Playwriting (10) Metaphors in theatre

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. Miller did a fine job of identifying the best metaphor and sustaining it, such as the Salem witch hunts for McCarthyism and communism.

The Mountaintop, by Katori Hall.

Also, a giant hamster that, since birth, is doubling its weight every week vis-à-vis the irrational belief that economic growth is never ending (rf. my talk five years ago ▪ Spirits Up, in Down Times).
 
Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.
 

Playwriting (9) How to build a plot

If you can tell a story to a friend, you can write it.

• Introduce
• Orient
• Complication
• Crisis
• Resolution

A lot of my plays come from the headlines, for example, death of Amy Winehouse.

You have to justify every scene.

Play up something inevitable, but you never saw it coming.

Give the play enough space for it to take you places.

Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.
 

Playwriting (8) James Graham

It’s like being God, and playing with people.

It’s a good opportunity to explore what’s going on in your life and what you’re feeling (rf. writing in a journal).

It also make sense to take a pulse on what’s going on in the world around you (which is what I want to do to some extent with my play).

A playwright should not be afraid to dive into something that he or she hasn’t come close to actually living.

Write about what you know ▪ life | people. But you can research and interview on whatever subject matter you don’t know.

• Story
• Development
• Turning Point
• Changes
• Intrigue
• Irony

When you have those “boundaries,” the writing can come relatively easily.

All first drafts are embarrassing.

Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.
 

Playwriting (7) How to write dialogue

Make sure two characters do not sound the same. Even for the same character, the colloquialism may appear or disappear depending on setting.

It’s the undercurrent of a dialogue, that is, what is not said, that can make a difference.  
What are the particular quirks of my characters?

The rhythm of the dialogue is also important.

Dialogue is conceived, so it’s not “real.” Dialogue has to be stylized and heightened, in order to engage and captivate the audience.

Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.
 

Playwriting (6) Introduction to verbatim theatre

Verbatim theatre is a type of theatre-making where the text is generated from interviews with 'real life' people. There are various methods of using and practicing this form of theatre, explored through this film which features verbatim practitioners Alecky Blythe (London Road), Nadia Fall (Home), David Hare (Stuff Happens) and Nicolas Kent (The Colour of Justice).

Do as a blend with ‘imaginative’ theatre for `The Room. I do want to interview people ▪ housemaid, employers, advocates, counselors et al. I could do verbatim on short film, or even another play altogether.

Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.
 

Playwriting (5) How do you write?

The idea à la The Core Algorithm is to write in whatever way works for you. For me, it’s a balance between discipline and schedule on the one hand and spontaneity and flexibility on the other hand (rf. Algorithm for To Dos). 

Over the next few weeks, I capture episodes of the National Theatre: Playwriting series. These are instrumental lessons, as I work at my play "The Room." The above are my notes.