In this essay, I will prove how Clare Stopford’s postmodern adaptation of Green Man
Flashing was exceptionally done through an analysis and discussion of a few
elements with reference to the images provided, the text of the play itself, the
playwright’s intentions as well as elements of postmodernism.
First, I will outline three basic characteristics of postmodern staging with direct
reference to deconstruction of time, deconstruction of space and multiple truths in a
postmodern production. Thereafter, I will make specific reference to the images
provided. Thirdly, I will identity the playwright’s intentions that are evident in
postmodern staging of this play.
Green Man Flashing is a production to directly challenge the possibility of corruption
in the present government and can be viewed as ‘’political theatre’’ for South Africa.
This production, I feel is a ‘’political thriller’’ Postmodernism can be viewed as a
supermarket of styles or pastiche. It has various elements such as realism, neo-
realism, Brecht, Growowski and the list continues. I will outline three basic
characteristics of postmodernism being deconstruction of time, deconstruction of
space and multiple truths. First, the use of deconstruction of time in Stopford’s
adaptation is evident as there is a constant fast forward, rewind or a jump in time and
going back and forth in location. Stopford takes a modernist/ realist set and
completely strikes it or takes it apart as a space. There are no walls, doors or
corridors and pieces of Gaby and Anna’s house as well as the TRC merge into a
new space. This deconstruction of space. For example, the two rapes are contrasted
together, the rape of Mrs Dlamini and her trial at the TRC as well as Gabby’s case.
The audience is forced to look at both cases and to make a judgement about which
case is worse. There is no correct or incorrect answer and the answer is not given to
the because the audience is required to look deep inside of themselves, reflect and
come up an answer suitable for the individual as a production of postmodernism
triggers thought and academic rigour. ‘’I have lost my son, my marriage, my
honour… everything,’’ this line ties in with Claire’s decision to have Gaby naked on
stage in the bath which will be discussed in further detail in the next paragraph. The
element of multiple truths is shown as the audience is confronted with several truths.
The audience bears witness to the first shot by Gaby. They are forced to see a truth,
but they do not speak out, even though they know the truth, in court, it was not
presented as such. This will be discussed in further detail in the next paragraph with
reference to the pictures given.
It is very important to understand that staging is another level of postmodernism.
Claire has further deconstructed the staging when she does not stay true to the text
and adds in the ingenious idea of having a bath present on stage, ‘’my clue came in
the almost universal obsession that rape survivors have with washing themselves
after the rape: a single visceral image. So I put a free-standing bath on stage
surrounded by a see-through shower curtain. I carefully built up to the actual moment
when she undresses and gets into the bath. Her nakedness spoke worlds about her
vulnerability and exposure. The see-through curtaining became a translation of her
feeling of being smothered - and of her lack of privacy,’’. Gabby in the bath is a direct
Flashing was exceptionally done through an analysis and discussion of a few
elements with reference to the images provided, the text of the play itself, the
playwright’s intentions as well as elements of postmodernism.
First, I will outline three basic characteristics of postmodern staging with direct
reference to deconstruction of time, deconstruction of space and multiple truths in a
postmodern production. Thereafter, I will make specific reference to the images
provided. Thirdly, I will identity the playwright’s intentions that are evident in
postmodern staging of this play.
Green Man Flashing is a production to directly challenge the possibility of corruption
in the present government and can be viewed as ‘’political theatre’’ for South Africa.
This production, I feel is a ‘’political thriller’’ Postmodernism can be viewed as a
supermarket of styles or pastiche. It has various elements such as realism, neo-
realism, Brecht, Growowski and the list continues. I will outline three basic
characteristics of postmodernism being deconstruction of time, deconstruction of
space and multiple truths. First, the use of deconstruction of time in Stopford’s
adaptation is evident as there is a constant fast forward, rewind or a jump in time and
going back and forth in location. Stopford takes a modernist/ realist set and
completely strikes it or takes it apart as a space. There are no walls, doors or
corridors and pieces of Gaby and Anna’s house as well as the TRC merge into a
new space. This deconstruction of space. For example, the two rapes are contrasted
together, the rape of Mrs Dlamini and her trial at the TRC as well as Gabby’s case.
The audience is forced to look at both cases and to make a judgement about which
case is worse. There is no correct or incorrect answer and the answer is not given to
the because the audience is required to look deep inside of themselves, reflect and
come up an answer suitable for the individual as a production of postmodernism
triggers thought and academic rigour. ‘’I have lost my son, my marriage, my
honour… everything,’’ this line ties in with Claire’s decision to have Gaby naked on
stage in the bath which will be discussed in further detail in the next paragraph. The
element of multiple truths is shown as the audience is confronted with several truths.
The audience bears witness to the first shot by Gaby. They are forced to see a truth,
but they do not speak out, even though they know the truth, in court, it was not
presented as such. This will be discussed in further detail in the next paragraph with
reference to the pictures given.
It is very important to understand that staging is another level of postmodernism.
Claire has further deconstructed the staging when she does not stay true to the text
and adds in the ingenious idea of having a bath present on stage, ‘’my clue came in
the almost universal obsession that rape survivors have with washing themselves
after the rape: a single visceral image. So I put a free-standing bath on stage
surrounded by a see-through shower curtain. I carefully built up to the actual moment
when she undresses and gets into the bath. Her nakedness spoke worlds about her
vulnerability and exposure. The see-through curtaining became a translation of her
feeling of being smothered - and of her lack of privacy,’’. Gabby in the bath is a direct
