PDF file: Drama - Higher - Lovers - Education Scotland

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30 OVERALL DIRECTORIAL INTERPRETATION AND DRAMATIC COMMENTARY with Andy and Hannah. She does, however, conform to a narrow view of Christianity. She visits Mrs Wilson every night at 10 o’clock for the Rosary. This has become a routine. She is expected to do this out of propriety. She doesn’t cheer Mrs Wilson up or try to confront Mrs Wilson’s unreasonable behaviour. • She adds to the gloom of the repressive environment of Mrs Wilson’s bedroom. • She blindly supports Mrs Wilson, and Friel uses her to point up the hierarchy of the status of each of the women. Mrs Wilson has the highest status, then Cissy as an elderly friend and neighbour, then Hannah. Andy as the outsider (and a man) has the lowest status in this female-dominated environment. Mrs Wilson • Friel’s notes on Mrs Wilson are also clearly stated: ‘Like Cissy, she is a tiny woman, with a sweet, patient, invalid’s smile. Her voice is soft and commanding. Her silver hair is drawn back from her face and tied with a blue ribbon behind her head. She looks angelic.’ • This is not quite the vision that we expect. The impression we get of this formidable woman right from the beginning of Losers is supplied by Andy. He informs us that Mrs Wilson ‘keeps Hannah on the hop’ for little reason other than to exert her authority and position. Andy paints a cynical picture of a pious old woman who is suspicious and manipulative. This description is confirmed once we eventually see Mrs Wilson and watch her interact with the other characters. • In truth Mrs Wilson is frightened of losing Hannah and of being left an isolated, lonely old woman. She doesn’t want Andy to take Hannah away from her. She doesn’t want to leave the home that she has lived in all her married life. Her house is her power base. She is comfortable there and can do as she pleases. As long as she lives there she is the one who is in control and can thus exert power over Andy and Hannah. Morally they have to conform to her wishes. This is perhaps why she feigns illness. As long as she overplays her ‘illness’ she has a stronger hold on Hannah. • Mrs Wilson is a symbolic representation of the Catholic church. She is the embodiment of Mother Church. Friel uses this character to convey the influence that the Catholic church has in this religious community. We also see the blind obedience that Mother Church commands from her followers. Mrs Wilson’s demanding illness is an indication of the unbearable weight of responsibility that the Church can put on people in the name of religion. • Mrs Wilson echoes the guilt feelings the Church can elicit from each individual conscience, the restrictions these impose, the rituals, the unquestioning belief that all true followers of the Catholic faith DRAMA
OVERALL DIRECTORIAL INTERPRETATION AND DRAMATIC COMMENTARY should have, the rigid adherence to church laws and papal edicts, the obligations, devotions and traditions. • Mrs Wilson selects the elements of her faith that she needs to assert her dominance. She hides behind the platitudes of righteous and saintly living. • She deliberately and powerfully suppresses Hannah and Andy as they threaten her comfortable status quo. • Her chief ally is Cissy. Cissy is subservient to Mrs Wilson. This reinforces what one would expect from the older generation, blind obedience to the Catholic faith. Remember Cissy symbolises a pious, repressive community and her relationship with Mrs Wilson (who symbolises the power and influence of the Church) has wider significance than that of two lonely, cynical and bitter old women. The combined force and influence of these two women proves too much for Andy and Hannah to overcome. • It is ironic that this embodiment of Christianity shows so little charity, mercy or Christianity towards Hannah or Andy. Mrs Wilson is utterly selfish and self-centred. Andy • This Extract emphasises the futility of Andy’s position. • His solutions to Hannah’s problems with her mother are rejected. • He lacks the strength of character to give Hannah any kind of ultimatum. • He doesn’t stand up to Cissy or Mrs Wilson. • He conforms to society’s expectations. • He knows that he has to keep on the right side of Mrs Wilson as he is not a match for her; he is not brave enough, he is not energetic enough and he is not articulate enough. Hannah • This Extract also emphasises the futility of Hannah’s position. • She is at a low ebb and clearly worn out from all the running around that she has to do. • She rejects Andy’s solutions to her predicament as she cannot ignore her mother’s needs. • She is unable to rise above society’s expectations of a loving daughter. • She wants to be free from the drudgery of her life in her mother’s house, yet she is unable to make the difficult decision to abandon her mother. DRAMA 31
Page 1 and 2: INTRODUCTION In 1993 Scottish CCC p
Page 3 and 4: OVERALL DIRECTORIAL INTERPRETATION
Page 29: OVERALL DIRECTORIAL INTERPRETATION
Page 45 and 46: DIRECTORY OF ACTING PIECES Mag. The
Page 47 and 48: DIRECTORY OF ACTING PIECES Hannah.
Page 49 and 50: Winners, Episode One Page reference
Page 51 and 52: Losers, Extracts Two and Three Page

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