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A character can still be a great character without being a good person.

In fact, some of the best characters are terrible people.

Because a character’s worth should be based on how complex and interesting they are, not their morality if they were real.

pursuitofhappenstance

On Agnes

A recent conversation with a friend made me think about the characters I love and why I love them. Now, I grant you, Agnes is not always the most interesting to follow. But I don’t think that has as much to do with the character, as it does with the performers. Agnes is very difficult to do well. She doesn’t have cool dances and she can’t eye-fuck the audience into following her. But the right performer takes you on a journey, making you root for her, fueling anger and frustration towards the Porter, and ultimately leaving you devastated.

Below is a recap I wrote after following who I consider to be the all-time best Agnes, Marissa Maislen, on my last ever loop with her Agnes (well, technically second to last, because this was the second loop in the show, and I may or may not have double-looped her…) I hope by following the loop from my perspective, some of you may gain more appreciation for her. Or if you’re already an Agnes fan, then maybe this will help tide over missing the McKittrick for a brief moment. Anyway, here goes:

I catch the end of the Hecate scene, and then follow her to the bedroom. She puts the clothes away, pausing to sob, and then heads to the vanity. There she looks down for a long time at Grace’s photo and when she finally looks up at herself in the mirror, her eyes are welling with tears and she looks completely defeated. She gingerly takes the photograph and slowly makes her way to the bed where she passes out. When Fulton leaves, she wakes and heads to the now open bedroom door, lingering, looking at him watching her through his shop window before shutting the door firmly. She cleans her face, through Narnia, and into the shop. High Street. Locket. Back into the shop. As soon as she realizes what’s in the locket, she starts formulating a plan. She rummages through the desk, the shelves to see if Fulton has his money there. No luck, so she heads across the street, but not before pinching her cheeks to put more color in them. Everything’s fine.

She gets to Fulton and while she’s polite, she’s distracted. Every time he turns his back, she is looking around for a clue of where his money could be. Unlike other Agneses, though, she’s not really anxious about doing this. When the two slow dance, she spots it! A box high on a dark shelf. As soon as he leaves the shop, she jumps into action. She rifles through his desk, taking out a catalog and tray, while she searches methodically through each drawer. She finds a small tin, inside is the key. She grabs the box off the shelf and brings it under the light. She unlocks it and grabs one bill at a time from it. A pause. She grabs a large handful. Satisfied, she puts the box back up on the shelf, hides the key back in the tin, and is heading across to the other side of the shop, when she sees she’s left the catalog and tray lying out on top of the desk. She rushes back over, throws them back into their spots and turns to run over to the spot where Fulton left her just in time. He returns, gives her a bouquet of flowers and makes a candy appear from her ear, but she has to go. As she is trying to cross the street, he grabs her and tries to make a pass at her. She pushes him away and runs into Grace’s apartment, slamming the door behind her. She sits on the couch, staring straight ahead, not looking to see if Fulton is still out there. She counts the money, briefly, then heads in to pack a suitcase before heading down the street.

She passes the detective agency, but she back tracks. Knocking twice and getting no response, she enters. Finding no one, she looks at the business cards on one of the desks. Malcolm Mac Crinain. She takes out a pair of gloves from her purse as she thinks. She puts on one lacey glove, when she spots a pile of papers on the side of the desk. She decides to write a little note for him, tearing off the bottom half and folding it into a small square. Plant a seed and it will show, who is friend and who is foe. Just as she’s finishing, the phone rings. She looks around but no one is there to answer it, so she does.

Hello?

How did you know where I was?

Where are you?

The caller hangs up. Agnes glances at her watch and rushes off down to the lobby. There she meets the Porter, whom she clearly does not trust. He serves her tea and then causes a distraction so he can go through her suitcase and uncover the money. The phone rings, and they both stare at each other, frozen. The Porter makes a run for it and Agnes sprints after him. He hands her the receiver gleefully. Annoyed, she heads back up stairs.

Back on four and she is heading back to Malcolm’s, but not before checking her appearance in the mirror in Grace’s living room. When she’s at Malcolm’s she begins to look through his files when she sees a picture leaning facedown against the desk lamp. As she turns it over, a man pulls the chair out from behind her. She starts and the two have a standoff. He picks up the photo and holds it out to her. She doesn’t say anything, but starts to leave. Realizing she left her purse on the desk, she goes back to grab it, and as she does, she changes her mind, and from it takes the same photo. She holds it up to him and explains something under her breath.

The two examine the pictures, and a tension grows. He desperately wants her, and she is curious. A kiss. She freaks out and starts to leave, but he follows. In the doorway she turns around and he kisses her again, lifting her high and carrying her out onto the street. He slowly lowers her, as one of her legs perfectly pops out. The ideal romantic kiss. She backs away from him and they each stand in their own spotlights, a hand to the mouth. Did that really just happen?

He runs away and she heads to the speakeasy where she uneasily shares a drink. Boy Witch runs in and demands she leave. She heads back to Fulton’s where she makes a locket. As she’s closing the locket, she whispers, Plant a seed and it will show, who is friend and who is foe.

She heads across the street, not noticing Lady Macduff running by. When she gets to the door of the bedroom she turns and comes to me standing at the back of the pack, not ready for this goodbye.

She finally reappears, and we head down to the lobby one last time. She’s not angry with the Porter, but she is forceful. He knows where her sister is and she is not leaving until she gets the information. A battle of wills and pushes ensues but eventually he gives in, sending her up to an address on Gallow Green.

Hecate welcomes her, offers her a drink. Agnes takes it, total composure. She still thinks that there’s a way to save her sister. Even seeing that Hecate didn’t partake in the drink doesn’t scare her. She puts on lipstick, then unbuttons the top of her blouse, as instructed. She pulls the shirt open, looking away into the darkness, then quickly clutches it shut again. As she turns back, she sees Hecate holding out the locket. It’s too late. She cannot keep her cool any longer and she looses it, sobbing quiet tears which Hecate collects. Left at the table, she desperately searches through her purse and holds out the photo of her sister, pleadingly. When no one responds, she gathers her belongings and slowly makes her way back to the apartment, staggering slightly, the long day of scheming finally catching up to her. Back at the apartment, the defeat is so complete, it’s hard not to run over and hug her. She lost her sister, and she lost herself in the pursuit of her. She goes to sleep.