The Visit: Prop design

The Visit: Prop design

Whole-Town Setting

• The play’s setting encompasses the entire town of Güllen, which manifests through the use of representative structures such as the railway station, Ill’s shop, and the Golden Apostle Hotel.

• In the case of prop design for the different locations, they should all illustrate the economic decay of Güllen, initially depicted through grim, obsolete, and rundown props to convey the town’s desperate financial state.

Signifying Wealth

• As the townsfolk start accepting Claire’s bribe, the props should gradually reflect their newly gained affluence. Obvious signs of material wealth would include fancy outfits, yellow shoes, and expensive cigars.

• However, subtle changes in the common spaces, such as new paint or refurbishments, might reflect this metamorphosis less directly, implying the town’s gradual embrace of material wealth.

Claire’s Physical Characterisation

• Bear in mind, Clare’s props should not only reflect her enormous wealth, but also her peculiar character. Props such as her prosthetic leg and ivory artificial hand highlight her grotesque transformation and the physical evidence of her past traumas.

• The symbolic use of her panther, eunuchs, and butler provide a sense of the eccentric and intimidating figures that Claire surrounds herself with.

Symbolic Props

• Throughout the play, several props carry powerful symbolism. One crucial prop is the pair of yellow shoes that Alfred Ill notices on many townsfolk, signifying their betrayal.

• The black panther that accompanies Claire represents her predatory nature, while the coffin she brings along underscores her grim intentions for Ill.

Props Relating to the Passage of Time

• Props that indicate the passage of time and changing seasons could further demonstrate the prolonged nature of Claire’s visit and the relentlessness of her revenge plot.

• This can be communicated through props that signal different time periods, such as seasonal decorations or outdated consumer goods.