1. Away
By Michael Gow

2. Synopsis
Michael Gow’s Away is a play that focuses on three Australian families in the 1960s. These families are embarking on their end of year summer holidays. The three families represent a cross-section of the Australian community of the time. Each family has different life experiences, expectations, values and attitudes and these affect their relationships with each other.

3. The Play Form
Remember that Away is a stage drama. This means that when we read it we need to be aware of the theatre setting. The stage setting in Away is minimalistic so that the focus is predominantly on the characters. The contextual setting is the late 1960s Australia when the war in Vietnam was causing political and social unrest and dissent.

4. Structure
Away is structured into 5 Acts:
Overture
Conflict
Resolution

5. Personal Journeys
Away begins during the Christmas season. Each character goes on a personal journey of transformation during the play. They face challenges as they interact in unfamiliar situations and environments, changing in the process

6. Some Dramatic Features
Stereotypical characters: archetypes, foils etc
A play within a play
Soliloquy
Juxtaposition
Imagery

7. Some Language Features
Shakespearian allusion
Colloquial language
Sarcasm
Irony
Metaphor
Repetition

8. Some Themes Family Life and death The power of nature to heal
Shakespearian thematic links

9. Some Symbolism Christmas present The beach The shells The bonfire
The storm

10. Brief Character Synopsis
Vic- shows strength of character in the face of her son’s illness. She’s very practical but also a supporting and loving person
Harry- a practical minded husband and father who is also supporting and who loves his son
Tom- a young budding actor, he has cancer and this impacts his life, values and attitudes.

11. Brief Character Synopsis
Gwen- he experience of being poor has severely impacted her outlook on life. She is bitter, hardened and very class conscious
Jim- can come across as submissive and passive but this is not the case. Instead he is stoic and patient, playing peacekeeper to keep his family together

12. Brief Character Synopsis
Coral- is emotionally disconnected. She has not reconciled the death of her son and is struggling to accept this
Roy- is a school Principal. He is very concerned with appearances and his position within society
Meg- is strong willed and opinionated. She has a quick temper and is reactive in regards to others

13. Links
To see Away in a school theatre performance- k