Uta Hagen's 9 questions

1) Who am I ?
My name is Thea Elvstead. I am twenty six years old and married to a high sheriff, who is twenty years older than me. I live with my husband and his children, but I barley see my husband. I am cheap labor to him and he only married me because I am convenient to him. My step children's tutor is Eilert Loevborg, who I am in love with. I have some sort of power over him which made him stop drinking and which led him to write his latest book, which I helped with. 

2) What time is it?
It is about 10 o'clock in the morning. I woke up early and hurried over to the Tesman house because I arrived yesterday and am desperate to get in contact with Eilert. It is autumn, September, and the leaves are falling off the trees, the light is bright and it is sunny but the air is cold. It is the late 1800's, which was a time when Norway was flourishing economically and the population was increasing.  

3) Where am I ?
I am in the Tesman household, which is very grand. The house has land around it and is a walking distance from the town. We are in Norway. 
I am standing in the drawing room, which has large windows on three sides of the room. There are two small sofas in front of a grand fireplace. Behind the sofas is a small table, with vases of flowers on it. There is a larger table at the end of the room. 

4) What surrounds me?

I am with Hedda and George Tesman, and they are standing in front of me, Hedda on my right and George on my left. Half way through my scene I sit down and Hedda sits next to me.  

The sofas are  covered in a floral material and the rug in the floor is red, with detailed patterns running through the middle of it; it is something that Tesman and Hedda bought on their honey moon. There are flowers around the room and the table at the end of the room has a blue chine jug in the middle and a tray of glasses next to it. 

5) What is my relationship to the people around me and the things around me?
Tesman used to flirt with me before he met Hedda. We have known each other for many years and about five years ago  he began to bring me flowers and take me out. It stopped very quickly because he went away to do research for a book, then when he came back, he met Hedda. 

I know Hedda because we went to school together. She was two years above me and I was always intimidated by her. 

6) What has just happened?

I have just come from my hotel room where I stayed the night. I rushed to the Tesman's house as soon as I could, as I was so anxious to track down Eilert. 

Yesterday morning I packed a bag of my clothes and most valuable possessions and left my husband's house in the north of the country. I left my old life behind and don't intent to ever go back. I found a train that went to where Eilert is and travelled down the country to find him. This was the biggest decision I have ever made and I know that this decision will affect me for the rest of my life. 

7) What do I want? (the objective)

I want to find Eilert. I am desperate to find him and make sure that he is safe. I want to keep him away from any temptation because if he goes back to his drink, he won't care about me any more. I need Eilert to keep me safe, because I have now left my husband and have no security. I also want to make sure the manuscript is safe (our child). 
8) Whats in my way? (the obstacle)

Society's view on the independence of women is my main obstacle. I have left my husband, which is very disapproved of, because women are only seen as their husband's property and get no respect if they are divorced or single. If I was to go out and look for Eilert myself, I may be mistaken for a prostitute and no one would help me because I don't have my husband with me. This is why I must go through George Tesman to find Eilert, because he is a respected man and no one will question him getting in touch with Eilert.  

9) What am I going to do to get what I want? (the action)
What I want is to find Eilert, because I am very concerned about how he will deal with being away from home and having alcohol and other temptations, such a prostitutes, available to him. In order to find Eilert I have to go to the Tesman's house, where I will pretend that my husband has sent me and I will ask George Tesman to write to Eilert and invite him round, so that I can see him and check he hasn't started drinking again. 
I am in love with Eilert and am afraid that if he begins to drink again, he won't want to carry on seeing me and working with me. I need to find him to reassure my self that we can still be together.