• Overview
• Staging information
• Translations
• Sample translations
• Production history

Scene

The play is divided into two acts of four scenes each. After scene 4 of act 2, a scene entitled ‘Final Fantasy’ ends the play.

Staging

Muñiz stipulates that the play should be staged minimally, but in such a way that leaves no doubt in spectators’ minds as to where each scene is taking place.

• Crock’s office is furnished with a table. On this are piles of files. The only thing that brightens it up is the bunch of flowers that Crock furtively takes from a desk drawer to put in a vase.
• The offices of the Director and the Businessman are significantly more plush than Crock’s workplace. The Director sits in a throne-like chair behind a huge table.
• In the park, the most significant piece of scenery is the park bench that the Friend sleeps on.
• Crock’s room in Señora Slamb’s boarding house is poorly furnished. It features two ramshackle beds, a sink and a clothes rack. In the home of Crock and Frida in the country, their bedroom is similarly shabby.
• During the final scene of the play the stage is bare, apart from the characters dressed in black and gathered around Crock’s body.

Costume

The characters all wear clothes more or less commensurate with their social status. Notable costumes:

• For the entirety of act 2 Crock wears pyjamas with horizontal stripes on them. There is a number sewn onto the left side of his chest. They look like prison numbers and he looks vaguely like he is indeed wearing prison clothes throughout this act.
• Pim, Pam and Pum look like triplets and always say and do the same thing. They wear grey suits, striped shirts, roll-up trousers and brown shoes.
• During the final scene the characters from the play reappear, dressed in black and carrying suitcases, as if they have all been travelling on the train that kills Crock.

Lighting

Lighting has an important role in this play. It should be used to emphasise the most dramatic moments, such as the final scene of act 1 when Crock is attacked by his fellow employees.

Music

The stage directions note that American marching music should accompany the most upbeat scenes. The most dramatic moments should be accompanied by a sad melody, that may even sound a little unpleasant.

In the penultimate scene the sound of a train approaching gets louder and louder until we hear the screech of brakes, after the train has supposedly hit Crock.

A funeral march scores the final scene.

Cast number

Minimum	Maximum
11 males	12 males
3 females	3 females
14 (total)	15 (total)

Characters

• CROCK
• CONCIERGE
• FRANK
• FRIEND
• PIM
• PAM
• PUM
• DIRECTOR
• BUSINESSMAN, Señor Ulrico
• SECRETARY
• SEÑORA SLAMB
• FRIDA
• PARK WARDEN
• TEACHER
• LIVI
• VOICES HEARD ON OFFICE INTERCOM

Entry written by Gwynneth Dowling. Last updated on 6 October 2010.

Post a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment. Please log in or sign up for a free account.