Such a setting removes focus from the souvenirs and kewpie dolls, which are not as numerous as directed, and are by no means the prominent features of the room. Thus, Kinnear, from the beginning of the play removes the aura of the lay off tradition and disintegrates audience anticipation for the arrival of Roo and Barney. Similarly Bubba appears on the stage an older character, with less seriousness in her anticipation of the lay off. Visibly conceding to Pearl's frowning of the "walking sticks" Bubba's youthful anticipation for the tradition is effectively removed from the play. Without Bubba's convincing desire for the beginning of the lay off and in addition to Pearl's sceptism about the moral worth of such a tradition, Olive appears to be the sole member of the household whom holds the lay off period with any sincere worth, value or anticipation. With the entire history and excitement of the tradition placed upon one character, the importance and aura of the lay off period is lost in the Kinnear's stage production.
The lay off with its reduced effect upon the audience continues throughout the stage play and similarly effects the final sentiments at the conclusion of the play. Pearl's presence is most noticeably felt in Kinnear's stage play, which continues to adds to the failure of the stage lay to capture the aura of the "lay off." Although Lawler's characterizes Pearl as a conservative and a moralist she does not appear to infringe on the build up of the tradition, as it had been previously established with the setting and in Bubba's manner. In the opening scene Pearl's stark black costume and her exaggerated stern facial expressions seem to cast a shadow over the lay off, and thus remove audience anticipation for the tradition. Similarly Pearl is removed from the characters in the stage play on multiple occasions. As Olive appears and reminisces about her experiences of the lay off Pearl is positioned far away on the opposite side of the room.
Lawler acquired success through his play Summer of the Seventeenth Doll which Biddy Allen stated in the Argus "[Lawler] has written a play so superbly true to Australian thought and the Australian stage that theatrical conventions disappear." (29th,November 1955) Lawler uses strong imagery such as "bronzed gods" ...