The One Act Play

Stepping a step back from the complex power dynamics under the Apartheid system, I will take a closer look at the technical conventions of the play, specifically the one act structure. Usually a conventional play would have a three act structure; the exposition and rising action in the first act, additional conflicts in the second act, and the third act where the climax is peaked at the beginning of act three.  But why did Fugard decide to write a one act play? I think the answer lies in the purpose of the play, to display the complex power dynamics under the Apartheid system and revealing the glaring discrepancy between reality/Apartheid and dreams/intellectual assumptions.

Since this play is not dependent on rising action, conflicts, climax, and resolution which is integrated into the classical three act structure, Fugard uses distinct stage directions and monologues to carry the momentum of the play. One thing particular that I noticed with a one act play structure is that there's no definitive climax or highlighted event that anchors the purpose of the play. I would argue that the kite episode could act as the "climax" but the following rising tensions surrounding the kite episode, especially between Sam and Hally, could be viewed as more significant.

Moving back to the stage directions, it's certainly imperative that the stage directions have to be precise and leave little room for interpretation because it is the only concrete indication of their character. For example Willie is scrubbing the floors (signifying his submissiveness), Sam is often quiet and contemplative (signifying his cautiousness since he is inferior to Hally), and Hally's sudden fits of anger and rage (signifying White privilege and the power to lash out whenever he wishes without taking any responsibility for it).