‘COSI’ by Louis Nowra

Page Number / Comments / Quotes
Act One: Scene One.
1 / Setting – burnt out theatre. Smells burnt. Introduced to three friends Lewis, Nick and Lucy.
Inside the theatre is dark although it is daytime.
Lewis is to work with mentally ill people. / ‘Smells like it hasn’t been used in years.’ (Nick)
‘Burnt would and mould.’ (Lucy)
‘Mad actors are bad enough, but madmen’ (Nick)
2 / We meet Roy (patient) and Justin Anderson (social worker.) Nowra highlights the fact that you can’t tell someone is mad simply by looking at them. The fact that Lewis mistakes Roy for the social worker and Justin believes Lewis is a patient. Nick and Lucy not prepared to stick around. We notice Roy’s eagerness. He breaks into the theatre. Political issue – moratorium. Nick organising a rally. Shows youth, eagerness to make a difference.
Roy believes he belongs in a theatre – can we take his word for it? After all he is mad. His comment may also suggest that he believes he doesn’t belong in the ward. / ‘No, I’m a patient.’
‘And what ward are you from?’ (to Lewis.)
‘That’s why I broke in. Didn’t want to be late.’
‘I’m spending so much time organising the moratorium.’
‘This is where I belong: in the theatre.’
3 / Justin is positive – believes the patients need to be kept active. Sees through the burnt theatre. But then again is not prepared to stick around and get involved. Is busy with meetings. Wants recognition.
Roy is disappointed with Lewis. His idea to organise a play. Appears normal. He is confident. Is enthusiastic about the play. Justin warns that he has his lows.
Doug: appears to have a black sense of humour. Hints at his illness – pyromaniac.
Justin surprised to see him, maybe doesn’t trust him. The idea that people in C ward are not able to roam around freely like the others.
Henry: Nervous looking young man. Doesn’t talk. / ‘A coat of paint and it’ll be fine.’
‘I’m the social worker who initiated this project.’
‘I was expecting someone a bit older.’
‘We’re going to make a great team.’
‘Hey someone must have been in here before me.’
‘He has his down periods like a lot of people, but he’s your support, your natural energiser.’
‘I thought you were in C ward?’
4 / Doug up front. Doesn’t appear to have any social skills. Makes others feel uncomfortable. Accuses doctor of sexually propositioning him.
Henry a bit shy.
Roy refers to his surroundings as the ‘asylum.’
Women separated from the men’s ward.
Mention of lobotomy. The idea that Henry has had a lobotomy. Once again we see Doug’s crude and rude manner.
Another hint that Doug is a pyromaniac. Nowra shows that Doug is not a likeable character. / Poofter? (to Lewis)
‘Part of this project is to bring out people like Henry.’
‘Asylums are the most inefficient places on earth.
‘A hero suffering from verbal diarrhoea.’
‘Go burn a cat.’
4/5 / Lewis not comfortable. Justin attempts to reassure him. Nowra asks us to contemplate what ‘normal’ is.
The idea that these people have achieved success in the ‘real’ world. People with accomplishments. The idea of their thoughts – deep thinkers, too switched on, aware of the reality – reality not always what we want – can reality make you mad? If you think too much?
Justin provides insight into Doug: Not like the others. Isolated in a closed ward. Suggests Lewis should keep an eye on him. Sensible if he takes his medication, but he has been known not to take it. Others ‘normal.’
Lewis is apprehensive. Uncomfortable in this surrounding. / ‘that they are just normal people, well, not quite normal, or else they wouldn’t be in here, would they?’
‘They are normal people who have done extraordinary things, thought extraordinary thoughts.’
‘being in C ward means the patient is never allowed out, ..until we’re satisfied they won’t harm oters or themselves.’
‘He’s a bit cheeky the way he won’t take it sometimes.’
‘What is someone forgets to take their medication?’
‘They’ll just act a bit extraordinary.’
6 / Justin believes the play will be good for the patients. The idea that even the mentally ill deserve to be part of society.
Girls arrive. Doug’s comments suggest that Cherry is overweight. She too repeats Roy’s innuendo about pyromania. Doug appears to have few friends. Disliked by the others. / ‘The important thing is to keep them interested. To bring them out their shells. Give them something interesting to do.’
‘Go burn a cat.’
