“Skylight” by David Hare, the beginning of act 2

Firstly it must be noted that David Hare does not use stage directions in the same way that many other playwrights do. He does not just use them to tell us where and when actors enter, exit and move around the stage. He uses them to set the mood and tone and to give the actors/directors/readers information on how the characters are feeling and the ways in which they react to things. He writes more as if he is writing a novel than a play. Many of the stage directions are for the benefit of the audience to see visually, but many are also for the benefit of the actors, telling them how they should portray their characters on the stage.

The first paragraph of the stage direction at the beginning of act 2 is very precise. We are told exactly what the setting and appearance of the stage is, “The door to the bedroom is slightly ajar”. This first stage clearly wants the stage to appear as if it is extremely cold, the playwright is trying to achieve the feeling of winter “A white...