Today was a very monologuey kind of day...

Between rehersing with James for his monologue that I am doing (which seems to be going quite well), I rehearsed with Ren for mine.

We started with an initial read through. Ren had learn't most of the lines which was great. I also introduced the table. Her first read through had a lot of the confusion and worry which was good, but to begin with it was all a bit on the same level.

We worked on over the top seriousness...and an extreme sense of her own cleverness...

My question approach started to go out the window...and i moved into saying things like "I think such and such an idea is critical"

I asked her to play with moving around the table at some point. This started to work, and she moved aroun and leant against the other side of the table. She mentioned that she was feeling like a teacher....and I pounced on that, saying that was what we were going for...

This was a pivotal moment. Ren/raz then started to use the text to work the room.

I had to go to a class. So I left ren to either have a break or work on stuff on her own. This was quite an acidental thing, but funnily enough may have been the best thing i did - leave the room.

When I returned Ren had developed some ideas which I was soon to be shown.

But first, i made the observation that when she was talking about using babies she still sounded very guilty about it, and she said that she did feel guilty saying those lines.

So I got her to describe to me how to make a recipe that she likes...which she did, in a really enthusiastic kind of way. I pointed out the things that she did with her hands, and voice as she was telling me how to make the recipe, and asked her to bring that to the disturbing text....

She did and it was a huge improovement. The middle section now had this huge energy which made the awkwardness and seriousness of the start and end work really well.

But the best bit was yet to come. Ren had devised this thing where she crawls under the table to pick up a pen. And it was amazing! it gave this whole other way to physicalise the text....well done Ren.

So i don't know quite how it happened....but its transformed into something really interesting.

I think, as a director, i became more comfortable in identifying problems...i just hope that i delt with only top level problems...and articulated my concerns clearly and didn't confuse her.

Anyway...very happy...HD for me.