Michael's Blog for The Fourth

AFFIRMATIONS

Great sessions--I thought y'all did an excellent job of zoning in on things that are very germane to the play.

I especially liked the Tuesday class. One, because I think it was very interesting to consider a scene two different ways. Two, because it fostered a very interesting discussion. Three, because sex is a fun topic. Four, because it's interesting to think about this little tiny HUGE detail and how it changes everything. And in some ways nothing. It was very thought provoking. (I hated that I couldn't make Sao Paulo this week to take place in the margarita-induces follow up!)

The Thursday session was especially interesting for a TXT virgin. Well actually the whole thing. I'm very old-fashioned about technology. I resist technological advances with a vengeance. They spin forward way too fast for me. It used to be that you could pay more for a solid, simple quality product. Not anymore. Now paying more means more bells and whistles and functions and gadgets and options and keys and strokes and codes and things to learn and pages to read and remember this and remember that. YIKES! I reluctantly bought a cell phone again this summer. After 3 blissful years of not having one. And I purposely had the texting blocked so people couldn't text me and I'd get charged for it.

So I find the use of phones and such in this play fascinating. A glimpse into the "other side." I don't like to be so connected, to check in with people so regularly, to be so easily accessible. Thus I find both the cell phone conversations a bit of a vicarious thrill and to some extent the txt messages. I thought the exercise on Thursday was a brilliant way to play with this--with all three. It was so interesting to see the differences: as we discussed in class, being emboldened by the phone; not replying is a much a reply as doing so in txt; etc.

Very Good Work!

QUESTIONS

Why doe Adrian pine for Connor so much?
(He wants what is off-limits? He thinks Connor is gay and he wants to help him get to that point? He's hot? He has been in love--infatuated--with him for years and years? He gets a thrill off servicing straight boys? Danger? To get him away from Jessica?)

What does Adrian expect when he connects with Connor?
Has his desire for Connor been changed by having consummated it "all the way"?
What is he afraid of? Being rejected by Connor?
Would he be ok with it going back to where it was?

OPINIONS

I loved the discussion about the differences in the trajectory of the play, whether Adrian tops/bottoms Connor. I agree that this is the case, but I think it is more so because of what it says about Connor than about Adrian.

I think Adrian would be "Walking on Sunshine" regardless of which way it played out. Unless the answer to my question above is something different (perhaps darker) than I had put in my mind. I think he'd be glowing. And bursting with a "I have to tell someone this." and of course, when he runs into Mia, he just bursts out with it. I think he'd do that either way--assuming Adrian and Mia are as close and are confidants, like I have them in my mind.

I agree that this seems to give more meaning to his Odysseus-like quest to get back "home". (Or to what he thinks/hopes/wants to be "home".) Or maybe a better word is the quest for an answer.

That being said, I think whether he tops/bottoms is likely huge for the outcome of the play. What does it say about Connor in either scenario? What would his next step be in either one? I think it likely affects whether Connor ever picks up Adrian's call that day, whether they hook up, etc. Not all of it will be resolved within the time of this play--nor should it be, but it does affect what happens in the play.

If Connor tops: Then I agree with George that he is possibly less into it (at this point), than if he bottoms. It might be a logical "next step." A likely progression in Connor's willingness to experiment. But it can still be an experiment. It's almost more ambiguous this way. Connor could be distant or even not speak to Adrian until the point he slowly gets over it and/or he realizes it felt good and he wants more.

If Connor bottoms: Then I'm thinking he's already way into it more than he's letting on. He' was willing to go to this place with Adrian. This isn't necessarily a "happier" outcome for Adrian. It might mean that Connor is more self-hating or homophobic than in the "hey it feels good. sex is sex. I'll try anything once." topping scenario. Or it might mean he's more likely to want to work it out. So it might be the more complex option.

Both provide very exciting possibilities for choices on where the arc of their relationship goes within this play. And I won't give an opinion on which I prefer.

Text Messages: I'm not sure I'm there yet with them in the play. From the exercise yesterday, I think I learned a lot about how they can be very brutal in their conciseness and their non-replies. Since there are gaps in these conversations (powerful gaps), it might be interesting to play with them not being contiguous--meaning: could they interupt dialogue? not be responded to and then interupt it again? From the exercise yesterday, I came to think there might be a lot of untapped potential in these in the play. As written I think they might tell us too much at times.



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Again...very interesting discussion/possibilities! Great sessions!