How would you direct the characters Abigail and Proctor to convey meaning to an audience

On the line ‘Give me a word, John. A Soft word’ Abigail should come closer to Proctor and stroke the side of his face gently. This conveys that she still is in love with john and wants to tempt him back to her. She should also bat her eyelids at him softly too.

After this, Proctor says ‘No, no, Abby. That’s done with now’ Abby should spring back and have a shocked expression but then move in closer again and say the next line. This conveys that John Proctor does not want another relationship with Abigail but shows that Abigail has the determination to not give up until she has her man.

When she says the line ‘you come five mile to see a silly girl fly? I know you better.’ She should say this in a tauntingly fashion and give him eye contact while saying this. This shows that she is really trying hard to catch him in a gaze to grab his attention more and she should say the line flirtatiously; and Abigail puts her hand around his neck.

As john attempts to push Abigail away, Abigail grabs hold of John Proctors hand in desperation and holds it firmly.

Then she says the line: ‘John-I am waiting for you every night.’ The Abigail’s eyes start to water slightly but no tears come out of her eyes. This conveys that she is upset by him not wanting her again, but shows that she doesn’t want him to see her desperation.

Abigail say’s angrily ‘I have something better than hope, I think!’ While she says this she let’s go of Proctors hand and turns around angrily and moves away from Proctor, by the end of the line she turns back to him and gives him a scowling look. This shows that Abigail is furious at what has just happened and can’t believe that she hasn’t got her own way, which is fairly unusual for her.

Once John Proctor has replied Abigail does a mischievous, timid and nervous laugh and says: ‘You’re surely sportin’ with me.’ This shows that she wants to believe want she wants to happen but is nervous about expressing her true self.

The Abigail says the next line in an innocent way, but as the line goes on her voice starts to rise. But when she says ‘and you loved me then, and you love me now!’ she goes closer to him and catches his gaze for a second, but this gaze is an insisted gaze, and it takes a few attempts to catch it.

When she says: ‘A wild thing may say wild things. But not so wild, I think. I have seen you since she put me out; I have seen you nights’ She walks up to proctor again and uses hand gestures while saying the line; it must show that really wants’ to express how she really feels but cannot get the words out; this line must show determination.

On the line ‘ I have a sense for heat (Abigail moves away from John Proctor) John, and yours has drawn me to my window, ( She puts both hands on her heart and turns her head so she doe not look at him while saying this, she says this line very innocently and softly), and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness (As she says that she turns her head back round. Removes her hand from her heart and points at John, and speaks in a louder tone and really emphasises the word ‘loneliness’) Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?’ She says this line in different ways because she means some of the words I different ways. She is trying to get her point across to John Proctor.

Once john has given the answer Abigail wanted to hear so badly, she then says the line: ‘(She smiles softly) And must you. You are no wintry man. (She moves over to john)I know you, john. I know you. (Abigail is now weeping) I cannot sleep for dreamin’; I cannot dream but I wake and walk about the house as though I’d find you comin’ through some door (she clutches John desperately)’ Then Abigail mouths the word ‘please’ but does not say it.

After john proctors words to Abigail calling her a ‘child’ and after she has been pushed away, her sadness turns to anger. She then pulls her arms back in disgust and yells: ‘How do you call me a child!’ The after Johns lines she says her next line in the same tone. Then she walks away and does a sudden turn once she is quite far away from him and says very bitterly ‘Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be-‘ She says this in a bitterly way because this conveys how bitter and angry she is at him for calling her a child when they wee once together.

She then very angrily yells at him ‘She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! (Bitterly) She is a cold. Snivelling woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn (she then fists her hands and makes a ‘ringing your neck’ gesture) you like a-‘ This shows how annoyed Abigail is and conveys to the audience that Abigail is trying to turn Proctor against his wife.

After this Abigail burst into tears and goes up to john and clenches his arms and says: I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretence Salem was, (She looks into johns eyes and batters her eyelids) I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? (She moves her head back slightly, she says the next but in a more angrily tone) I will not, I cannot! You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet! (He pushes her away and turns abruptly to go out, but Abigail rushes to him.) John, pity me, pity me!’