Final Session: "The Quest for Knowledge" - ARCADIA - Tom Stoppard | The Rehearsal Room - The Working Actor's Journey

Episode Transcript
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>> Nathan Agin (00:00):
Hi there. I'm Nathan Agin. Welcome back to the Working Actors Journey
rehearsal room. We are here for the final
session of a, couple scenes that we're working on from
Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. And
I just heard somebody say the other day that it was like,
Stoppard. As an American. I say
Stoppard, but I was hearing someone saying Stoppard.
maybe that's a little Britishism, or maybe that's, someone being a

(00:23):
little, a little pretentious. I don't know, maybe, maybe a character from a
Stoppard play pretending they know how to say the
name better. but, it's been a really wonderful,
exciting month. The work has been great. This, is your first time
tuning in. you can watch tonight, go back and see, you know, how
we get to this point. or start from the beginning. it's,
it's, it's great. just all the discoveries

(00:43):
and the questions and the conversations that, people have been having.
It's just really, really, a great insight into
how granular you can get with this
material. you know, feel free to leave questions and comments below
if you enjoy. Hit that like button. Subscribe. and while
tonight may be our final session, what you're seeing
is not meant to be necessarily a final
performance. Locked in, never to change. This is just the

(01:05):
next step, in the work for everybody. You know, if they were to continue
to work on it, it might continue to change. If they blocked it, it might continue to
change. so this is just where we are, after, you
know, a few weeks of, working on it. So it's just a work in
progress. Next, month we are
going to be, showing from the
archive, some sessions of King
Lear. We did a scene from King Lear with, Randall Duke

(01:28):
Kim and his wife Annie Okio Grosso. for those who don't
know them, they co founded the American Players
Theater, and ran it for about ten years.
Randy has played almost every major
Shakespearean character. just,
they're, they're both forces to be reckoned with when
it comes to Shakespeare. And also lovely, lovely people.
So, and, and they have kind of this method they've, they've been

(01:50):
developing after, you know, 50 years of working on the
text. it's wonderful. So, if you, if you're
interested in Lear, if you're interested in their process, their method, we do a
great scene from King Lear. it's where Lear confronts his two
daughters. So, yeah, we'll have a lot of fun with that. and we
will continue to post those sessions on YouTube and the podcast for all
to enjoy. you know, like I said, subscribe so you can

(02:10):
follow along. You can continue to support the project through
Patreon, if that's something you'd like to do. Thank you. Quickly to some of our
patrons. Joan, Michelle, Jim Magdalene,
Claudia, Cliff, Jeff and Ivar. and again
if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave those below.
I am going to disappear for most of
the rehearsal session. I'll be back a little bit for the Q and A

(02:30):
and hope you guys all have a great rehearsal. So
that's it for me for a bit. Enjoy.

>> Brendon Fox (02:37):
Thank you, Nathan. Hi everyone.
Welcome back. I thought that
in the time we've got tonight, I'd love to
try this for a plan. I'd like to actually do what
we did on the first session which is read
both scenes back to back. we
can be, you know, let's take some notes as we go

(02:59):
those in the scene, those listening things we observe
and then we'll stop and have a pause.
Maybe that's where we put our break and then we come back and
then I think we can do it again. But this
way I'd love to see what happens ah, on a macro level when
we are piecing it together, one last time. Does
that sound good?

(03:21):
and before we jump in with the first scene,
I had a couple of thoughts that I
love from. For you all in one one to
think about that I didn't have a chance to
share at the end of last session.
So A couple of
quick things. I think that just as a macro thought for

(03:41):
everyone, for tonight I would just encourage
us all to continue to find as many
surprises, revelations, shocks to the system
as possible. I think we found over the course
of last few weeks that part of the fun
of these characters are not. Is not just how smart they
are but how, how wrong they get things
how ah, wrong footed they get. You know, no

(04:04):
matter how big or small. The more that that the more we
can trip them up the better. And I
think it makes them human, it makes them even more
complicated. I, I
would also, and I'm not sure Jeff, if I mentioned this in
the last, last week, but I
I'd encourage you this, this time through

(04:26):
to lean in a little more to
Septimus's when he can,
his cockiness his cheekiness, the sense of like
that. His. Even from the beginning, like once he
gets thrown by even that first question,
where you land, you think like, I'd love to
see what happens if Septimus is like, hey, I just hit a bullseye.

(04:46):
Damn, I'm good. You know, like binding
those and then they can
always evaporate with her next question
or something like that. But I think that's. That's
something we can have fun with.
and on page six,
I'm wondering, Jeff and Ta.
When near the top of the page

(05:08):
when you're talking about. Not necessarily, my lady, but when carnal
embrace is sinful, it's a sin of the flesh. QED.
And I'm wondering, Jeff, if we could explore
that being a kind of a bigger beat change
of reminding her that we have actually studied
this. We had Caro in our
Gallic wars. I'm sorry that the sea fell on stony

(05:29):
ground. You know, that. That chunk there could be a,

>> Geoffrey Wade (05:32):
That's it. Yes, definitely.
A. A beat change is perfect way to put it.
Yes.

Okay. And that way
it's. I think it's another tactic to. To get
her off the whole sex
embrace. And then somehow
she manages to pick up on your
few words of seed and ground and go,
oh, masturbation.
Right.

Then I have to bring her back. I have to bring her back again. I thought
you were finding a. I thought you were working.

Exactly. Right, Right. So I
think that. I thought you were busy. Comes after like four or five
or six of these bumps in the road that
she's throwing to you throughout.
and, I. And I
think, you know, even later that. That page,
we. In the past, I think we could. We've gone a

(06:26):
little bit in this direction, but I. I wonder, Jeff, if.
If you could have more fun with the. He believes
he's written a poem. More carnality. You know,
let's see what happens if Septimus can get a little
cattier. See what happens.
and, that way, the more, again, sort of the
more comfortable you are, the more the rug gets

(06:46):
pulled out with. Wait, what? Who?
Jellyby. You know, I just want to
keep setting him up for bigger falls throughout.
I'm wondering, Téa. I, love the time
you're giving her last week and these long thoughts
that you're not rushing, you're giving yourself time to land

(07:08):
the. Those thoughts. I would. I would encourage you this time to
see what happens. If you can find. When
you can tighten up the. The
air to cat, especially like Things
like. What do you mean, with whom and sons? to play the
net a little more with
Septimus, so that he. You're.
You're in, like, a good da. In low and order.

(07:31):
You're kind of catching him right off the bat, and then he has to
react. Think what he just said.

>> Téa Guarino (07:37):
Yeah, to think about it.

Just answer, right, that your
reflexes. You're not only smart, but your reflexes
are so sharp and
quick. And I think that's the thing
that Sudnams is realizing, how you have gone
to another level of Jedi mastery
in this scene, that you're not just
smart, but actually, today seems to be a day where you

(08:01):
are feeling your oats, you're pushing the
boundaries, you're talking about sex, and you're not letting
him breathe.

Yeah. Super sharp. Today I have a. I have a
mission. Got it?

Yeah. And you're coming at him in all. In all
ways.
Cool. Those are the main things I just thought. Want to plan in there
and see. See what. What blooms from there?

Amazing.

Sound good? Yeah.

Fantastic.
M.
Septimus, what is carnal embrace?

The carnal embrace is the practice, of
throwing one's arms around a side of beef.

Is that all?

No.

Shoulder.

of mutton. A haunch of venison. Well hugged. An embrace of
grouse. Caro
carnis. Feminine flesh.

Is it a sin?

not necessarily, my lady. But when carnal embrace is
sinful, it is a sin of the flesh.
QED we
had Karo in our Garlic Wars. The
Britons live on milk and
meat. Lacte et carne vivunt.
I am sorry. The seed fell on stony
ground.

That was the sin of Onan, wasn't it, Septimus?

Yes. He was, giving his brother's
wife a Latin lesson, and she was hardly the wiser after than
before. I thought you were finding a
proof for Fermat's last theorem.

Oh, it is very difficult, Septimus. You
have to show me how.

If I knew how, there would be no need to ask
you. Fermat's last
theorem has kept people busy for
150 years. And I'd hoped it would keep you
busy long enough for me to read Mr.
Chaytor's poem in praise of love with only
distraction of its own absurdities.

Our Mr. Chater has written a
poem.

He believes he has written a poem. Yes,
I can see that it might be more carnality in your algebra
than in Mr. Chater's couch of Eros.

Oh, it was not my algebra. I heard
Jellyby was telling Cook that Mrs. Chaytor was
discovered in carnal embrace in the gazebo.

Really?
With whom did Jellyby happen to say?

What do you mean? With whom?

With what? Exactly. So the idea is absurd. M.
where did the story come from?

Mr. Noakes, Mr. Noak's
papa's landscape gardener. He was taking bearings
in the garden when he saw through his spyglass Mrs. M.
Chaytor in the gazebo, in carnal
embrace.

And do you mean to tell me Mr. Noaks
told the butler?

No. Mr. Noaks told Mr.
Chaytor. Jellyby was told by the
groom, who overheard Mr. Noaks telling Mr.
Chater in.

The stable yard, Mr. Chater being engaged
in closing the stable door.

What do you mean, Septimus?

So, thus far the only people who know about
this are Mr. Noakes, the landscape architect, the
groom, the butler, the cook, and of course, Mrs.
Chaytor's husband, the poet.

And Arthur, who was cleaning the silver and the
boot boy. And now you, of
course.

What else did he say? Mr.

Noakes?

No, not Mr. Noakes. Jellyby. You heard Jellyby
telling the cook?

Ah, Cook hushed him almost as soon as he started.
Jellyby did not see that I was being allowed to forget. Finish
yesterday's upstairs rabbit pie before I came to my
lesson. I
think you have not been
candid with me, Septimus.
A, gazebo is not, after all, a meat
larder.

I never said my definition
was complete.

Is Connor embrace kissing?

Yes.

And throwing one's arms around Mrs. Chaytor?

Yes.

>> Chris Guilmet (12:21):
Now.

Female's last theorem.

I thought as much. I
hope you are ashamed.

I.

My lady, if you
do not teach me the true meaning of things, who
will?

Ah,
yes. I am
shamed.
Carnal embrace is sexual
congress, which is the insertion of the
male genitalia into the
female genital organ for the purposes of

(12:59):
procreation and pleasure.

Hm.

Fermat's last theorem, by contrast, asserts that when
X, Y and Z are whole numbers, each
raised to the power of N, the sum of the first
two can never equal the third when
n is greater than 2.

>> Jennifer Le Blanc (13:19):
Ah.

Nevertheless, that is the theorem.

It is disgusting
and incomprehensible. Now, when I am grown to
practice it myself, I shall never do so without
thinking of you.

Thank you very much, my lady.
Was, Mrs. Chaytor down this morning?

No. Tell me more about sexual
congress.

There is nothing more to be said about sexual congress.

Is it the same as love?

No. Oh, no, no, no.
It is much, nicer than that.
I am teaching Jellyby
Beg your pardon, Mr. Hodge.

Mr. Chater said it was urgent you receive
his letter.

Oh, very well. Thank
you. Thank
you.

Mr. Chaytor asked me to bring him
your answer.

