Analysis Of Intimate Apparel Play

1723 Words4 Pages

Salim Naser
0916303
THEA 1331
February 20, 2016 (opening night)
Critique: Intimate Apparel This play covers issues relating to racial prejudice, cultural stereotypes, and gender roles. We are introduced to these issues through the trials and tribulations of Esther Mills, a highly talented African-American seamstress looking for love at the age of thirty five. The set, while very simple and had only a few props (bed, table, staircase, piano, and fabric store) was very dynamic and was easily changed in between scenes, sometimes all they did was change the comforter on the bed. The theatre setup was a multipurpose arrangement or “black box” (Wilson 87). This was the first production I have seen since middle school, at first, I was not following …show more content…

When she broke out of her humble state to seduce George Armstrong, she wore a beautiful handcrafted corset that highlighted her gifted chest that seemed to come out of nowhere. The scene where she does “break out of her shell” makes the viewer really hate George Armstrong in the end when he cheats her because she truly put in an honest effort in an attempt to save their marriage. We know it is an honest attempt because initially throughout the play she is always dressed modest and even when she is packing to leave Mrs. Dickson 's house, she claims her favorite dress is this dim navy blue number that had no distinct features. For her to try to be sexy by dressing up for a man she suspects is sleeping with another woman completely makes her look like a fool in the end. Gorge Armstrong’s costume changed with his personality in my opinion. At first when he was writing those sweet letters he was dressed wearing rugged boots, brown overalls, and rolled up sleeves. This image portrayed that he was an honest and hardworking man who was searching for love in America while slaving away digging …show more content…

“Lighting is one of the most versatile and potent visual resources in theatre” (Wilson 309). “It can be used to establish focus, to indicate mood, and to create special effects” (Wilson 309). Since the theatre setup was black box, the lighting was the only way to establish focus on which part of the set the audience was supposed to look at. Everything was pitch dark, but the light would focus on a certain section of the set where the scene would take place. Before George Armstrong came to America, we knew that he was overseas because he would walk in view upstairs where the fabric store was and recite his letters with a spotlight focused on him. The only thing that was upstairs was the fabric store, but obviously that is not where George was literally writing his letters. The scenes were titled by the some article of clothing or fabric name that was featured in the scene. When the scenes would change, everything would go pitch dark and there would be a spotlight on a black curtain with the name of the scene about to be

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