The Interplay of Written, Spoken and Visual Text in The Shoe-horn Sonata by John Misto and Paradise Road by Bruce Beresford

It is through distinctively visual texts that composers imprint powerful images in individual’s minds to ultimately shape meaning behind significant ideas. This powerful interplay is exemplified in both John Misto’s highly evocative play, ‘The Shoe-Horn Sonata’, and the film ‘Paradise Road’ directed by Bruce Beresford. It is through the way in which written, spoken and visual text communicate the atrocities of war and power of friendship and resilience.

Misto explores the struggles of women under the rule of the Japanese empire through the exploitation of distinctively visual devices to offer new understandings about these women’s experiences. Projected images presented behind Bridie while she communicates her story is ironically punctuated with the song “Happy Times” which is juxtaposed with the sounds of the “machine- gun fire and the cries of the women. ” The layering of the aural and visual images of conditions of camp alongside Bridie’s story validates that even though the drama is fiction the struggles of the women were a reality, essentially bringing to life the actuality of war prompting new understandings. It is through the non-diegetic sound of offstage soundtracks that reinforce responders to not physically, but mentally envision the experience and immense pain of these atrocities and the inner strength and resilience it would take for POW to rise above suffering and tragedy. Character’s dialogue depicts the inhuman manner in which the female prisoners of war were treated; "They shoved us in the cargo hold–no food, no water, no space to lie down. " It is through the use of diction and strong verbs, that reveals injustice overall evoking empathy within the responder. Essentially Misto de-glorifies war through the vivid descriptions of the protagonists' memories, creating distinctive visuals that foster empathy in the responder to prompt.

Similarly, Beresford’s film exposes the atrocities of war through the exploitation of distinctively visual devices. When Wing is caught and burnt alive as a symbol of retaliation from the Japanese, ultimately reveals confronting visuals of realities of war. Close-ups on the women’s faces as Wing’s set alight and burns to death ignite a sense of terror and disbelief amongst responders from moment petrol poured on Wing. Responders’ watch in disbelief as the assembled women and children are forced to witness a fellow prisoner and friend in horrified silence. This is heavily juxtaposed with the extreme close up of Japanese captain Tomiashi who shows no remorse for his actions, highlighting inhumanity of Japanese guards and callousness towards victims. Beresford essentially employs confronting and evocative visuals to effectively allow responders to reconsider their previous conceptions about war.

The vocal orchestra is an ongoing motif throughout the play of hope and emotional escape in the darkest times of war. The personification of “Fifty voices set us free” reveals to the responder the significance of the choir in providing the women with inner strength to rise above suffering and tragedy. The “Sonata” acts as an extended metaphor taking on a symbolic significance, representing friendship as well as Bridie and Sheila’s strength and survival, “we sang our sonata whenever we could- so the camp would know there was still hope left”. The camaraderie shared between the two women illustrates the power of collective experience in forging lifelong friendship bonds as well as music acting as a refuge to escape from their reality. Misto uses soundtracks of young Sheila’s begging voice to reinforce Sheila’s supreme sacrifice to obtain the necessary drugs for her friend, Bridie’s survival. This sacrifice creates a revelation that generates sympathy within the responder and acknowledgment of the suffering engendered by war.

Furthermore, Misto creates an oppressive atmosphere when the audience can almost hear and visualise lipstick Larry’s cruel laughter when Sheila shows him there paltry trinkets that sheila naively hoped to trade for life-saving quinine. Overall these sounds help responders to distinctly visualise the fear and desperation, as well understand the love and friendship that forced Sheila to sacrifice herself in this awful way.

Alike the play, In the film Beresford highlights the power of friendships and resilience in overcoming times of war. Formation of a “vocal orchestra” acts as lifting the women’s spirits giving them a purpose in their lives. The angelic voices are emphasised by a series of close-ups of individuals in the camp as the women look at peace with teary eyes, essentially emphasising the importance of the formation of the choir and the vital role friendship plays in helping the women overcome the horrors of war. Soft amber lighting surrounds the orchestra as they sing creating the feeling of an oasis in midst war, generating responders to feel a momentary feeling of hope and light above the darkness.

Conclusively, both Misto and Beresford’s texts demonstrate the concurrent relationship between brutalities of war and friendships. It is through the creation of the distinctively visual, both composers are able to encapsulate and bring a new light to human experiences. Misto and Beresford invite their audience down a pathway of reflection through the depiction of characters and their experiences, shaping new meaning and redefine preconceived ideas about war, which therefore instigates a change within society to challenge previous ideas about war.