House of Bernarda Alba: Prop design

Set Design: The House of Bernarda Alba

The play is set entirely within Bernarda’s home, symbolising the confinement and isolation of the characters.
There are two major spaces: the main living area and Bernarda’s daughters’ bedroom. The former represents the domain of the authority figure, whilst the latter acts as the site of rebellion and suppressed desires.

Key pieces of furniture, such as Bernarda’s high-backed chair, can symbolise her authority and control within the household.
The bedroom doorway is a significant prop, indicating the invisible line between public and private spheres. It’s also the doorway to the only space where the daughters can express their sentiments privately.
The locked gates and windows reinforce the idea of imprisonment and the denial of freedom.

The choice of colour in the set carries important symbolic meanings: the dominant white and shades of grey suggest sterility, puritanical control, and emotional barrenness.
A minimalist, monochromatic palette can reflect the characters’ suffocated, joyless existence and emphasise contrast whenever colour is introduced (like the green dress Adela wears which symbolises life, vitality, and rebellion).

Specific lighting choices can reinforce the repression theme, such as using darker lighting hues in the daughters’ bedroom to evoke the atmosphere of claustrophobia and secrecy.

Bernarda’s walking stick is not simply a mobility aid but also a weapon and tool of intimidation.
The mourning clothes and veil worn by the characters showcase the oppression under the guise of respect for tradition and societal expectations.
The use of the lace hand fan by La Poncia serves as a critique on the presence of repressive administrators within the society, and not just in Bernarda’s house. It’s also a practical device for conveying hidden messages.

The church bells heard from inside the house highlight Bernarda’s control and connection to societal order, while the horse hooves represent the outside world and freedom.
Any Spanish flamenco music, which is emotionally charged and sometimes seen as an expression of defiance or resistance, could signify the daughters’ constrained emotions and desires.