In the Darkness

As we are progressing through the play, I would like to emphasize that despite the humor, there are areas of this play that linger in the darkness. In act one, the play begins amusingly enough. Characters break character and are often jesting to the audience. The humor is outlandish, with dinosaurs and the discovery of the wheel, but as the act moves forward, I think it is important to realize the terror that lurks in the play. If the characters are genuinely frightened, as Sabina most certainly is, can we laugh anymore?

Act two follows a similar structure, only there is something less amusing about the whole event. Is it simply not as funny – or is there something else? I believe, and this is only my opinion, that Wilder is hinting at something more corrupt and more disturbing (which will be emphasized in act three). Also, since the audience knows that serious danger is lurking for the characters, we (as the audience) are concerned for the characters. I know I'm always filled with a genuine fear for the characters.

When we reach act three, I think we’ll see something different than maybe we expected. Something so much darker than we could have managed; possibly something you might consider sinister or evil. Wilder’s play is overwhelmingly effective (for me) and I think this is emphasized because of the tonal changes throughout the play. One minute we’re laughing and the next we’re filled with dread. As Sabina says, “In the midst of a life, we’re in the midst of death (aside) and a truer word was never said.”