Workplace
bullying is the new virus and Australia is really good at it! We have one of
the highest rates in the world! Proud?
Bully
Virus
is satirical, moving Verbatim Theatre with actors telling real people’s stories
about workplace bullying. Many victims escape to new jobs, most take no action
against bullies, some seek compensation. However, bullying claims are
frequently denied which compounds the victim’s indignity and anxiety.
Bully
Virus
does not try to tell everyone’s story or even the worst stories, but it shows
that, despite the weird anti-bullying initiatives, workplace bullying is alive
and well – and hurting workers.
 |
| Jenny Lovell, Carole Patullo, Geoff Wallis in Billy Virus 2018, pic by Joe Calleri |
Sample
extract of Bully Virus 2018
SCENE
1: BULLY CHAMPIONS
MUSIC: SPORTING ANTHEM STYLE (OK)
ACTORS
PLAY THIS SATIRICALLY AS AVID SPORTING FANS / CHEER SQUAD.
ACTORS
STAND ON STAIRS: ACTOR 1 (GEOFF) LOW, ACTOR 2 (CAROLE) MIDDLE, ACTOR 3 (JENNY)
TOP
ACTOR
1: Congratulations Australia!
ACTORS
cheer, clap, encourage audience to join in.
ACTOR
1: You win the Gold Medal for Workplace Bullying!
ACTOR
2: We’re simply the best!
ACTOR
3: We do it better than anybody else! Go team!
ACTORS
cheer. They walk downstairs to stage, Complicity with audience, talking
directly to them.
ACTOR
1: Almost one in two workers in Australia experience
workplace bullying!
ACTOR
2: How about that? Half! Half of us!
ACTOR
3: Oh, we’re gooood! We’re really good at this!
ACTOR
1: World class!...
ACTOR 2: ...at repeated
and unreasonable behaviour...
ACTOR 3: ... aggressive and intimidating conduct...
ACTOR 1: ...belittling and humiliating comments...
ACTOR 2:
...Victimisation...
ACTOR 3: ...Practical jokes...
ACTOR
1: ...Initiation...
ACTOR
2: ...excluding people from work-related
activities...
ACTOR
3: And there’s plenty
more where that comes from!
ACTOR
3: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! (Celebratory)
ALL: Oy !Oy! Oy! (Celebratory)
ACTOR
1: And we’re really, really good at writing
policies about bullying. Pages and pages of them! Huuuuge policies!
ACTOR
2: With training programs.
ACTOR
3: Online training!
ACTOR
1: We can even train bullies online!
ACTOR
2: What? We have to train them?
ACTOR
3: Well, some people are just naturals.
ACTOR
1: Natural bullies.
ACTOR
2: Well, that’s a talent to be proud of.
ACTOR
3: We’ll bully anyone.
ACTOR
1: Without fear or favour!
ACTOR
2: Equal Opportunity bullies!
ACTOR
3: We should have an institute!
ACTOR
1: The Australian Institute of Bullying!
ACTOR
2: Team Australia!
ACTOR
3: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
ALL: Oy !Oy! Oy! (grotesque pelvic thrusts etc)
SCENE
2: WARNING!
MUSIC:
STYLE OF NEWS PROGRAM at top only, Approx 15 secs OK
ACTORS PRESENT IN STYLE OF TV NEWSREADERS DOING
CONTENT WARNING. RESONANT NEWSREADER VOICES.
ALL
ACTORS SIT IN CHAIRS: ACTOR 3 (JENNY)- SR; ACTOR 1 (GEOFF)- Centre; ACTOR 2
(CAROLE) SL.
ACTOR
1: The stories you are about to hear actually
happened.
ACTOR
2: Only the names and places have been changed to
protect the identity of the innocent –
ACTOR
3: and the not-so-innocent –
ACTOR
1: And us!
ACTOR
2: Warning! Some stories contain occasional coarse
language, adult themes and scenes of outright bastardry.
ACTOR
1: Real stories.
ACTOR
2: Real people.
ACTOR
3: Bully Virus.
SCENE
3: VICTIMS’ COMMENTS VO 1
MUSIC
UNDER VO RECORDING. OK
COMMENTS
AS VOICE OVERS. SOME WORDS LIP-SYNCHED BY ACTORS
ACTORS
MOVE TO SIT CHAIRS: ACTOR 3 (JENNY)- SR NR DOUBLE DOORS; ACTOR 1 (GEOFF) - ACTOR
2 (CAROLE)- USR FRONT OF STAIRS.
VOICE:
I was abused, ridiculed and harassed by managers who didn’t like the fact that
I was different from them – I mean, I wasn’t a drunk. (C)
VOICE:
I was criticised constantly by a line manager who some co-workers thought was
simply jealous. (J)
VOICE:
I was dismissed for standing up to a boss who was bullying another worker. G)
VOICE:
I was undermined by a co-worker who thought I wasn’t up to my job. (J)
End Extract _________________________________________________________________________
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