Question

Read the following scene from Trifles. COUNTY ATTORNEY. Let’s talk about that later, Mr. Hale. I do want to talk about that, but tell now just what happened when you got to the house. HALE. I didn’t hear or see anything; I knocked at the door, and still it was all quiet inside. I knew they must be up, it was past eight o’clock. So I knocked again, and I thought I heard somebody say, “Come in.” I wasn’t sure, I’m not sure yet, but I opened the door—this door (indicating the door by which the two women are still standing), and there in that rocker—(pointing to it) sat Mrs. Wright. (They all look at the rocker.) What would be one advantage of watching this scene as opposed to reading it?

Answer 1

The audience would actually watch all of the characters turn to stare at the rocker, which could enhance the mood of the scene

Answer 2

One advantage of watching the scene presented in the question from "Trifles"  instead of reading it would be that by being there physically, the audience would be able to watch all of the interactions that the characters make throughout the scene and the rest of the play. When by the end of the scene the stage directions states that all of the characters look at the rocker, if the audience is watching the play they would actually see that action being performed instead of having to read it and visualize it on their minds.