As I went through Weston's example from "sex, lies and videotape" I found myself agreeing with her that it is an extremely important moment in the script. As I broke it into beats I also realized that it was filled with subtext. Sometimes the subtext was obvious (John and Ann's sexual/strained relationship with Cynthia) and sometimes it was very subtle (John's comment about Ann using too much salt in her food.
Though I agreed with Weston for a lot of points, there wa a beat I felt she should have included in her list on page 178. Between Graham's appearance (1) and Ann's cooking (2) I saw another beat - Graham and John's past life together. I think that beat starts when Graham says: "Everyone has a past" and John replies: "What do you think the Greeks would make of that outfit you're wearing?" Weston actually mentions this section as important to understand the two men. Perhaps the section shouldn't even be a second beat, maybe "Graham's Appearance" should really be titled: "Reliving College Days."
I just love how when I read this scene for the first time, it seemed pleasant and normal but when I analyzed it I saw that it was a tense, almost hostile scene. Graham is annoyed with John's arrogance (why else would he make the 'lawyers' remark?), John is making little digs at his wife, and Ann is gossiping about her sister by saying things she knows Cynthia wouldn't appreciate. Fascinating!
My favorite line is the last one, even though I don't think I heard Weston touch on it. John asks Ann if she wants to show Graham apartments around town. Ann replies from the kitchen: "Okay, I will!!" Is she happy? Excited at the prospect of spending more time with this free-spirited, sexy man? Is she nervous? Is she already thinking about what she's going to wear? Or is she suspicious of her husband? Why would he ask HER to do this when he's Graham's friend? Maybe she's a bit resentful, even if she is happy to do it. Why does he always ask her to do stuff like drive his friend around? The words: "Okay, I will!" aren't very casual. If Ann was feeling nothing, it seems to me like she would say nothing. If she was indifferent she might simply say: "That's fine. We'll go tomorrow after I've finished finding a birthday card for my mom." I love subtext, it's fun. It's the reason I want to be an actor.
Bethany Dickens
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think is the "through-line" for the scene? What is each character trying to do to one another?
2. Weston mentions backstories for each character on page 176 (eg. Ann might look more like her mother than Cynthia does). Do you think it's the director's place to make up backstory? Or should he simply suggest it to the actor, or as Weston says: "let it go." What do you think should be the process shared between the director and actor concerning subtext?
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2 comments:
Although A director may have a few ideas, I agree with Weston, "letting it go". In the end, it's the actor who must dig to bring out the performance. And so it should be the actor who has ultimate say in the subtext.
-W. Corlett.
I believe it is the director's place to create a characters back-story. However, the actor and director then should collaborate to create one unified back-story. The same rule applies to subtext, it needs to be a collaboration.
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