Scene name ADELA dialogue/ stage action

Choir action/stage direction Props Music cues

OVERTURE and ACT 1PRESET:

ADELA at Pentridge, waiting for mob of singers

Unruly mob, big choir, small choir and street band: Three platoons stationed at three Coburg locations (Coburg Mall, The Old Cop Shop, Coburg Lake), ready to march towards Pentridge

Band: All with instruments and music as required Unruly mob, big choir and small choir: All equipped with

anti-conscription placards and protest materials

All with small hand written messages of peace set in pockets and bags, ready for final act

Small choir specifics: Vida set with

‘Women Voter’ journal

Emmaline with 2x Suffragette sashes

Deviani with telegram

Jo with anti-conscription fliers

Props set at Pentridge ‘Yes’ campaign

Band standby.

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placards ready at Pentridge

5x soapboxes ready for small choir near stage

Suitcase Anti-war/peace signs

against bluestone walls – grass side only

OVERTUREBEGINNERS: Street March begins!

All three platoons being to march converging on Pentridge

You’ve just heard news that the 2nd referendum has been WON! As a proud and vocal anti-conscription campaigner, you’re ecstatic, and need to find your leader – Adela. You know she’s at Pentridge Prison, but don’t know exactly WHERE she is in the prison. You must go with your fellow campaigners to find her, and celebrate with her! A large number of you will be proudly donning anti-conscription placards.

Marching and singing: ‘SERENADE ADELA, ‘MARCH OF THE WOMEN’ and ‘SOLIDARITY FOREVER’ (first two verses)

ACT 1 ADELA preset, but hidden Audience, unruly mob, choirs and Band vamps ‘SERENADE

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Scene 1: Entry INTO Pentridge

from audience band move from Champ St street entrance to Pentridge, to large courtyard inside Pentridge.Some members of choirs and Mob write anti-war and anti-conscription slogans with chalk on concrete paving as they enter

ADELA’ as required

ACT 1Scene 2: The Serenading

ADELA still hidden You’ve all reached Pentridge, and wish to celebrate loudly and help locate Adela! You haven’t planned what songs to sing to Adela, so between each song there’ll be some dialogue to create this sense of spontaneity.

You will be moving around in a big circle around the _____ here.

Jeannie to cue singing of ‘SERENADE ADELA’

REMEMBER: Each 2 bar section will be sung twice through before the next section is introduced

Dialogue connecting ‘SERENADE ADELA’ and ‘MARCH OF THE WOMEN’

ADELA still hidden; During the dialogue, move to your sop/alto/tenor/bass sections.

‘SERENADE ADELA’ ends

Marching in a circle in pairs, shoulder to shoulder.

Jeannie to cue ‘MARCH OF THE WOMEN’

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During the first repeat of the song, march UPSTAGE and turn to face the audience in a protest formation.On the line “friend to friend” link arms with the people next to you – demonstrate your camaraderie!

Dialogue connecting ‘MARCH OF THE WOMEN’ and ‘ SOLIDARITY FOREVER’

‘MARCH OF THE WOMEN’ ends

During the first two verses, march towards ‘concert position’ ON/AROUND THE STAGE. The audience will be ushered to sit down here.

Jeannie to cue ‘SOLIDARITY FOREVER’

REMEMBER: VERSE 3 HAS NO

REFRAIN. GOES STRAIGHT INTO VERSE 4.

VERSE 5 HAS NO REFRAIN. GOES STRAIGHT INTO VERSE 6

VERSE 6 IS ACAPELLA

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VERSE 7+8 WOMEN COME FORWARD.

REFRAIN OF VERSE 8, MEN MOVE TO JOIN THE WOMEN.

Dialogue connecting SOLIDARITY FOREVER’ and ‘I DIDN’T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER’

‘SOLIDARITY FOREVER’ ends

Jeannie to cue ‘I DIDN’T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER’ REMEMBER: Sung TWICE

THROUGH. There are 16 bars of

introduction here. Watch Jeannie for your cue!

