Read the following scene from Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY. You mean that they didn’t get on very well? MRS. HALE. No, I don’t mean anything. But I don’t think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it. COUNTY ATTORNEY. I’d like to talk more of that a little later. I want to get the lay of things upstairs now. (He goes to the left, where three steps lead to a stair door.) SHERIFF. I suppose anything Mrs. Peters does’ll be all right. She was to take in some clothes for her, you know, and a few little things. We left in such a hurry yesterday. COUNTY ATTORNEY. Yes, but I would like to see what you take, Mrs. Peters, and keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us. What is one possible advantage of hearing the characters’ voices as opposed to silently reading the scene?
What is one advantage of reading a play as opposed to watching or listening to it?
Read the excerpt from Trifles.SHERIFF. Nothing here but kitchen things. (The County Attorney, after again looking around the kitchen, opens the door of a cupboard closet. He gets up on a chair and looks on a shelf. Pulls his hand away, sticky.) COUNTY ATTORNEY. Here’s a nice mess. (The women draw nearer.) How would an audio recording of this excerpt help establish the setting of the play?
Read the following scene from Trifles.SHERIFF (chuckling). Married to the law. (Moves toward the other room.) I just want you to come in here a minute, George. We ought to take a look at these windows. COUNTY ATTORNEY (scoffingly). Oh, windows! SHERIFF. We’ll be right out, Mr. Hale. (Hale goes outside. The Sheriff follows the County Attorney into the other room. Then Mrs. Hale rises, hands tight together, looking intensely at Mrs. Peters, whose eyes take a slow turn, finally meeting Mrs. Hale’s. A moment Mrs. Hale holds her, then her own eyes point the way to where the box is concealed. Suddenly Mrs. Peters throws back quilt pieces and tries to put the box in the bag she is wearing. It is too big. She opens box, starts to take the bird out, cannot touch it, goes to pieces, stands there helpless. Sound of a knob turning in the other room. Mrs. Hale snatches the box and puts it in the pocket of her big coat. Enter County Attorney and Sheriff.) COUNTY ATTORNEY (facetiously). Well, Henry, at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to—what is it you call it, ladies! MRS. HALE (her hand against her pocket). We call it—knot it, Mr. Henderson. What changes might a director or screenwriter make to the original version of this scene in order to best emphasize the mood?
Read the following scene from Trifles.MRS. HALE (resentfully). I don’t know as there’s anything so strange, our takin’ up our time with little things while we’re waiting for them to get the evidence. (She sits down at the big table, smoothing out a block with decision.) I don’t see as it’s anything to laugh about.A possible disadvantage to hearing this scene, as opposed to reading it silently, is that Mrs. Hale may not
Read the following scene from Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY. Yes, but I would like to see what you take, Mrs. Peters, and keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us. MRS. PETERS. Yes, Mr. Henderson. (The women listen to the men’s steps on the stairs, then look about the kitchen.) MRS. HALE. I’d hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing. (She arranges the pans under sink which the Lawyer had shoved out of place.) MRS. PETERS. Of course it’s no more than their duty. MRS. HALE. Duty’s all right, but I guess that deputy sheriff that came out to make the fire might have got a little of this on. (Gives the roller towel a pull.) Wish I’d thought of that sooner. Seems mean to talk about her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry. A possible advantage of hearing this scene, as opposed to reading it silently, is that
Read the following scene from Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY. Here’s a nice mess. (The women draw nearer.) MRS. PETERS (to the other woman). Oh, her fruit; it did freeze. (To the Lawyer). She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fire’d go out and her jars would break. SHERIFF. Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves. COUNTY ATTORNEY. I guess before we’re through she may have something more serious than preserves to worry about. HALE. Well, women are used to worrying over trifles. (The two women move a little closer together.) In a film production, where should the camera focus if the director wants to emphasize the men’s emotions?
Read the following scene from Trifles.MRS. HALE (resentfully). I don’t know as there’s anything so strange, our takin’ up our time with little things while we’re waiting for them to get the evidence. (She sits down at the big table, smoothing out a block with decision.) I don’t see as it’s anything to laugh about. MRS. PETERS. (apologetically). Of course they’ve got awful important things on their minds. (Pulls up a chair and joins Mrs. Hale at the table.)How would an audio recording most likely convey the characters’ emotions during this scene?
Read the excerpt from Trifles.MRS. HALE. Duty’s all right, but I guess that deputy sheriff that came out to make the fire might have got a little of this one. (Gives the roller towel a pull.) Wish I’d thought of that sooner. Seems mean to talk about her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry. MRS. PETERS. (who has gone to a small table in the left rear corner of the room, and lifted one end of a towel that covers a pan). She had bread set. (Stands still.) How would an audio recording of this excerpt help establish the setting of the play?
Read the following scene from Trifles.MRS. PETERS. She was piecing a quilt. (She brings the large sewing basket, and they look at the bright pieces.) MRS. HALE. It’s log cabin pattern. Pretty, isn’t it? I wonder if she was goin’ to quilt or just knot it? (Footsteps have been heard coming down the stairs. The Sheriff enters, followed by Hale and the County Attorney.) SHERIFF. They wonder if she was going to quilt it or just knot it. (The men laugh, the women look abashed.) COUNTY ATTORNEY (rubbing his hands over the stove). Frank’s fire didn’t do much up there, did it? Well, let’s go out to the barn and get that cleared up. (The men go outside.) How would a film version most likely emphasize the men’s emotions during this scene?
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