The Crucible (Higher Drama)

Betty In Bed / Abigail & Girls (Pointy Reckoning)
1. Acting. Betty = Screaming, hysterical, rebelling against the society around her. Moving as if possesed by something. Introduces the htme of Supernatural. Abiagil = Although she does appear hysterical she is seen her as controlled, manupulating the situation. Has a controlling /commanding tone. She appears to be controlling Betty. Paris = Nervous as he clutches a bible. Shown through voice and movement. He appears nervous and scared about his reputation and what 'Betty' could bring. He is quickly pacing along with fast speech. He also has a demanding tone to his voice.
2. Costume. Betty = White dress. Mud on dress showing how she has meddeled with something dangeruos. Ruining her innocence. Shows she was more involoved than just being a observer of the dancing. Abiagil = Headscarf is removed, shows wildness. Her dress is unkept and messy, suggesting her involvement. No headscarf shows the rebellion against the restrction of soceity, traditions. Makes the audince question her beliefs, scared of being discovered of her act.
3. Staging. Only one bed. standing alone isolated, focuses the audince's attention on Betty. Metel bars show improsonment and isolation. Stairs in the center indicate audince of being upstairs. Paris, sat near, at a table and chair - this reflects the power and control over the village and Betty.
4. Lighting. White, spotlight from above creating an unnatural atmosphere, placed on the bed isolating the audiences attention on the bed and Betty. Introducing the establishing themes of supernatural and witchcraft.
5. 1. Acting. Girls = Movement reflecting fear, limited use of staging. Facial expressons and shreaking also suggest fear as Betty lays silent. The accent is English working class, country accent. Helps the audince relate. Abiagil = Voice is strong and loud with threating tones. Her movement is dominant through conrolling gestures. Facial expression is threatening to the girls.
  2. Costume. Betty still in muddy white dress. Abiagil has a darker headscarf whoch represents the difference in the community. Girls all wear headscarfs out of respect of the relgious and social expectations.
  3. Staging. Bed was pulled on by Tituba, showing manual labour and the status of people. Use of staircase, audience upstairs.
  4. Lighting. Dim lighting to enhance the power over the girls Abigail holds. A flanel lighting gives a pull of red over Betty and the Girls creating a sencse of danger, prehaps of what is yet to come to them all.
6. John & Abigail
  1. Costume. John = In working clothes which give the impression of strength and masculinity, strong. Muddy boots. All in black which connotates death. Abigail = Removes headscarf, this gives the audience a clue that they have an intent relationship as she has removed it in his presence - undressing herself.
  2. Acting. John = Johns movement is very strong and violent. Rejection reflects their relationship being purly visicle. John's voice shows authority through the use of tone and volume. He also shows rejection as he had no love for her. Abiagil = Abigail's voice is soft and seductive tone. When she is rejected she starts shouting, reflects childness and shock that she hasne't got what she wanted. Abigail's movement is almost violent in desperation, animal like again shwoing the possenion. Timeless movement modern influence, wouldn't happen in these days. Gives the audience the impression their relationship is purely made of lies.
  3. Staging. They changed use of staging to reflect and enhance their relationship (Running behind bed) Through the use of the chairs around which could connotate the judgement of justice they climb, stand and sit on them whilst moving them, as if they are trying to avoid the judgement of others.
  4. Lighting. Same as before.
  5. Directional. Very violent and animal-like, no boundarys. Showing Abigail at her most vulnerable.
  6. John & Elizabeth
    1. Direction. We see the contrast from the physical and confident to weak and low. Shows contrast in charcters. Difference with Abigail than Elizabeth. Elizabeth is distant but he loves her truley. Elizabeth is cold and bitter creating a barrier - unforgiving. Images of Elizabeth plants a lead of doubt in audince linking her to witcraft (Theme).
    2. Lighting. Scene starts with Elizabeth in an isolated flanel light, giving a white pool of light. Reflecting her lonliness from John.
    3. Staging. Staging reflects that of a dosmetic hard working farming house. There was limited furnature, all was hard looking, reflecting the lack of warmth, homeleness/comfort. Big table (Long) showed the distance in their relationship.
    4. Costume. Elizabeth = neat, tidy, clean, her headress is on. Exactly what you would expect from a house wife. Her headress remains off untill Hail enters, shows she has self respect. John = hardworking farmer, big boots on and a linin cloth top. He washeshimself, which could be himself washing of his sins after visiting Betty & Abiagil. Hale = Formal, clear higher status. Hat gave him this and formality. Style of garnets - not woking class.
    5. Acting. Elizabeth = Physically working (Bread) painful to watch her move. Many uncomfortble moments between her and John. Busy and effecient. An air of sadness and remote about her. Voice is factual, harsh tone no warmth. Sit's in judgement. Cold throughout scene. Connservative. John = Watches her, tries warmth but there is nothing there. Builds anger throughout scene, as Elizabeth goes on at him. He bursts physically and vocally. Tried pleasing her and tried tenderness but nothing is working. There is a clear vois between the two charcters relationship. Hale = Caring, confident. Authroity about questions, caring in mannerisims. Tone is of authority. Physically his facical expression ebgins to show stress. Slow deterioration of Hale at the very beginning.
