The Arsonists Play Summary

A highly superstitious and dark comedy, that exhibits the demise of the main character by being an accomplice to his own downfall, is exactly what you will find with the play production of The Arsonists. The play was set in a small town where there had been rumors about arsonists being in other towns nearby and burning whole cities down, so all the townspeople had been warned to be cautions of unknown guests who wanted to come into their personal homes. This warning did not phase everyone in the town, as the play shows how one can go against their gut instinct, which in turn can cause an unwanted and worse outcome for themselves and others. At the beginning of the play Mr. Biederman, the main character, is not a suspecting accomplice to one

As the play starts out the Bierderman’s have a guest knock on their door, who’s appearance to the audience hints that he might be an arsonist due to his all red outfit. He invites himself in and ends up staying multiple nights. Mrs. Bierderman was highly cautious and nervous about an unknown guest staying in their house, but Mr. Bierderman constantly reassured her that there was nothing to worry about. Eventually, the Bierderman’s had two unknown guests staying with them, and they had moved multiple large tins of gas into the attic. The two arsonists, who’s identities are still not known to Mr. Bierdernman, used sarcasm and persuasion to convince Bierderman that they were not arsonists. Bierderman had a constant conflict within himself on trying to decide whether to trust his gut or trust what he was being told. The conflict he had with himself continued throughout the play, as the two guests see how far they can push Bierderman into helping them accomplish their goal. This led to the climax, when the two guests ask for matches. Bierderman gave them the matches

One the strongest parts on the set design was how they were able to use the lighting to change the audience’s focus from the lower floor of the house to upper portion of the attic. This stood out because I did not think before this class how much something so simple as a lighting change could affect the focus on the stage. The biggest strength thing that stood out to me the acting was how the characters who not saying the lines at the moment remained in character. For instance, when Mr. Biederman was talking to the arsonists downstairs the maid was rolling her eyes and acted annoyed or impatient with all that Mr. Biederman was asking her to do. This made the play for more alive because a person in reality would continue to act this way as well, despite the maid not being the main focus at that