Foreshadowing

THE PLAYWRITING SEMINARS > STRUCTURE > SHAPE > DIAGRAM > PT. OF ATTACK > FORESHADOWING

'Part of my job is to try and keep people interested in their seats for about two and a half hours; it is a very difficult thing to do . . .. I want to make people feel, to give them lessons in feeling. They can think afterward.'

-- John Osborne

Foreshadowing is the laying of hints or clues about what may happen in the future of the play's story. Early in the play, these lines or events suggest a wide range of possibilities to the audience. But as you move forward in Act I, and then on into Act II, the range narrows.

The ultimate goal with Foreshadowing is to have the audience be both surprised by the play's Climax and to find it perfectly logical. The logic of it comes from your Foreshadowing.

If your Suspense Plot is integrated into the play's structure, you'll be doing this Foreshadowing business automatically. Essentially, the continual reminders to the audience about this plot will give you nearly everything you need.

How do you know if you don't have enough? If after your first reading, more than a few folks in the audience are scratching their heads and saying, "I don't get the end . . .," you've got your answer.

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