Balancing Hermione's feminine side?

Question

Maybe I need to read the books more to get this answer, but maybe others can help too. In the school play I am in, playing Hermione (all boys school) as I read the script (which is changing a bit) it seems that although she is a girl, her actions and words are not too girlish. IMO the script has simplied her a bit too much from what I remember and tried to reduce her in some parts to a more typical girl (in one scene I step back behind Harry and Ron and have to grab Ron's arm). But in some ways you could picture her saying the same words and doing the same things as maybe a guy too. So I am wondering how to play that she is a girl without going too over the top and not doing her justice. Does that make sense?

What would you say Hermione's female characteristics are and would it be best to play them, giving that this may come down to little actions and mannerisms more than major actions and words.

Right now I see the girl as secondary to Hermione's over all character - is that fair?

Answer 1

I think you have Hermione right on (in your view). I really couldn't picture her getting behind Ron unless it was to push him to do something he didn't want to - not because she was afraid.

I thought she was full Muggle, so she definitely has something to prove. She is bookish, very knowledgeable and talented. I think it's only been lately (at least on screen) that she has even wanted the boys to acknowledge she was female, and that's because the hormones are kicking in. If there's no relationship going on in the play, I wouldn't think you would need to focus much at all on her female characteristics.

She also has feelings for other creatures (like the house elves), so she is compassionate (guess that might be viewed as a feminine trait), but she doesn't have much patience with her best buds because they don't seem to hesitate much when it comes to breaking the rules.

Answer 2

If I'm reading this correctly, you are a student at an all-boy's school, and will be playing the part of Hermione?
The absolute best female impersonators are those who ignore the female part and play the character straight. The ones who stress the female side invariably wind up with a 'campy' presentation. So you are correct in your analysis that the 'girl' is secondary to Hermione's over-all character.
Enjoy, and break a leg!!!

Answer 3

Interestingly enough, when transcripts of discussions between men and women have their names removed, people cannot usually tell what gender any particular speaker is. The moral of the story being that men and women don't really say different things or in different ways.

Likewise, you have to remember that Hermione in those stories is not very popular. She is not a well-socialized 'girlish' girl who behaves in the way that all the other girls do. In some senses she might be considered 'boyish', because she is pretty hands-on and involved in all of Harry's adventures. Perhaps her 'girlishness' surfaces in her greater appreciation of subtlety... but then compared to Harry and Ron, almost any subtlety would probably appear great.

Answer 4

I think that Hermione tries to play down her feminine side because she tries to prove herself as a person, rather that by her gender. She is half "Muggle", and in Hogwarts, some people, such as Malfoy and his clique see her as inferior. Therefore, she is trying to prove them wrong by overachieving. If she can do well in her academic life, she can be recognised by her position in life. In the nicest possible way, she is a social climber. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with this, but this is what I think she is trying to do through academia.

In terms of her feminity, I think that she has been underplaying it up until the Goblet of Fire. When she meets Victor Krum, she discovers her feminine side. This is normal, given her age in the book. I think that your playing Hermione should be understated. Keep it tomboyish (unless it is from the Goblet of Fire onwards.) You haven't said what stage of the Harry Potter story you are staging in your play, so it is hard to say.