Trifles

          A play is meant to bring a story to life visually. Props and costumes help bring context to a play that the audience would otherwise miss without them. It’s especially true when dealing with a play that is set in a different time period and unfamiliar setting to the audience. The play “Trifles” is set in a time period that is very different from the one we live in now. Without props and costumes to portray this setting accurately it would be difficult for an audience to fully grasp the setting. The dialogue itself gives hints to a different time period but it might not be blunt enough to fully explain this to an audience. If the audience is not aware of the setting they will not understand they story fully. You could rely on the actors to portray accurate speech and mannerisms but this could still be inadequate.

          There is also a lot of interaction with props written in the playwright. If actors in the play did not have these props to work with they would have a difficult time portraying their actions to the audience. I doubt it would be too difficult for experienced actors to work with a blank set, but the audience can only work with what they hear or see. If there was no set to portray the bleakness and emptiness of the house, the audience might not be able to immerse themselves in the story deep enough to appreciate it.

Overtones

          The rule pertaining to when or who can hear Hetty and Maggie in this play seems to be pretty straightforward. Throughout the play Hetty and Maggie both address their more cultured counterparts. When each one specifically addresses their counterpart only can that character hear them. They also directly address each other and when this occurs, only can they hear each other. Even though they directly address each other they never make it totally clear that they hear what the other is saying. There are only a couple instances in the play that the “shadows” we can call them actually vocally acknowledge what the other is saying. When Margaret states that she has been to Turkey to Harriet, Hetty openly accuses her of lying and in turn Maggie admits that it is a lie. It’s never made clear that this confession is acknowledged by Hetty or Harriet. There is a subtle hint that Harriet becomes aware that this is a lie and asks Margaret about Turkey. Of course Maggie tells Margaret to change the subject in fear of the truth being revealed and Margaret does so. There are many instances similar to this throughout the play that whether or not what Hetty and Maggie say to each other actually register with the other.

          It may become very frustrating for an audience to keep up with the dialogue of this play. They would have a hard time understanding who is addressing who if it is not executed well by the actors. Eye contact and body language would be necessary tools to portray whom each “shadow” is addressing. It would be quite confusing if Hetty was addressing Maggie but looking at Harriet. You could easily have the character playing the “shadows” lean in towards their counterparts when they are speaking to them to clarify.