Show and Tell: Andre's Mother

The play Andre's Mother by Terrence McNally demonstrates an example of a characters ability to speak without using spoken word. The title character is not actually in the play but the play is based around his life. The play begins in he middle of Central Park where the four characters are honoring Andre. The characters each say something about Andre then release a balloon signifying the acceptance of his death. After the first two characters, Arthur and Penny, release their balloons, it brings us to the main conflict with Cal and Andre’s mother. The main character in Andre’s Mother, Cal, was Andre’s boyfriend. Andre’s mother did not know Cal was Andre's boyfriend until the events in Central Park. Cal makes a desperate attempt to make Andre’s mother understand why Andre was who he was, and also to get her to understand why Andre never told her about him. Cal begins trying to connect with the mother. He tries but fails to connect with her. As he continues his failing attempt at connecting, the author uses silence and minor stage direction to get Andre’s mother to show emotion. The simple use of silence and physical emotion allows the audience to connect with the feelings of the mother. One connecting point would be “Her lips tremble. She looks on the verge of breaking down. She is about to let go of the balloon when she pulls it down to her. She looks at it awhile before she gently kisses it. She lets go.” Although the mother’s character remains silent, at the end of the play the audience is filled with her emotions of hurt and frustration. How “Andre’s Mother” was written in this peculiar way shows the author’s desire to connect to this specific character. By not allowing the mother to have any dialogue and letting the characters emotions pour out into the play, her feelings speak louder than words.

Next to Normal

The best example of tempo in this play is during the songs "You Don't Know" and "I am the One." Kitt has an extraordinary way of knowing exactly how to make the listener feel what he wants you to feel. In "You Don't Know" the tempo is very steady build. You are waiting for the character's to explode. In "I am the One" we hear Gabe and Dan try to persuade Diana that they are the "one" she should believe in and trust. This is of course very dangerous and has a slightly eery feel to it because we have just discovered that Gabe is dead. The tempo changes from steady to frantic. 

As far as which scenes get music, the reason a character sings in a musical is because there is absolutely no other way to express ones self. The moments where there are songs are there because they are some of the most important parts of the play. 

Some songs happen more than once. There are three different "Heys." Each shows a different time Natalie and Henry meet. The third is where Natalie realizes they are perfect for each other even if they aren't individually perfect. 

Topdog Underdog

Three card monte is a game in which the dealer always wins. Its more of a hustle than a game. I think that this mirror is used to symbolize the game of life. Lincoln can never win. It is not "in the cards" for him. We know that Lincoln  is most definitely the good guy in the play just because of the character's names. In a way Lincoln is bound to lose the game of life to Booth just like three card monte.  He has been given a bad hand by being named Lincoln. We can assume his brother will kill him by the end of the play. That is inevitable. Not only are the characters named Lincoln and Booth but they also play the characters they are named after.
The reader knows the end of the play before it begins. Parks does not hide it in any way. I am not sure why but it is very obvious how the play will end.

Water by the Spoonful

Scene 7 is the first time we see Elliot interact with the other characters. In this scene we see the difference between Odessa in real life and her online life. She chooses her "family" online over her real son. The two different worlds in the play are Odessa's. Her real life and her internet life. Her online "children" seem to think Odessa is saintly. We know that Elliot does not care for his mother because of what she did when he was younger. Before this scene Odessa's two worlds were completely separate. Elliot changes this.

Tis Pity She's a Whore

The color scheme that I would choose for Tis Pity She's a Whore is red and black. I think the red symbolizes the violence and lust and love. I think red should be the central color because lust. love and violence make up the play. Love is found in Annabella and Giovanni's relationship. Their love is forbidden. Lust is found in Annabella's relationship with all of her suitors. And violence is clearly shown when Giovanni stabs Annabella, although i think all three love, lust and violence can be seen in this scene. The black represents power. Some images I have chosen are a bare back of a women, a letter, fire and black blood drops. 

These are the quotes I have chosen:


"Lost, I am Lost! My fates have doomed my death."
"O that it were not in religion sin
To make our love a god, and worship it!”
—Giovanni 

“Revenge is all the ambition I aspire;
To that I’ll climb or fall. My blood’s on fire.”
—Soranzo

House of Trials

One convention of Spanish Golden Age comedias found in House of Trials is the asides to the audience. This is very different from the well made plays we have read. In a well made play there are no asides and you can not break the fourth wall. In all comedias the fourth wall is broken. There are several times in this play that the characters break the fourth wall. 

Another convention is interruptions called lazzi. This is usually done by an experienced actor and the actions have nothing to do with the plot itself. 

Another convention seen in House of Trials is the importance of one's honor. A man's honor is very different from a woman's honor. In short a men's honor is based on making sure the women in their lives keep their honor. 

Show and Tell: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

Much like in Love! Valour! Compassion! I was very impressed with Terrence Mcnally's ability to make a play engaging using little more than dialogue and characterization. This play takes place all in one location - Frankie's apartment - and has very little in the way of plot or action. However, the play is very interesting and enjoyable because of the endearing characters and their struggle to find a long-lasting connection.

The play begins with Frankie and Johnny, two coworkers, having just had sex. Throughout the rest of the play, intense and straightforward Johnny attempts to convince hesitant and isolated Frankie that they are destined for something deeper and more real than just casual sex. Johnny is in love with Frankie and convinced that they are soulmates; Frankie has given up on finding love, and she is intimidated and overwhelmed by Johnny's passionate overtures. However, by the time the curtain has gone down at the end of the play, Johnny's heart-on-his-sleeve earnestness has won Frankie's heart, and the play ends the same way it began, with the two lovers in each other's arms.