Learn from Writer Dennis McIntosh about his approach to writing authentic characters for West Gate. Use the questions below to help you make connections to VCE Theatre Studies.
Note: The script used in this video is a rehearsal draft from February 2026.
Questions
- At 0.58 McIntosh describes the action in the scene as “transformative” for the characters – Young Scrapper and Victor. What do you think this means in terms of character and story development across the course of show?
-
McIntosh discusses non-verbal communication used in the scene at 1.14. What other moments or actions can you find in the script that reveal subtext (hidden, less obvious meaning) that is important to character, story or themes?
-
At 1.56 McIntosh says his goal in writing West Gate was “to show the brutality and the beauty of this story.” Based on your interpretations of the script so far, what other scenes or moments best showcase McIntosh's aims?
-
McIntosh describes Young Scrapper and Victor as having a battle over hierarchy at 2.35. What clues in the script tell us this? How would you stage this scene to showcase this power struggle?
-
McIntosh says at 3.45 that West Gate is a “real story, it's a real issue ... [that] captures something I knew intimately...”. Discuss how the authentic nature of the story – from both the writer's point of view and the audience's point of view – impact audience and audience culture in 2026.
Learn more about the production in this pre-show education resource.
Developed through Melbourne Theatre Company's NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program, with the support of our Playwrights Giving Circle.
Melbourne Theatre Company acknowledges the support of The Ian Potter Foundation and the Department of Education, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program.