Dialogue connecting ‘I DIDN’T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER’ and ‘WREATHS FOR THE MAID OF PEACE’

‘I DIDN’T RAISE MY BOY TO BE A SOLDIER’ ends

Unruly mob, big choir and Jeannie to cue

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small choir ALL QUIET. Watch and listen in awe of your fellow anti-conscription campaigners

‘WREATHS FOR THE MAID OF PEACE’. Sung only by the Brunswick Secondary College Students.

Dialogue connecting ‘WREATHS FOR THE MAID OF PEACE’ and ‘THE RED FLAG’

‘WREATHS FOR THE MAID OF PEACE’ ends

ADELA eventually appears

Jeannie to cue ‘THE RED FLAG’

REMEMBER: Men sing the first verse. All women join in at the start of the second verse.

ADELA appears at her cell window, takes over from increasingly rowdy rendition of the song, solemnly sings last verse to the crowd below, from her window.

ALL TURN TO LOOK AT ADELA – ENTHRALLED. This is the first time you’ve spotted her

ADELA sings the final verse of ‘THE RED FLAG’; everyone else quiet

ADELA [spoken loudly, a great leader

‘THE RED FLAG’ ends

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addressing her team] Thank you for your glorious serenading tonight! And congratulations for the victory in the second Conscription Referendum in December. ALL CHEER We worked so hard together, and it was all worthwhile when the nation voted NO to conscription for the second time! Bravo!

[Adela’s dialogue continues]

“…I have seen so much in my 32 years. I stare at the walls of my cell, I look out at the prison yard, and I see scenes from my life playing over and over…

ALL: Bravo Adela!FREEZE FRAME – STAY IN MID-CHEER POSITION. In order for this freeze frame to work, there must be a stark contrast between the movement and the sudden stillness. Make your cheering big, and your freeze frame totally still.

At end of this line:

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ACT 2: ADELA’S STORYAdela will exit the jail window, come down the stairs (not seen by the audience), and re enter the scene as soon as possible

UNRULY MOB and BIG CHOIR move to sit down.

SMALL CHOIR move to the back of the stage and face back, with the exception of the:

PANKURST FAMILY, who assemble.

#NOTE: We wish to create an exciting flurry of action to mask Adela’s move.

Get rid of placards. Place around the parameter of the stage Family collects 5 soapboxes. Emmaline to collect 2 suffragette sashes Beth to collect suitcase and place up-stage(US) of her soapbox

Cue ‘CAMPAIGN OFFICE’ vamp

ACT 2: First memory ADELA traveling towards stage space

FAMILY: Once assembled, mount your soap boxes and proclaim phrases:“Votes for Women! English women demand the right to vote!” (for father only: “Equality and justice for all! Workers of the world unite! End poverty now!”

ADELA will re enter the scene and wander around her frozen family members

ALL FAMILY FREEZE IN STRIKING PROTEST POSE

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[ADELA’s dialogue continues until…]“…my sister Sylvia the talented artist – and my brilliant sister Christabel: lawyer, fearless Suffragette……and me” All Pankhurst family break

poses, and return to line of small chorus at the back of the stage, facing US.

Emmaline Pankurst imparts Suffragette sash onto Adela.Each family member will take their soapbox away, leaving the suitcase and one soapbox for Adela.

ACT 2: the Second memory

ADELA takes up the suitcase, sash and soapbox, and treks across the stage in different directions, delivering the suffragette cause.

Women of Manchester - fight for your right to vote!

Throughout section, small choir take the role of her reluctant audience. Some are enthused, but mostly her speeches are met with derision.

Small choir eventually crowd and overwhelm ADELA; some

Vamp continues; getting faster.

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Workers of Grimsby – demand votes for women!

People of Glasgow – Votes for women!

Women of Edinburgh – join the cause, fight for your rights!

Workers of Leeds – demand votes for Women!

Women of Liverpool – Votes for Women now!

are trying to talk to her, some are abusing her etc. Everyone wants a piece of ADELA

ACT 2: the third memory

ADELA becomes increasingly frazzled and exhausted. She is overcome, and collapses.

