By Veronica Y Gonzalez
Metamorphosis is a Japanese play based on the novel by Franz Kafka. It tells the story of a salesman who works too much because he has to provide for his mother, father, and sister. Overnight, he is suddenly transformed into an insect. His life drastically changes after this. Not only does he lose his job, but his family treats him in a completely different way.
Music: This play has many unique aspects, one being its use of music and sound. The actors move along to the sounds and music being played. Gregor, as an insect, moves along to the sound of what I believe to be maracas. The shaking of the maracas goes well when his hands shake like the antennas on bugs. The family eats along to a beat that sounds like an old clock. The chief clerk created a rhythm by clapping that set the pace for the conversation they were all having.
Lighting: The lighting helped emphasize key points in the play. The image above shows when the lights are turned off and a spotlight is placed on them. The spotlight casts the shadows onto the wall. I really liked this because it signified the height difference of a human and an insect. The shadows looked huge in comparison to Gregor. This lighting is used again when they open Gregor’s door. It doesn’t have the same significance because the family members are close to him so their shadows aren’t as large.
Minimalist Stage: The only things on stage besides the characters is a metal frame that is supposed to be Gregor’s room, the pole in the image above, and three seats. There are no props used throughout the play. The characters have to act like they are holding items such as milk, a tea cup, silverware, or food. This is amazing to me because it forces actors to practice really hard to make it believable. Also, this helped to eliminate pauses in the play to switch props like other plays do.
