In Directing Class everyone was asked to write a “Confession.” It was to be fit the following format:
1. One page in length
2. Involve only 2 characters
3. Have NO stage directions
4. Give the vast majority of the words to one character and have the second character speak only at the end – only for a sentence or two – and bring the entire scene to a conclusion.
Most importantly the piece is to capture the action of a significant and meaningful CONFESSION.
Today we broke into two groups and traded scripts. Group A gave all their scripts to Group B and Group B gave all of their scripts to Group A. Each group read the material they were given – read it out-loud – and chose 3 that they thought best to put on its feet and actually STAGE. They were confronted by a few sharp insights. Firstly, the material that READ well might not be the best to stage. It is one thing to write a clever monologue but another to INCLUDE a monologue as part of an ACTION that invites movement and staging. Some scenes were all text – everything was said – and nothing was happening under the surface: these they rightly found had little possibility on stage. Others were awkward and halting, broken and often illogical. These pieces drew attention. These pieces seemed to need a staging. Writing good narrative is a different game from writing for the stage. They are just beginning to get the difference . . .