Small choir overwhelm ADELA. Small choir all remain surrounding ADELA momentarily. A beat.

Adela’s collapse stops the music.

ACT 2: the fourth memory

[Adela dialogue continues. She eventually stands, removes her sash, and travels upstage, ready to we welcomed into

Then, collectively move in a semi-circle to stage left, to become the posy of welcomers in Australia (see diagram below)

During this move, Cecilia and Vida should ensure they have 2 soapboxes, and Vida should also have her

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Australia] Woman Voters journal

ACT 2: the fifth memory “But when I arrived in Melbourne, there was a cheering crowd to greet me!

Big welcoming cheer from small choir

Thousands of people! Led by Vida Goldstein, Cecilia John - my new family!

VIDA and CECILIA to shake hands with ADELA

I was greeted as a hero! A hero of a cause, a cause that people valued. Here in Melbourne they knew my name, wrote poems in my praise, they honoured my achievements, stood by me as an equal, an equal and a leader - my destiny could be fulfilled!”

Small choir surround ADELA, and listen to her intently

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ACT 2: the sixth memory

[ADELA dialogue continues]

Small choir move upstage, excitedly, as if about to show Adela all the work you and your campaigning team have done

“..When he called for a referendum on conscription in 1916, we were ready. We mounted a huge campaign, telling Australians to:…

VIDA and CECILIA come forward with 2 soapboxes. CECILIA to mount stage right soapbox, and VIDA to mount stage left soapbox. Both strike poses:

Vida to present ‘Woman Voter’ journal,

Cecilia to strike singing pose

Soapboxes to be placed center and towards stage left; there should still be one soapbox left from ADELA’s collapse. CECILIA to collect discarded suffragette sash.

Vote NO to conscription!”

CECILIA and VIDA to shout with ADELA: “Vote NO to conscription!”

[ADELA dialogue continues]“…Even the War Precautions Act couldn’t stop us - when we were banned from meeting in town halls, we met on street corners...

CECILIA and VIDA to return to poses.

October 1916 – Australia voted NO to conscription! Hooray!”

CECILIA and VIDA to dismount soapboxes, celebrate with ADELA.

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ACT 2: the seventh memory

ADELA dialogue continues]

CECILIA and VIDA return to choir at back of stage. Face upstage

Collect two outer soapboxes, left over sash and ‘Woman Voter’ Journal. ADELA’s central soapbox should remain.

“…From the other side of the world she reached out to thwart me, to strike me down,undermine my work here in the most powerful way she could think of…”

Deviani to deliver telegram to ADELA. Once telegram delivered. Return to choir position.

“…she sent a telegram to her friend, (and my arch enemy) Prime Minister Billy Hughes…”

Small choir standby

[ADELA joins in song] Upon hearing the drone from the men, all spin to the LEFT to face the front. You are all incarnations of ADELA’s ashamed mother.

Cue for ‘TELEGRAM SONG’

At the end of the song, ADELA will screw up the telegram and throw to the ground

Someone to pick this up?

‘TELEGRAM SONG’ ends

ACT 2: the eighth “Another campaign for BIG FLURRY! All small choir BIG FLURRY!: Cue for ‘CAMPAIGN

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memory the NO vote - this time for Billy Hughes’ second Conscription Referendum in December 1917”

members (except Jo) to begin rushing around setting up the campaign office. You are all dedicated campaigners, working for the cause.

Booth kits, stamping station and placards collected and brought to stage.

Booth kits upstage, stage Right

Stamping station, upstage, center stage

Placard station, stage left

OFFICE’ song

ADELA to travel around with Jo, campaigning against conscription.

[ADELA dialogue continues]“…People of Melbourne – we are overwhelmed with your magnificent support for the cause - 80,000 of you here on the banks of the Yarra to shout NO to conscription!...

Jo to accompany ADELA around, helping hand out pamphlets for her campaign. Small choir continues setting up and looking like excited and passionate campaigners

Jo to collect suitcase and pamphlets. Soapbox still center stage from last scene.

