the Lady Windermere's Fan study guide. - Shaw Festival Theatre
the Lady Windermere's Fan study guide. - Shaw Festival Theatre
the Lady Windermere's Fan study guide. - Shaw Festival Theatre
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The Title: <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s <strong>Fan</strong><br />
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The play is entitled <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s <strong>Fan</strong>, suggesting that a ‘fan’ is of no small importance to<br />
<strong>the</strong> plot. What is <strong>the</strong> importance of this seemingly trivial object? In <strong>the</strong> program essay for our<br />
production, written by Neil Bartlett, he suggests that, like many of <strong>the</strong> objects presented in<br />
<strong>the</strong> play which seem harmless enough (a locked bankbook, a sealed letter, a calling card, a<br />
photograph), <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s fan proves to be very dangerous. As <strong>the</strong>se objects are<br />
passed from hand to hand during <strong>the</strong> play, <strong>the</strong>y lure, mislead, blackmail and betray <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
owners - <strong>the</strong>y all contain secrets and lies. Even an object as trivial as a dance card can have<br />
dire consequences - after a little manipulation by <strong>the</strong> Duchess of Berwick, a dance card condemns<br />
Mr Hopper to a lifetime as her son-in-law!<br />
The world that <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere inhabits is one where objects can’t be trusted, “a world built<br />
over <strong>the</strong> gap between what things look like and what things mean”.<br />
Note: every time someone picks up <strong>the</strong> fan it is accompanied by a threat or a lie.<br />
A fan is designed to conceal or reveal its owner. It is an instrument of flirtation, but also one<br />
which can be turned into a weapon - as <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere threatens to use it against Mrs<br />
Erlynne.<br />
What does <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s fan conceal? What does it reveal?<br />
How does <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s fan betray her sentiments?<br />
What does Lord Windermere’s bankbook conceal? What does it reveal? How does <strong>the</strong><br />
discovery of Lord Windermere’s locked bankbook betray his sentiments?<br />
In whose possession is <strong>Lady</strong> Windermere’s fan at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> play?<br />
PROP TABLEAU<br />
Number of People: 3<br />
Items Necessary: Props (3) (a fan, a letter, a bankbook)<br />
Prompts Needed: 1 topic<br />
• In groups of 3, players discuss <strong>the</strong> most exciting moment in <strong>the</strong> ‘life’ of <strong>the</strong>ir prop.<br />
• Create a tableau about that moment.<br />
• Create a before and after tableau that tells <strong>the</strong> story of <strong>the</strong> prop.<br />
• Students present <strong>the</strong>ir 3 tableaux with a segue moment to connect <strong>the</strong> 3 tableaux.<br />
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