There is a lot made of Richard III being "the bottled spider," and Antony Sher's famous portrayal of him (and his book chronicling that) has cemented that image in the shared consciousness of Shakespeare lovers everywhere. How I would have loved to see him fight with those crutches. But Iago also represents the spider. He says:
"He takes her by the palm: ay, well said, whisper: with as little web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio."
Iago is an opportunist. He's not the great strategist or puppet master that one might think he is. He's like a spider building a web in an advantageous space, and once he catches his prey, he strikes quickly. Poor Roderigo was caught long ago, and put in stasis for feeding at Iago's leisure.
I like this image. Iago as an insect with only one goal--to feed. And like spider webs being blown down with heavy winds, or bigger animals crashing through them, he again and again has to build new webs. He's very good at improv, spider-Iago.
We are nearly half way through our rehearsal process before tech week. Which is terrifying, because we have so much to do still. We still need to block the end of the play...murders and all. I have many lines to learn. Although, I'm happy to report that I have learned the "put money in thy purse" speech, which was my most daunting because a) it's prose, b) it's very repetitive, with slight variations, and c) it's super famous and I was a little scared of it. So, I'm getting big chunks shoved into my brain.
Today was largely devoted to combat. There is much violence in Othello, and it all has to be choreographed and it has to be safe, and it has to be cool. And I'm the guy who does that. As the fight choreographer for SBTS, I love days like today. Giving the framework for the violence. Figuring it all out, and teaching those who haven't had a lot of experience with weapons how to look cool and not get hurt, or hurt anybody else. It's fun. And tomorrow I get to go and stage the fights for Cymbeline. It's the best.
I'm going to look at some more lines now, but I just wanted to jot down that spider image. And just now it occurs to me, that spiders are also prey for larger creatures and must also be somewhat cautious. Yes. So good.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Hello to my tens of readers. I am sorry it has been a long time since I have blogged. But I am back for another summer of Shakespeare by the Sea! I am not directing this year. I wanted to give all of my time to playing Iago in Othello.
This has been a role that I have been chasing for decades. But unlike Hamlet, I finally chased this one down. And I am beyond thrilled to be doing it with Stephanie Coltrin as my director. For those that haven't read my blog, she is my artistic partner in crime. We have worked together nearly exclusively over the last seven years and we have not only become great friends, but we hold one another accountable to the highest standard of theatre. Shortly after she knew she was to direct this play, she told me I was her Iago. I didn't argue. But I rarely (see never) argue with her...because she's a genius.
Anyway, we had auditions and cast a lot of amazing actors and now we are in rehearsal. And as we discover what this play is about, I hope to catalogue it here. This role is the most daunting I've taken on since Macbeth, way back in '02. It's one of those "super-leads" that Shakespeare will sometimes create a play about. And I do believe that this is a play about Iago. I know it's called the Tragedy of Othello, but come on we are also doing Cymbeline this summer and I defy you to tell me that that play is about the poisoned king.
So, here's the thing. If you are hoping that I am embracing the notion that Iago is Shakespeare's meditation on evil, you will likely be disappointed at my performance. Even though we've only just begun, I can tell you that Steph and I are united that nobody thinks that they are evil. And Iago is somewhat justified in doing what he does. Sure, he may not care about the collateral damage that he does, but he's not evil. He is hurt. He has been betrayed.(He thinks). He has been passed over for advancement. (Really). Side note--We were talking at rehearsal that first day, and I made the observation that we are all a bad month away from being Iago...or Othello...or poor Desdemona. Besides, I don't know how to play "evil." It's a concept which is inherently unplayable as an actor. And Shakespeare was too good of a writer (and an actor himself) to make one of his players do such a thing. This is absolutely a play about jealousy, but it isn't about Othello's jealously...it is about Iago's. And this jealously is a torment, which Iago can no longer bear, and he passes it on to the man he hates the most.
For me, the play begins for Iago where it ends for Othello. Iago has recently heard report (abroad) that Othello has had carnal relations with Emelia (his wife). And it eats away at him. All of the things that he says of jealousy he understands from first had experience. He can't get the thought of Othello and Emelia coupling out of his head. And he swears to give this pain to the Moor...and perhaps more if he can. The center of my performance comes from this. I can understand betrayal. I can relate to shame. I have no idea what evil is or feels like. But there are people who have deliberately done me wrong that I would repay in kind, if I weren't a tired old family man.
So, that's my jumping off point. Emilia had sex with my commanding officer...the same man who passed me over for advancement and gave it to a pretty boy with absolutely no experience. As a human being, and as an actor, I can understand doing whatever it takes to take down somebody who has wronged you in the worst possible way. And I also understand that sometimes there are no half measures if you want justice. We can look at Iago as a sociopath because he doesn't really seem to value human life (as evidenced by the collateral damage to his plot to topple the Moor), but like I said, we are all only one really bad month from being him.
I think this is what I love the most about this play. It's about relationships. Very small, interpersonal relationships that happen to be played upon an international stage.
