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.
Personally I don't feel
Wed, 11 Nov 2009, 03:38 pmPersonally I don't feel this is a 'one rule fits all' situation. Far from it.
A bit part of it is down to the level of skill, experience and maturity of the actors, the director and the playwright. I also feel the age and 'maturity' of the piece itself is a factor.
Really good work comes from hitting upon the right formula for that particular piece. Some pieces that are a true collaboration of the actors, director and writer are absolutely transformational for not just the audience but for the participants also.
And then of course those of us who have been around long enough have also experienced the disastrous case of 'too many cooks spoiling the broth.'
Add to to all of that the need for most work to be commercially viable and successful and the issue of what is most practical, economical and logistically possible looms heavily over any other creative or artistic values and beliefs.
The key ingredient is for all involved to have the wisdom to know what will best do justice to the work. And sadly no player in the process is immune to the danger of getting 'too close' and thus not being able to see what the best path to take might be. Writers are perhaps the most susceptible to this, as it is their 'baby' at the very beginning in most cases.
So I - in a very long winded manner! - would say - It depends!
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