My answer?
well, my answer is that
as is my custom and my duty to his lordship,
I am engaged until a quarter to 12
in the education of his daughter. when I am
done, and if Mr. Stater is still there, I will happily wait
upon him in the, the gun room.

I will tell him so. Thank you, sir.

What is for dinner? Jellyby?

Boiled ham and meat,
my lady. And, rice
pudding.

Oh, goody.

Well, so much for Mr. Noakes. Puts
himself forward as a gentleman. A philosopher, the picturesque.
A visionary who can, create
lakes and move mountains. But in the
scheme of the garden, he is the
serpent.

When you stir, your rice pudding, Septimus, the
spoonful of jam spreads itself round,
making red trails like the picture of a meteor in my
astronomical atlas. But if
you stir backward, the jam will not
come together again. Indeed, the pudding does not
notice and continues to turn pink, just as
before. Do you think this is

(15:36):
odd?

No.

Well, I do. You
cannot stir things apart.

No more. You can. Time must needs run
backward. And since it will not, you must.
We must stir our way onward, mixing as we
go, disorder out of
disorder, into disorder, until the
pink is complete, unchanging and
unchangeable, and we are done with it
forever. This

(16:07):
is known as free will or self
determination.

Sit, Sadimus. Do you think God is a
Newtonian?

An Etonian, Almost
certainly. I'm afraid we must ask your brother to make it his
first inquiry.

No, Septimus. A Newtonian.
Septimus, am I the first person
to have thought of this?

No.

I have not said yet.

If everything from the furthest planet to
the smallest atom in our brain acts according to
Newton's law of motion, what becomes of free
will?

No, God's will?

No.

Sin?

No.

Very well.

If you could stop every
atom in its position and direction, and if your
mind could comprehend all the actions
thus suspended, then if you were really,
really good at algebra, you could write the formula for all
the future. And although nobody can
be so clever as to do it, the formula

(17:12):
must exist just as if one
could.

Yes.
Yes. As far as I know, you are the first person to
have thought of this.
In the, margin of
his copy of Arithmetica, Female wrote that he
had discovered a wonderful proof of his theorem.

(17:42):
But, the margin being too narrow for his purpose, he did not
have room to write it down. The
note was found after his death,
and from that day to this.

Oh, I see now
the answer is perfectly obvious.

This time you may have overreached yourself.

That is so great. As they say in
Harry Med, sound like, I'll have what she's having.
That was lovely, folks. Oh, my gosh. So,
so good. That was just. I think
all three of you brought just a lot of the. There's something
interesting right in this, in this.
we're now in this moment that we can all

(18:34):
recognize of a hybrid of one
foot on the page and one foot not. And
we start like, I know the line, but do I? Well, kind
of. Right. But that wonkiness
actually is really valuable because I love
that it's like, right. And you're staying in it and, like,
it forces everyone to be like, well, that's not quite the word, but I'm

(18:54):
listening for it. And that's actually. It makes them really
rough and human. And there's, I think it's, it's, it's
exciting. Rather than beating ourselves up, it's like,
this, is this part of the process that anyone watching
recognizes of. I'm really trying to let the training wheels
go, and I'm really trying to engage and look
more. But damn it, what's the next line? You know, it's,
it's, it's just universal. It doesn't matter what

(19:16):
you're working on. Right. It's always there. But I, I, love
that you all just kind of rolled with that. And let's
see, saw what happened, and I think as a result,
there's some really exciting things that happened. So
I, I, I took a few notes for some thoughts,
but I'd love to just. I'm gonna,
practice self restraint. And let's jump ahead
to scene six, shall

(19:39):
we?
Let's take a moment and gather our
thoughts.

I have four lines in that scene.

And I blew 50% of them.

Personally, I wouldn't put it past, the Brits just have
boiled ham and meat.

Boiled.

Well, in fact, I've been to Prague, many times, and
that seems like that's on every menu. It's like, would you like meat?
Would you like some meat with that meat?

Barely. The ham is the vegetable.

I was so I was wet, and I love that Taya's face was like,
huh? Oh, but rice pudding. Okay,
I'll sit through two courses of meat for the rice
pudding, cut the meat. A little stopper.

Check.

What? Isn't Mr. Stoppard Czech?
Oh, that's true. Yeah. Yes.

Way back.

You're referencing Prague. There well, and so,
basically, Jamie, we're just giving you the prompt. So thank you for leaning
into showing off the Czech. The
Czech background there.
Be so funny if Septimus and Thomasina are
like, we have to talk to Cook. I mean, what is there?
Is there not a single vegetable left?

(20:55):
Don't we live on an estate?
All right, so let's take a moment. when we're
ready.

Mr. Hogg.
Thank you, Jellyby. I was expecting to be
locked out. What time is it? Half, Past
five. That is what I have.
Well,
what a bracing experience.
the dawn, you know,

(21:28):
unexpectedly lively. Fishes,
birds, frogs,
rabbits. and very
beautiful. If only it did
not occur so early in the day.
I have brought Lady Thomasina a rabbit. Will you take it?
It's dead. Yes.

(21:50):
Lady Thomasina loves a rabbit pie.
You were missed, Mr. Hobbs. I
decided to sleep last night in the boathouse.
Did I see a carriage leaving the park?
Captain Bryce's carriage with
Mr. And Mrs. Chor
also. Don't.

(22:12):
Yes, sir. And Lord
Byron's horse was brought round at 4
o'clock. Lord Byron too?
Yes, sir. the house has
been up, and hopping.
I have his rabbit pistols. What am I to do with his rabbit
pistols? You, were looked for in your

(22:32):
room.

By whom?

By her Ladyship.
In my room? I will tell her
Ladyship you are returned.
Jellyby, did Lord Byron leave a
book for me? A book?
he had the loan of a book from me.
His Lordship left nothing in his room, sir.

(22:58):
not a coin. Well,
I am sure he would have left a coin if he'd had one.
Jellyby, here's half a guinea for
you. Well, thank you very much,
sir. what has occurred? The
servants are told nothing, sir.
Come, come. Does half guinea buy nothing any

(23:18):
more?
Her ladyship encountered Mrs. Chaytor,
during the night. Where? On
the threshold of Lord Byron's room.

Ah.

Which one was leaving and which entering?
Mrs. Chaytor was leaving Lord Byron's
room. And where was Mr.
Chater? Mr. Chater and
Captain Bryce were drinking cherry
brandy. They had the footman
to keep the fire up until 3:00.
There was a loud altercation upstairs

(23:57):
and, Mr.
Hodge. My lady.

All this to shoot a hare?

A rabbit?
no, indeed. A, hare, though.
Very rabbit.

Like my infusion?

Yes, My lady.

How dare you.

I cannot be called into account for what was written in
private and read without regard to,
addressed to me, left in my room in the event of my
death.

What earthly use is a love letter from M. Beyond
the Grave.

As much, surely, as from this side of it.
The second letter, however, was not addressed to your
ladyship.

I have a mother's right to open a letter
addressed by you to my daughter, whether
in the event of your life, your death or your
imbecility. What do you mean by
writing to her of rice
pudding when she has just suffered the shock of
a violent death in our midst?

Whose death?

Yours, you wretch.

Oh, yes, I see.

I do not know. Which is the matter of your ravings. One
envelope full of rice pudding and the other
of the most insolent
familiarities regarding
several parts of my body.
But have no doubt which is the more intolerable to m
Me which.

(25:27):
Oh, aren't we saucy when our bags are
packed. Your friend has
gone before you and I have dispatched
the. Dispatched the lost
my part and I have dispatched the harlot,
Chater and her husband and also my
brother for bringing them here. Such as
the sentence, you see, for choosing

(25:48):
unwisely in your acquaintance.
Banishment. Lord
Byron is a rake and a hypocrite.
And the sooner he sails from the Levant, the sooner he will
find society congenial to his character.

Well, it has been a night of reckoning indeed.

I wish it had passed uneventfully. With you and
Mr. Chaytor shooting each other with the decorum
due to a civilized house. You have
no secrets left, Mr. Hot. They
spilled out between the shrieks and oaths and
tears. It is fortunate that
a lifetime's devotion to the sporting gun has halved

(26:25):
my husband's hearing to the ear that he sleeps
on.

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of what has occurred.

Your Trollope was discovered
in Lord Byron's room.

Ah.

discovered by Mr. Chater.

Who else?

I am very sorry, madam, for having
used your kindness to bring my unworthy friend to your
notice. He will have to give an account of himself
to me, you may be sure.

I will do it.

Jamie. Are you muted?

Yes, my lady. Lord
Byron left a letter for you with the
valet, sir. Thank, you.

When did he do so?

As he was leaving, your ladyship.
Allow me.

I do not know if it is proper for you to receive a
letter written in my house from someone not welcome
in it.

Very improper, I agree. Lord Byron's
want of delicacy is a grief to his friends, among
whom I no longer count myself.
I will not read his letter until I have followed him through the
gates.

that may excuse the reading, but not the
writing.

Your ladyship should have Lived in the Athens of
Pericles. The philosophers would have fought the
sculptors for your idle hour.

Really?

Really.
Really.

now there's a thing. A
letter from Lord Byron. Never to be read. Thy living
soul.
I will take my leave, madam. At the time of
your desiring it to the
Indies. The Indies? Why?

To follow the cheater, of course.
She did not tell you?

Did not exchange half a dozen words with me.

I expect she did not like to waste the time.
The chaitor sails with Captain
Bryce.

Ah.

as a member of the crew?

No, as wife to Mr. Cheater, plant
gatherer to my brother's expedition.

I knew he was no poet. I did not know it was
botany under the false colors.

He is no more a botanist. My
brother paid £50 to have him published. And he will pay
150 to have Mr. Chaytor picking flowers in the
Indies for a year while his wife plays
mistress at the captain's quarters.
Captain Bryce has fixed his passion. Passion
on Mrs. Chater. And, to take

(29:32):
her on voyage he has not scrupled to deceive the
Admiralty, the Linian Society, and Sir Joseph
Banks, botanist to his Majesty at Kew.

Her, passion is not as fixed as his.

Defect of God's humor that he directs our
hearts everywhere but to those that have a right to
them.

Indeed, madam. M.
But is Mr. Chater deceived?

Oh, he insists on it. And finds the proof of his
wife's virtue in his eagerness to defend
it. Captain
Bryce is not deceived, but cannot
help himself. He would die for her.

I think, my lady, he would have Mr. M. Chaytor
die for her.

Indeed.

I never knew a woman worth the duel
or the other way around.
Your letter
to me goes very ill with your
conduct with Mrs. Chater, Mr. M. Hodge.
I have had the experience of being
betrayed before the ink was dry.

(30:48):
But to be betrayed before the,
pen is dipped
and with the village notice board.
What am I to think of such a performance?

My lady, I was
alone with my thoughts in the gazebo when Mrs.
Chater ran me to ground. And I, being
in such a passion, in an
agony of unrelieved desire,
oh, thought in my madness that the
Chater, with her skirts over her head, would give me the momentary
illusion of the happiness to which I

(31:24):
had not dared to put a face.

I do not know when I have received a more
unusual compliment. Mr.
Hodge,
I hope I am more than a match for Mrs.
Chater with her head in a bucket.
Does she wear drawers?

