When was cosi written

Cover image courtesy of publisher. Attributes y Cosi single work musical theatre - Three acts. Author: agent Louis Nowra. Issue Details: First known date: The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access.

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Latest Issues. Abstract History Archive Description. Play with music. Teaching Resources. Production Details. Director: Adam Cook.

Director: Nadia Tass. Director: David Berthold. Designer: Hugh O'Connor. Lighting Designer: Ben Hughes. Director: Sarah Goodes. Set Designer: Dale Ferguson. Costume Designer: Jonathan Oxlade. See the Publication Details. Series: Current Theatre Series Currency Press publisher , series - publisher Abstract 'Current Theatre Series consists of Australian plays published with the program inserted and sold during theatre seasons.

Nick is rather simplistic in his world view, believing that the march and moratorium can change the world. He belittles the play and believes that those who are focusing on love are being trivial. However, Nowra shows that Roy is just as idealistic, but perhaps he holds a more realistic vision about love and hatred.

Neither visions are more important than each other. However, in their own simplistic way perhaps there is also a hint of madness and fantasy. Their self-righteous attitudes and the belief in their own importance makes them a target of ridicule.

Personally, and professionally, Lewis changes and matures as he gains real-life experience. Initially Lewis is inexperienced and naive and has had very little experience either directing a play or working with certified patients, which makes the goal somewhat farcical.

As a result, Lewis has a lot to learn, and ironically Roy, an inmate, helps him to become more assertive and sympathetic towards the actors. Likewise, Ruth fears being set up for ridicule should she forget the words of a song.

However, despite these difficulties Lewis does rise to the occasion and his choice to work on the play instead of joining the moratorium testifies to his growing confidence and desire to stage a successful play — which he does.

Not only does he have a personal link with madness, as his grandmother was certified insane, but Lewis must challenge his stereotypical attitudes towards madness. Lewis comes to appreciate that there are no clear-cut boundaries. Personally, he also matures and develops as a person. He shows greater sensitivity and compassion. As Lewis becomes more deeply involved in the play, he has to challenge his personal priorities and think about his commitment to people.

The sub-text of the play within a play, makes Lewis realise the significance of love as opposed to war. Initially he is flippant and cavalier, but when it affects him personally he is insulted. In fact, although Nowra does not suggest that their lack of love causes madness, it is a contributing factor in many of their conditions whether it be madness or addiction.

It is no accident that Roy chooses a play so focused on love, and it this which serves as the basis for underlying ideas of Lewis and the inmates about love and fidelity, regardless of whether or not they are agreement with the play. Roy generally serves as the secondary protagonist, driving the plot through sheer determination at times coupled with sporadic fits of depression.

Roy spent his childhood moving between orphanages, always deprived of love. To balance the presence of love in Cosi , Nowra also injects an element of realism into the play through politics, primarily those surrounding the Vietnam War.

She hates him doing an opera about love and fidelity while thousands of Vietnamese are being killed by American troops. Their attitude to the asylum patients is condescending.

There was some discussion around the holiday season being particularly expensive, but should an increase be permanent? A Voice to Parliament would enshrine Indigenous input into laws and policies on issues affecting First Nations communities, and has been called for by activists for some time now.

And what might it mean for those communities to be able to make autonomous decisions? Tertiary students are now turning away from pursuing a career in education , and there could be many reasons as to why. What does this mean for the future of Australian education? In what ways do you as a student feel the impacts? What does this mean in an increasingly globalised world and is there a way to turn this around?

How might a student perspective on this be unique from that of a politician for example, or another stakeholder? This goes against federal law, which still bans the possession and use of weed, and makes Canberra the first Australian jurisdiction to decriminalise it.

Canberra has also led the way on issues such as same-sex marriage, legalising it as early as four years before the rest of the nation would follow suit.

Discussion about other drugs such as ecstasy has also been raised as a result, and this piece might be an interesting read on why different drugs have different legal statuses. Still, is legalising pot the way to go considering how other Western democracies are already moving in this direction?

Is it even a harmful drug at all? And what about the others, such as ecstasy? Or even alcohol, for that matter? This is an interesting and pretty recent phenomenon - climate grief or climate burnout are new terms that have come into existence to describe the mental health impacts of the climate crisis. In particular, they describe the frustration and despair that people may feel as a result, given that progress on reducing carbon emissions is frighteningly slow and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and devastating at the same time.

