Should Playwrights Direct Their Own Work?
Wed, 11 Nov 2009, 01:57 pmstinger29 posts in thread
Should Playwrights Direct Their Own Work?
Wed, 11 Nov 2009, 01:57 pmI have recently been involved in two plays where the playwright was also the director. In one case, the person concerned felt that he would sooner have someone else direct his plays, but he didn't like to impose on anyone. In the other case, the person concerned felt that he was the best person for the job since he had such a clear vision of how the play should be performed. Also, he could be on hand to do the inevitable rewrites as the rehearsals got under way. That person subsequently expressed amazement at how differently the lines were performed to how they had imagined them in the writing, even despite their own direction.
In my view, once the writing is finished, a playwright should be prepared to sever all ties with his or her brainchild (except for the royalties) and let it fly on its own merits. Also, a director should be prepared to go with the written word and not expect to be able to rewrite the script according to his or her whims or those of the actors.
Oooh Stinger
Wed, 11 Nov 2009, 02:15 pmWhat an amazing can of worms.
I usually direct my own work.
Lots of reasons for this, the first is that it is very difficult to find other people to do my work. Its very difficult to find people to do new work at all in this state let alone mine.
I also feel that as I was a Director long before I became a writer I can be objective about it.
As for leaving the written work as you find it. Well, as a Director of new work, not just my own but others as well, a play that is going into it's first detailed rehearsal period will still need rewrites. I bet Pinter rewrote during the rehearsal period (and incidently he directed many of his own plays in their first productions).
No matter how many readings and workshops you've done (and frankly you can get to the point where another reading or workshop is simply intellectual masturbation) the work will still have flaws which only become obvious when you start a real rehearsal period with detailed exploration of the themes and characters. Stuff that somehow all the workshops in the world don't seem to turn up.
Some of these flaws of course will still be there on opening night and you will only see them in front of an audience. That's just bad luck, fix em later.
Once that first production is finished and the Director and playwright are satisfied that the show is as good as it's gonna get then I agree with you. Directors should treat it with respect, it's the playwrights idea and plot. if you want to say it in a different way or address a different message write your own play.
We, if I remember correctly, had quite a spirited discussion along these lines early this year. I don't mean you and I Stinger I mean the site in general.
As a writer I'm not particularly precious about my words but I am about my message and intent. I write plays for a reason generally and that's why I want them put on so please don't change them. It's a contravention of copyright to make unauthorised changes or cuts to scripts anyway.
EDIT: I missed one of your points. Hell yes, actors often find hidden depths in my work that I wasn't aware of either as director or writer. I use my actors as a creative part of the team that puts on my play. Although in the end if there is an unresolvable difference it's done my way if I am directing.
Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au
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