The set of To Kill a Mocking Bird really captured how a child’s memory and recollection of the serious events in Maycomb are perceived. In the book and the play, Scout is the narrator of the story and as an adult, she recalls the summer of Tom Robinson’s trial during her youth. The stage never changes its backdrop to subtly show that all the events shown to the audience are from Scout’s memory. Additionally, all aspects of each scene are constructed on the stage itself whether they effortlessly emerge from the floor or ceiling or are pulled in by cast members. These quick scene changes allow for the audience to continue following Scout’s narration and focus on the plot without being distracted by flashy scene changes. The imaginative aspects of a child’s memory are also reflected as the frameworks of the Finch’s home, the courthouse, jail and other places in Maycomb that seem to magically fall into place as they float from the sky or erupt from the stage.
The minimalistic stage design also helps emphasize the play’s plot by only displaying the bare essentials for us to understand where each scene is located. The Maycomb courtroom is perceived as a judge’s desk, rows of chairs for the jury, a witness stand and desks for both the prosecution and the defendants while the Finch’s house is shown as a porch and the framework of the façade of the home. The simple design of the set also allows the play to feel familiar and better adapt to the descriptions of the book. There are no set pieces that seem out of place or vary from the context of the book and they fit the theme of Maycomb being a simple yet homey Southern town. Also, the book’s characters are emphasized by the framework of the minimalistic set with their accents, thoughts, and actions building upon a more accurate tangible perception of Maycomb. With the set being such a subtle enhancement yet prominent foundation for the entire play, it allows the audience to better understand the deeper meaning of the serious nature of the show and appreciate the atmosphere of Maycomb through the actions and words of the actors and actresses.
To be quite honest I do not think minimalism is the correct word to describe the set. Perhaps I would say it was simple and homey but it wasn’t particularly minimal. I do really appreciate how you interpreted the constant backdrop as a signal to the audience that they remain in a constant place for the entire production, Scout’s memory. Another aspect i noticed in the set was the presence of light fixtures. The light enabling the audience to see the production was obviously provided by the complex floodlights and spotlights system, and yet the designer intentionally employed the presence of light fixtures. Still not sure what the implication is…keep me posted if you have a thought.
I actually wrote something similar. Instead of saying minimal, I described the sets as simple and accessible because I think the crew put a lot of thought into designing the set. But I never considered the backdrop so that was an interesting observation you found. I definitely agree with you that the simplicity of the set helps the audience to focus on the bare essentials. Especially for me who didn’t read the book, it was easy to understand and digest the plot by looking at each scene.