Vogel

I feel that many people may have the same interpretation as I do as to the reason for the Greek Chorus. In my mind I feel like having all other characters in the show as non-descript entities, creates the illusion that they are the only two that see each other for who they are. Limiting the point of view to that of the two main characters allows us to remove a bit from what society has ingrained into us. The Greek chorus also prevents us from being able to make a connection with any other character, and allows us to focus on the growth and motives of Li’l Bit and Uncle Peck. Though she limited the point of view she didn't force it. The author could have omitted the parts where other characters were involved instead she included them to provide contrast to the ideas of the main characters. I also think that she chose the chorus in order to remind us of social order at times.

The most interesting convention that I took from the play was the casting of the main character as a singular forty something year old woman. The author could have cast the role as many different girls in various stages of their life in order to play the one role, but she didn't. For me I took that all the things that happened to her in her life made her the woman that she is today. In the end when she talks about where she is in her life, we can really see what kind of damage that Peck and the rest of her family did when they betrayed her trust. I think it also allows for a distancing effect. Not staging a real live ten year old going through the motions of being molested by an old man allows us to look at the situation instead of turning away in agony.

Trifles

I fell like doing a production of Trifles as minimalist would take away so much more than it would add. The hyper realism was a choice by the playwright to complement and enhance the characters and their actions. For example, when the men have already made up their mind that Mrs. Wright is guilty they then decide only to search for evidence of motive. When presented with the notion that they might want to check the kitchen for anything of importance, the sheriff says “nothing here but kitchen things.”  This comment, by a man, on the importance of the “women’s things” makes a much more powerful statement than the motives or growth of his particular character. The author is using the character to make a statement about the things, but she also uses the things to comment on the characters. In addition to the direct comments about the objects in question, they also serve as important vehicles for the motifs that the author placed in the script carefully. The images of the women using their things such as sewing, tie back into the putting together of the pieces in order to make a whole. The actions that were written into the play depend on the items and are just as important, if not more so at times, than the dialogue. The objects and the play are so intertwined that removing or diminishing one would also diminish the whole. I think that if the director wishes to produce a play where the characters are the ones who are focused on without help from the naturalistic details then they need to pick a different play.