Directing (16) - Scenes 3, 4 and 5

In today's lesson we ran scenes three, four and five.

Scene 3:   This scene went really smoothly. We are happy with how the characters came across - their intentions were shown clearly. This scene is the end of their affair. Although the scene starts with them being quite angry at each other, they are both a bit emotional at the end.

Scene 4:   We spent a long time on this scene today, mainly focussing on proxemics and eye contact. These two things are absolutely essential to this scene. Below is what the characters know here:

• Robert knows about Emma & Jerry
• Emma knows Robert knows about Emma & Jerry
• Jerry doesn't know Robert knows about Emma & Jerry
• Robert knows Jerry doesn't know that Robert knows about Emma & Jerry
• Emma knows Jerry doesn't know that Robert doesn't know about Emma & Jerry

We needed to show all of these facts through our proximity, tone, facial expressions and eye contact. We already had made the decision that Robert would move over when Emma enters so that he is sitting between her and Jerry. However, we added in a closer proximity to make Emma feel more awkward. Robert shall put his arm around Emma to also prove a point to Jerry that she is his wife - we think that Robert is enjoying the fact that Jerry is watching Emma feeling uncomfortable and Robert having control. We also got Ollie to exaggerate when he says "brutally honest" as if to have a dig at Emma but also a subtle dig at Jerry. When the men stand up making decisions about lunch, and Emma then asks "Can I watch?" the two of them then turn round to look at Emma. This is something we came up with today. The following is what their looks need to portray:

• Jerry's look to Emma says: Why would you ask that? I can't think of anything more awkward.
• Robert's look to Emma says: What do you think you're doing? As if you're coming with us!
• Emma's look to Jerry says: I know you're confused but trust me on this.
• Emma's look to Robert says: You said summer last year to come to lunch with you both. I am only doing what you said. You can't get angry. I don't trust what you'll say to him. Please.

During Robert's speech, we have staged it so he walks nearer to Emma and makes her uncomfortable by his distance towards her, the eye contact and by putting himself between her and Jerry. He also goes over towards Jerry at times to make Emma feel worse. The other essential bit of eye contact is when Jerry and Emma look at each other when Jerry says that he is going to New York. Her look needs to say "why didn't you tell me" whilst his is an apologetic look. Robert looks between the pair quite angrily, thus prompting him to say "Judith going?" later on. Emma's line "do you deserve the trip?" is her being cautious in what she says and her trying to be civil with Jerry as to not anger Robert. During the scene, Robert is being really spiteful to Emma and the audience may sympathise with Emma, and possibly be fearful for her as it was only two scenes ago that Robert told Jerry that he (apparently) hits Emma. This makes our new ending, that we decided today, more significant. We tried having Robert come and sit next to her, put his arm round her, and then her put her head on his shoulder and cry whilst he holds her - however, we thought this still made Robert look really controlling. Therefore, Ollie goes on one knee in front of me, looks at me sweetly to see if I'm okay, to which I nestle in to him crying and he simply holds me. This shows a really sweet and caring side to Robert - something the audience doesn't expect. We questioned why does he not say anything at the end to her? Does he feel bad for how he just was to her? Does he realise that she's on edge constantly? Robert doesn't leave Emma or say anything to Jerry (despite knowing how long the affair has gone on for and all of the details) - showing how much he loves Emma. 

Scene 5:   We have kept our movement and intentions exactly the same to how we always have. However, we did find some more subtext with the following lines:
"What they of course did not know, and had no way of knowing, was that I am your husband"
"Pretty inefficient bunch"
"Only in a laughing Mediterranean way"
 We always looked at this as Robert saying that they are "inefficient" only in a "laughing Mediterranean way", but we then realised that he could just be carrying on his sentence implying that they are only married in a "laughing Mediterranean way" - there marriage is now a joke due to the affair.