She does.

Oh, yes. I have heard that
drawers are being worn now.
Tis unnatural for women to be got up like
jockeys. I cannot
approve.
I know nothing of, Catechles
or Athenian philosophers.

(32:17):
I can spare them, an hour
in my sitting room when I
have bathed.
7 o'clock.
Bring a book.

There goes the letters. Yeah,
great. Lovely.
I, sense that carnal embrace with all of its meat
is, on the menu.
that was really beautiful. I love the time you both were taking
and building off of last week.

(32:58):
That last third of the scene and the two of you
finding your way backing towards
each other, talking about the others, about
Chador and Bryce and the
connections. And I think you also,
all three of you were finding these different tempos within that
scene even more than I think in from last
week, that I sense these different

(33:21):
movements in the piece of
music. That, the way that as
you were, you know, Jamie and Chris, as
you were finding your own connections together
and then the interruption of coming
in so strong with Jen and
Lady Croom throwing that off and then the two of you

(33:41):
finding your new music together was just something
I hadn't really heard in that same way before.
yeah, really beautiful. so let's turn
back and chat for a moment about the first
scene. let's talk about
both scenes before we do it all again. I
have some thoughts, but let's look. But let's

(34:02):
hear from you all. What was that? If we can turn
back the clock 15 minutes or so, go. What was that
like? for those in it and those watching,
what are we discovering this time?

That was just a thinking breath. I'm still thinking. I'm
still thinking.

You can go.

You can go.

Oh, I, I don't, I don't know. I, I, I,
I enjoyed it. I, I have a, I have a very
directorial question I'm going to ask you. I want to get, I want
you to give me a line reading.

Okay.

Because this is a line. I'm not quite sure how it
works. I think it's, it's funny either way.
when Thomasina says, oh, Mr. Chador's written
a poem and Septimus can either say
he believes he's written a poem. Yes.
Or he believes he's written a poem. Yes.
Which of those two do you like better?

Can I hear them again?

Mr.

M. Shader's written a poem. He
believes he's written a poem. Yes.
Or he believes he's written
a poem. Yes.

Oh yeah, I see what you mean. I love them both. I
feel like my instinct is that it feels I
love when you give. Believes a lot of love.

Okay, good.

You know, like that, that, Because I.

Just, I dislike pronouns as much as the next
person. But, but, you know, as
I, every time I go through it, I think I. This, this kind
of works either way.

Yeah, yeah. no, it's.

The place where the pronoun works is, you know, nobody else would
believe it. He believes it though.

Right, right. But I think like,
I. What? I what to me, one of the reasons why I think that
is juicier to me is you
responding to Thomas Cena's
certainty of her line. Oh, he's written a poem.
Well, he thinks that's what he's doing. Right.
Like, and I think that's what really jumps out at me.
Like, I have to correct you there, Thomasina,

(36:02):
because let's be careful not to spread that around.

That's good. That's a nice.

Yeah.

Can I jump in there? I had marked that line
on my way through as well as you were all were performing and
I had put.

A little note on it. I was struck
by, honestly, in both.

Scenes that we're moving toward ease, that there's this
like wonderful sense of ease that's
developing in the relationships. And I, was
thinking about
when he's not only instructing her.
Well, that's what he thinks he's done.

But it seems like he's sort of.

Like letting her in on it. You know, he's like including
her.

Yes.

Very good. Yeah. Here's what we think about that
guy. So, you know, I think just this very
adult kind of. Yeah. I'm gonna, I'm
gonna share this with you. That this line hit me
differently this time through.

Good.

Yeah. I, I, I love that cape. Yeah, go ahead.

100% agree with that. Yeah. That the, these
two are on a different plane.
So anytime from everybody, you know, they're just so
much smarter than everybody else. There's whatever
the correct term would be. But, yes, that's, that's
very good. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, and there's a choice there. I think that like what,
I love what you said there, Kate. It was like I'm always looking for
what's today. Why is today different? Right. And I think
this sense of I, I remember
being like a freshman or sophomore and when I, my act,
you know, an acting teacher or professor would get just a little
caddy or just let that facade of

(37:35):
professionals and drop, drop. And I'm like, oh my God, I heard something
maybe I shouldn't have. That feels a Little. A
little, Not,
totally kosher and part of the job
description. But I think you. You choosing to go
there, Jeff, for Septimus is, you know, is.
Is a Is another step towards a connection that
you. You're trusting her enough that

(37:58):
she can sense your. That
sardonic take. Well, I mean that you.
She's not gonna. Yeah.

He.

He sort of explicitly invites her in. He doesn't say
yes. I. I wish. I need time to study this,
he says in this sort of
Roko way. But he says, enough time for me
to. To read Mr. Ch's poem in praise of love with
only the distraction of its own absurdities.

That's.

That's like, you know, your, Your. Your mentor, your
professor saying can you believe this guy? And then
she. I mean using that familiar. Our
Mr. Chor has written a poem. There's something about
our Mr. Cheater rather than Mr. Cheater.
It's like the Mr. M we know. Or I mean you know,
in England that that's a common way referring to your
relative, you know. Are you talking about our Andrew?

(38:45):
Is it? you know, if you're talking about
I saw Andrew on the street. Our Andrew, the Andrew
that we both know. Your brother, that one. So that
power is. It's little
possessive thing. So you're right. They're both going a little
deeper in. But I love that invitation
there.

And I think Tea, you're finding that nice line of
not indulging too much because otherwise
I think that would age her too much. So you're
allowed her. You. I think you're finding what you found then is a
cheekiness without her seeming
catty or gossipy, which is really tricky,
right, because she's like. We've just like we've talked about for the

(39:24):
last month. She is precocious and a genius and also
13 and also rice pudding, right?
So I think it's like you can meet Septimus
partway there. But I like that you're
not just like, oh my God, can you believe. I know. Can you believe that
guy? Because then I think that totally. Then there's no
place for you to go later in the play, right? There's 13 year olds that

(39:44):
Thomasine and 16 year old and such and I think
does. So I think letting that our
Mr. Chor. Our sense of familiarity, like you're saying
Jeff is coming through. But I also like Jeff
that you reach her partway with
your dissing of.
Of him. But it doesn't fully land

(40:05):
with her. And either because she doesn't Fully appreciate it
or she just doesn't care to get
to go into the mud, you know, And I like that we don't know
either way, but it's like, it's. You two are
not totally on the same page with that.
And I think the roughness you brought. Jeff, I want to talk about this
for a second. I don't know if anyone else thought. But, like, I think you really

(40:25):
allowed Septimus to be more
discombobulated more often. And
I think it was. He was on. I felt like it's like, you know, when you're
sort of. You're. You're. You and you're. You know, they have those bumps
along the side of the highway sometimes to keep people awake. Right. So
if you're on smooth ground and then it's like a G, G, G, G. And then you
have to bring it back. That the image that came to me
watching this time was like. Well,

(40:48):
yes, no, of course. Of that. I mean, I meant. What. Yes,
exactly. And then you're using the text to write
yourself on the text rather
than between the text.

Oh, yes. Good, good.

do you feel that. I mean, was that something. Yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, I was gonna
say kind of along those same
lines. I've been trying to kind of catch
up with Thomasina because, like, the
shifts in each
line. Not each line, but just like the lines where
it's a major shift of, like, discovery. But
you're lying to me. So, like, kind of finding

(41:25):
where, like, my. My brain is going
so fast that it's like calculating
things but then like, taking things
apart. So I think I was trying to find
that equation throughout the run that we just did. Like
the, you know, the little big words as far as
transitions, also combined with, like, the.

(41:45):
The algebraic way that she has of putting things
together just kind of in the words that she
says. So I think that's
my. That was the thing I was
trying to do, all while being 13,
obviously, as well.

No, but I think that was coming across Taehy. And I think that adding to what
did. Was you were doing that again on the line. So,
like, it makes it hard and more challenging,
but you. By taking away the air, it
kept her young. It kept her
like. Like more m.
pyrotechnic. You know, as. As you're going
from here to there to there. The pivots, it's like. And the turns

(42:23):
you were making while you were talking. So it's sort of like blowing
glass that she's kind of making this up as she
goes, rather than. I have this thought now I
have this thought, which seems like an older genius
who is being careful. And I like
that you're finding those balances of. As you're
exploring Thomasina, but I like that you. We both were less
careful and showing her being more raw and

(42:46):
that she is. She has a super short
flashlight. And I think by leaning into that, we don't lose
her brilliance, but actually we make her. She's
even more fascinating to me
because she is literally
like, Thomasine is only six words ahead of
herself. Do you know what I mean? Rather than. Here's my speech,
Septimus. You know what I mean, right?

Yeah, that's so true. Which is like,
it's. It's fun for me, but it's also so,
like, wait a minute. Like, where
am I? I have to, like, catch up with what I'm doing. But
no, I think that, like, gets me out of my head as far as, like, me
being taa, but also, like, as Thomasina just helps
me, you know, stay in that small,
flashlight area. That is very

(43:32):
helpful.

Yeah.

Yeah.
the. I also, I wanted to point out on page
seven, the, Jeff. The, the. The.
What else did he say? Mr. Noakes? No, not Mr. Noakes and
Taa that I think we can continue to leave into this.
But the difference between when. When. What else
did he say, Mr. Noaks? I'm wondering, Téa, what. You could

(43:54):
even let Tonsina be more confused.

Yeah.

You know, why are we even talking about. Wait, are we back
on Mr. Noakes? And then your irritation, Jeff, was great. I think
you can lean into. I love that we're showing his
testiness. Like. No, can we get back to
Jelloby, for God's sake?

Yeah. Good.

Stay with the program, Thomasina. I need to dig into
this stat. So
it's. It was another color we hadn't quite seen from Septimus.
Or he's like. I actually am kind of, freaked
out here a little bit, and I need to find out
what. Everything, you know right now. Yeah,
it's. And I. We had never seen that
before. Like, you spelling it out. Can we go back to jelly?

(44:35):
Be telling the cook, let's go spill it.

Yeah. And again, I mean, it's.
Right. It's there in the text.

Yeah,
but I think what you. It's there in the text, but I also
think you have taken a less gentle approach than you did
in the first few weeks, and I like that you
let the gloves come off a little bit of, like, this is also
Familiarity where you're like, honey, I'm not messing around. Let's
go, come on. Yeah, because
also I feel like it's not just that you don't want to get caught, Jeff. But

(45:06):
now I'm realizing because she's ready to go to 18 other
places and like, let's go to the Andromeda Galaxy and let's all do so.
You also kind of need her to focus.
Right? Before you get all Thomasina again. Focus,
please. I know this story. Yeah,
finish the story. I know this means almost nothing to you. It actually means
a lot to me.

Yeah.

and
it's in is carnal embrace, kissing, throwing
one's arm dramas, chainer, something to play with, Tea.
I love that you're bringing this time. You brought curiosity. I wonder
if there's a bit, This time might be a little more. What if it's
growing concern or
horror.

Wait, yeah.

What? No, no, no. You're ashamed. You should
be ashamed. Right.
So it might be a sense of. It could help us
see Septimus get more and more freaked out that
he's trying to do anyway from us. That the
shame on you. Shame. Bad
man. See, with the dog. The

(46:09):
dog agrees.

