What are the very "Australian" characteristics in this performance?.
The Man from Snowy River portrays many "Australian" characteristics. Some of the characteristics for example are the costumes worn by the actors who completed the character with their language. The scenery adds to the uniqueness of the performance; and no performance is complete without its own style of music. .
The costumes helped to bring out the characteristics of Australia's well known rugged outdoors. Steve Bisley, who played poet Banjo Patterson, was dressed in a drizabone and akubra, as well as a swag slung on one of his shoulders. Many of the main characters wore these, as well as flannelette shirts and jeans. The women wore olden style dresses that were puffy and frilly. The costumes also were different colours. The finale of the performance showed horsemen riding in on horsebacks with red and white lights on their drizabones. The lights were in the shape of stars, which was a symbol for the Southern Cross. The drizabones, flannelettes and akubras in particular brought out the country Australian style of dressing. .
The language spoken in the performance was English, but with a style that is unique to Australians. This style is known as "slang", which is the way Australians pronounce their words, or phrases and words made up. Some of the words used in the performance were: beaut (beautiful), mate (friend), G"day (Good day), Sheila (woman) and bloke (man). These words are known to be unique to Australians. Some of the characters also spoke with accents, which proves Australia to be a multicultural country. Having characters with Australian accents and characters with accents from other countries together brought out unity within the performance. .
The scenery in this performance enhanced the features of countryside Australia. The character Kate and her father lived in an old farm house with a long drop dunny around the back.