Modern Voice: Working with Actors on Contemporary Text by Catherine Weate

Author:Catherine Weate
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vearsa

This scene is packed with allo-repetition because 1) the relationship between Blanche and Stella is intimate, known and familiar, and 2) both of them want to engage in the conversation: in fact, they need to engage in the argument. Constant repetition also helps create a poetical, seductive rhythm that drives us through to ‘common’ and Stella’s afterthought of ‘Why, yes, I suppose he is.’

Here are some examples:

– last night (Blanche) / last night (Stella)

– You saw him at his worst (Stella) / I saw him at his best (Blanche)

– to get us both – out! (Blanche) / to get out of (Stella)

– You take it for granted (Stella) / I take it for granted (Blanche) / you’re taking entirely too much for granted (Stella)

– You saw him… (Blanche) / …I saw him (Stella)

– Now don’t say… (Blanche) / I am not going to say… (Stella)

– street-car (Blanche) / street-car (Stella)

– superior (Stella) / superior (Blanche)

– Then I tremble for you! I just – tremble for you… (Blanche) / I can’t help your trembling if you insist on trembling! (Stella)

– May I – speak – plainly? (Blanche) / Yes, do. Go ahead. As plainly as you want to. (Stella)

Text Sample 3: Dealing with Dialogue / Revealing Relationship

The following text has been taken from Act 1 of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, published by Penguin. It was first performed in May 1956 by the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre in London and was directed by Tony Richardson.

The story so far:

Jimmy Porter and his wife Alison live in a one-room apartment in the English Midlands. Jimmy is an intelligent but angry young man, who runs a market sweet stall. He grew up working class, educated himself and is now restless and frustrated with his life. His wife Alison comes from a privileged middle-class environment and Jimmy is constantly taunting her about it. The contempt Jimmy feels for Alison’s family is often transferred onto Alison herself and it is then that the acerbic attacks become personal. Their Welsh friend, Cliff, who lives in the bedroom across the hall, tries to keep the peace but comes under fire from Jimmy because of it. When Jimmy and Cliff indulge in some physical horseplay it soon turns rough and Cliff is pushed into Alison’s ironing board, causing her to burn her arm. Jimmy leaves to sit in the next room with his trumpet, while Cliff is left to deal with the fallout. The scene reveals a tender friendship between Alison and Cliff, drawn together by their inability to deal with Jimmy. Alison reveals to him that she is pregnant and seeks his advice.

CLIFF: Here we are then. Let’s have your arm.

(He kneels down beside her, and she holds out her arm.)

I’ve put it under the tap. It’s quite soft. I’ll do it ever so gently.

(Very carefully, he rubs the soap over the burn.)

All right? (She nods.) You’re a brave girl.

ALISON: I don’t feel very brave. (Tears harshening her voice.) I really don’t, Cliff. I don’t think I can take much more.

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