| Agreed. I felt like we needed something akin to the reveal of Madame's facade at the end of "Night Music"'s first act. It didn't have to be entirely architectural, but somehow, considering the emotional weight the house plays in the story, a miniature doesn't cut it. I flashed on -- of all things -- "Tiny Alice." My guess is: they didn't want a showy piece of scenery to upstage the impact of those ghosts. Still, even a cutaway of the facade, something that's aged and crumbing, in the shadow of trees, feels required. The house was sacred space, a sanctuary and a transitional portal. That little doll house feels minimizing. And we stare at it anyway (I thought it would move, grow, do something...) In pt 2 we get a stylized cherry tree that is larger. I just rewatched "Howard's End" for the first time since seeing this play, and it underscores my take on the disappointing realization of the house. |