    6. Sound. A single (note) represented her life is on the line. May be her final moments.
    7. Abiagil in Court w/ Mary (Hysteric)
      1. Acting. Abigail = Shows real fear here in her facial expression. She cannot control Elizabeth. She has tears in her eyes, out of fear that she may be found out. Also of what is due to happen and the fact that her image has now been questioned and her position is now in jeopardy. Girls = Are violent in their movement, animalistic, they wriggle about on the ground and engulf the whole of the acting space, reflecting their power that consumes Mary. They cower behind chairs like a pack of wolves, huddling for strength and security in their lies. Gestures towards a bird (Mary), which indicates a conflicting personality. Procter = Reflects his anger vocally he is shouting showing his rage and power. He is central to the action and is controlled yet physically outraged by the situation, again dangerous animalistic movement. Loosing power against the girls. Big movements when distressed. Losses control as the status minimuses.
      2. Costume. Abiagil has the lighter headscarf which shows authroity as she wishes to stand out. The headscarf removal resembals their disregard for society and their desperation to inact their possension. Brings an element of sexuality. Smart/formal in court, shows they have staus anuthority over people.
      3. Directional. We are made to feel that Abigail has the power and is total control until John is pushed to remove that power by admitting in his guilt. we then see Abigail at her weakest
      4. Lighting. No where to hide underjudgement of court. Girls entered through back white lighting silhouetting the power. Given the impression of doince and power as a group.
      5. Staging. Chairs representing the jury as they fall doubt is brought into court reflecting in chairs falling over. Judge Hathorn stood on a chair to show status and authority
      6. John & Elizabeth in Jail
        Staging. The chairs were swept away to the bottom of the tower, they are piled up and broken to signify the miscarriage of justice that has happened.
        Directional. Here we see Procter go from a broken man pushed to humiliation, to a man with dignity. His wife has changed from an isolated lonely women to a loving wife (CONTRAST TO BEGINNING)
        Lighting. The main focus of lighting is the central entrance and exit that has a really powerful white light that Elizabeth enters and Procter is taken out to die. Reflecting the passage of salvation.
        Acting. John = vocally he has no attack at the beginning of the scene however as the scene goes on and he is pushed he regains power and begins to shout and use strong gestures. His head is bowed in shame. His movement is low and shows us he is pain. He is upset and this is reflected facially, when he sees Elizabeth but regains his composure towards his death as this aceptance has given him absolution. His physical relationship comes back as they kiss passionately before he goes. They are intimate in their holding of each other. He has a dignity in his final walk, showing composure. Elizabeth = movement is slow reflecting her incarnation. She physically goes to Procter and they are intimate reflecting her coldness has gone. Her physical control is gone she is only showing love and compassion for Procter. Her voice is weak and warmer not so cold or judgemental. Hale = Is a broken man. He is shaking, reasoning with John. He has no authority, integrity is broken.
        Costume. Procter = He is disheveled and his clohes re ripped and torn. He no longer has a sturdy clothing he is in rags that are ripped reflecting the sspirt being broken. BROKEN MAN. He has also been tortchered as his fingernails have been pulled and wax lays upon his hair. Old fashioned ways of getting people to admit guilityness of meddiling with the devil/witchcraft. Which conveys the theme of Intolerance. Elizabeth = Unlike before she is dihealved, dirty. She no longer strapped up as it is obvious she is pregnant. Her clothes are ripped and her headress is flimsy not stricly bound. Hale = No longer is he composed his clothes are disheaved and dirty , he is in rags, atters. He has a white cloth wrapped around his right hand as he has signed away death sentances of the innocent. It resembals his innocence towards the people who have been commited to death as it was out of his control.
        MAIN CLIMAX
        Key Facts of Importance
        STRUCTURE
        INTRODUCTION: A play of which I have studied is 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller. It was performed by the Old Vic Theatre company and directed by Yael Farber. I will be writing about (Link to Question.)
        CONTRAST POINTS OR MAIN CLIMAX (examples): John & Elizabeth contrasts with them in Jail (Their relationship, clothing, staging and lighting)John & Abigail contrasts with Abigail in court (Character relationships, staging, clothing) MAIN CLIMAX is John & Elizabeth in Jail
        Remember elements asked for using key scenes & contrasts. LINK BACK TO QUESTION
        Conclude your point in a final conlusion: Over all the use of (QUESTION) has helped develop dramatic tension and the understanding of the play, making it enjoyable for the audence.
        How did it affected the audience?
        Build a plan before you start
        Out of 20, at least 10/15 paragraphs of developed points

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The Crucible (Higher Drama)

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	Created by Alexis Skinner over 9 years ago