7 / Introduced to Ruth and Julie. Julie is a ‘junkie’
Patients need to be back in their wards by 4pm. Justin leaves them – off to meetings. Full of himself.
Justin’s advice to Lewis.
We notice that Roy is the one with leadership qualities. He pushes Lewis to get started, is able to control Henry who tries to leave. Speaks to Henry like a dog. / ‘Detoxed yet’
‘Where would the world be without social workers?’
‘a madman is someone who arrives at a fancy dress party in the Emperor’s new clothes.’
‘Stay. Stay, Henry.’
8 / Patients discuss which play to perform. Roy has clearly decided – Cosi Fan Tutte – an opera by Mozart. Nowra has created a play within a play.
Lewis not familiar with the play even if he is university educated. Cosi Fan Tutte is a play about love. Shows his lack of experience.
Roy and Doug arguing. Cherry shows she has an aggressive streak – not intimidated by the men. She picks up on Lewis’ nervousness and tells him he needs to be more assertive. / ‘About testing how true your true love is.’
‘Doug! Roy! Stop, or I’ll knock your block off!’
‘You have to be firm with them.’
9 / Roy strongly dislikes Doug.
Roy explains the play. Love story about fidelity, loyalty. Set during war time.
Henry plays with toy soldiers.
Nowra clarifies time /setting. This is done when Lewis questions whether play is appropriate for ‘these days.’ / ‘A psychopath is too kind a word to describe him.’
‘Women are never true. Hence the title Cosi Fan Tutte: Women are like that.’
‘you know, the Vietnam war-‘
10 / Nowra introduced the theme of love when Lewis asks the importance of love during war time.
Roy does not believe this.
We notice that Ruth has difficulty in accepting fantasy as reality. Lewis exasperated by the discussion.
Introduced to Zac – plays the music. / ‘I mean about the theme. Love is not so important nowadays.’
‘What planet are you from?’
‘drug fog of Zac’s brain.’ (narrative pg11)
11/12 / Zac medicated with Lithium. Legal drug used to treat the manic episodes of manic depression - hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment and aggression. Side effects include impair judgement. Zac incomplete without music.
Cosi Fan Tutti reminds Roy of his mother.
Roy prepared to convince all patients this is the play they need to perform. Use of metaphor to show the complexity of this task. / ‘How much Lithium is the poor bugger on?’
‘Without a piano Zac is only a threepence.’
‘My mother played the music to me over and over.’
‘it’s all in my head. Without this, the world wouldn’t be the same.’
‘Harmony is Mozart’s music.’
‘The music of this opera keeps the world in harmony.’
‘..come back and you’ll find we’ve missed the iceberg and are sailing in calm waters.’
Act One. Scene Two:
13 / Ruth performs ‘Wild Thing’ to show her singing talents. Once again she shows her need to get everything right. / ‘You don’t want me to make a fool of myself, do you?’
14 / Henry’s turn to sing. He is dragged forward by Roy. We find out that Henry was a lawyer before he entered the institution.
Doug suggests that Cherry is sexually active within the institution.
Doug clearly directing the stage. He is on adrenaline, organising cast, props etc. Lewis frustrated /annoyed by this. It is the first time we see him show any type of emotion. / ‘Did your clients have to drag you up to defend them in court?’ ‘Henry used to be a lawyer.. they’re all cynical.’
‘Every audience takes Despina to their bosom.’ ‘Bit like the men’s wards have already done.’(Doug.)
‘Ive told occupational therapy to stop making ...’
‘Roy!’
16 / Lewis and Roy discuss the complication of singing opera in Italian. Decision made that Lewis will translate the music.
We have an insight into Lewis’ character as the group break up for lunch. Lewis is unhappy with his decision to direct the group. He simply sees the group as crazy. Do we see him as weak? Roy clearly is not impressed with his firmness and commitment to lead the team. / ‘Why can’t I ever say no? Just leave. They’re mad. It’s madness.’
17 / Lewis listens to Nick speak on the moratorium. (transistor)
Nick expects s 20,000 protestors to support the moratorium.
Nick described as ‘left wing.’ (used to describe support for social change with a view towards creating a more equal society)
Nick refers to William McMahon (PM 1971-1972)
Opposes the Vietnam war. Seeking change.
