25th august, 2009 - Some Ideas About Directing #3

Idea 3 – Do Not Let Anything Go If It Bugs You

There is a temptation (particularly if you are a believer in Rule 2) to take hands off to an extreme, and to sacrifice occasional intervention, for the sake of letting the rehearsal flow. I think this is a mistake.

When you are directing shows, if you have any sort of role at all, then it is to stand outside the action and spot what is and isn’t working. And, if you are to add something, then it is your job to sort out what is not working. And by that, I mean everything that is not working.

Everything.

Let me repeat that. Sort out everything you can. Without exception.

If there is an awkward delivery of a single word (and you are satisfied that it wasn’t a one-off slip) then sort it. If an actor slouches and it’s not right, then tell them. If lines are dragging then work on it until the pace is right. There is no excuse for not sorting stuff. It is your job. You might think that you are annoying the actors, but you are not. They do not want to look like diddies when the limelight starts to burn. If they look like diddies, make sure that it isn’t your fault.

There is an exception to this rule. See Rule 4.