Setting for an Unwritten Play...

Curtain rises, cast in soft, mundane lighting, the stage is dominated by a large mahogany dining table, surrounded by tasteful and clearly expensive chairs of the same dark, beautiful wood.  The table itself centers and spotlights an elaborate gold and crystal candelabra, of the sort one would use for dinner lighting.  The table is set for two, with delicate porcelain plates, clearly antique, and gold plated silverware to match the candelabra; silverware for a full multi-course meal.  Spotless white linen napkins in gold and crystal napkin rings sit to the right of each place setting, untouched as of yet. From the ceiling, a small crystal chandelier hangs suspended, glittering brightly over the scene.  Replacing the normal backdrop (or perhaps directly in front of) are curtains of white gauze which billow softly, stirred by an unseen, unheard, and unfelt breeze.  Interspersed with exacting regularity between the curtains are tall, graceful Grecian pillars, shining like alabaster.  At the perimeter of the stage, however, things are vastly different.  Here everything is run down, cheap, and takes on a slightly nightmarish quality, jagged edges, lack of symmetry, etc.  The periphery should combine elements of a kitchen, a laundry room, a sewing/mending room, etc.  Notably, there should be an old black iron stove, surrounded by pots and pans, a laundry machine, one of the old ‘works by hand’ models that can hardly be considered a machine by modern standards, an old black iron, pedal sewing machine and sewing basket.  It should be noted that these elements are the extreme of the nightmarishness and should be placed on the extreme perimeter of the stage (within reason given audience view), and all other stage elements should fall in between the two extremes and be arranged in gradient between them, to foster a ripple or fade effect.  So center stage is the dining room, the ‘grey’ area beyond should be a sort of servants hallway, a narrow open space with intermittent lighting and places to set ready food to be brought to the diners at appropriate junctures.  Beyond that the stage fades into the ‘underside’ of the working of a rich household.  Servant’s quarters, kitchen, etc.  Where possible, concealed blacklights and fog machines should be subtly placed, as they will be needed for future scenes throughout the play.