Reference to the student protest in Paris in 1968.
(View ‘Paris Uprising’ in student folder.)
Lewis doesn’t agree with Nick’s comments.
Lewis views Australians as different. Conservative scared of what our leaders say.
Roy thinks it could be a good thing. / ‘’They’ll know that to be against the Vietnam war is also to be against the old fossilised government we now have. They’ll want the war to end, they’ll want changes in our society, they’ll want to overthrow the establishment.
‘Christ, Nick -!’
‘Australians are suspicious of rhetoric.’
Doug informs Lewis that his mother liked all things French. She travelled to Paris on a tour.
18 / Doug questions Lewis on his relationship with Lucy and his view of love. Questions are intrusive and clearly Lewis does not feel comfortable. Lewis states that free love is a hard concept to define.
Doug believes women are just like men when it comes to sleeping around – only they don’t talk about it.
Doug explains that patients are not privy to the social changes occurring outside the institution.
Advices Lewis to not marry if he likes his solitude – advice his father gave him. / ‘Free love is a hard concept to define.’
‘Women like to pretend they don’t play around but they’re just more secretive about it.’
‘in here you miss out on a lot of changes in society’s morals.’
19/20 / Doug’s story – part of it. Issues with his mother. She treated him like a child.
He set fire to her five cats. In turn burnt his mother’s house down. / ‘My ego had taken a severe battering from her.’
21
22 / Cherry offers sandwich to Lewis. Pleased that she is out of her ward.
Tries to shock him with her duck shooting story.
Julie asks for transistor.
Doug runs in screaming ‘Fire.’ Fire in the dunnies.’
Cherry is angry with Doug. Loses her temper – tries to strangle him. She realises that Doug’s actions could destroy the opportunity to perform. / ‘This is the best part.. not having to eat lunch in a ward.’ (pg20)
‘You know I really like you.’ (Cherry to Lewis.)
‘I’m going to kill you for this.’
Act One
Scene 3
22/23 / Justine arrives. Cancels the performance because he doesn’t believe the trial has been successful. Does not believe Lewis is capable of managing the patients. Roy of course is devastated.
Cherry lies and claims she was the one who set fire to the toilet. She clearly does not want the performance cancelled. For her this is an outing, she is attracted to Lewis and cannot bear to sit in the ward doing nothing. She wants excitement in her life not boredom.
Lewis realises the importance of the play to the patients and lies – affirming that Cherry does smoke.
Justin agrees to allow the rehearsal s to continue – so long as the fire was an accident. / ‘The experiment is over.’
‘This experiment was to bring them out of their shells, not to allow them to wreak havoc.’
‘That’s why she spends so much time in the toilets when she should be at rehearsal. It’s where she smokes.’
24 / Cherry has been telling people that Lewis has proposed to her. (Yet another lie!)
Justin explains this opportunity is the best education Lewis can have because he is working with people. Does not refer to them as patients – they are simply people. Explains that Lewis needs to be in control but also take the time to listen to the team. Lewis claims he feels he is in control. As readers we know this is not true. Roy is controlling the production at this stage. / ‘You know why, because it’s about people.’
25 / Lewis gives in to Zac (piano-accordion) Reinforces the fact that he is not in control. Or is he simply listening to what individuals want. Roy is critical of Lewis. / ‘I thought you were tougher than that.’
26 / Rehearsing opening scene. Ruth confused over coffee. / ‘ I can live with illusion as long as I know it’ illusion.’
27 / Henry refuses to read/act out his lines even though Roy tries to bring him forward/encourage him. Henry states he was forced to join the play. Nowra brings humour into this scene with Roy banging his head on the floor.
Roy is critical/harsh when speaking to Henry. He has known Henry for 6 years. Nowra shows these people have been institutionalised for a long period of time. / ‘Why am I always let down! Why do people let me down!’
‘Do it yourself lobotomy.’ (Cherry to Roy.)
29 / Ruth desperate for directions from Lewis who simply can’t help her out. She wants specific directions and does Zac who asks what he should wear.
31 / Roy questions Lewis’ direction or rather lack of it. / ‘Maybe he doesn’t like your direction.’
32/33 / Julie/Lewis: Julie didn’t think Lewis would return. She is honest with him. Explains psychiatrists don’t know how to deal with drug users.