How would you direct the characters in the yellow bird scene?

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How would you direct the characters in the yellow bird scene?

‘The Crucible’ is a exhilarating play, which is based on the true events that happened in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 when a group of teenage girls started to mess with witchcraft and faked being caught by the ‘devil’; the girls created a horrific witch hysteria. It shows how the courts where run unfairly in the 17th centaury, and it shows how the court has such a big affect on the village’s society. Arthur Miller has written the play in an effectual way and uses factual events to show the audience what really happened and how Salem and McCarthyism are parallel.

Act 3 pages 86-96 is set in the courtroom, where the characters, Mary Warren, Parris, John Proctor, Danforth, Abigail, Mercy, Hathorne, Suzanna, Herrick, Cheever, and Hale are present. These characters are all present in the courtroom because they are all part of the village society affected by the lies caused by Abigail and her followers. The page starts with Danforth asking Mary to faint to prove that she can faint whenever she wants, to prove that Abigail and her followers can also pretend to see spirits. Mary is torn whether to tell the truth about Abigail lying about seeing the spirits, with this she may be facing a death sentence and she would go through the torment of Abigail getting revenge on her, or to go along with Abigail and not face a death sentence and be free from torment from Abigail.

On Page 86 when Mary says:’Faint?’ I would direct Mary to say this in a very breathless timid voice, this is because Mary is afraid to say anything to the judge and is scared of Abigail, who is near her, this will make her feel uneasy, if she says it in a timid breathless voice it shows how Mary is feeling and shows her situation very clearly.

On the line ‘Aye, faint. Prove to us how you pretended in the court so many times’ I would direct Parris to do a little smirk when he says ‘aye’ and to walk over to Mary when he says from ‘prove’ and when he says ‘pretended’ he should say it in a lower tone and raise his eyebrow. This conveys to the audience that he wants Mary to show that she was lying, knowing that she cannot, he wants this because he wants to prove a point to the judge that Proctor is no good and that Mary is lying.

 Once Parris has said his line, I would direct Mary to look sheepishly at Proctor and say the line stutteringly ‘I – cannot faint now, sir.’ At this point I would direct Mary’s eyes to start to water softly while looking at Proctor. Then I would direct Proctor to look at Mary’s eyes and look like he feels guilty for what he I forcing her to do for a few seconds and then he should straighten his back and say: ‘can you not pretend it?’ I would direct him to say this in a subtle way so the other characters don’t hear it and the other characters on stage should act like they haven’t heard what Proctor and Mary are talking about; this conveys to the audience that Proctor and Mary are being secretive and will do anything to get justice for the people that have been accused. When Proctor says the word ‘pretend’ to Mary, I would direct Proctor to say that in a pretentious way, this conveys to the audience that he desperately wants Mary to faint.

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After Mary has told the court about why she cannot faint, Danforth then questions her about it by saying: ‘Why, what is it lacking now?’ Before he says this he should lean over his desk intrigued by what Mary has just told him. This shows to the audience that he is intrigued by what Mary has just said.

On the line ‘Your Excellency, this is a trick to blind the court!’ I would direct Parris to say this walking towards Danforth and pointing his finger at Mary and should say this in an aggressive but desperate tone. This conveys to ...

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