The play Cosi is a comic play written by Australian playwright, Louis Nowra and is set in the early seventies in the midst of the Vietnam War era. The play focuses on the amateur production of the Mozart’s Opera Cosi Van Tutte. The protagonist, Lewis is a young inexeperienced university student who is given the task of directing the play as a part of a therapy program for the partients at the local insane asylum. Dramatic techniques are used constantly throughout the play to create re-occurring motifs impacting significantly on the themes of enlightenment, love and fidelity and madness, which are shown strongly throughout.

In Act One, scene one responders are introduced to the “burnt out theatre” where two unlikely worlds merge. The theater metaphorically represents the world outside; it reflects all the drama-taking place outside the asylum. This burnt out theater merges these two unlikely worlds together. The first, the outside world which Is set in the Vietnam War era, and then the patients world inside the asylum indicating madness. The use of these dramatic techniques creates re-occurring motifs playing a major role in the meaning and message that Louis Nowra is trying to portray.

In Act One, scene three the play begins in the darkness as Lewis shows his journey to enlightenment. Responders are shown “Lewis’ lack of control over the patients and his inability to fit in” he questions the “madness” he finds himself in.
The re-occurring motif of darkness is shown in “pitch black inside” this quote indicates that the characters metaphorically begin in the dark with ignorance and little understanding. Responders are told how “they fumble in the darkness for a light switch”. The use of this stage direction shows responders that although the characters begin lost in the darkness, light will give them hope that the journey to enlightenment will occur This scene is Lewis’ turning point as he lies to save the play and merges two unlikely worlds together. Lewis’ lies about how and why the toilets in the “burnt out theatre” were on fire helps both words of the asylum and the outside world merge. The contrast of the two worlds merging together significantly impacts on the themes of enlightenment, love and fidelity and madness.

In Act two, scene two and three, responders are shown how the play within a play helps Lewis charcter development and helps to gain understanding of the value of love. Lewis’ character development. “I’m not going to let them down. It’s about more important things like love and fidelity . . . without love the world wouldn’t mean much”. This quote shows how Lucy and Nick are a contrast to Roy who helps Lewis to understand the importance of love and he is now on his journey to enlightenment. Love and fidelity also play a major role in this play; in this stage direction “Lewis feels portrayed” foreshadows Lewis later being betrayed by his girlfriend Lucy and best mate Nick. Lewis’ view of love and fidelity is also shown through “Love is not so important nowadays” this quote reflects Lewis’ negative thoughts on love and fidelity. Responders are then shown how Lucy and Nick betrayed Lewis by sleeping together, this set the value of love and fidelity. Responders are then shown how Lewis defends the patients by hitting Nick when he insults the patients. “What are you on about – too much time with the loonies Lewis. They’re coming to take ma away, ha ha ha to the funny farm” Is said by Nick to Lewis. Nick represents society’s stereotype of mental patients (madness) and is contrasted is Lewis’ view of them as he now has learnt that stereotypes are false, this portrays his growth. This shows that Lewis now excepts the patients as they are “extradinary people, who have done extraordinary things”. Punching nick metaphorically shows rejection of his old superficial values and acceptance of love. This use of stereotyping the patients helps responders to clearly see Lewis’ growth impacting on the themes of enlightenment, love and fidelity and madness.

In Act two, scene four responders are shown the “play within a play”. “Happy as a man who calmly takes life as he finds it . . . and despite the tempests of life he will find serenity and peace”, these final words from “Cossi Van Tutte” reflect what Lewis has learnt as he becomes enlightened. He understands that life has obstacles and challenges “vicissitudes of life”. He grows to realize that life is filled with different emotions “weep, laugh” and they must be experienced in order the find peace and harmony with yourself. Nowra then shows the fine line between madness and sanity, the asylum has madness but so does the outside world, no one can tell who is mad. The use of these emotions helps Nowra to create significant motifs and ideas shared throughout the duration of the play. Lewis’ understanding of emotions being necessary replace his old views of politics.

The closing scene of the play uses forth wall; Lewis breaks the “forth wall” and joins the audience in describing what happens to the patients after the play. It also shows how their lives take on different obstacles to overcome, for some they are a lot tougher than others. We are then shown the stage direction “time to turn out the lights”, this has a circular structure from the opening scene where the charcters “fumble” for the lightswitch. Lewis is enlightened by this experience but ironically the patients return to the dark world of the asylum. Their “chink of daylight” I gone with Lewis’ exit.

Louis Nowra’s “play within a play” Cossi Van Tutte uses dramatic techniques of enlightenment, love and fidelity and madness to help responders to empathise and grow with the charcters. Although they are two very imcpmpatiable worlds they merge together significantly impacting on all themes and concerns used throughout the play