We have talked a lot (already) about isolation. Here are a group of people who never communicate. It has a lot to do with the speed that everything takes place, and the warlike climate of the setting (both the political setting in Venice and the warlike setting in Cyprus). Also, the titular character is a foreigner that is an extraordinary General. A war hero that the nation needs (until they don't). His otherness is also at the center of this play.
This isolation works for Iago. He is a great student of people, and a flawless liar. He is a genius at taking any circumstance and turning it to his advantage. (Side note: I have often said that if you are an actor playing Shakespeare--playing the text (and not worrying about subtext) will get you 90% of the way to a performance. This is never more important than in this role. Being a great liar means believing the lies that one is telling (hence...playing the text). My primary goal in this undertaking is to be so pure in the lies that not only do Othello and Desdemona not catch me, but that the audience doesn't' either. The great thing about this undertaking is that Shakespeare has given me soliloquies to tell the audience exactly how I feel about everything, so I don't need to tart up the lie with falseness.
Anyway, those are my first thoughts as we begin this journey. I'm excited to get cracking. My cast mates seem game. There is much to come, much to unearth, and much to lament.
This has been a role that I have been chasing for decades. But unlike Hamlet, I finally chased this one down. And I am beyond thrilled to be doing it with Stephanie Coltrin as my director. For those that haven't read my blog, she is my artistic partner in crime. We have worked together nearly exclusively over the last seven years and we have not only become great friends, but we hold one another accountable to the highest standard of theatre. Shortly after she knew she was to direct this play, she told me I was her Iago. I didn't argue. But I rarely (see never) argue with her...because she's a genius.
Anyway, we had auditions and cast a lot of amazing actors and now we are in rehearsal. And as we discover what this play is about, I hope to catalogue it here. This role is the most daunting I've taken on since Macbeth, way back in '02. It's one of those "super-leads" that Shakespeare will sometimes create a play about. And I do believe that this is a play about Iago. I know it's called the Tragedy of Othello, but come on we are also doing Cymbeline this summer and I defy you to tell me that that play is about the poisoned king.
So, here's the thing. If you are hoping that I am embracing the notion that Iago is Shakespeare's meditation on evil, you will likely be disappointed at my performance. Even though we've only just begun, I can tell you that Steph and I are united that nobody thinks that they are evil. And Iago is somewhat justified in doing what he does. Sure, he may not care about the collateral damage that he does, but he's not evil. He is hurt. He has been betrayed.(He thinks). He has been passed over for advancement. (Really). Side note--We were talking at rehearsal that first day, and I made the observation that we are all a bad month away from being Iago...or Othello...or poor Desdemona. Besides, I don't know how to play "evil." It's a concept which is inherently unplayable as an actor. And Shakespeare was too good of a writer (and an actor himself) to make one of his players do such a thing. This is absolutely a play about jealousy, but it isn't about Othello's jealously...it is about Iago's. And this jealously is a torment, which Iago can no longer bear, and he passes it on to the man he hates the most.
For me, the play begins for Iago where it ends for Othello. Iago has recently heard report (abroad) that Othello has had carnal relations with Emelia (his wife). And it eats away at him. All of the things that he says of jealousy he understands from first had experience. He can't get the thought of Othello and Emelia coupling out of his head. And he swears to give this pain to the Moor...and perhaps more if he can. The center of my performance comes from this. I can understand betrayal. I can relate to shame. I have no idea what evil is or feels like. But there are people who have deliberately done me wrong that I would repay in kind, if I weren't a tired old family man.
So, that's my jumping off point. Emilia had sex with my commanding officer...the same man who passed me over for advancement and gave it to a pretty boy with absolutely no experience. As a human being, and as an actor, I can understand doing whatever it takes to take down somebody who has wronged you in the worst possible way. And I also understand that sometimes there are no half measures if you want justice. We can look at Iago as a sociopath because he doesn't really seem to value human life (as evidenced by the collateral damage to his plot to topple the Moor), but like I said, we are all only one really bad month from being him.
I think this is what I love the most about this play. It's about relationships. Very small, interpersonal relationships that happen to be played upon an international stage.
We have talked a lot (already) about isolation. Here are a group of people who never communicate. It has a lot to do with the speed that everything takes place, and the warlike climate of the setting (both the political setting in Venice and the warlike setting in Cyprus). Also, the titular character is a foreigner that is an extraordinary General. A war hero that the nation needs (until they don't). His otherness is also at the center of this play.
This isolation works for Iago. He is a great student of people, and a flawless liar. He is a genius at taking any circumstance and turning it to his advantage. (Side note: I have often said that if you are an actor playing Shakespeare--playing the text (and not worrying about subtext) will get you 90% of the way to a performance. This is never more important than in this role. Being a great liar means believing the lies that one is telling (hence...playing the text). My primary goal in this undertaking is to be so pure in the lies that not only do Othello and Desdemona not catch me, but that the audience doesn't' either. The great thing about this undertaking is that Shakespeare has given me soliloquies to tell the audience exactly how I feel about everything, so I don't need to tart up the lie with falseness.
Anyway, those are my first thoughts as we begin this journey. I'm excited to get cracking. My cast mates seem game. There is much to come, much to unearth, and much to lament.
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