Sunday, November 08, 2009
‘Starry Messenger’ - Headaches for Writer-Director
NYTimes.com: "PLAYWRIGHTS can easily run into challenges when they direct their own work. It’s hard to be objective when scenes aren’t clicking, dialogue is dragging, or actors question the play. But for Kenneth Lonergan the last few weeks of directing his drama “The Starry Messenger” have included moments of frustration and hope that go beyond the usual bumps of steering a new piece toward opening night."
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3 comments:
I rarely think that directing a play you have written is a good idea. There is a large conflict of interest in oneself when it comes to situations like these. A director oftentimes sees themes and details that a playwright may not have noticed. An objective eye can interpret the text with much less personal interest or offense then it's writer could. On the other hand a playwright can often enlighten a director about the details and intentions of the characters in their stories. I think trying to take on dual roles as both author and director makes it very hard to do either to the best of ones ability which is unfortunate.
I would have been interested in sitting in on an early rehearsal of this play because, self directing, I'd imagine the author would be forced into a unique relationship with the cast. As the article's author noted there would be a conflict of interest and I hope the actor's concerns with the work were taken into consideration, while not allowed to change the original artistic intent.
Directing a play that you wrote would be extremely difficult. It means that he is attached to the script and probably doesn't want to drift away from it like a separate director would. I think it would also be hard to work with your best friend. At least he is being the director in cutting his own script. I just can't see how he is doing all of that himself. it seems like he is taking on too much. I hope it works out.
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