These "mob scenes" are actually becoming quite exciting in the world of play development. There are so many layers to this play... it's a novel, and it's epic, and these layers manifest in so many different ways that when we gather in the rehearsal room as a cast, it's necessary to use several different tactics to fully comprehend and physically articulate what's happening in the story.
A typical first tactic has been discussing why the mob scene occurs in that moment. In the story, it is clear that each event, (except the first which is the invention of the witch), comes as a direct result in going against Tom. If Tom represents that one life Maggie could live, the opposite is the life of the Witch: free, loving, limitless and unrestrained. The gulf between an identity as Tom prescribes and the life as a witch is vast and traumatic. Any leaning towards one is a kind of death towards the other life. It is this divide that manifests in 3 Maggies and creates the greatest struggle of the play. We also must keep in mind that these Mob Scenes are continuations of Maggie's journey and NOT breaks in the action.
Another tactic has been sketching (story-boarding) the mob scenes first. Another has been get on our feet and figuring it out physical with different rules involved and variations on a theme.
If the first scene invents the device of the witch and fully exists as a figment of Maggie's imagination. We must see Maggie create this scene, she is "above it all." She is the mastermind and the playmaker. It will fully activate the power of Maggie's imagination for the audience. In the first scene, we invent the witch.
In the second Mob sequence, Tom initiates Mag's trauma as he sees her make a promise to Phillip that directly upsets Tom's hold over Maggie. In this, then, Maggie is leaning towards the way of the witch and Tom chases the witch out of Maggie, the nightmare continues until Mag is in a safe place, riding away on her horse.
In the third sequence, again Mag is with Phillip considering a secret tryst and as she follows him off (with the encouragement of the witch) the mob blocks her path. Tom is there as well. She submits. Maggie One gets her to follow the witchy ways again and then as we see Maggie with Phillip in the deeps, Mrs. Pullet can come out of the mob (yes, actors this is an idea to explore) and say to Tom in the mob this story of seeing Phillip in the deeps. All the while, we are seeing a montage of Mag 2/Phillip in the deeps and time is passing. The mob disappears, the scene between Mag and Phillip continues.
Maybe.
I also just had a lovely meeting with the dramaturges. They asked questions about moments in the run, I filled them in on the shadow experience in yesterday's rehearsal, we spoke about the various ages of the characters and how that might affect interactions. Program notes are due in a couple of days so we discussed material to include as well as material NOT to include. We spent some time discussing the mob scenes and the significance of those moments in the story.
Yesterday in the first hour of rehearsal the 3 Maggies went into the light lab and we explored the color blue. All three responded to the deep connection they felt within this color. No-one was leading and all felt very present in the light. In watching them explore, I noticed the shadow was so clear when a single source lit them, we began to play with these shadows from many perspectives and grew more and more excited at this new possibility for creating a new maggie. After all, in the text, the mirror is the device, but a shadow is also a mirror and it's even closer to the soul of the character because there is no glass in between, it is light. We played with going from one shadow to two and back again, we played with climbing inside someone's shadow and the effects were mesmerizing. We will continue with the exploration. On a technical note, doing it this way is perfect for the arena setting because the floor is quite literally the backdrop.
We continue this week taking the show moment by moment. Monday we begin again with the 3 mags, work with Stephen and continue with the mob work. Tues and Wed will be similar, adding in family scenes and continuing with Tom and Phillip and begin executing the flood as well. By the end of the week I would like to begin choreography of the ball and the fights.
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