How To Produce Amateur Plays Part 5

Then, "_after her exit, closes door_. _They all turn and look at Sir C.

He sinks into a chair and shakes his head at them._" Into which chair does he sink? Since in a moment he must put his hat on the bookcase, Center, he had better sit on the chair to the right of it:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Then, at the end of Freddie's speech, "_Lady Jess. sits L.C._ [left of Center]. _Sir Chris. puts hat on bookcase C., and comes down C._"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The last speech of Lady Rosamund on this page is accompanied by the following stage direction: "_Crosses to him_ [Sir Christopher] _C.

Freddie sits R.C. annoyed_."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

This is very simple, but only in the rarest instances are stage directions so carefully worked out and indicated. The director will usually be confronted by long pages where there are few or no definite or dependable directions. The original text of Shakespeare affords us only the most elementary explanations of stage "business", so that when Shakespeare is produced it is wisest to use one of the many stage editions, in which the traditional directions, or others equally good, are given at some length. Usually, however, the director will be aided by directions which are fairly full and fairly accurate, but never quite dependable. The following excerpt--from "The Art of Being Bored"--contains the ordinary sort of directions, the kind that are found in good plays and bad. The set is described in the first act as being:

"_A drawing-room, with a large entrance at the back, opening upon another room. Entrances up- and down-stage. To the left, between the two doors, a piano. Right, an entrance down-stage; farther up, a large alcove with a glazed door leading into the garden; a table, on either side of which is a chair; to the right, a small table and a sofa; arm-chairs, etc._"

This may be plotted in the following manner:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

There are no specific directions as to the position of the sofa and chairs, but as a large number of characters are on the stage at one time, a great many will be necessary. The exact number of chairs, as well as the positions they will have to occupy, depend largely on the size and shape of the stage. The above diagram will serve at first as a working basis. Turning to the opening of the second act, we find the following directions:

(_Same as Act 1._

(_Bellac, Toulonnier, Roger, Paul Raymond, Madame de Ceran, Madame de Loudan, Madame Arriego, the d.u.c.h.ess, Suzanne, Lucy, Jeanne seated in a semi-circle, listening to Saint-Reault, who is finis.h.i.+ng his lecture_).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SAINT-ReAULT. And, make no mistake about it! Profound as these legends may appear because of their baffling exoticism, they are merely--my ill.u.s.trious father wrote in 1834--elemental, primitive imaginings in comparison with the transcendental conceptions of Brahmin lore, gathered together in the Upanishads, or indeed in the eighteen Paranas of Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedda.

JEANNE (_aside to Paul_). Are you asleep?

PAUL. No, no--I hear some kind of gibberish.

SAINT-ReAULT. Such, in simple terminology, is the _concretum_ of the doctrine of Buddha.--And at this point I shall close my remarks.

(_Murmurs. Some of the audience rise_).

Here two or three--Bellac and Roger, and one of the ladies, let us say--rise, and chat in undertones in a small group among themselves.

SEVERAL VOICES (_weakly_). Very good! Good!

SAINT-ReAULT. And now--(_He coughs_).

MADAME DE CeRAN (_eagerly_). You must be tired, Saint-Reault?

At this, Madame de Ceran might well rise, as if to put an end to Saint-Reault's speech. The others are impatient, and perhaps one or two start to rise. The others whisper, or appear to do so. Then Saint-Reault continues:

SAINT-ReAULT. Not at all, Countess!

MADAME ARRIeGO. Oh, yes, you must be; rest yourself. We can wait.

It is likely that here Madame Arriego would rise and go to Saint-Reault.

Two or three others would follow her.

SEVERAL VOICES. You must rest!

MADAME DE LOUDAN. You can't always remain in the clouds. Come down to earth, Baron.

SAINT-ReAULT. Thank you, but--well, you see, I had already finished.

(_Everybody rises_).

Saint-Reault's audience may then form into small groups, somewhat as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Care must be taken not to give the stage a crowded appearance, nor yet an air of too well-ordered symmetry. To continue:

SEVERAL VOICES. So interesting!--A little obscure!--Excellent!--Too long!

BELLAC (_to the ladies_). Too materialistic!

PAUL (_to Jeanne_). He's bungled it.

SUSANNE (_calling_). Monsieur Bellac!

BELLAC. Mademoiselle?

SUSANNE. Come here, near me.

(_Bellac goes to her_).

ROGER (_aside to the d.u.c.h.ess_). Aunt!

The direction "_aside to the d.u.c.h.ess_" shows that (1) Roger, after the company rose, either went to the d.u.c.h.ess; or that, (2) meantime he goes to her. This may be done either way, so long as the two are within reasonable whispering distance.

d.u.c.h.eSS (_aside to Roger_). She's doing it on purpose!

SAINT-ReAULT (_coming to table_). One word more! (_General surprise. The audience sit down in silence and consternation_).

Bearing in mind the change of position of Bellac, Roger, and Saint-Reault, we may reseat the characters as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

While, as has been said, grouping depends to a great extent on the size and shape of the stage, it should always be borne in mind that the stage should in most cases be made to resemble a picture as regards balance and composition. This means that the director must avoid crowding; that the actors must learn to take their places as part of that picture, and not attempt either to usurp the center of the stage or to disappear behind other actors. No grouping should ever be left to chance or the inspiration of the moment; every actor must have marked down in his own script every movement he makes. Groups and crowds require a great deal of rehearsing, in order that they may always a.s.sume the right position at the right moment.