Do you have to be affected by disasters, or can it also affect young people who feel pessimistic about the future of the planet? And what could be some strategies for overcoming it? What is the importance of seeing climate through a health lens and how might it inspire activism or change? How can we streamline the message around mental health, or the relevant support networks?

Note that this can be a sensitive issue which may cause distress to some people. NSW recently legalised abortions for pregnancies shorter than 22 weeks after one of the longest debates in their state Upper House. While the choice versus life debate has raged around the world for decades now i. Who opposes it and why? What is the problem with making health issues criminal issues instead e.

And what other issues might be linked to this? Can someone who is pro-life also support tougher border restrictions that lead to refugee deaths at sea, for example? Wondering where to go from here? Sounds like something that'd help you? I think so too! Access the full eBook by clicking here!

English is tough. Whether it be memorising quotes or writing under timed conditions, everybody has something that they need to work on — some missing link that may make the difference between grades. Even the best of the best can struggle with differentiating themselves from the pack, irrespective of how many quotes they know or how well they understand the subject matter.

Sometimes, the conventional structure of an English essay can weigh a student down, which is why bending those rules is a skill that, eventually, can prove the key to truly going above and beyond. Every essay paragraph needs to hit on a few key points: a main argument, evidence, and analysis of that evidence relating back to the prompt. For example…. Planning is crucial irrespective of your writing style. My more flexible, relaxed essays always resulted in plans that looked identical to more conventional responses, as seen below.

The way English is currently taught results in a lot of essays more or less looking the same, with a topic sentence dutifully followed by explanation of that point, and evidence not being introduced until about halfway through the paragraph.

Evidence can be introduced right after the topic sentence, for example. In structured essays, transitions between points are obvious. They can be very helpful in showing your assessor where you are addressing the task and the text. Crutch phrases, on the other hand, make you feel better about your essay, when in actuality they contribute very little and could be rewritten to be something of greater value.

A great way to keep up the momentum of such an essay is to let points bleed into each other. Evidence, I have found, is the best way to bridge gaps between discrete points of structure. Sometimes, two or three words are enough to marry two points — and, at the end of the day, shorter quotes are easier to memorise! Obviously, higher-grade essays are always valuable, but they can also be intimidating, even demoralising.

The best thing about English, in my opinion, is the same thing that brings it the most criticism — that there is no right answer. It can never hurt your understanding of a text or your potential grade if your discussion is informed about more perspectives.

At the end of the day, any and all good English essays have their roots in the fundamentals. Always remember to link back to the prompt! The prompt is the backbone of your essay — make sure that you keep it centre stage. Get feedback as often as you can, whether it be from teachers, tutors or other students that you trust. English is a game of constant tweaking and refinement, and the more feedback you get the better your essays will be for it. Finally, practice. Writing, like any skill, can only be honed and improved if one puts effort into honing and improving it.

Writing beyond structure often comes as a massive learning curve, and it is diligence and a willingness to learn — not natural talent — that will allow you to become better and better at it. English is tough, and because almost everybody does it, it can be hard to stand out from the masses. Being different takes courage, and in VCE it certainly takes a lot of work, but I have found that writing beyond structure has the potential to elevate not only your understanding of a text or your performance in SACs and the exam, but your enjoyment of writing for English as a whole.

As the VCE English exam creeps up on us, many of you will be testing your writing skills under timed conditions if not, then you better!!! But, have you sat down under timed conditions for 15 minutes of Reading Time? Have you thought about how to maximise reading time? Many of you may have already figured out how you will approach Reading Time in your exam.

Some of you will have a rough idea, while some will pay attention to detail — knowing how to spend each and every minute in that 15 minutes of silence. During Year 12, I was somewhere in between. Keep reading afterwards for more details!

It is worth spending a few extra seconds contemplating how you would break down your other available prompts. Reason: This may obscure your interpretation of the contention. The contention is the first thing you need to get right.

So sit back, read the article for what it is, and absorb as much of the argument presented to you. The more times you read something, the better your mind will consolidate the cold material in front of you! You've done all that hard work thinking up 'mental plans' during Reading Time, let's put them to paper. Don't skip this step, because you would otherwise have wasted your precious 15 minutes getting ahead. Moreover, it's highly likely you'll forget the points you want to write about if you just store it in your brain.

