Pinter Help Please?

Question

I am directing A Slight Ache and The Dumb Waiter, I am having some difficulties with my actors finding the humor of these relationships......I like to play things wild and different, push my actors to their physical and mental limits but my actors are very unexperienced, ( I know what a challenge for Pinter), but what can you do!! Any tips on how to help them find the characters in these complex works. I thought after doing Godot that these would be a breeze but I am hitting a brick wall....please help

Answer 1

Try an improvisation where you raise the stakes. I'm assuming you know the theme, structure and climax of The Dumb Waiter. Since in the play the character's seem to be very low key, make up an improvisation where the goal is the same as in the play but the stakes are higher--like if they don't complete their 'mission' they will have something really horrible happen to them. Hint: if you saw Tarentino's Pulp fiction, the scene with Sam Jackson & John Travolta when they go out to do their 'job' is very similar to what happens in the dumb waiter. I don't know if Tarantino read The Dumb Waiter, but you might look at that scene in the movie for ideas for your project. 'A Slight Ache' has the same issues: a seemingly easy going conversation...raise the stakes.

Answer 2

Run through the play make suggestions. If necessary make them switch roles, maybe that will give them a different perspective.

Have them do it in character. You said you were Wild. Have one of them do it as Bogart and the other as Clint Eastwood, see what happens.

Try Sean Connery and Tom Cruise

Let's try a total rip. John Travolta and Samuel Jackson the two hitmen from Pulp Fiction

You're doing it to play games get the kids to play nicely in the sandbox and find those places in the script that need no words.

You're looking to find things that work.

This is the improve approach.

You can also try the Stanislavs approach.

Each one of them needs to think about their character, what they wear, how they act, what is their motivation.

Ben likes to read the newspaper so that gives you a starting point.

Since there is a hesitation at the end it is implied there IS some type of relationship on a professional level.

If there were none there would be no hesitation at the end.

They each find something about the other they are kindred with and the actors have to develop that.