In development.

Some stories stick with you, they surely do; even if you don't remember the source of the story.

Theatre stories stick with me the most; yes, I have a few of my own, but it's the stories the I've read over the course of my life, the ones that always seem to apply not only in the development of a character, but in the living of an artistic lifestyle.

Everybody's heard the apocryphal story about a very drunk Peter O'Toole (or sometimes, Richard Burton) who takes an old friend out to dinner before doing a play in the West End, getting wildly drunk, and winding up in a private box of the theatre.  The show begins, and at a certain point in the show, things come to a grinding halt.

"You'll love this part," says the drunken O'Toole (or Burton).  "This is where I come on."

I love that story.

But tonight, as I'm working a script in the wee hours of the night, another story comes to mind.

The famous actor was doing a choice role in a play in London back in early days of his career, and even though it seemed to be working, there was something not...quite....right.  He had tried everything to smooth over the bumps; he tried changing the pace, the volume...all the mechanical things an actor tries first.  Failing that, he went back into the text to try and find the solution, but nothing came.  So, despairing, he decided to broach the subject with another actor, who diligently saw a performance of the production and offered his critique.

"You're playing the hell out it," he said to start, "but let me ask you...do you like him?"

The famous actor was slightly dumbfounded by the question.  But, when he came to think about it, he told the truth.  "No....I don't like him.  He's reprehensible.  I would cross the street to avoid meeting him."

The other actor smiled knowingly.  "That's what's not working.  You are standing in judgment of the character, rather than committing to thinking the way he thinks.  I sincerely doubt that he finds himself reprehensible.  He's got his justifiable reasons for doing what he does.  In order for you to work here, you have to like him."

I love that story.  I think it comes from ON ACTING, by Laurence Olivier.  There's also a story in there that states that he based his Richard II on a director named Jed Harris, who was also the inspiration (or so the legend goes) for the Big Bad Wolf.

I'm in the middle of such a dilemma right now, in my rehearsal process.  Intellectually, I understand the character, but truly I find some of his tactics hateful and cruel.  I've developed a bad habit of exiting the stage muttering, "What a DICK!" under my breath.  I really need to stop doing that.  I need to give him the life he wants, not the life I want for him. 

Villains never see themselves as such.

I must give in to the dark side.

Bwahhahahahah!