Yeah. And I think that's like a perfect add up to
the. After Septimus explains
explicitly what it is like after we've
had this whole like. So it's this, it's this, it's this. It's like,
oh my gosh, what has the
world come to? This is just
horrible. So I think that's a great setup for
that moment as well. Yeah, I love that.

Right? And that, And that
was great, Jeff. When she came back with if you do not teach me the meaning
of things, who will? And watching the penny drop of you having
to turn that whole QE2 to a new direction of
oh, oh my God,
it is so not at all everything I've been focused on
for the last two pages. Right. And it makes

(46:55):
such a difference to watch that. Make that be that
big of an event. I have a question for
you, Jeff. I'm curious that in that speech, the. Yes, I'm
ashamed the last couple times
I've noticed you've been taking a bit of a pause
after brocreation and pleasure
rather than going on right away to Fermat's last
theorem. Can you talk about that for a moment?

(47:21):
this is towards bottom of seven.

Bottom of seven. Thank you.
I don't know. I don't know if it's a mix of still
not remembering what's coming next, or
I guess I'm trying, to have

(47:43):
him finish the discussion
about carnal knowledge and all that.
It's just. This is. This is the
end of our discussion. Let's move on to Fermat's
last theorem.

That's.

That's what's important. And that's what's, That's what the
lesson is about.

Okay. I love that. Well,
yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, no, go ahead. I'm just.

No, no, please.

I'm just going to restate what I said before. It's his way of
putting an absolute period on the.
And this is the end of the discussion about this.

Okay, I hear that. couldn't we
try that where you put that period on it,
but immediately then move on to the more important things?
Yeah, yeah. The reason why I'm
floating. This is. I feel like when I see it happen
in the scene, that even just that
moment of air, I'm waiting for Thomasina

(48:38):
to jump in 100, right?

Yep.

She's. She's gonna. She's gonna get in there and be
like, wait, what about. What's. Procreation and pleasure and all that?
So, like, I think the finality of, like, we're closing the door
now onto the important stuff, and I think
that. And Téa, it's an opportunity for you. If we. If we
try this, where you might be starting that impulse
to jump in, but Septimus has.

(49:01):
Is that train's left the station.

That's. That's right.

Yeah.

And as. As I think about it now, I think even as I did it this time,
I was thinking that's. That's too much air. Yes. So
good. Good.

Yeah. Just. Yeah. Because we've. Tay has now set
her up as. She's just like a terrier. She'll just,
you know, you. You give her a second. She'll. She'll get in
there. I. I love
that. Taya. I just gotta say, like, jumping off the.
Coming. You're coming out. You're. Thomasina's reaction
to things just leap out of
zoom. Like you're kinesthetically

(49:36):
appalled or thrilled by things
that are. It's not cerebral. It is full.
And it really. To me, we've talked a lot. You know, Jamie and
Chris and Jeff, we've all talked about how they're
all so taken with her. And I think this.
Her feel here, being this live wire of
passion and that
unfiltered sort of love or

(49:58):
hate is also kind of beautiful. She's Shakespearean
that way. You know, that's like, I'm
all in or I'm all out. Even
though two seconds later you're like, okay, let's go back to carnal and
Braves.

Yeah.

No, I love that.

It's like I'm so disgusted. Then it's like, tell me
more. Actually, I'm interested in that.

Yeah. And I love that you're able to, like, you're sticking your
one toe in it. You're not full on, like, all right, I'm
fully engaged. But just like.
Like, you're giving it the side eye.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm not. I'm not like, fully, but like, because I love
that that's just like a precursor to 16 year old
Thomasina.

Yeah.

Rather than, okay, I'm all in. It's like, that doesn't track
for me. Whereas just like, should I know more about
this? No, no, I'm good. I'm good. You
know, and, and again, just really quick,
Jeff, I love the cheekiness. Just going back to like, you have to show me
how on page six. If I knew how, there'd be no need to ask
you. Keep you busy enough. There's

(51:01):
a. There's. I love that you're bringing this sense of
almost mischievousness to him. Of like, no, this
was meant to basically keep you. It's busy work. And
I like that you're having fun with that and
you're not afraid to tell Thomasina back that, you
know. the,
Jamie, just a thought on page eight.

(51:24):
what if we try next time? The. The.
I'm teaching Jellyby. Beg your pardon, Mr.
Hodge. Could we see what happens if
he's. If it's a little more urgent and a little
more like you're bringing in that energy from
Chador. If that makes sense. Like
finding that balance of. I love that you're giving him a sense
of, like, pretty unruffled by things,

(51:46):
but I. What if we let him be a little
up the ruffle factor a little.

Sure.

and, And so that
way when Jeff gives you the gun room and you have that, I will tell him.
So. Thank you, sir. It's a little like the manager that just needs you to sign
a triplicate for hr. Thank you. I'll be gone.
I'm out. Yeah.
Sorry to take up your time. I'm out.
Right.
And, Oh, and Téa, just. I'm

(52:16):
starting to see this, but 8 to 9, I think that
the moment you go from oh, goody on the rice pudding, I think
that's an opportunity for You. To, You know,
I'm saying you. We can see her start to go from. Oh, my God.
Right. I wanted to talk to him about rice pudding.

Yeah, right, right. Yes. I can
make that more. I can make that more evident.

Wow.

Yes.

And then you're sort of waiting for Septimus to take a
breath, like, blah, blah, blah, Septimus. Okay, rice
pudding. What's the deal? Wtf. Yes.
Right.

Exactly. Yeah. Fantastic. That's what I was
thinking.

the, And great on page nine, Jeff. I
love the two of you with the Etonian again. That
cheekiness I'm loving. Oh, Etonian. New Tonia,
that sense of being chuffed by yourself I think is
awesome. You know, it's. It really is this sense
of. Yeah, I'm pretty clever, you know, that. That.
That,
be careful, Téa. Of anticipating. It's one of the

(53:14):
only places I'm noticing you're anticipating a little of
that. Septimus, if everything can. From the furthest planet to the
smallest out of our brain. You know where I see where
I am. I feel like you're already shutting it
down. I know it's hard because I'm sure Thomasina two
words in is like. No, but I'm
kind of watching you rather than listening to him.

Yeah.

So if you can hear him fully out, then
veto.

Yeah. Let's see if he really did crack the code.
but no.

Yeah, no, that's not it at all.
Right. And. And then when he mentioned sin.
I love that Stoppard gives us derisively.
I think you can lean into. Ew. Religion.

Yeah. What does that have to do
to me?

There's something. A little glimpse of Thomasina the
secularist that
Jeff floats the. I don't know. All right, so let's jump to church.
Oh, God. Like, he just opened
up some bad dog food in the
room.

Yeah. Let's keep it scientific here.

Yes, let's keep it scientific. Exactly.

Yeah, I hear that.

And beautiful Jeff, on the LA on page 10. That.
That lovely. Like, really taking the time of
watching the gears turn on the. Yes.
Yes. Oh, my. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Like,
you're actively. I'm watching
him try to process this new
moment with her of you
having no, tools for this.

(54:45):
And I love tea. You giving yourself permission
to each time you're letting Thomasina
take that moment in. In a variety of ways,
you know, of. Like, thrilled to, scared
to whatever is there.
That is. Oh, now I've stepped over the cliff
edge.

Yes. You know, and what's gonna happen now?

Right. And then there's this beautiful moment I think the two of you have really
highlighted of you deciding to take her to the next
level of Hogwarts here. Jeff,
of. Of saying, okay, well, I didn't
know when I was going to tell you this, but I'm going to tell you about the stuff in the margin,
you know, and it's like a little bit of that sense
of. At this time. I. I love that I saw that

(55:27):
Septimus is like, I'm gonna. I. I
want. I want to share this with you and see what you think of this.
And then I think the surprise when she laughs at it
is. Is such a shock, you know, where you thought you
were ushering her into the Masonic
Temple here of,
you know, more arcane stuff. And she's just

(55:47):
like, oh my God, it's a prank.
So even to the end of the scene, there's still these.
You both keep surprising each other.
Jamie, on the Mr. Hodge at the top of the next
scene is.
I'm wondering, can you explore a little bit more of
the. The shock and relief

(56:11):
that he's. That he's,
you know, alive and accounted for?

Yes, very good. Yes.

and, and, and that way you both are like, oh, you're like, yeah, I'm
alive. Can you believe it? Like, I think, you know, that you
both can be in that place, that shared place of
still vibrating. Chris, I love that you're bringing that sense
of wow. Yeah, wow. Nature and
being alive. And this is. You know, I hate how early
it is, but it's like you're letting him spin like that is, is

(56:42):
really lovely. It's. It's. And. And
sharing that with, with Jelloby, it was, was, was really
great. and,
Jamie, to me, it's another example of how these little micro
moments are so important. You're. When he says,
lady Thomasina loves a rabbit pie on
71, you. You seem to. You gave this
little smile and this little sound

(57:04):
of satisfaction of like, okay, I approve, you
know, of the rabbit pie before going on to the text, which I just
love. I think it's like, to me, it really helps
that transition to see
that, like, he did good by Thomasina.
Do you both know what I mean? There?

Rabbit pie, I realize is mentioned.

In the first scene.

M. Yes, I know. Isn't that
great?

Yeah.

I think the two of you found this time
7172. A lot more spilling the
tea, a lot more of that gossip that the two of you were
hungry for. And like, And I love Jamie, that
you're like, well, okay, if I
must. You know, and, and Chris is like, yeah, go on, go
on. You know, I'm eating it up. This is good. This is really good.
It's, it's really, it's an unexpected sort

(57:57):
of connection that's
happening. And I would encourage you,
Jamie, next time of like, what if you get more on a role of
Mr. Chain or Captain Bryce drinking cherry brandy and another
thing also. And then she swoops in and cuts you off.

Very good.

Yes.

You know, I got four more things to add and
you won't believe. Oh, hello.
Yeah, so it's, it's this interruptus, like
coitus interruptus, except it's narrative gossipus
interrupt us. And now you both are like, oh my God, there
she is.

And the, the loud
altercation is
the cheater and lady
croom, is it not?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I think.

Oh yeah, he's about to tell us like, well, she said, oh, hi
just.

When we were getting to the good stuff.

Yeah, exactly.

I know. yeah.

Isn't that great? That that's what led me to think, Jamie, it's like that
if you'd be climaxing towards altercation and I
can, I can quote you both of them.
I didn't think they knew these words, you
know, and it's like, and, and just when you were
like so that way. Chris, I think that it's. You're still on
tenterhooks when she comes in. Just be careful not

(59:10):
to lose that sense of. Oh my gosh,
now she's here. But I'm still thinking about the altercation,
you know what I mean? So it's a, it's like you're trying to behave, but
also like part of you wants to be like, I still want to know
what. I want to. I want to jelly be to finish what he was going to say.

Yeah.

and I think on 73, Chris, I cannot be called to
account that moment written in private.
I think you can go further with I'm sorry, I'm not guilty
as charged.

Okay.

