Lights, Stage Set, Action!

When designing the set design for a play we must keep in mind that within space constraints a visual display must be achieved to bring to life the setting and aide the actors giving the performance a realism. It must be kept in mind that the live audience focuses on certain areas without allowing the mind and eye to wander and has an unobstructed view regardless of the seating arrangement. Obviously, a play does not afford for the visual treat given to a cinema scope movie with its changing scenes, countries etc and the actors need to compensate for the drawbacks that a play on a stage entails.

The set design should not allow for movement of props as this causes delay and distraction to the audience. In order to allow the audience to focus on the scene at hand lighting needs to be employed with a moving floor that brings that particular scene to life. For example in the beginning of the play the entire house can be seen but a moving screen covers Stella’s apartment with a brick façade. The upward flat will have a permanent brick façade as no scene occurs in this apartment but the windows can be lit as needed and voices heard and Eunice can be seen through the open window.  When Blanche makes her entry the porch moves in focus through the moving floor which retreats when not needed. The porch has a steps an the entire scene is conducted at street level and on the steps. A painting wall gives the illusion of a three dimensional street scenery with further housing and cars and obvious street sounds are heard. As Blanche moves inside the porch is unlit and darkens to remove the focus of the audience from it and the downstairs apartment brick façade moves away automatically to reveal the entire well lit interiors. The upstairs apartment is also unlit to keep attention within the downstairs apartment

The apartment is large enough to allow the actors to move freely but is designed in such a way to still give the imagery of a small, claustrophobic apartment in which the inhabitants have no personal space or privacy adding to tensions. The rooms are spartanally furnished to show a simple home devoid of luxuries relevant to their social status and meager financial status. There are essentially two rooms divided by a folding Chinese barrier. The door from the porch leads to the kitchen and dining table ( which doubles as a poker table) and a few stiff chairs. The kitchen closet is partially opened and a few drained glasses and an empty whiskey bottle lay by the sink. A lamp missing a shade is in the corner( to be covered as a Chinese lantern later on in the play), and a folding bed lies against one wall. Blanches’  trunk stays in the forefront close to the audience. The bedroom is simple with a wooden double bed, dresser but has a pretty pink bed sheet with dainty flowers showing a woman’s feminine touch. The bedroom leads to a narrow door and bathroom which is only partly visible.

When Blanche sits stiffly alone waiting for her sister the room dims but Blanche is lit well. This without dialogue makes Blanches’ finery and dainty demeanor seem out of place and in stark contrast with her dismal surroundings. Her shock and distaste as she views her surroundings help to emphasize her discomfort in her expressions. Everything in the apartment is deliberately kept small even the size of the doors to make Stanley upon entry seem larger than life. His animal like movements and his mach mannerisms seem oddly out of place in this child’s doll house type of stage set up. Further, his size which is now exaggerated in the enclosed spaces makes the women appear more feminine and vulnerable in comparison. This out of place theme continues when later on a few of Blanches’ high society ‘designer’ dresses are hung on display almost as if ‘Cinderalla’, finds herself back home in the drudgery after the ball. The fact that a man occupies this residence is shown by markers of his domain such as the whiskey bottle, and poker cards.

Lighting in this play to create mood and ambience and highlight focus of the scene and expressions is paramount as is sound. Throughout the play the audience must feel close to the set and watch with the impression that they are flies on the wall of very private affairs. While, the acting and dialogue are first and foremost the most important factor it is the set design that supports the actions and lends to the visual treat and adds to the drama.