“…NO!” All small choir to join in shout:

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NO!“Ladies of the Melbourne Women’s Peace Army – join me tonight at the campaign office to finish our preparations for Referendum Day!”

Small choir standby for Adela’s entrance into the campaign office, and to begin singing the lyrics to the CAMPAIGN OFFICE song

ACT 2: the ninth memory

ADELA to enter the campaign office space; greets and encourages the campaigners

You’re all excited and inspired to work hard!

Jo to strike suitcase, soapbox, and pamphlets

Jeannie to cue singing of CAMPAIGN OFFICE SONG

ADELA joins the campaigners

ONCE INTO 2nd SECTION OF SONG: begin march around the stage. YES VOTERS IN THE CAMPAIGN SONG GO OFF STAGE TO PUT ON ‘YES VOTERS GARB’

YES VOTERS IN THE CAMPAIGN SONG GO OFF STAGE TO PUT ON ‘YES VOTERS GARB’ and discard anti-conscription placards and flag

JEANNIE TO CUE 2nd SECTION

ACT 2: the tenth memory

YES and NO voters take time to state their piece. YES voters sing first, then move off to stage left. YES and NO voters move in a large circle, taking turns singing from center stage.

Jeannie to cue ‘BATTLE OF THE CAMPAIGNS’ song

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Once the YES voters have removed their YES voting garb and paraphernalia, standby for final verse. ADELA and the YES voters will sing this with the NO voters.

At top of song no. 7 (WPA Women’s No Conscription Song). YES voters to rid selves of YES garb.

End of ‘BATTLE OF THE CAMPAIGNS’ song

ACT 2: the eleventh memory

ADELA sings Small choir all watch as admiring campaigners

ADELA sings ‘PUT UP THE SWORD’

‘PUT UP THE SWORD’ ends

“…and learn that by our weapons we slay, not others only, but ourselves as well!”

Small choir all cheer and say:“Bravo Adela! Adela, our hero!”

S mall choir all cheer and say:“Bravo Adela! Adela, our hero!”

ACT 2: the twelfth memory

“And so we work for “a new society, built upon the rock of Universal

General agreeing and cheering throughout

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Justice.” But where is that justice in Australia today? Still embroiled in a disastrous European war, not of our own making, Australians are also suffering right here in our own land. We see families desperate for food and jobs, whilst the profiteers, the hoarders of the people’s food, grow rich and fat.”

Small choir all shout:We want cheaper food! Hands off the people’s food!

“…I am not afraid to fight, and to destroy property if necessary.”

ADELA is arrested by ____ and _____. **** all protest loudly, and freeze-frame once she has been grabbed****

ACT TWO: Return to present

“…And here I am, in the Women’s Prison in Coburg…”

All move into choir positions.ALTOS ---- MEN ----- SOPRANOS

I can’t stop thinking about peace and war. Future generations,

Cue for ‘GHOSTS DON’T LIE’Vamp - WATCH

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continuing to suffer and die needlessly in wars.Future generations, continuing to work for peace. Their stories demand to be heard… “

JEANNIE FOR SINGING CUE.

ACT 3: STORIES OF WAR ADELA to become a part of the larger group. No longer soloist.

**** BIG CHOIR TO REJOIN IN SONG****

In final section of song, choir members raise new placards with peace symbols and words on them; some people stand on soap-boxes as they raise their placards.

BIG CHOIR: Collect peace signs and banners from parameter of performance space. Bring to stage and hand out.

‘GHOSTS DON’T LIE’ ends, immediate start to ‘PEACE TALK’

ACT 4: PEACE FINALE All move down to surround audience, handing out leaflets with peace symbols and words on them. Serenade audience, encouraging them to join in singing and dancing as we remember and celebrate the Melbourne activists from 100 years ago, and continue their work today.End with exuberant dancing and final joyful rounds of “Coo-ee”

‘PEACE TALK’ gradually bleeds into ‘REMEMBER ADELA’ – Joyous!

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directed at each corner of the courtyard.

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