Rambling Note re scene work

Here is a kind of short, rambling note I wrote to my scene partner (yes, I'm working on a scene) trying to define an overall approach and understanding.


I'm completely open to approaching the work on this scene in any fashion really, but I'll tell you my own process, tendencies and ways of trying to understand, grasp and create the scene. If it is helpful for us along the way, good - but if not, no big deal. First I try to determine what the basic situation of a scene is, and then what is the main event of the scene. For example in Joe/Edna from Waiting for Lefty, the basic situation is a married couple, after long individually stressful days, having been separate from each other, now together, in their living room, furnishings gone and kids sleeping in the next room. Simple and obvious stuff. No rocket science or insight yet. Just things that anyone and everyone can understand, get. Its crucial though because the actors will have to eventually create the basic situation fully because out of it comes the event, the action of the scene. (Sometimes there is an obvious and profound relationship between the situation and the event, but not always). It depends on the skill and apptitude of the writer. In Joe/Edna the event is that Edna convinces Joe to get his buddies, his fellow cabbies together in order to try and take back control of their union, their livelihood. The event arises from the situation - and in order for the event to have its proper impact on spectators, the logic of the characters behavior must flow out of a fully created basic situation. Therefore, for me, the first order of business and work of the actor is creating that basic situation of a scene. In our scene as I currently understand it, the basic situation is two individuals, both alone in a park, each there on their leisure time. And the event of the scene is that they meet. Again simple and obvious. As we progress with the work we may determine or describe the event as a "magical" meeting or a "mundane" meeting. We may discover that the basic situation includes rainy day. In other words, the details will follow, eventually, based on our work and on the rest of the play - with good analysis. Working on creating "the place" last night was for me, a step toward creating the basic situation of the scene. Going forward there will be additions and specifics to consider in the situation - like why they are there and all that. As that work comes to fruition the event itself, the meeting, will take whatever significance and style it will and in time we will shape it to our artistic likes. So, part of the point of this explanation is to say common things that I hear many actors ask or consider up front - such as what is my "intention" or what do I want from the other character in this moment and what is my obstacle - can be completely left aside for now. Stanislavsky brought those heady kinds of questions forward late in the game, as needed, to make behavior more specific or appropriate. The wisdom is that if the scene is well written and the basic situation created and understood logically and fully, the event can't help but take place with detail and specifics.