Plot Summary Of The Play 'This Random World'

The setting depicted elements of nature by using lights and water to create a calm, conscious atmosphere. The play began with rain sounds in the background, leading up to actual rain pouring onto the stage during the shrine and the funeral scenes. The lights gave off blue overtones in almost every scene. In the scene with Scottie and Bernadette, the blue lights contrasted with orange lights to give the audience a perspective of the sunset that Scottie viewed every day. The lights, subtle music, and rain helped me make sense of the setting and feel like I was a part of the show.

Furthermore, the scene design was simple, yet unique. The stage had a circular shape, so that people could view the actors at several angles. Along with the stage shape, Scottie’s cup was also circular, referred to as a “center” to suggest that life is a cycle rather than something with an end. This stage design also allowed room for comedy, as the play presented introspection instead of realistic, specific situations. This challenged the audience to interpret where the characters are relative to the world by better relating to the setting and events rather than the characters themselves.

The use of humor in This Random World helped open me up to ideas about life and death. Beth’s elaborate end-of-life plan displayed her view of death

From what I understand, Scottie’s cup kept her connected to the external world, even after she died. Giving the cup to Beatrice symbolized Scottie departing from the world. Since the cup was special to Scottie and she knew she was going to die, she wanted to pass it onto another person, so that the person holding the cup will always remember what it represents. Scottie unintentionally brought the cup into Beth's awareness through Beatrice. While she couldn’t have known that her cup would reach Beth, she had to have known that her cup would influence the lives of