Soundings in the Dramaturgy of the Australian Theatre Director examines the processes of Australian theatre directing, in terms of dramaturgy. The contention of this thesis is that, while all directors call on all the elements of dramaturgy, each director concentrates on one of these elements. A National Directing Survey is undertaken to determine the fields within which Australian directors work and to determine the dramaturgical emphasis of different directors. Three directors, whose work is indicative of different dramaturgical processes, are chosen for case study analysis. This dissertation looks at the dramaturgy of the Australian director through the use of the case studies of three directors. Building on a definition of dramaturgy developed on the work of Darko Suvin, the work of three Australian directors is examined in terms of their organisation of non-empirical space/time as borne by performers who represent by means of action, meaning to an audience. Each director is interviewed with specific reference to the concerns of the dramaturgy as outlined by Suvin. Through the use of these case studies, the dramaturgy of Australian theatre directors is examined. A production of each of the three directors is analysed in terms of the elements of dramaturgy. The results from the interviews are coupled with observational insights to reveal the dramaturgy of each director. These results are then brought together into observations about the language and processes of the Australian Theatre Director.
