7th September, 2009 - Ideas About Directing #14

Idea 14 – Make Sure that Decisions Are Made


It appears to me that it is usually obvious when an actor is hedging their bets. By this, I mean that it is quite easy to deliver lines in a dramatic way, in just the right accent, but to have failed to make a decision about what it means. For example, in MacBeth’s “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and tomorrow” speech, is he saying the lines as a kind of eulogy for the Mrs, or is it a tired and jaded speech where he is railing against the pointlessness of life. There are probably shades of both in the lines, and both readings are possible, but the point I think is important is, that every time there is a dilemma like this in the play, you have to make sure that decisions are made. If they are not, then I think the words often come out unconvincingly.

So – don’t leave things hazy. Make sure things are concrete in the actors’ minds. Things will feel more solid as a result.