Minimal Trifles

At first, thinking of a stripped down version of Trifles didn't make sense to me. It being a almost CSI-like story-line, taking away all the details seemed wrong. But, if you think about it, the show isn't about figuring out who did it. The show is about women of that time, being forced to spend their time inside cleaning and taking care of the house on their own, and having men tear them down as if it should be the easiest thing in the world because women are "made" to do it. 

The two other women in the show actually figure out what happened and hide it from the men because they understand how bad Mrs. Wright's life had been, and the fact that honestly deep down they may have though of doing the exact same thing. Being stuck in that daily life of being forced to do this and that, of being made to feel like you are ridiculous and lesser then the opposite gender, a person is bound to go crazy. I think making this show ultra minimalist would solidify that idea even further. If you think about it, to Mrs. Wright her home probably looked that way in her mind. There was no life in the home, no children, no pets, nothing. Her quilt wasn't being made to decorate, it was being made because it's what she was supposed to do. 

The minimalist approach would enhance the feeling that there really was nothing to the house, it's "lonesome and always was." 

Overtones and Undertones

The rules of the "small world" created in Overtones by Alice Gerstenberg are fairly clear throughout. There is a put together, controlled version of the character (Margaret and Harriet) and then there is the wild, primitive  strong, version (Hattie and Maggie). The distinction between the characters while first reading the script is a bit blurry, but becomes extremely clear as the play goes on.

Harriet only hears Hattie, but never sees her. Margaret hears Maggie, but never sees her. Margaret and Harriet see and speak to each other, making them the "real-life" versions of these characters. The fact that the well-mannered counterparts can not hear the other's primitive selves is shown multiple times throughout the play. However there are times when the veil between the two characters thins. For instance, there is a point before Margaret enters when Harriet calms Hattie and says she doesn't want Margaret to see her. Harriet also says that Hattie is stronger than her meaning Hattie voluntarily allows Harriet to control these situations.

A rule that was never clear to me however is whether or not the primitive halves speak to each other. There are instances when it seems they are responding to each other, but if that were the fact then Margaret and Harriet would know more about the other's primitive side. Perhaps the primitive selves are responding to the body language of the well-mannered selves and, being more instinctive and primal, they are able to pick up on real feelings rather then the facade that is put on.

I thought this was a thought provoking show and a good read because it has a huge commentary on how much of our own human nature we try to hide, and even though it was set in the past when manners, especially for women, were of a greater importance then they are now, we still tend to hide our more instinctive, dramatic sides in every day life.