retain normalcy while working in the factory with Todd, and finally she accepts a new normalcy when the world is at war. Todd accepts the chaos at the end of the play as well. Harper assures Joan that everything being done in the first scene is normal and by the end of the play, she too accepts the situation and chooses to coexist with it, as is made evident by her nonchalant conversation to Todd about mallards raping bystanders. The spine, in a way, applies to the audience as well. The structure of the play is also apocalyptic, chaotic, and scary. The play will help audiences train themselves into accepting this as normal, just as our three main characters do,

5 Works Cited Churchill, Caryl. Far Away. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2001. Print. Haring-Smith, Tori. "Dramaturging Non-Realism: Creating a New Vocabulary." Theatre Topics 13 (2003): 45-54. Print.