Take the high road. Best defense is a good
offense.
You know, try to, try to put, try to push
back. Like, I'm sorry,
I'm going to play this card.
You violated my privacy, honey.
And then that way, Jen, you can come back with except

(01:00:01):
addressed to me. Right?
Yeah, right. This is
where we get those two lawyers in the courtroom locking
horns. You know,
be careful. Just Jen, with the what earthly uses of love
Letter be up from beyond the grave. there's a few times. Just be
with some of those questions. I would encourage you to like make it

(01:00:23):
even more real. It felt a little rhetorical.
I think there's some value in like I really, you
know, really ask him that.
And the. And lovely
vulnerability Chris with the Shirley from this side of it and
then pivoting to, you know, back to. Well,
I'm not going to stay there too long. I'm going to go on to the second letter.

(01:00:48):
the. A. Great Chris. The the witch.
Oh, aren't we saucy when our bags are packed was
really nice the way you just leaned right in with like, she kind of
fed that to you. I'm like, well, since you're at.
Since you mentioned them, will you. Are you going
to give me the truth?

>> Chris Guilmet (01:01:06):
that's a very fun one word line.

>> Brendon Fox (01:01:12):
Right. And I, I think Jen, in that moment, there's that pit.
There's a choice there. Oh, aren't we saucy when our bags are
packed? I feel like there's that
moment there, that breath of. I'm not
going to keep going there. you notice how she
pivots from that to. Your friend has gone before you, but
he's still waiting for the answer to his question. So

(01:01:32):
I just want. I'd like to see more of you choosing to be
like, no,
I'm going to talk about the easier stuff.
and I love the passion and the energy you're bringing to all that,
Jen. The banishment and such. I would say also
keep fighting with that. Mix those moments of when
she wants to play God a little bit.

(01:01:53):
When you want to take your foot off the gas, a little of like,
so this is how I roll.
Do you understand? Are you scared? Are you in awe
of me? You know, there's just the.
Because I don't want to lose that fire. But I
also think there's opportunities for her to, you
know, just coast on her

(01:02:15):
ah, awesomeness.
I'm afraid I have no knowledge of what has occurred. Chris on
74. I think you can play up the innocent me. You can
make m. Let that be more faux innocent. I'm
sorry. I'm so lost. Yeah. Yeah.
Because you, you, you do that in the next beat, which was so

(01:02:37):
lovely of the. Oh, just go to my Mr. Chair. Oh, is that what's
happening? Blink, blink.
You know, and, and I don't know if this is right,
Jen, but I want to ask you something. So when you get to that moment of who
Else what is
there value in considering a world in
which she

(01:02:57):
knows that he knows?
Do you know what I mean? Like the. Who else is like there's
a. If there's. Is there a moment of.
Do you know what I mean? Like. That she doesn't try so
hard to
lie.
I don't know what that would do. If that makes. If that would. That would

(01:03:17):
work. But I just something to play with.
Yeah. And I Love Jen on 74 and
75. You have these moments I'm noticing now where like lady
croom at the bottom 74. I do not know if it's proper for you to receive
a letter written in my house that

(01:03:39):
that makes use the reading but not the writing. I
think there's opportunities there for you to just
like honestly not know. Do
you know what I mean? Like, what
should I think of this, Septimus? You know, is
this. Is this a problem? I mean I know
that she has opinions about it, but I'm wondering if like

(01:03:59):
there's. That she's really debating it.

>> Jennifer Le Blanc (01:04:03):
Okay.

>> Brendon Fox (01:04:04):
Does that track so that like the. That may excuse the reading, but
not the writing. It's like. It's like she wants to get in
with him and spar about it. And I think Chris, that would help you
go. God, you are an Athenian.
You really want to get into how many angels on the head of
a pin? St. Augustine, the
Athenians. You just. You want to just

(01:04:25):
like what is the right thing?
You know, should we read a letter? Should we not? Like it's.
It's a. It's that.
That allows Jen moments where she really honestly doesn't
know. She knows a lot of things, but
you know. Great. M.
And just see. See if that's a kind of vulnerability that. That

(01:04:47):
leads them to new places.
and just last thing was the That Last page on
76, Chris, where you were the unrelieved
desire. I thought of my madness. I love
the vulnerability you're. You're. You're giving that
and the way that he is choosing to continue to
unpack. Like. And I thought this and I felt that. And

(01:05:08):
I'm not gonna stop until I
say everything I was feeling
know that's that allowing all of that to
come out and then just putting it on the table. I really got that
sense this time. All bets are
off. And now. Now what do you want to do with that?
Sound good?

Yep.

>> Brendon Fox (01:05:29):
Cool. Can we take five and then we'll. We'll come
back. So let's let's just go
one into the other and, to, you know,
state the obvious. let's just hit
the refresh button, see where it
goes, and see what we discover each
time.

Yay.

>> Téa Guarino (01:05:51):
Let's do it.

Okay.

>> Geoffrey Wade (01:05:59):
Okay. Anytime.

>> Téa Guarino (01:06:08):
Septimus, what is carnal embrace?

Carnal embrace is the practice of throwing one's arms
around a side of beef.

>> Téa Guarino (01:06:17):
Is that all?

No. Shoulder of mutton, haunch. Venison well
hugged. An embrace of grouse
caro carnis, feminine
flesh.

>> Téa Guarino (01:06:28):
Is it a sin?

Not necessarily, milady, but when carnal embrace
is sinful, it is a sin of the flesh.
QED we
had Cairo in our garlic wars.
The Britons live on milk and
meat. Lacte et carne
vivunt. I am sorry. The seed
fell on stony ground.

>> Téa Guarino (01:06:52):
That was the sin of Onan, wasn't it, Septimus?

Yes. He was giving his brother's wife a Latin
lesson, and she was hardly the wiser after than before.
I thought you were finding a proof for
Fermat's last theorem.

>> Téa Guarino (01:07:07):
It is very difficult, Septimus. You will have to show me
how.

Well, if I knew how, there would be no need to ask
you. Fermat's last
theorem has kept people busy for 150 years. And
I had hoped it would keep you busy long enough for me to
read Mr. Chaytor's poem
in praise of love with only the distraction of its
own absurdities.

>> Téa Guarino (01:07:31):
Our Mr. M. Chaytor has written a poem?

He believes he's written a poem, yes.
I can see there might be more carnality in your
algebra than in Mr. Chater's couch of
Eros.

>> Téa Guarino (01:07:45):
Oh, it was not my algebra.
I heard Jellyby telling cook that Mrs. M.
Chaytor was discovered in carnal embrace in the
gazebo.

Really? And, with whom
did Jellyby happen to say?

>> Téa Guarino (01:08:02):
What do you mean? With whom?

Yeah, with what. Exactly. So the idea is
absurd. Where did the story come from?

>> Téa Guarino (01:08:12):
Mr. Noakes. Mr.
Noakes, Papa's landscape gardener.
He was taking bearings in the garden when he saw through
his Mrs. Chaytor in the gazebo,
in carnal embrace.

Do you mean to tell me Mr. Noaks told.
Told the.
And do you mean to tell me that Mr. Noaks told the butler?

>> Téa Guarino (01:08:33):
No, Mr. Noaks told Mr.
Chater. Jellyby was told by the
groom who overheard Mr. Noaks telling Mr.
Chater in the stable yard.

Mr. Chater being engaged in closing the stable
door.

>> Téa Guarino (01:08:48):
What do you mean, Septimus?

so, thus far, the only people who know about this are
Mr. Noakes, the landscape architect, the groom, the butler,
the cook, and, of course, Mrs. Chaytor's
husband, the poet.

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:01):
And Arthur, who was cleaning the silver. And the
poop boy. And now you, of course.

what else did he say?

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:09):
Mr. Noakes?

No, not Mr. Noakes. Jellyby. You heard
Jellyby telling the cook?

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:15):
cook hushed him out almost as soon as he started.
Jellyby did not see that I was being allowed to finish
yesterday's upstairs rabbit pie before I came to my
lesson.
I think you've not been candid with me, Septimus.
A, gazebo is not, after all, a meat
larder.

I, never said my definition was complete.

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:37):
Is carnal embrace kissing?

Yes.

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:41):
And throwing one's arms around Mrs. M.
Chaytor?

Yes. Now, Fermat's
last theorem.

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:48):
I thought as much. I hope you are
ashamed.

I.

>> Téa Guarino (01:09:53):
My lady, if you do not teach me the true
meaning of things, who will?

>> Nathan Agin (01:10:00):
Ah.

yes, I am ashamed.
Carnal embrace is sexual congress,
which is the insertion of the male genital
organ into the female genital organ
for purposes of procreation and
pleasure. Fermat's last theorem, by contrast,
asserts that when X, Y and Z are whole numbers raised

(01:10:26):
to the power of N, the sum of the first
two can never equal the third when N is
greater than 2.

>> Brendon Fox (01:10:35):
Ah.

Nevertheless, that is the theorem.

>> Téa Guarino (01:10:40):
It is disgusting and
incomprehensible. Now, when I'm grown
to practice it myself, I shall never do
so without thinking of you.

Thank you very much, milady.
Was Mrs. M. Chaytor down this morning?

>> Téa Guarino (01:10:57):
No. Tell me more about
sexual congress.

There's nothing more to be said about sexual congress.

>> Téa Guarino (01:11:03):
Is it the same as love?

no. No, it is,
much nicer than that.
Oh, I'm. I'm teaching Jellyby.

I Beg your pardon, Mr. Hodge. Mr. Chad
said it was urgent that you receive his letter.

Oh, very well. Thank
you. Thank
you.

Mr. Chaytor asked me to bring him your
answer.

My answer?
Well, my answer is that as is my custom and
is my duty to his lordship, I am engaged
until a quarter to 12 in educating
his daughter. When
I'm done, and if Mr. Chater is still
there, I will be happy to wait upon him in, the

(01:11:53):
gun room.

I will tell him so. Thank you, sir.

>> Téa Guarino (01:11:57):
What is for dinner, Jellyby?

A, boiled ham and cabbage,
milady, and
rice pudding.

>> Téa Guarino (01:12:07):
Oh, goody.

Well, for Mr. Noakes, he puts
himself forward as a gentleman, a philosopher of the picturesque, a
visionary who can move mountains and make
lakes. But in the scheme of things, in
this garden, he is the serpent.

>> Téa Guarino (01:12:22):
When you stir. your rice pudding, Septimus,
the spoonful of jam spreads itself round,
making red trails like the picture of a meteor
in my astronomical atlas. But
if you stir backward, the jam
will not come together again. Indeed, the pudding does
not notice and continues to turn pink, just

(01:12:43):
as before. Do you not think this is
odd?

No.

>> Téa Guarino (01:12:48):
Well, I do.
You cannot stir things apart
no more.

You, no more you can. Time must needs run
backward. And since it will not, we
must stir our way onward, mixing as we
go, disorder out of
disorder, into disorder, until pink is
complete, unchanging and
unchangeable, and we are done with
it forever.

(01:13:17):
This is known as free will or self
determination.

>> Brendon Fox (01:13:23):
Ah.

sit.

>> Téa Guarino (01:13:26):
Septimus, do you think God is an
Etonian?

An Etonian? Almost
certainly. I'm afraid we must ask your brother to make it his first
inquiry.

