For the set I would like it on a high semi circular stage with the crowd half surrounding it. The basic layout of the will be a large old room decorated with expensive paintings and useless ornaments, these will decrease as the play progresses showing money problems and 3 large marble columns at the rear of the stage. In front of the middle column will be a large clock. To the left of the stage will be the window, the top half is a French window whereas the bottom part is not so as which to enable the audience to see through, and the window will give the set some lighting. By the window stands a table with 2 chairs, in the middle there’s 2 sofas made of wood with red seating. To the right of that is the door and the fireplace, on the floor in the middle of the room is an old expensive looking rug. Just behind the pillars there is the dining room, where a long mahogany table stretches sideways on, so that we can see the table being laid out by Anfisa seen in act one. Also in the dining room to the right will be a second door/entrance to the set.
Through out the play to represent time I thought that the window could some how be designed to set a shadow on the clock, so that the shadow acts as a sundial exaggerating the time scenario, also the clock could be faulty and click louder than normal every now and again, so that when that happens the actors can cast a quick glance at it showing they
are aware of the clock at all times, or Anfisa could go and tap it to check its ok, and towards the end of each scene it could tick through out until the next, or the clock could strike, and everyone could freeze at that point and strike when the next scene starts. Towards the end of the play at the turning point where time is no longer an issue, the clock could finally break/stop. And the shadow could have moved to apposition so that it’s no longer visible. I also think at the end of the play the window could be open to show freedom from their enclosed lives.
In act one I would place Olga in the centre of the room just in front of the sofa’s walking around in an anticlockwise circular motion for the conversation about the past. Until the point where they start looking forward towards their dreams of Moscow, then she will change direction and stroll around in a clockwise motion. Chebutykin will be standing to the left hand side of the dining table with Tuzenbakh, and Solyoni to the right of them by Tuzenbakh but avoiding looking at him to show some discomfort around him. Solyoni and Chebutykin retreat to the main room and split up leaving Tuzenbakh on his own, leaning against a pillar just looking in on the rest. This signifies he is unsure of what to do and that he is an outsider. Chebutykin walks to Irina slowly and relaxed he sits down as he kisses Irina’s hand. During this Anfisa is setting the table and glancing around every now and again. Masha is on one sofa reading her book her hat is on her knees, she is balancing her shoe on the end of her toe. So that she is relaxed but not at home, I want to make the audience see this as if they are a fly on the wall so they can get into it more, in the rest of the theatre I would have the audience over lap into the theatre.