Act 2

Huld the lawyer

At the end of Act 1 K found himself alone on stage
K is knocking on Huld's door. Leni opens the door and responds that Huld
is ill. It is 8 O' clock. Leni peers through the grille and K introduces himself
as the son of Herman K. Huld tells him to come in. Huld encourages him to
ask how he is. K does so and Huld explains he is very ill. Leni is protective
over him. She seeks praise from Huld who is happy to give it. K impatiently
asks her to leave and Huld dismisses her. Huld accepts K's case without
finding out what it is first. K is perplexed that Huld should know of his
case. Huld claims that there is someone visiting from the courts, but K
can't see as it is dark. Huld tells K not to disturb the visiting court official.
Huld begins to explain the various processes of the court- first a plea must
be presented but is often ignored and filed away. Observations and
interrogations of the accused are more important than pieces of paper.
First plea often lost under the weight of so much written evidence.
Proceedings are not made public. The charge is not known to the defence
which complicates the development of the first plea, so you need to guess
what you are being charged with. Huld refers to cases he has won but
refuses to divulge any real detail.
Huld explains the courts mistrust of lawyers and has placed them to work
in a room without any windows and a hole in the floor.
K asks if it would be better for him to write his own defence and give his
own account of his life. Huld stresses that K needs him. Then he empties
his bowels. Huld stresses the importance of having connections in the
court. K declares that to be corruption. Huld explains the court is corrupt.
Then tells of his great influence and friendship with court officials and how
they come to him for advice. Then loses his train of thought.
Leni whispers to K and takes his hand. She seeks his admiration. K is
thoroughly distracted by her. They flirt with occasional interruptions from
Huld trying to remember his story. They kiss, the chorus describes the
physical seduction.
Huld remembers his story. It is about a court official who prevented
lawyers from getting their pleas submitted by flinging them down stairs.
He kept doing this until they died. Then the lawyers were able to submit
their pleas. He uses it as an example of lawyers strategizing together. He
then cries out Leni and collapses. Leni gives K a key to the door and tells
him he belongs to her.
Intentions
Start with K being hopeful but he becomes gradually more
frustrated with Huld
To reveal Hulds fragile state in comparison to the strength of the
court. This will show Ks weak position and hopelessness with
winning his case
Reveal courts laws totalitarian control
Reveal the courts corruption

Ks weakness and distraction by Leni- he sees women as purely

sexual and never manages to form a relationship with them (all
women played by the same woman all wearing the same clothing
except one distinct item- in lenis case an apron- this shows how K
clearly saw all women as the same, lacking in independence and
identity, purely there for his own sexual gratification)
Performance ideas and lines used
Titles as before
Blackout- close spotlight on Ks face- focussing on his eyes- squatting and
squinting as though peering through a key hole- goes dark again for a
second as though the key hole has been shut then up again, K begins to
look anxious and slightly irritated. Pulls away from Knocks three times and
peers again. Politely but firmly open the door please- renewed
sense of ego and hope
Leni appears to stage left of box- dressed neatly with apron and hair pulled
back. She seems annoyed at this intrusion not unlike when she was Miss
Burstner. who are you-audience see Leni differently to how K will
see her he can only see her in a sexual way but when we first
see her she should be caring and diligent.

Still in darkness other than spotlight on K -Huld says in Booming but raspy
voice Leni, who is it?
K confident with his new found sense of hope but there should be a
pause before the word Herman to show his anxiety and guilt where
his father is concerned and it should be repeated by the chorus as this in
large contributes to his guilt and ultimate death. Context- Kafka and
Berkoff both had turbulent relationships with their own fathers.
come in , come in- cold and impending Huld. Lights begin to rise with
the groaning and creaking- k blinking as he adjusts to the light.
Chorus turn two flats inwards and one flat turned around from the back
revealing huld and then pushed forward to join the other two flats- at this
time Huld is also moved forward and the chorus appear to struggle under
a great weight, moaning and grunting. Other chorus make sounds of
hinges. Huld motionless. The chorus attach ribbons to his wrists, ankles
and neck each of which is then thrown over the flats to the other side
where there are chorus standing on boxes who will act as the puppeteers.
One other ribbon is attached to his body but is left trailing out behind the
upstage flat- this is where block is . More effective to use huld as a
human puppet rather than an actual puppet because it shows the
corruption is real and dehumanising and isnt as comedic as using
a real puppet. The ribbons represent the red tape bureaucracy
and ultimate control of the courts.
Huld is positioned just upstage of Ks box.
Chorus pull Hulds neck up and his arms so he is sitting upright if
not slightly awkwardly and beckons him towards him- K goes to
him but stops short at the line of his box. Huld is however able to
reach him and place his hand firmly on Ks shoulder- K is now
under the influence of the law.
How are you? K suddenly cheered- faint smile and the least
stressed K has looked since the beginning of the play because he
has made some connection- he feels there is some hope in Huld
and that using his fathers advice he can clear his name.
However this is quickly stolen from K as on Hulds next line he
should firmly remove his hand jolting K away as he does, grunt

