Present: Dale, Marc, Jeff B, Dan, Kevin, Greg
We worked through Act III. Scene 1 is huge, starting with more “wish Aufidius was here” talk from Coriolanus, and kicking in swiftly with the Tribunes’ blocking of his path to the consulship. The violence escalates as Coriolanus just won’t shut up, until we have a riot. Jeff worked on all the arguments against letting the people have a voice in the government, getting them to be clear and pointed. We all worked on trying to keep the tension of the political nightmare high.
Scene 2 is actually fairly comic in that we see Volumnia in full sail, grinding her son down until he agrees to knuckle under and apologize to the Tribnues. Marc had her practically spitting blood.
We worked the opening of scene 3 a couple of times, getting the Tribunes more and more scheming. We also found a nice moment in the scene where it looks as if it all has been settled, and then Coriolanus once again throws the whole city into chaos when he won’t let things go.
We began the rehearsal with a workthrough of the Battle Ballet, catching Kevin up to speed on the second, more tricky half. Then we had a deep discussion, okay, it was an argument, when Jeff rejected the stylized, Taymoresque BB, wanting something more realistic to respond to. Dale’s argument for the BB was that we couldn’t do anything realistic, especially to the extended “voiceover” of Cor’s description of the battle, and that the BB actually drew time out for the speeches, plus echoed the warrior opening.
Finally we had Jeff do the speech while we did the BB, then again trying something more “realistic.” No one was convinced either way. We tabled it for further development after Kevin suggested a third way, still stylized but not as flamboyant as the BB: the Romans line up, center, facing up, while the Volscians enter from their gates and face them in a line. Choreography to be determined.
Actually, I never used the word “realistic” or “realism,” (Marc and Dale used those words) and in fact I do not believe in the “realistic” approach to theatre. I just pointed out that what was being proposed was, in fact, not working. And I don’t think we had an argument. At least, that’s not how I perceived it. I just wanted to say what needed to be said, and leave it at that. If the majority wants to continue with the ballet, so be it. I will try to find a way to help make it work.
And I LOVE Julie Taymor. What we are doing, alas, is not Taymor. But it can still be good. I have great faith. There’s just too much talent involved for us to fail.
What, we can’t argue? The make-up sex is great!
To further flesh out the option I was conceiving, but not necessarily communicating…
Think of it with this concept: three small pillars, atop each, a twosome of statues (one each, Volscian and Roman) each shrouded in shadow. One at a time (separately), timed to accentuate key points in the voice over, an overhead spot illuminates each pairing, thus bringing it to life. As each pair is brought to life, we see a vignette from the overall battle, each selected (choreographed) to communicate some of what was going on (valiant battle (yet defeat), serious beatdown by superior skill, simple cowardice). As each vignette imparts its message, the statute fade away, clearing the view to the next statue (or perhaps freezing back to statues, depending on how sight lines are arranged).
The lighting and column stuff is to communicate the concept, not a suggestion for how we stage it.
Please fold, staple, mutilate, and improve.
You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate
As reek o’ the rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you;
And here remain with your uncertainty!
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts!
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders; till at length
Your ignorance, which finds not till it feels,
Making not reservation of yourselves,
Still your own foes, deliver you as most
Abated captives to some nation
That won you without blows! Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.
Good speech, that. 😉
I’m sitting here in the park, 6:00, with the sun blazing in mine eyes. Blazing. Feh. No one is going to sit through this, and even if they do, they won’t be able to see our faces.
So should we change the time?
We could do the first half of the play (through Act III) with the columns in the background. For the second half, we ask the audience to turn around, maybe move a little, and play it with the confusion of roads, bridges, etc., behind us.
Our performance is scheduled for the midafternoon, 3:00ish to 5:30ish. It’s the end of the play that would blind the audience. We just need to get creative with the space.
Yeah, ignore my last comment. Got raped by an idea. Everyone knows actors are stupid, anyway.
I thought we were already doing it with the columns in the background, which I thought would be kind of a cool thing, since it is ancient Rome and all.
A month from now, the sun will be doing that blazing thing a good deal earlier, yes? And btw, what are we covering tomorrow night?
Act IV