Remember that you are in an adrenaline-driven situation, where nerves can get the better of you. Avoid any mind blanks by guaranteeing yourself success and write the damn plan down! Aiming for an essay in 60 minutes can often turn into 65 minutes, or even longer. At the very least if you do go over time with a '55 minute per essay' rule, you will put yourself in a position where you can afford to go slightly overtime, and yet still have enough time for other essays. This is a step that many people skip, but if you're reading this blog - you won't be joining them.

A quick review of your work can help you edit errors you didn't notice while writing. As you practise in the lead up to exams, take note of what errors you tend to make when writing. Is it expression, punctuation, or spelling errors?

Keep an eye on your most common mistakes when proof-reading to be more a more effective editor. It is these small incremental changes you can make in your essays which add up to make a powerful impact on the final product. Call it the greatest American novel or ultimate story of unrequited romance— The Great Gatsby is undoubtedly a stunning snapshot of one of the most American decades that America has ever seen.

The stock market was going off, businesses were booming, and people were having a great time. This snapshot from the film adaptation actually tells us a lot about the s. On the one hand, social and cultural norms were shifting—men no longer sported beards, and women were dressing more androgynously and provocatively.

On the other hand, the modern, American economy was emerging—people began buying costly consumer goods like cars, appliances, telephones etc. This meant that average American families were able to get these things for the first time, while more prosperous families were able to live in extreme excess. At the same time, the booming economy meant that others like the narrator Nick were relocating to cities in pursuit of wealth, and like Gatsby making significant financial inroads themselves.

For now, consider this image of their home and those ponies on the left, which they also own , described as follows:. Unlike the Buchanans, Gatsby was born into a poor family, only coming to wealth in the s boom.

Specifically, he inherited money from Dan Cody after running away from home at Although they are all rich, there are significant cultural differences between old and new money. Finally, this is contrasted with the working class, particularly George and Myrtle Wilson who we meet in chapter two. Ultimately, looking at the novel through the lens of class, we see a society where upward social mobility and making a living for yourself is possible, just not for everybody.

Added to this story of social stratification is a moral dimension, where Fitzgerald can be a little more critical. Firstly, old money is portrayed as shallow. The rich are also depicted as cruel and inconsiderate, insulated from repercussions by their wealth. Gatsby is portrayed more sympathetically though, which may come from his humble upbringing and his desire to be liked. This is probably the key question of the novel—is he a hero, or a villain?

The moral of the story, or a warning? Consumed by love, or corrupted by wealth? For starters, he fabricates a new identity and deals in shady business just to reignite his five-year-old romance with Daisy.

This is a really lucid analysis of Gatsby, who is in many ways just like a film director constructing a whole fantasy world.

Is it that Gatsby is a good person, especially cast against the corrupt old money? Where Nick resents the Buchanans, he feels sympathy for Gatsby. Is it that Gatsby and his desire for Daisy were corrupted by wealth despite his good intentions? Capitalism, right? Is it that capitalist America provides nothing for people to pursue except for wealth, and therefore little reason for people to feel hope?

Now we want to start thinking beyond the characters e. For many others, there was significant tension between these lofty values and their lived reality of life on the ground. Through this lens, the tragedy of The Great Gatsby multiplies.

Not everyone can get money, and money can only get you so far. Everyone is stuck, and the American Dream is basically just a myth. And remember that Gatsby had to cheat to get rich in the first place.

Firstly, social stratification clearly divided society along economic lines. This could be paragraph one, exploring how class separated the Buchanans and Wilsons of the world, and how their lifestyles were so completely different even though they all lived in the prosperity of the Roaring 20s.

Conversely, Tom Buchanan is born into a rich family with his beach-facing mansion and polo ponies. Finally, we should consider the moral dimension —even though the wealthier socioeconomic classes enjoyed more lavish, luxurious lifestyles, Fitzgerald also argued that they were the most morally bankrupt.

Social stratification may look ostentatious and shiny on the outside, but the rich are actually portrayed as shallow and corrupt. A good essay on this novel will typically combine some of these dimensions and build a multilayered analysis. Stratification, love, wealth, morality—all of these big ideas can be broken down in terms of social, economic, cultural circumstances, so make sure to consider all angles when you write. Nick is biased in his assessment of Gatsby—both of them are no better than the corrupt, wealthy Buchanans.

In The Great Gatsby , money is a stronger motivating factor than love. Daisy Buchanan is more innocent than guilty—explore this statement with reference to at least 2 other characters. The women of The Great Gatsby are all victims of a patriarchal society. To what extent do you agree? Hint: are they all equally victimised?

The Importance of the Introduction.