Inspired by
the techniques
of dramatists
including
Tennessee
Williams, 6th
form pupils
had to create
a stage-set
and characters,
writing a
descriptive
introduction
and passage
of dialogue…T
he scene is a pale blue sitting
room with white painted
window frames and darker
floral curtains. It takes up the
whole stage and in the furthest
'corner' there is a TV. A sofa
and an armchair, opposite one another, are on
different walls but should be clearly visible to the
audience. Thus while the far two corners of the
room should be visible the other two need only be
suggested by the positioning of the furniture; the
sofa and armchair are of the same pattern - a
dirty floral blue colour, darker then the walls but
not so dark as the curtains. There is an old
mahogany table next to the armchair with a
cheap 'tiffany' style lamp on it. This, and the TV,
give off the only obvious light in the room but the
stage should be externally well lit. There is an old
poster, worn at the edges, of the American TV
series Friends, as well as a small reproduction of a
Monet Haystack in an indifferent frame. The
room should have an air of, not unloved, but
treated indifferently. There may well be a bin in
the corner, or an old pair of trainers on the
windowsill. The TV is sitting on an old cabinet,
with the door hanging open. A variety of videos,
DVDs, wires, a DVD player and various remotes
are strewn untidily at its base. There are two girls
on the sofa; Hannah, the furthest from the
audience on the left, and Hettie on the right. A
third girl, Harriet, is on the armchair. While
Hannah should feign the teenage mask of
boredom, she should also contrive to look more
intelligent than suiting her surroundings, but also
self-pleased and superior. Hettie seems more
nervous but is trying to copy Hannah's expression.
Both have mousy hair which has been highlighted
blonde and are dressed scruffily but with an
attempt at 'grunge' style, they have heavy eye
make-up. They sport numerous silver rings on
their fingers and are wearing useless wide belts
with ornate buckles. Harriet is wrapped up in a
thick woollen blanket (from all of their clothes it
should be obvious that it is winter, the other two
are probably wearing 'Ugg' boots). Her hair,
unlike the other two, is tied back. She should
appear at once intelligent and amused, but also
annoyed. While the other two are leaning back
into the sofa, legs crossed, intently watching, she
? is sitting in the armchair diagonally, with her
legs dangling (with a kind of easy grace) over the
arm. She is trying to read a book by the
lamplight. She has a tendency to play with the
corners of the book. She occasionally glances at
the other two, but they pretend to be oblivious.
There is an atmosphere of brooding tension, but
also amusement on Harriet's part.
Harriet: People, could you turn that down a bit
please?
-short pause:
Guys?
-Hannah nudges Hettie, who, with a slight but
exaggerated sigh, gets off the sofa, turns down
the volume a little and returnsHarriet:
Thanks
Hettie: you could dim the light then, it's kind of
distracting
Harriet: (dryly) I couldn't read then
Hettie: (with another sigh) S'pose
-short pause:
what are you reading anyway?
Harriet: Lady Susan
Hettie: What's 'at?
Harriet: an unfinished early epistolary novel of
Austen's
Hettie: as in P&P?
Hannah: (turning to look at them for the first
time, sarcastically) No, it's your mum Austen.
Do you want to shut up, there's a film going on
here?
(Her voice is artificially deep and she has a
way of making it seem as if she is always
right. There is a suggestion in her that, if she
tried, she could do anything. She is attractive
but arrogant)
Hettie: (quickly) Sorry
Harriet: (quietly) And I'm trying to read
Hannah: Yup, while we're watching a film
Aluredian
48