Journal entry: 11

Director’s notebook

      A lot of things have occurred over the past months. The earthquake, which hit my country on April 25TH at 11:56 changed a lot of things. Its has been more two months yet aftershocks are continuing but now people have now started living their normal lives. Due to the earthquake our school was shut for April 27 and will be opening on 3^rd of August. Being an IB student does not mean I was free for such a long time. I had so many assignments to complete and this kept me very busy. For theatre I have been working on my directors notebook and the world theatre presentation. For my directors notebook I chose the play name “The proposal” by Anton Chekhov.  Searching for the right play was an extremely difficult task as there are so many plays. I went through a lot of plays but dint find the perfect one for such a long time. When I saw “The proposal” in a website where there were around 100 of play lists. The title of the play  “The proposal” it self attracted me. Thinking that it was an adorable romantic play I started to read it but it turned out totally different. At first I felt that play seemed quite meaningless and silly. I got quite irritated as I expected an adorable love story but when I thought about it later it seemed so hilarious. It was totally different form most of the plays I have read or seen so I decided that I would chose this play for my directors notebook.

Here just a brief summary of the play:

            Ivan and Stephan are neighbors. One day when Ivan goes to Stephan’s house very well dressed Stephan assumes that the young man has come to borrow money but when Ivan tells him that he has come to propose to his daughter. He is over joyed and goes to call his daughter Natalya. As Ivan first talk about the weather then tries to bring up the subject of marriage. He first starts talking about his family and then mentions that his family owns the Oxen meadows. Natalya stops him and mention that the oxen meadows belong to her family. They start to quarrel and start yelling at each other. When Natalya’s father hears them fighting he comes out.  Natalya and her father insult Ivan so Ivan leaves the house. When Natalya learns that Ivan had actually come here to propose she sends her father to bring him back. When Ivan returns back he just start to talk again but now about their dogs. They again land up quarreling about whose dog is the better.  Finally Ivan’s heart cannot take it anymore and he blacks out. After a while he comes back to his senses as he hears Stephan saying – Hurry up and get married she is willing. Then Natalya too says yes I am willing to but they again start discussing about whose dog is better.