“Blake, why are you saying the line that way? Did you forget how you said it at our last rehearsal?” I ask.
“Delaney told me I should say it like that.” He shoots wide-eyed look over to Delaney for confirmation and says, “She said that’s how Oliver says it in the movie.”
I, too, look over at Delaney, who, seeing the frown on my face says defensively, “Well, he does.”
I’m not sure what to address first, so I simply say to Blake,” There’s lots of ways to say it and it will be right if the actor’s intention is clear. The new choice doesn’t make it clear, so please go back to the way we worked on it last time.” I look over at Amber, “Because we thought that worked really well.” She nods back eagerly in agreement. I think she has a little crush on Blake.
“But I don’t feel anything,” Blake complains as he slaps his script against his leg.
I smile. “That’s okay, Blake. You don’t have to feel anything. It doesn’t matter what you feel; it only matters what the audience feels.”
“Huh?” says Blake.
But for the first time I see Delaney stop and fix a hard look at me. (That’s right, kid; I have the drug you want.)
“There’s a famous passage that the great actor, George C. Scott said… oh, where is it?” I say as I grab my purse and hurriedly search for it in my side pouch. I have Delaney’s fickle attention at last, and I know if I don’t hurry it will skitter away in an flash.
“Here!” I shout a little too jubilantly as I unfold the paper. “Listen: ‘The only measure of fine acting is what the character feels. He can feel nothing or suffer the agonies of the damned, but unless that is communicated to the guy who paid to see it, then he has failed. The question is, did the guy in the 10th row or the lady in the blue dress feel it? If they do, then you’ve been a success.’ “
I look up, straight into the open, receptive face of Delaney. She looks startling young and innocent, all traces of smug superiority erased. Our eyes lock, then she quickly looks away and in an instant the hard, closed look is back in place. That’s fine. Message received. I feel a victorious flip in my heart and turn to Blake.
“Do you see my point now, Blake?”
Blake, hearing the rest of the cast murmuring, “Wow.”, “Deep!” and “I so get it now”, reluctantly says, “Yeah.”
I know he doesn’t, but that’s okay. That little gem of acting advice was for Delaney. I can’t be direct with her. Her guard is too firmly in place. Instead I have to go down back alleys with the goods and slip them under her barricaded door.
We finish the scene and when Amber calls for a break, I catch Amber mooning after Blake and Delaney eying me warily.