10 Out Of 12 Analysis

Literature Review of Anne Washburn’s 10 out of 12
Anne Washburn’s play 10 out of 12 enables the audience to focus on an aspect of theatre that is little explored: Metatheatre. This literature review provides evidence in many methods Washburn uses in the play to concept to skew the perception of fiction and reality. Focus on script, setting, perspective and overall concept allows Washburn to take the concepts of metatheatre and transform it to create a unique audience experience.
In ‘Strange Times’ Washburn explains to the interviewer how theatre is originally about “sitting in a dark space created by voices” (Washburn, Strange Times, page 43), and it is evident that she brings this concept to life in the play 10 out of 12. Tech rehearsals are

The dramaturgy (the study of dramatic composition of the play) is unique, in that Washburn takes an innovative approach to writing this play by attending a real-life tech rehearsal, transcribing the dialogue that occurs in the room between actors, technicians, directors, producers, etc., condenses the transcription and uses the condensed version in her piece 10 out of 12. The play intertwines dialogue between various departments of theatre (actors, directors and technicians) and various mediums of sound (use of taped dialogue, live dialogue and headset dialogue) thus creating an experience that uses all the senses. Washburn’s realistic style of script shows her focus on the view that theatre is not meant to be watched but rather heard or experiences, her play is an experience so realistic that it makes the audience question whether it is reality or fiction. She uses real-life reference in an accurate manner which led to the conception of the script for 10 out of

The first wall is of the play. The play is vaguely described as being in a Victorian era and has surreal scenes in the jungle or the ocean with mermaids. The actors are self-aware of their characters in the play. The technicians and directors work around the stage to work on the technical aspects of the play. The next fourth wall this breaks is that of the audience. The cast of the play are unaware of the audience, however, the audience is able to listen to dialogue that occurs throughout the theater, whether it is in the headsets between technicians, on stage between the actors playing their characters in the play and between the director and actors who make adjustments when necessary. The third fourth wall was at its edge of breaking, where the audience is almost unable to tell whether what they are experiencing is real or not. As an observer of the rehearsal of this play, this wall was broken when I understood that what I was watching was a rehersal of a play, of a rehearsal of a play. It was difficult to describe or understand when the cast of 10 out of 12 were actually in or out of character. The complexity of this play lies in the use of metatheatre, which has been exploited to its fullest extent