how far would you go as an actor?
Tue, 22 Jan 2002, 05:46 pmWalter Plinge38 posts in thread
how far would you go as an actor?
Tue, 22 Jan 2002, 05:46 pmReally, this is the nudity question all over again... but I don't want it to descend into the fracas it usually does (got that, Leah?). :o)>
I am considering putting in a play to the Blue Room this year that requires four young people (2 guys, 2 girls - all twenty-somethings) to appear fully nude and in highly explicit (simulated, obviously) sex scenes.
It is a serious early play by a major American playwright, dealing with the fractured nature of human relationships and the idea that no matter how close we get to one another, we are all -- essentially -- alone.
(That quote from Albert Schweitzer comes to mind on this... I may well use that in the programme!)
In other words, it's not a cynical, exploitative flesh-fest, but deadly serious piece of theatre needing a dedicated, emotionally mature young cast.
Therein lies the rub... does such a thing exist anymore? Can I realistically hope to cast this show, or would every suitable young actor be too terrified of a room full of strangers scrutinising their privates?
How far are actors (male and female) prepared to go these days, and for the right play (which this one is), would they go the whole hog?
Are you out there, or is this just a pipe-dream?
peace,
David M.
I am considering putting in a play to the Blue Room this year that requires four young people (2 guys, 2 girls - all twenty-somethings) to appear fully nude and in highly explicit (simulated, obviously) sex scenes.
It is a serious early play by a major American playwright, dealing with the fractured nature of human relationships and the idea that no matter how close we get to one another, we are all -- essentially -- alone.
(That quote from Albert Schweitzer comes to mind on this... I may well use that in the programme!)
In other words, it's not a cynical, exploitative flesh-fest, but deadly serious piece of theatre needing a dedicated, emotionally mature young cast.
Therein lies the rub... does such a thing exist anymore? Can I realistically hope to cast this show, or would every suitable young actor be too terrified of a room full of strangers scrutinising their privates?
How far are actors (male and female) prepared to go these days, and for the right play (which this one is), would they go the whole hog?
Are you out there, or is this just a pipe-dream?
peace,
David M.
RE: how far would you go as an actor?
Sun, 27 Jan 2002, 05:25 pmWalter Plinge
>cast some women who are not thin and gorgeous
>in this play, see how the box office goes and then
>come an talk to me again David.
As it so happens, one of the women I approached for this play is... how can I put this... "not exactly slim".
I don't want thin, gorgeous people for this play. I want real people, with saggy bits and pimples. One female character is described by one of the male characters as "bony", so I guess she'd have to be skinny. But based on "bony", I guess we're talking Calista Flockhart skinny here, not Elle MacPherson skinny.
At the risk of starting that fracas I wanted to avoid (is this a fracas I see before me?), the idea that I am after supermodels and bodybuilders is a product of your cultural assumptions, Leah, not mine.
And besides, if my concern was box-office, I most certainly would *not* be doing a play as dark as this one, and I certainly wouldn't be doing it at the Blue Room, which seats about 60 people max.
>At the risk of sounding like my Nan; why can't you do anything NICE??
Nice??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NICE???????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>I am aware at a deep level that in the end we all sleep,
>love and die alone. MUST you make it your life's work
>to keep reminding me of this?
Yes.
>Why can't you put on, or even BE IN something that is
>about the best in people, not the worst.
It's a radical idea, I'll admit... but I guess I could try.
>And I don't mean you have to put on The Importance
>of Being Ernest.
What then, O worthy opponent o'mine? Make suggestions.
>I lay down this challenge. Mr Meadows, go off and find a
>really lovely upbeat happy play and put it on.
Such as...?
>Find a modern, possibly local text which will cause the
>audience to hug the person sitting next to them and
>walk out with a big smile on their face, their faith in
>human kind restored.
Ooooh, "faith in human kind"? Now you're really pushing it. I am, after all, a fully accredited misanthrope.
>Go on. I bloody dare you.
I double dare you..... find me a play that does it. And if it's not the most insipid, apologetic, politcially correct piece of fluff under the sun, I'll put it on.
David M.
Thou goatish toad-spotted malt-worm!
>in this play, see how the box office goes and then
>come an talk to me again David.
As it so happens, one of the women I approached for this play is... how can I put this... "not exactly slim".
I don't want thin, gorgeous people for this play. I want real people, with saggy bits and pimples. One female character is described by one of the male characters as "bony", so I guess she'd have to be skinny. But based on "bony", I guess we're talking Calista Flockhart skinny here, not Elle MacPherson skinny.
At the risk of starting that fracas I wanted to avoid (is this a fracas I see before me?), the idea that I am after supermodels and bodybuilders is a product of your cultural assumptions, Leah, not mine.
And besides, if my concern was box-office, I most certainly would *not* be doing a play as dark as this one, and I certainly wouldn't be doing it at the Blue Room, which seats about 60 people max.
>At the risk of sounding like my Nan; why can't you do anything NICE??
Nice??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NICE???????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>I am aware at a deep level that in the end we all sleep,
>love and die alone. MUST you make it your life's work
>to keep reminding me of this?
Yes.
>Why can't you put on, or even BE IN something that is
>about the best in people, not the worst.
It's a radical idea, I'll admit... but I guess I could try.
>And I don't mean you have to put on The Importance
>of Being Ernest.
What then, O worthy opponent o'mine? Make suggestions.
>I lay down this challenge. Mr Meadows, go off and find a
>really lovely upbeat happy play and put it on.
Such as...?
>Find a modern, possibly local text which will cause the
>audience to hug the person sitting next to them and
>walk out with a big smile on their face, their faith in
>human kind restored.
Ooooh, "faith in human kind"? Now you're really pushing it. I am, after all, a fully accredited misanthrope.
>Go on. I bloody dare you.
I double dare you..... find me a play that does it. And if it's not the most insipid, apologetic, politcially correct piece of fluff under the sun, I'll put it on.
David M.
Thou goatish toad-spotted malt-worm!
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