>> Téa Guarino (01:13:35):
No, Septimus. A
Newtonian. Septimus, am I the first
person to have thought of this?

No.

>> Téa Guarino (01:13:44):
I have not said yet.

If everything from the furthest planet to the
smallest atom of our brain acts according to
Newton. According to Newton's law of
motion, what becomes of free will?

>> Téa Guarino (01:13:58):
No.

God's will?

>> Téa Guarino (01:14:01):
No.

Sin?

>> Téa Guarino (01:14:03):
No.

Very well.

>> Téa Guarino (01:14:07):
If you could stop every
atom in its position and direction,
and if your mind could comprehend all the
actions thus suspended, then if you were
really, really good at algebra,
you could write the formula for all the future.
And although nobody can be so clever as

(01:14:27):
to do it, the formula must exist
just as if one could.

Yes.
Yes. As far as I know, you are the first person who thought of
this.
In the margin of his copy of Arithmetica,
Femart wrote that he had discovered a wonderful
proof of his theorem. But the margin being too

(01:14:58):
narrow for his purpose, he did not have room to write it
down. this note was found after
his death, and from that day
to this.

>> Téa Guarino (01:15:11):
Oh, I see now.
The answer is perfectly obvious.

This time you may have overreached yourself.

>> Brendon Fox (01:15:25):
Nice. Lovely. That was great. Let's.
Let's jump to the next.

Mr. Hobbs.

Yes.

Thank you, Jellyby. I was
expecting to be locked out. What
time is it? Half past five. That is
what I have.
Well, what a
bracing experience. the
dawn, you know. Unexpectedly
lively. Fishes, birds,

(01:16:04):
frogs, rabbits.
And very beautiful.
If only it did not occur so early in the
day. I have brought Lady Thomasina a
rabbit. Will you take it? It's dead.
Yes. Lady Thomasina loves a
rabbit pie.

(01:16:25):
Oh, you were
missed, Mr. M. Hodge. I decided to
sleep. Last night in the boathouse, did I
see a, carriage leaving the park? Captain
Bryce's carriage, with Mr.
Chaytor and Mrs. Chaytor, also
gone? Yes, sir. And,
ah, Lord Byron's horse

(01:16:48):
was brought round at 4 o'clock. Lord Byron
too? Yes, sir. the house has been
up, and hopping. But I have his rabbit
pistols. What am I to do with his
rabbit pistols? you were looked for in
your room. By whom?
By her Ladyship.

(01:17:09):
In my room? I will tell her
Ladyship you are returned.
Jellyby, did Lord Byron leave a
book for me? A book? He had the loan
of a book from me. M. His lordship left nothing
in his room, sir. Not a coin.
Oh, well, I'm sure he would have left a coin if he'd had
one. Gallery.

(01:17:32):
Here's half a guinea for you.
Thank you very much, sir. what has
occurred? The servants
are told nothing. Come.
does a half guinea buy nothing anymore?
Her ladyship encountered Mr. Chitter during

(01:17:53):
the night. Where? On the threshold
of Lord Byron's room.

>> Brendon Fox (01:17:58):
Ah.

which one was leaving and which entering? Mrs. Chaytor
was leaving Miss. Lord Byron's room. And where was Mr.
M. Chaytor? No, Mr. Chaytor and Captain Bryce
were drinking cherry brandy. They had the footman
to keep the.

>> Brendon Fox (01:18:11):
Fire up until 3 o'clock.

There was a loud altercation upstairs
and we.

Mr. Hodge.

My lady.

All this to shoot a
hare?

Rabbit?
No, indeed. A, hare, though. Very
rabbit. Like.

My infusion?

Yes, milady.

How dare you.

I cannot be called to account for what was written in
private and read without regard Friday
in my room in the event of my death.

Earthly, use is a love letter from beyond
the grave.

As much, surely, as from this side of it.
The second letter, huh? As to your
ladyship, I have
a.

Mother'S right to open a letter addressed by you
to my daughter, whether, in the event of your life,
your death or your imbecility.
What do you mean by rising dare of
rice pudding when she has just
suffered the shock of a violent death in our
midst?

Whose death?

Yours, you wretch.

yes, I see.

I do not know which is the matter of your ravings.
One envelope full of rice pudding and
the other full of the most
insolent familiarities regarding
several parts of my body.
But have no doubt which is the more
intolerable to me.

Which.

Aren't we saucy when our, bags are
packed?
Well, your friend has
gone before you and. And I have dispatched the
harlot, Chater and her husband,
and also my brother for bringing them here.
Such is the sentence, you see, for choosing

(01:20:23):
unwisely in your acquaintance,
banishment. Lord
Byron is Rick and a hypocrite.
And the sooner he sails for the Levant, the sooner he
will be in. He will find society
congenial to his character.

It has been a night of reckoning
indeed.

I wish it had passed uneventfully. With you and
Mr. Tater shooting each other with the decorum
due to a civilized house.
You have no secrets left, Mr.
Hodge. They spilled out between the
shrieks and oaths and tears.
It is fortunate that my husband that a
lifetime's devotion to the sporting gun has

(01:21:07):
halved my husband's hearing to the ear. He sleeps
on.

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of what has
occurred.

Your trollop was discovered in Lord
Byron's room.

Ah. Discovered by
Mr. Chater.

Who else?

I am very sorry, madam,
for, having used your kindness to bring my unworthy
friend to your notice.
He will have to give an account of himself to
me, you may be sure.

>> Brendon Fox (01:21:53):
Oh,

I will do it.

Yes, my lady? Lord Byron left a
letter for you with the valet, sir.
thank you.

Hm. When
did he do so?

As he was leaving, your ladyship.
allow me.

I do not know if it
is proper for you to
receive a letter written in my house from
someone not welcome in it.

Very improper, I agree.
Lord Byron's want of delicacy is a grief to his
friends, among whom I no longer count
myself. I will not read his letter until
I have followed him through the gates.

that may
excuse the reading,
but not the writing.

Your ladyship should have lived in the Athens of
Pericles. The philosophers would have fought
the sculptors for your idle hour.
Really?
Oh.

Really?
Oh,
really.

Now there's a thing.
A letter from Lord Byron.
Never to be read by a living soul.
I will take my leave, madam, at the time of your
desiring it to the Indies.
The Indies? Why?

To follow the cheater, of course. She did
not tell you.

She did not exchange half a dozen words with me.

I expect she did not like to waste the time.
The Chater sails with Captain
Bryce.

as a member of the crew?

No, as wife to Mr. Chaytor,
plant gatherer to my brother's
expedition.

I knew he was no poet. I did not know it was
botany. Under the false colors there's
no more.

A botanist. My brother paid £50
to have him published. And pay 14050 to
have Mr. Chaser picking flies for a
year while his wife plays mistress of the captain's
quarters. Captain Bryce
has fixed his passions on Mrs. Cher and to
take her on the voyage. He's not scrupled to deceive the Admiralty, the

(01:24:38):
Linean Society, and Sir Joseph Banks,
botanist to his Majesty at Kew.

Her passion is not as fixed as his.

It is a defect of God's humor that he directs our
hearts everywhere but to those that have a right to
them.

Indeed, madam.
But is Mr. Chater deceived?

He insists on it and
finds the proof of his wife's
virtue and his eagerness to defend it.
Captain Bryce is not deceived, but cannot help
himself. He would die for her.

I think, my lady, he would have Mr. Chaytor die for
her.

Indeed. I never knew a woman worth a deal, a duel,
or the other way. About
your
letter to me goes
very ill with your conduct to Mrs.
Chor, Mr. H.
I have had experience of being betrayed before

(01:25:45):
the ink is dry, but not
to be betrayed before the
pen is even dipped.
And with the, village notice bought. What am I to
think of such.

A performance, My
lady? I was alone with my
thoughts in the gazebo when Mrs.
Chater ran me to ground. And I, being in such a
passion, in an agony of
unrelieved desire. Oh,
I thought in my madness that the chaitor, with her

(01:26:19):
skirts over her head, would give me the
momentary illusion of the
happiness to which I had dared not put a face.

I do not know when I have.

>> Brendon Fox (01:26:33):
Received more.

Unusual compliment, Mr.
Hodge.
I hope I am more than a match for
Mrs. Chaytor with her head in a bucket.
Does she wear drawers?

>> Brendon Fox (01:26:51):
She does.

Guess I have heard that drawers are being worn
now. It is unnatural for women to
be. To go about and got up like
jockeys. Cannot
approve.
I know nothing of
Heracles or the Athenian

(01:27:14):
philosophers.
I can spare them an hour in
my sitting room when I have
bathed.
7 o'clock.
Bring a book.

>> Brendon Fox (01:27:37):
Lovely. Great work, everybody.
I could listen to you all, all day. This is so. This
is so lovely. Oh, my gosh.
Great job. Nathan, did you, did you have
some questions for the group?

>> Nathan Agin (01:27:54):
Yes, yes, I did. And, I, I.
I really echo your sentiments,
Brendan. You know, I. What I
really enjoyed about this,
both of the passes through the
scenes, is just seeing
the, the real fun the actors are
having, with the scene that, that. It's

(01:28:16):
just, you know, and not
to take anything away from the first real week, of you guys
reading the scene. And it was. It was a lot of fun. It was enjoyable.
But just to see, you know, how much it has
grown and how much depth, you're all bringing to it.

>> Brendon Fox (01:28:30):
But.

>> Nathan Agin (01:28:30):
But just literally, when you. When you see the performers
having a lot of fun with this, even through all the different levels,
it's not like you're constantly, always making jokes with each other, but
you're just. You're just having a lot of fun with it. And it's
really. To see that arc. I
was reminded I heard, Billy Crudup
talk in an interview.

>> Brendon Fox (01:28:49):
He did.

>> Nathan Agin (01:28:49):
He did the New York premiere of this. I can't remember. I think maybe
he had auditioned for it, but just. It didn't work out or
didn't, you know, couldn't get in to read. And he was working
with, I think, the actress playing
Thomasina. And, he was. He was her reader. He was working
on the scene with her, and he worked and worked and worked on it,
and then auditions opened up again, and
he was. He was able to get a spot, and it was just

(01:29:12):
like, well, yeah, I mean, I've been working on this
for weeks, for hours. So it just
kind of, I think, emphasizes. And,
recent.

What.

>> Nathan Agin (01:29:21):
We've been talking a lot about it. Just when you take your
time, just all the different things you can find in it. And of course, he had
the leisure of not really stressing about it when he was working
on it, so hopefully that kind of carries over to
this format too, is that you're not really worried about, like, oh, geez,
you know, people are coming to see. We're just working on it.
That, But all that being said, yes, I do

(01:29:42):
have some questions. And actually, Brendan, I remember last week, you
had kind of, tossed, out
the idea of, you know, wondering
what people might take away from
this kind of experience or working in this way
or unpacking things. and so I just kind of
open it up right there. If anyone has

(01:30:02):
any specific, response to that,
of, you know, how this might have differed from other
rehearsal processes you've gone through and
things that you really gravitated toward, or
enjoyed about this, that you are, you know,
excited to bring into the rest of your work or other
productions. So I'll just kind of open it up to the
floor.

(01:30:25):
Not all at once.

>> Téa Guarino (01:30:28):
I can go.

