Overtones Response

In Gerstenberg’s Overtones the inner selves Hetty and Maggie do not directly come into contact with their cultured selves Harriet and Margaret, but do in fact talk to each other. It is indicated in the stage directions that the two primitive selves direct some of their lines to the other. It is not stated if they can see each other and/or hear what the other says. The primitive selves seem to only speak to each other when they are contradicting what the other’s cultured half has said. It is also a bit confusing as to whether or not they can actually hear each other at all, because they never really have a back and forth conversation. Something that cannot be derived from the text is whether or not the inner selves can hear each other when they speak to their cultured halves. For example when Hetty tells Harriet to do something can Maggie hear her? 

Towards the end of the play Hetty and Maggie rush at each other and throw back their veils they have been wearing during the play. It is stated that they “throw” their speeches at each other. Even though it seems like they see each other at this point it is still not specifically stated in the text. I had a hard time envisioning this play in my head. Gerstenberg in my opinion does not provide enough details about the rules of the world. It is difficult to tell who can see and hear whom. The only way an audience could know Gerstenberg’s intentions is through the director’s staging of the play. Costumes will also help to get the point across. The veils that Hetty and Maggie wear could help the audience to understand that they cannot really be seen.