TRANSFERENCE OF EMOTION/THOUGHT

Drama IS transfer.  One character plays upon another, his emotion transfers to another, changes another.  A factor of environment plays upon a person or upon a people -- they change:  they are exhilarated, depressed, made belligerent, passive, etc.  Human forces play upon each other -- natural forces play upon human equalling drama.  Minds play upon each other: irritate, inspire, defeat, control.  Joan wins the support of the Squire, the Dauphine -- how?  Transfers.  Iago destroys Othello -- how: planting of ideas, transfers.

ASSIGNMENTS:

2 people: A and B.

Create situations in which A is angry, jealous, depressed, afraid, happy, indignant.  B is uninvolved or is rational, or passive, logical.  One plays upon the other until A’s emotion has transferred to B or B’s balance has prevailed over A’s passion.  A must have cause for the emotion: the motivation that drives him to express it must be strong, the situation must be real, set up the physical elements of the situation, use the properties required.  Remember that emotion is total response of the physical organism.  Emotion is physical, it is communicated through physical activity or lack of activity.  And there is no communication, no transfer completed until eyes have met.

For instance:  A, an actor, is jealous of the success of another actor, C.  He wants to infect B with the same jealousy -- the scene is the dressing room after a rehearsal.  B is seated, looking the mirror, ready to take off make-up.  He studies his eyebrow line, wonders if he should narrow it tomorrow night.  A comes in slowly, too slowly, walks to his chair, stands there looking at B as though thinking, “How can you be so calm?”  B sees him in the mirror, grins, says “good show” while he squints at his eyebrow.  A drops into his chair, just sits, dully says,  “What do you mean, good show?”  Etc.  Play it to the climax when B has to say “you’re crazy” and walk out, or he too wants to destroy C.

or

A is indignant with a commonly expressed idea that all theatre students are neurotics.  B hasn’t even thought of such an idea -- doesn’t know it exists.  They are having coffee in The Grill.  A obviously changes his position at the table, turning his back on a group he has been facing.  B -- sugaring his coffee, says, “Light bother you?” -- etc.

OBJECTIVES:

Learn what transfers are.

How they happen.

Play moment by moment.

Play to each other in response to each other.

Reconize climaxes -- the exact moment of transfer, of change.

When are words inevitable.

When are they unnecessary.

Most transfers occur during arrests (SLAP), they follow a success of realizations: idea, go home, are accepted, rejected, discarded, laughed at -- they hurt, please, etc.