The curtain rises on an empty stage. It is late afternoon November, 1945. The rooms are dusty, the curtains in rags. Chairs and tables are overturned.

Question

It is early morning, July 1942. The rooms are bare, as before, but they are now clean and orderly.

Read the two sets of stage directions in the passage. Then explain how you would set the stage to show that a time shift has occurred if you were the director.

Answer 1

To effectively convey the time shift from late afternoon November 1945 to early morning July 1942, I would take a two-pronged approach: staging and lighting.

Staging Elements

1. Set Design for November 1945:

   • Dusty and Worn: I would include a significant amount of dust on surfaces, especially on furniture and the floor, perhaps using fine dust sprinkled in corners and crevices.
   • Tattered Curtains: The curtains would be ragged and hanging loosely or partially falling off the windows.
   • Overturned Furniture: Several chairs and tables would be placed askew or even laying on their sides to evoke a sense of disarray, suggesting neglect or a hasty abandonment of the space.

2. Set Design for July 1942:

   • Clean and Orderly: Transitioning to the earlier time setting, I would replace the dusty elements with a clean finish. The floor would be swept, and surfaces would be polished or clear of dust.
   • New, Functional Curtains: I would utilize bright, fresh, and neatly hung curtains, possibly in lighter colors to depict a more hopeful atmosphere.
   • Organized Furniture: The chairs and tables would be upright and arranged neatly, reflecting an environment of order and functionality, potentially to suggest a time of organization and preparation before adversity.

Lighting Elements

• Lighting for November 1945:

  • I would use dim, muted lighting to create a somber, melancholic atmosphere. Shadows would be amplified to give the sense of impending decay or neglect.

• Lighting for July 1942:

  • I would use brighter, more vibrant lighting to signify hope and clarity. The light should be warm, reminiscent of summer mornings, enhancing the feeling of a fresh start or a more optimistic time.

Transition Technique

To show the shift, I'd employ a gradual dimming of the lights over the November 1945 setting, followed by a blackout. When the lights come back up, I’d reveal the July 1942 setup with the brighter lighting and a subtle sound cue, such as birds chirping or an upbeat score, indicating a significant change in context and atmosphere. This visual and auditory contrast would help the audience feel the dramatic shift in time and circumstance.