Second Performance: The Adding Machine

Performance Technique: General/Specific Insights/Principles

Took Ed Hook's advice (The Actor's Field Guide), Playing The Scene, p. 57, and it worked! Just let go (& gently remind myself about what I want) -- also, avoid self-monitoring (p.98).

In performance -- let go and go with the moment. It's perfectly fine if tonight is not as good as last night, or if it's better.

Rule: After each performance, after I've looked at what worked and what didn't, come up with a set of possible solutions to problems, come up with a plan of action for the next performance, and then FORGET last night -- do not allow myself to thing about or remember it.

Shrdlu

What does Shrdlu want?

Confess -- make Zero see I'm a sinner, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it (it's just a fact, like the fact that I have 2 ears), and that I'm perfectly sane, not crazy. I watched the confession of the innocent man locked up with Mr. Tibbs in the early part of the movie. The innocent man is not just telling the literal events of what happened (e.g., "I just picked it (the wallet) up from the man after I found him dead) -- he's telling Mr. Tibbs, making Mr. Tibbs understand that he's innocent and how nothing goes right for him . . . nothing goes right for me . . . that 's the heart of it for him . . . find out, in a single phase I can emotionally understand what's the heart of it for Shrdlu.

Also from the Field Guide -- Playing Crazy (p. 43) -- Tim Lewis's advice: playing against type: try to act perfect sane, calm, when I say I cut my mother's throat.

Also, "Dr. Ameranth told me what what in store for me:" Shrdlu is ready for it, unflinching. Me -- think of something "hot" that I want.