Re: RAT Toastmaster

[jonoh1@juno.com]

My Dearest Mr. R.,
  I can always count on you to do your research  thoroughly and ask only
the most pertinent questions. I, in direct opposition to many working
directors, always welcome questions from serious actors trying
desperately to find character nuance. The answers (or, more specifically,
suggestions) below must be taken with a grain of salt and a healthy
dollop of actor instinct...have no fear...there are no wrong choices.
(This isn't University, after all.)
  With that in mind:

On Thu, 15 Mar 2001 15:12:34 -0500 brad rothbart <scrdchao@nni.com>
writes:
> >No. That's toast. We're toast.
> >
> >
>   I'm not sure if I can *be* toast, and live up to the RAT standard- 
> 
> Toast seems so inexact- it's rather hard to play. So, If you could 
> indulge me , Jonathan, by answering a few questions- I might better 
> be able to be toast.
> 
> 1) White, wheat, rye, pumpernickel, sourdough?

  As always, I refer you to the text first. But often we find there is
little text on which to base certain characteristics. This, as it
happens, is the case with your first question. Look, then, to overarching
action. Read it again and decide. A few thoughts, however, to help you on
your way:
  If "white" is your choice then you must consider the ramifications:
does white = the ruling class? Does it (white) imply a genericism endemic
to societal nutrition? (Therein a weakening, if you will, of its' energy,
power, health, etc), could "white", conversely, imply a full spectrum of
choices (ie: a white, blank canvass?). All of these are valid. All of
them "right". 
  Moving on to wheat. This choice would effect, to my mind, costumes
first. Perhaps the entire look of the piece. It conjures up images of
hemp and Birkenstocks. A very "grounded" performance (or
characterization) could result. Certainly worthy of further
investigation. But it might be a skoonch limited.
  With rye one is wandering into a more intellectual (perhaps cynical?)
interpretation and all that implies. Rye would certainly fit in nicely
textually: The use of "No" at the opening of the original text, for
example. Again, the worst that can happen is it wouldn't connect for you.
Give it a try and we'll see.
  Pumpernickel! How exciting! I can always count on you! This is a very
deep, earthy choice that could do one of two things, it could force you
to examine your darkest of artistic sides (something I would recommend to
any actor looking for answers) but, at the same time, it could easily
overwhelm the performance of same. It's very tricky territory, your
pumpernickel. But I'll be there by your side to assist in the journey if
you like.
  Personally, I would discount Sourdogh out of hand. Too Northwesty. It
might have an immediate bite, but does not sustain in terms of depth.  

> 2)Light, medium , dark or about to become toast?

  I believe the contraction "we're" answers the existential question you
pose. We <are> toast. I hope that clears it up for you. As to the various
shadings you suggest, I would recommend you try them all in various
workshop productions before deciding. Don't want to commit too early, you
know.

> 3) Was my  doneness achieved all at once, or was I removed from the 
> toaster, summarily rejected and  replaced?

  Wow. This is absolutely fraught with potential.  I hadn't even thought
of the "doneness" issues. Wow. Am I done? (meaning: finished, over,
spent, or, conversely, about to be consumed, at my peak, on the
ascension? Whatever you decide here, I would suggest that your doneness
was <not> achieved all at once. While valid, it's not a very active
choice. It's also not based in any kind of reality. Toast isn't
automatically "done" simply because we think of toast. There is a process
involved. How long that process might take is another matter all
together, though, isn't it? Fascinating.

> 4) New toaster or old? 2-slice, 4-slice, 6-slice?

All personal choices. All equally valid.


>   5)  Plain toast? Jelly( if so,  what kind?) Butter, margarine, 
> butter substitutes, cream cheese? More than one of these?

Here, I think, while I applaud both your imagination and dedication, you
might just be putting the cart before the horse as well as playing the
ending. A performance is made up of moments in succession. The statement
isn't  "'we're toast smothered in jelly",  or "we're toast that craves
butter but we're dieting so, unless you want to feel really guilty when
you're done consuming me, I'd reconsider". ( I'm making certain
assumptions here that may, or may not apply) The statement is simple.
Keep your interpretation clean so as to match the economy of statement.
Good thoughts, though, all.

> 6) Most importantly,  was I the  only slice of bread in the toaster 
> at the time of my toasting?

Again, grasshopper. Text. "<We're> toast." What does that tell you? 
Also, your question implies a deep loneliness that you might want to
incorporate. Think about a solitary piece of toast, slowly browning in
his/her own slot while his/her brother/sister is slowly toasting in a
slot right on the other side of the aluminum/steel/whatever wall. What
does that conjure up for you? Here are two slices of bread, maybe more
(and, again, the flavor is a choice yet to be determined) that were once,
odds are, side by side in a comfy plastic wrapping. They were suddenly
yanked from each other and tossed into a whole new world to stand, alone,
separate (as in: to separate?) to hold or yield by their own mettle. Cut
from the same loaf, they are intertwined in a way we can only imagine and
try, as best we can, to recreate and communicate to an audience that, by
it's very nature, is not so different from the toast which we are
representing. 
> 
>   Jonathan, with your answers and, oh, a week of table-talk- I feel 
> that I can become toast to make a Rat cry over.

No, no. That would be milk.

Best,
Jonathan




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