It’s so peaceful up here. And just gorgeous.
I arrived somewhat fraught. New lines pushed into my head. New people to integrate with.
Gratiano. I never really looked at him before. He’s an interesting one, as they all are when you get under the skin with this timeless writer. Often there’s a hook about who the character is in the first thing they say. His first speech starts with an observation. He notices things. “You look not well.” He then offers his advice, cut from his very personal perspective. This is a rich man who really need do nothing and still be happy. He’s chosen to be a playboy and commentator and self styled fool. “You have too much respect upon the world. They lose it that do buy it with much care.” Advice not to get too swept up in this artificial consensus we have decided to call “the world”. And yeah, we can quickly get weighted down if we give it too much respect. This is good advice, right off the bat, from a largely egregious voice in the line of the text. Gratiano grates. He speaks out of turn. But his way would work for some of the characters in this complex play.
Last time I did it I played Shylock. Back then I was struck by how much text he’s given to properly explain to the Venetians why they are hypocrites. There’s a heart in that man and his flaw is revenge. In many ways it’s the tragedy of Shylock, as I’m yet to see the Venetians not look like overprivileged twits. To play this gauche fellow now – it’s interesting. There’s enough throughout this play that every scene has meat, and he has plenty. And he’s high status enough that he can speak in any situation and it’s given the floor.
Dress rehearsal tonight and I just needed to get through it. Some small reference to my cue script. Mostly lines were in place, but I was solving lack of certainty with the illusion of certainty (aka bombast). Tomorrow they let the audience in. As far as my character allows me, I’m gonna see how far I can go into nuance. Time to listen to the others and trust that my learning will carry through. This is very squeaky bum, but it’s also just a friendship group that I’m not yet part of, putting on a play for the sheer joy of it in a truly beautiful setting. I’m in.
AlBarclay 