and cough whilst gruffly and angrily saying dont ask- Im

terrible descends into coughing fit-show his fragility
K is awkward and it is like he is alone again
Leni come to Huld and wipes away the spit round Hulds mouth
using a blanket on Hulds lap- almost infantile. K follows her with
his eyes.
hes too ill to talk about business- Leni- snaps angry at Ks
intrusion as she cares for Huld at least in part.
Has he com to see how I am ?- Huld wearily- sharply interrupted
by chorus NO
He only comes when he needs something. Well thats how the
world is- Hulds ribbons are slackened so Huld becomes even weaker as
though through that statement he is showing that he is being used by the
court and only come to him so he can be their puppet. Emphasise needs.
Leni looks after me she is a good girl- Genuine sentiment from Huld
and after rearranging his blanket and patting his hands in a caring and
friendly way. Says am I a good girl? humouring him but not in a sexual
way- more sarcastic. And I have a doll like rounded face?- Leni
squishing her cheeks together smiling sweetly. Leni seems genuinely
happy in the presence of Huld. Laughing lightly when saying somewhat
protuberant eyes and making a silly cross eyed grin and pout. not a
jot, not a jot- Huld says fondly patting her hands in returning. Their
relationship must look like that between someone desperately ill and their
carer- genuine.
This genuine relationship perturbs k who says through gritted
teeth would you please leave us- please very aggressive. But
suddenly realising this was uncalled for seems embarrassed
Leni moves away- k follows her with his eyes
Huld I accept the challenge- pulled with some effort more
upright again- regain some of his dignity as a lawyer. This
reassures K
All of Hulds speeches in monotony
K grows wearier and wearier throughout
Even the puppeteers grow wearier and Hulds movements become
smaller as a result
your most secret habits. Any bad ones?- suddenly all the chorus
interested again and there is a bar of Elsas raunchy music. K twitches
nervously and says no quickly and defensively. The chorus echo
mockingly and questioningly no
the public would never tolerate that- K thinking agitatedly with
his hand mopping his brow. But I still dont know what I am
accused of- K says this out to the audience- he has drifted off
into his own reverie about his innocence and the unfairness of the
justice system and treat his next set of lines as a monologue
even though they are interrupted by Huld. Lights shift to just K to
show this and drift back to Huld when K returns to that part of the
conversation.
Returns back to Huld . Each very separate- cold angry and
hopeless so you cannot know of what you are accused , or who
accuses you, . The defence is not recognised by the judges and
you cant even see the charges.- This realisation that the case is
hopeless dawns on K.

Ks sensible propostion of writing down a short account of his

life- should be said desperately and nervously twitching and
visibly sweating. This proposition should be laughed at heartily by
the puppeteers first and then Huld joins in slowly and through
wheezing breath.
you need me K, you need me
He defecates chorus do not clean it up the only person who
would clean him up is lenny but K should react visibly to the smell
Next speech is accompanied by more gross noises , coughing,
farting, squelching- gradually making K more and more repulsed
that has moved to the edge of his box downstage left gasping for
air over the side. Sense of confinement isolation but also that
Huld is in no fit state to help him.
Leni sees this ensuing and comes back towards Huld seeing the
state he is in gets agitated and says to K I wanted to talk to
you- through gritted teeth- but as she enters his box toward him
she unties her apron revealing a short red slip dress the same as
miss Burstner and unties her hair
Her tone has completely changed now she is within the subjective
viewpoint of K. her voice should go from sweet to slow and
seductive.
K smilingly excitedly but nervous back towards downstage side of
box. His breathing has become heavy. I wanted to talk to you
too -stumbling over words
I was afraid you wouldnt like me - Leni- stroking his arm with a
fake sad face.
Like you? I couldnt keep my eyes off you- K, quickly and
enthusiastically , looking her up and down and reaching out his
arms instinctively to pull her in at the waist- but she moves away
teasing. yet you kept me waiting- said tunefully and jockingly.
Do you really like me - Leni slides her hand up his chest. K is so
nervous and excited he has become weak at the knees. Leni
suddenly filled with energy wraps him in the red ribbon she has
had tied round her wrist all this time and pulls him in to her Go
on tell me, you brute.- loudly and proudly- throwing her head
back in exultation so her breasts are near his face.
She stays close to his lips and they talk quietly and intimately.
Chrous K can feel her body against his breast- the chours
should be in their original bank positions and type this speech so
it sounds alien and formal. This will demonstrate how his realities
are merging he is unable to keep work/trial/personal life separate
and also that he is even having his sexual relationships being
dictated by someone else.

Box promotes idea that K has never left that space

Isolation
Everything in the box is his subjective reality the box aids the audience
to a true understanding of the characters and the subjective reality K
sees. Lit up border so it is easily identified by the audience- perhaps
created by lasers or LEDS in the floor