Matt Balzano
THR 104 Play Analysis
Mallory Catlett
12/11/13
Final Paper
For this final paper I will be directing the play Machinal . This is realism. The
new setting of the play is going to be on a small island with a community of about
100 people. It will be taking place in 100 B.C. I believe that the island will help
people understand Machinal better because it will show how Helens life is being
dictated a lot more by showing it on a very secluded island, almost making it feel like
she has no other choices and nowhere to go. The island will help show what society
expects of women a lot better because it will show them doing things like making
clothes and cooking, and make it very obvious to the viewer. Islands are usually
known to be quiet places, but to really get my point across of how much Helen is fed
up with the mechanical lifestyle I want to make the island very noisy, to the point
where its never quiet and it drives Helen crazy. Also since it is on an island most of
the people will not be wearing a lot of clothes, so it will show how we can see from
her point of view why she finds her husband repulsive, and it will show why she is
attractive to the younger better looking man. I also think the island will make it
more obvious about women doing what society thinks they should do. I plan on
making things a lot easier and simpler for the viewer to understand. I will make
things more obvious so that the viewer will understand important issues that this
play is trying to make. The actors I pick for this play are going to have a great
understanding of the play, which will make it easier for them to act the way I want
them to. I am going to direct them in a way that they have great emotion and make
things very over the top to point out important points of the play. I choose the island
because my main
Starting with episode 1, I want it to take place in a big hut where all the
making of the clothes goes on. I want it to be a loud environment where everyone is
throwing out ideas and talking very loud with each other. But in the corner by
herself is Helen, talking to no one and minding her own business. No one is going to
seem to care about her in the corner except for her boss. I want to make it very clear
how miserable Helen is and how much she feels different from everyone else. Also a
big point I want to make in this opening scene is how everyone is trapped in the
mechanical lifestyle. I’m going to show all women using their handmade sewing
machines with no problem, and I will show Helen struggling with her machine and
hitting it. Her boss is going to walk right through everyone and ignore them and go
straight to Helen. Her boss is going to go straight on one knee and propose to her,
while he does that everything goes quiet. I want there to be confusion in Helen face
and a feeling of overwhelming, so just to get out the situation she says yes.
In scene 2 I really want to show how much Helen doesn’t want to be like her
mother. Its going to take place is their small hut which is their home. Helen’s mother
is going to act overly nice to Helen, but Helen is going to want nothing to do with it. I
want Helen to show anger in her face and frustration, while her mother will look like
she has a sarcastic smile on. Although most people on the island wear the same
clothes Helen is going to wear something different just so she feels different from
her mother and everyone else. I want to make it obvious how much Helen doesn’t
want to become like her mother and the other women. Helen’s mom has been a
clothes maker her whole life and Helen feels too much like she’s following in her
mother’s footsteps. I want to show Helen going out and doing some of the more
manly things on the island like hunting and building. I want to make it obvious how
she is the only women working with the men.
For scene 3 I want to show Helen and Mr. Jones being married. I want it to
take place on the beach. I want the majority of the people in attendance to clearly be
for Mr. Jones and I want only a few people there for Helen. I want to really show how
much little support and help Helen has. Throughout this scene I want Mr. Jones
always having a smile on his face and being very sociable, where I want Helen to
have a look of shock on her face while talking to almost no one. After being married I
want Helen to walk off on the beach by herself and begin to cry. Showing her
disappointment in her marriage and life.
In this next scene I want to show that several months have past and Helen is
