Wow. The idea of turning the set and costumes of this show into a blank slate has me
very torn. I am a huge fan of any play
set in a historic time period. I love
how it can transport you to a different time.
However, I definitely see a benefit of making it much plainer in design. I have not seen very many plays that chose
this method of designing the set and costume—the visible “world” of the play. Actually I think I’ve only seen one. But the one that I did see definitely didn’t
make me feel as if anything were lacking.
It leaves much more imagination for the audience seeing the show. They must fill in what this home looks like
and see with their minds the quilt that Mrs. Wright was sewing. The creating of the world of the play is left
to the words in the script, the acting of the people, and the ability of the
audience to use their imagination. I
think that the idea is fascinating! A
completely colorless and shapeless world could still tell the story well.
However, would I feel as if things are
lacking? Maybe I would a little. I try not to let my personal preference alter
how I think the production could work, but that’s difficult. When there is a story that is set in a time
period very different from the present, I believe that it makes the show more
full when you get to feel as if you are stepping right into the room of the
little farmhouse in the early 20th century. It could be a bit more effective in bringing
the world of the play to the audience.
Seeing a rusty old birdcage and an unfinished quilt might make a story
like this seem more real to the audience. So perhaps a mostly black and white set would leave just a bit too much to
be imagined.
I agree with you that it is very hard to not allow your own personal preferences to alter your view of a production. My personal thoughts and preferences are always present when I am experiencing a play. Since this play is set in the early nineteen hundreds… I feel as well that to get the full affect of the story there defiantly needs to be a detailed set with props. Because without this, it causes the audience to become a little bit overwhelmed with all of the things they have to imagine themselves.
ReplyDeleteI'm of the mind that the minimalist approach should typically be left to a story that requires minimal effort to convey its message. I'm with you on your opinion on the topic because I honestly don't think I would enjoy the play as much if it were more abstract. Obviously the plot would remain the same and you could argue that the message would still come across, but I can't help but feel that strictly relying on the audience to use their imagination would in turn create an emotional disconnect that probably would never get re-established.
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