>> Brendon Fox (01:30:29):
Go.

>> Téa Guarino (01:30:30):
I, I think that
as, like, a. As a working actor, like, just
kind of getting into the. The mix of things, like,
right out of school, you. You kind of put
pressure on everything at first, and you kind of forget
the artistry of it and, like, being in
a room full of people just working on something

(01:30:51):
to get better at it rather than it being, being a final
product. So I think working in this way and giving it room
to breathe every single week and just working on it for these
two hours and being like, okay, I can,
I'll, I'll forget about that and let it come back in these
next two hours and knowing that nothing is going to be lost
in that time. It's just going to be able to build more

(01:31:11):
on the work that we've been doing and like
to be with people that obviously
know what they're talking about and are smart and are, and
have like super great ideas to bounce off of
is a plus. But I think for
me personally this is a great reminder, especially
like going into the new year of just to, you

(01:31:32):
know, let things go, let things be
and do it for the fun of it and
for ah, the play. And
I think that that's what this process really
brought for me. So I had a fantastic time.

>> Nathan Agin (01:31:47):
Yeah, I'm thrilled to hear that. And I want to quickly
say, you know, we were all young 20
year old actors or thereabouts at one time
and for me, you know, confidence is always a
big thing. Like you just want to make sure like you're feeling like, can
I do this? You know, can I hang with these people? And I just want to say, Téa, ah,
the way you threw yourself into Thomasina
and the courage you had to just

(01:32:09):
really go for it was just
so fun to watch and so exciting and so I, I just,
I, I, I think you must have
some self confidence to, to be willing to throw yourself out
there like that. But I, I just want to kind of ah,
echo that, that, that it really,
really was enjoyable. So you know, you,

(01:32:31):
you were, you were as much a part of this group as, as anyone
else. So, so you know, even if you're feeling like
you're still getting started, yeah, it was, it was
really beautiful to watch. So you know, kudos to you for, for you
know, doing all of that.

>> Téa Guarino (01:32:44):
Thank you.

>> Nathan Agin (01:32:45):
You're m welcome. Anyone, else wanted to share
ideas, or things that they took away from this
process?
And if not, I have other questions.

It's okay, I'll just, I'll just add, since
nobody's talking, I'll add one thing real quickly. And Tayo
reminded me of,
it's, it's so rare that you get it.
you get these big breaks between,
between working on something. Only a couple
of times in, in my career have I had a,

(01:33:16):
something happen where I did a production of
something and then did the same
production, you know, not, it was, you
know, a restaging of the same production, and it was like a, like
a year later. And I think it's happened twice
now, with, you know, it's the
same people. It was a different place, but essentially the same people.
And, and I could tell the, the first day

(01:33:39):
of the pickup rehearsals, it was just
automatically better. Like, you know,
wine or cheese or anything. Just, Just by
sitting somehow, you know, in our
minds, that without working on it every day
or, and intensely, which also,
it's just this weird side benefit that you can't
engineer. It just, It's a little side

(01:34:01):
benefit of this particular form, that you've
developed. Nathan, these, these long breaks
between. I mean, I, I, I would look, I'd look over the
thing a little bit, but I didn't sure wasn't spending every day on
it. In the, in between time. It's just a, an
interesting phenomenon that happens.

>> Nathan Agin (01:34:18):
Well, it's that, yeah, it's, it's like the, the shower
moments where things just. You have the time for things to drop in.
You're like, oh, okay, yeah, that's what.

They'Re talking about or remembering someone's name, you know, 10 minutes after
you see them. you know, when you're reaching for the
canopies, it is an
odd phenomenon, and it sort of can't. You
can't engineer it. But as Teo,
if you just sort of trust it and, and
do get up and walk around, you know, walk the
damn dog. Who's quiet now? You're quiet now,

(01:34:48):
aren't you? Stupid dog.
Anyway, that's all I'm
done. Ask some questions.

>> Nathan Agin (01:34:55):
He's retortus.

Yes.

>> Nathan Agin (01:34:57):
Sit. well, anyone can jump.
Yes, please, please, please.

>> Brendon Fox (01:35:01):
So I was thinking about over the course of the four weeks we started
the first week, talking a little bit about table work and
why table work was valuable. And it's interesting to
reflect back on that.

>> Téa Guarino (01:35:11):
This is my little, like my academic.

>> Brendon Fox (01:35:13):
Brain and sort of scholar practitioner side. But the
time that we spent really
looking not just closely, but slowly.

>> Téa Guarino (01:35:21):
There's a lot of value in slow work.

>> Brendon Fox (01:35:23):
Right.

>> Téa Guarino (01:35:23):
Closely and slowly and sort
of,

>> Brendon Fox (01:35:27):
Preparing that ground, planting the seeds,
and to see the payoff that
happens in, in week four, in both the first read of the
scenes and the second read of the scenes. But that,
that time to pull apart those lines and
the generosity everybody had with each other, sort of
discovering, playing, asking
questions.

>> Téa Guarino (01:35:48):
It's.

>> Brendon Fox (01:35:48):
It's like you then turn away and
you know, if you've ever had a friend who has a puppy or a kitten and
you don't see it for eight weeks and you turn back and you're like, oh, my
gosh, you've grown.

>> Téa Guarino (01:36:00):
that was fun tonight to see
that.

>> Brendon Fox (01:36:04):
The flowering of the work that happened four weeks
ago.

>> Nathan Agin (01:36:09):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
and, Brendan, I do want to ask, you a
question about this play, but I also want to
highlight, This is not to say that other directors don't do this,
but, what I. What I noticed tonight, and if I
go back through the other sessions, I'm sure I'll see it there is
just how encouraging you seem to be with
the actors. as you're kind of talking through things

(01:36:32):
or offering suggestions or notes.
and, I observe that
as what seems to be a really helpful quality and something
that really creates a, ah, nice sense of
collaboration and an open forum for everybody.
I don't know if any of the actors want to speak to that
specifically, but, that just seemed like a really

(01:36:53):
great, skill that you. You probably
developed and honed as, a way to, you know,
just, allow the free flow of ideas and
not. Not have anyone feel shut down about, oh, I know I
made the wrong choice there. He doesn't like that. You know, I don't know
if you want to speak about that, Brendan, a little bit at all.

>> Brendon Fox (01:37:09):
Well, I really appreciate that, Nathan, that you observe that.
That means a lot because I think that is part of my DNA now.
I hope that. I mean, I had. I feel very lucky.
I have to. I have to shine a light on two
mentors of mine, Jack O'Brien and
Frankelotti. Both of
whom, had every day
brought joy and

(01:37:32):
loved love,
actors, artists and,
lived for every moment. And I think that I tend
to gravitate towards challenging texts. And I
think it's worth acknowledging this stuff
is hard. And when people get up on the tightrope or on the
trapeze, like, half of as

(01:37:54):
directing is coaching and
empowering in chief and say
yes, and more of that. And also maybe this,
but also just yet. Amazing. Yes,
keep going. I mean, that is. I find myself in
rehearsal half the time. All I'm saying is. Yes, more.
How about more of that? Like, maybe there's even more. and I
don't know where that will go, but I think

(01:38:16):
that's a lot of it is for me just continuing to help people get
in the deep end. And part of that is, encouragement and
hopefully being Specific about encouragement.
That's what I saw with my mentors, too, was a lot of directors I
assisted was. The specificity is helpful, I
find for actors. Not just like, good job, you
know, it's not Instagram or something

(01:38:37):
like, I'm hiding you. But, it's like,
but what can they use from that? Or are we on the beam
or. Or where are we going? you know, as
we're all trying to figure it out together.

Right.

>> Nathan Agin (01:38:48):
And. And, well, and. And that specifically, you
know, to be. To be nimble and flexible enough to not
necessarily have decided what you want
it to be or what you think it is going to be
to, you know, to allow the actors choices to inform,
you know, not to say, well, no, I don't. You know, I've already decided. I
want it like this and to just be open to that.

(01:39:09):
I think, you know, there's a lot of trust on both sides, obviously, but you're
just. Your openness, to the
discovery of the process of what, you know, what the
scene will be, I think speaks to, you know, your ability
to do that. as I was saying so well.

>> Brendon Fox (01:39:23):
And also, what's the fun in that, right? If
it's like, no, I'm sorry, Chris, that's not
Septimus. It's like, who am I to say that? Like,
thank you for playing. I think it's all, ah,
an experiment. So I think,
that to me is like, we're all trying to solve for X.
But, to me, just really quick, I would also add

(01:39:43):
in terms of. It's a lot of about casting. I
mean, whether it's casting for this or casting for a full
production, you're already, if you choose
your actors, you kind of are already
to some degree starting the work and
you're having a sense of, okay, here's who they are as people, as artists,
here's what I suspect they might bring to the table. And
then we're already ready to play, you

(01:40:06):
know, So I just. I think that's also worth noting too,
is we don't always talk about that, but, like,
sure. That choice of if we're gonna go with this person for Lady
Crim over this person, well, then that's already a
certain something that's coming into the
room.

Right.

>> Nathan Agin (01:40:21):
And it speaks to what we've kind of been talking about a lot of
the confidence and trust in yourself and in
others that, you know, I don't need to
have this all decided. I don't need to pretend like I know all the
answers. as you guys have been discussing through the weeks.
Brendan, you know, could you share a little bit
about. You may have talked about it the first week,

(01:40:41):
but, you know, what. What specifically drew
you to these scenes or what you were hoping to, you
know, maybe, unpack or unlock about maybe the character of
Septimus or. Or any of the characters that. That
you, you know, you wanted to explore more.

>> Brendon Fox (01:40:54):
Well, I think it was exciting. Yeah. I think to me, the both
these scenes revolt, have this character of Septimus, and
all these characters are kind of spokes of the wheel
around him. And I think what was also exciting. We know and
I were putting this together. Nathan was the idea of having. And I don't
think I've ever done this with all of the versions of this I've done with you.
Nathan is having two Septimi,

(01:41:15):
right. And so we were not only
exploring the play, but we were actually having a
binocular view of Septimus.
that didn't. That didn't have to have two actors playing the same
scene, but these scenes were different.
you know, these characters are so complicated. They contain multitudes.
And so I think what was exciting to me tonight was also just
watching and loving what Jeff was bringing

(01:41:37):
to Septimus and what Chris is bringing and that.
That. That. This. It's like pointillism, right? They were bringing some red,
some blue, some green, and the mosaic of
Septimus and then everyone is bouncing off of
them. That was really exciting to me.
And I think these scenes we kept. Right, folks, we kept
discovering, oh, there's rabbits, there's. There's love, there's
lust, there's a sense of distance. Discoveries in both.

(01:42:00):
I think so I knew that they would
echo each other and they would compliment each other.
I don't think I had any idea to what degree
they were forming this kind of ouroboros with
each other and that we just kept going. Oh, my God.
And I really appreciate the time everyone was giving to each
other's scenes. So I do want to mention that as well,

(01:42:20):
that it's a real tribute to all of you that
I loved how you were also, over the last few weeks,
offering thoughts on what you saw in the other scenes
as opposed to, well, I'll peace out till 9:00, you
know, or I'll just be here, which we could do. But I think
it just allowed everyone to be there together and to share
what you saw. Not just what I saw or what Kate

(01:42:40):
saw. And I think that. So I want to thank everyone for that,
but I think this was a fun, again, a fun
experiment. And I think there
was a link I knew with watching
him and Septimus, you know, having this sort of
really deep relationship with Thomasina and this burgeoning
relationship with Lady Croom and how

(01:43:01):
that mother, daughter affects
him.
I think those were some of the big, big thoughts initially, you know,
and then, yeah, sort of we, we bungee jumped from
there.

