2.1

In order to remove conceptions of 'dullness', Contemporary Australian theatre provides themes that a modern audience can relate to. The plays, //Ruby Moon// by Matt Cameron and //The Seven Stages of Grieving// by Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman epitomise how Contemporary Australian theatre is used to dispell the stereotypical Australian characters and ideas, such as the 'rugged bushman', and replace them with characters and scenes that reflect modern Australian society. Cameron, Enoch and Mailman engage their audiences using images. Rather than the stereotypical characters, the playwrights make use of multiple characterisation. Beyond this, the theatrical styles employed are diverse, ranging from stand-up comedy to Absurdism, gifting the audiences of Contemporary theatre with a multifaceted perspective on the themes and ideas of modern Australian society.