An aspect of production -- Giselle

It is not easy to arrange these two cottages so that the gamekeeper, Hilarion, can spy upon Albrecht and his squire going to the former's cottage, while remaining in concealment unseen either by them or by Giselle, should she chance to look out of the window of her abode.  Quite often, when the stage is small, Loys's cottage is omitted altogether, which must make the subsequent proceedings quite incomprehensible to anyone seeing the ballet for the first time.

It cannot be over-emphasised that the entire understanding of Act I depends upon the manner in which the episode of Hilarion's spying upon Loys is presented.  When the peasant girls have crossed in little groups from one side of the stage to the other, the scene is momentarily empty.  Then Hilarion enters and peers about him as if in search of someone.  He gazes at Giselle's cottage with tenderness and at its neighbour with anger.  Albrecht approaches, richly dressed, accompanied by his squire, Wilfrid.  They enter the hut to the right.  Hilarion, his suspicions aroused, hides and watches.  Presently, Wilfrid emerges and is seen conversing with Albrecht, now dressed as the peasant, Loys.  The former seems to be urging the latter to abandon some project.  He is dismissed, but bows low before taking his departure.  Hilarion, not unnaturally, is puzzled that so well-dressed a youth should pay homage to a peasant.  Few producers realise how vital is this incident to the understanding of the subsequent action, yet it is frequently regarded as a mere preamble to the ballet and presented so carelessly, that it either passes unnoticed or produces but the most fleeting impression.

The whole purpose of this short scene is to inform the audience that Loys, although dressed as a peasant, is really a nobleman in disguise.

The Ballet Called Giselle by Cyril W. Beaumount.1969.  Page 103-4.