Our Town

Wilder's theatrical style is considered very radical compared to other 1930s plays. In Our Town, Wilder removed the barrier between the actors and the audience, present in plays of others of his time. Visible barriers – curtains are never drawn throughout the play, but in Williams’ Spring Storm, the curtains are closed before as well as after Act 1. Unlike playwrights of the 1930s, Wilder included controlled audience response in his play. The audience, part of the cast, responds when an actor welcomes questions, thus breaking the invisible barrier between the actors and the audience. On the other hand, in Lorca’s Blood Wedding, no controlled audience response was included, as dramatic tension needed to be sustained. Moreover, in Our Town, some actors talk to the audience, while this is not seen in other 1930s plays. In all plays by Williams and Miller, the actors address each other, never the audience.

Our Town avoids melodrama, contrasting other 1930s playsââ...