>> Nathan Agin (01:43:12):
Yeah, no, it was, it was, it was a lot of fun putting this together.
And yes, I, I think it was really great.
At least what I observed it seemed, you know, because when you're double cast
and you're both playing the same scene, you know, you're still kind
of subjectively looking at things. But I would guess,
or it seemed like because of their willingness,
to contribute, you know, Jeff and Chris had a bit of
objectivity, subjectivity and objectivity about

(01:43:35):
Septimus because they were watching a scene that they're. It's
the same character. But I'm not in that scene, I'm not playing that. So I can,
I can look at it differently and I can, I can just.
It's the, the phenomenon of when you're in acting
class, you can't think of nearly as many things when you're
doing your scene as when you're in the audience watching
and you're like, yeah, isn't that obvious? How did you not, how did you miss
that? so it's, I think it was a

(01:43:58):
lot of fun to observe and I think you bring up a great
point, you know. You know, even if you've done table
work, in a production, there can be kind of a feeling
of like, well, these people are in this scene, so they're going
to talk about this scene. And it may not
necessarily feel like it's open up to the whole group
to weigh in of like, well, I had this question about this character, what

(01:44:18):
about this? And so I think that's one of the things I've always
loved and I've never had to instruct the group that, you
know, it's, it's not a top down format. This is very
open, collaborative, process. So
yeah, no, it was really, it was really exciting.
I, I completely agree because I, you just
wonder like, are people going to disappear for an hour? But it

(01:44:38):
was really wonderful to see just everybody be part of this.
And even if they didn't have a lot to add, they were still
listening and observing and watching. So I think that that just
adds to the ensemble feel of it.

>> Brendon Fox (01:44:49):
So, if I May, Nathan, really quick, can I ask a question
of the group? Is that, is that,
along these lines, I just have to say, and I don't always see
this. Like, what I was also observing
was can you, any of you speak to. You
all got so comfortable with each other
pretty quickly. And yes, we're on Zoom and we're not

(01:45:10):
literally in the room, but I really felt like
I sensed you were all there for each
other. You were all laughing at each other's work,
watching each other's scenes. Can you talk for a second about what
is that like? You know, either definitely in a virtual
or even in the room. I'm kind of always fascinated
with all the shows I do of what is going on in those

(01:45:31):
first few days as a cast sort of checks each other
out and tries to. Begins the bonding,
I guess. And I. In an ideal world, I mean, I feel like that
we had a version of that here. I don't feel like that's
too out there to say, what was,
what was that like for you with this?
As you were. Some of you knew each other, some of you didn't, but

(01:45:52):
I felt like we did create a little bit of a group here.
Any, any thoughts on that? How or, or how
do you approach that? You know, whether it's this format
or another one.

I think, obviously I can only speak for me. Right. But,
I, I love
this art form.
and I
love and appreciate what other actors bring to what they're
doing. And it's such a joy for me to watch
other actors, to watch good actors do

(01:46:29):
their thing that it's super easy to
be like, that's amazing.
just tonight, instead of following along with
the script, I thought, oh, I should probably should watch
what they're doing scene.
And when Jeffrey was, was
going through the. Well, okay, this is actually what a

(01:46:50):
carnal embrace is. It's the watching
Tay's face the first time through,
it's just like the growing horror. What
was happening was just like. I loved it so much.
it's just, it's like, it's. It's one of the, One of the things I love
about, about this art form is getting to work with other actors.
So just the,

(01:47:10):
the process itself is a,
is a joint.
Yeah.

I mean, that may be it. It may be a sort of self selecting group.
I mean, if you don't enjoy this, you're not gonna, you're
not gonna, you're not gonna do it, but it is,
it's. It's a It's a wonderful format.
You know, I got flip flops on. You don't have to drive
someplace. And so it's very, it's very
comfortable and all that. I, I just want to

(01:47:38):
say, two things real quick. First of all, I
didn't, I did watch. You know, I was watching the scenes, although I was
off camera. I was really
tickled by Jamie. Your, Your,
What? Jellyby. By jellyby. That time. I don't know.
That was something. It was so funny about it. You got so conspiratorial.
It was just absolutely one. I mean, everybody's wonderful all the time,

(01:48:01):
but you really got me that time.
And the other thing I have to say is
I love working with Brendan,
because you have the
most, you have the widest
selection of imagery I've ever heard from a
director, and I know you like to use

(01:48:21):
it. I remember being in class, sometimes we don't
sort of have you stop talking so people could work
because. But it's all fascinating. My favorite
tonight was blowing Glass. It's like, blowing glass. What the
hell does that mean?
And, you know, the short flashlight and all this stuff, it's great.
So I just, I really enjoy working

(01:48:41):
with Brendan.

>> Brendon Fox (01:48:45):
Part of the fun is just getting Jeff to go. What?
You know, it's like a road. When you hit the bumps in the road and you're
like, yeah, that one.

That one, too. Ah, all those things. I mean, where do you come up? I,
you know, it's really wonderful.

>> Nathan Agin (01:48:57):
Okay, well, I, I, I don't want to
shortchange anyone else. Is there anyone else wants to speak to Brennan's question
or any other points that came up?

Oh, well, yeah, I just throw out. It's, it's really
a joy. I'm very grateful. Thank you. For this
opportunity. it's really a joy when you get to,
like, excavate really deep
text. I'm just like, wait, there's another layer.
Okay, there's another one. I'm gonna, you know, and stopward
has, like, all of those layers, so that's fun. But also when you're
working with a group of people who are also

(01:49:28):
curious and, like, you can tell when the folks,
to Brendan's point, when the folks who come
together are all like, yeah, let's play.
Then you get excited to go, like, okay, I brought
some toys.

>> Téa Guarino (01:49:41):
Let's play.

What you bring, you know, is. It's really
fun. And so the conversation we were
having about, Brendan's positivity in the way
you direct, like, It's. I find
as an actor it's so useful both to know
what is working and what isn't working.
And sometimes directors focus on what isn't working,

(01:50:02):
which is often what you need to do. But sometimes
just knowing like, oh, yes, go that
way, then you go, great, thanks. I don't need to worry
about those questions anymore. I can focus on these
ones. And also when someone is as,
generous and kind as Brendan
is when directing, I'm not afraid

(01:50:23):
to try my silly idea.
Like sometimes when I'm at home working on something,
I'll be like, I have this silly idea. Is it too silly?
What dumb? maybe I shouldn't try it. But if you have a
director who, when you try something
is going to go like, either, like,
yeah, that was weird, but go for it.
Or or like, not

(01:50:45):
that, but thanks for trying it.
You are more willing to try the funny thing
or like the funny idea that you've got percolating
in your head if you know that it's going to be met with
kindness.

>> Brendon Fox (01:50:58):
Yeah. I do find, Jen really
quick that like when that happens and people jump in the deep
end, that if there's a. And everyone kind of by the, and out
of the corner of the eye, look at the director like that, can
we do that? Is that, can we all jump there? And like.
And if you sort of go, yeah, what Jen's doing, let's
just like, why not? Right? There's no value judgment.

(01:51:18):
Then it. I do find that more people are like ready
to go, you know, and try the
silly stuff because what do you got to lose, right? But it does,
it's not only that it takes the people ready to dive in and take a
big swing, but it's also about like, let.
Letting everyone else go in there too. And I, you know something?
I hadn't thought of that. I love that image, you said, Jen, of like the

(01:51:39):
work. Sometimes the directors don't think of the work. The actors doing at home,
trying stuff out, auditioning themselves on X
or Y ideas, and then what you choose to actually share in
rehearsal, that's a whole part that directors
have no clue that goes on right.
The moment it's like the Truman show, the moment the
rehearsal is done, I have no idea what, what's going on

(01:51:59):
with the actors world, but then they come in with new ideas
and so obviously things are happening, percolating, but
it does carry over. Thank you for
that anymore.

You know, it's like

Group of people in a production.

The joy of the exploration and the
process means more than
anything, you know,

That'S.

That's what I feel with this group. But it's also
a little bit like.

a dog on a leash. Because I like
to be in the room.

You know, I'd actually like to be in the room working on
it.

And the physicality of it, that's the.

One thing you can't really do on
zoom. And the text is great and. And it
is, you know, very satisfying.

but, you know, then there's the physicality of how,
you know, you know, there's a.

There's a longing to want to, you know,
you know, be in the room with you guys,
you know, so,

Which I hope that happens at some point.
I was just going to share. This is completely off topic, but
I wanted to share this with you. I've got. I'm going to
a dinner party and I'm going to have to sign off.

But, last night I,
saw two Ionesco plays. Ah, they
were readings, ah, of Bald Soprano and
the Lesson. And I gotta tell you, in the.

Present circumstances, which we're living
in, absurdist theater really has a
resonance. it really,
really does. and I, I encourage
everybody to.

Sort of take a look at it and, maybe
Nathan to explore.

That, you know, because, I mean, it really was
like suddenly, like a
revelation, in this
absurd world that we're living in, in this country right
now. So. Just wanted to share that with you
all.

>> Nathan Agin (01:53:54):
Well, thank you, Jamie. I appreciate you, yeah, putting that out
there. And it's, It's very heartwarming to hear,
everybody's experiences, and their
joys and how much they're enjoying, this process.
And because, you know, that's why any of us do
anything creative. We're hoping that other people will enjoy this thing that we.
We put out there. So, yes, it's. It's just been

(01:54:14):
wonderful. you may hear a very happy baby in the
background for me. I will absolutely take that over the
alternative. So, there may be a little bit of
noise back there. and, that's probably
me needing to get off pretty soon too. but, I just
want to kind of wrap things up here. Again, thank you all
so much, for your work this month and, for all your
dedication and effort. I'll mention again for

(01:54:37):
people tuning in, we're doing King Lear next month with
Randall Dukem and Annie Okio Grosso. It's a play
they've probably been looking at for most of their professional lives.
And Randy is finally the kind of right age
to be playing Lear, and he's just brilliant. So, you're in for a treat
if you check those sessions out. and,
yeah, come on back. We'll be doing more. Who knows? Maybe

(01:54:57):
we can find a venue to do Arcadia somewhere. You know,
Wouldn't that be fun? and, yes. I've just been,
really, really thrilled. Thank you again, Brendan, for your,
desire to, you know, do something and then work with me to
put this together. And thank you all to the, actors and artists and, Kate,
for you being here as well. Your contributions
were invaluable. There are just some things that even

(01:55:18):
a group of six talented artists are not going to
pick out every little thing. And it's why having
a dramaturg in the room is so, so helpful.
so, again, thank you all
so much. Have, a great, rest, of your evening. Thank you all.
And, we'll see you next time in the rehearsal room.

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Final Session: "The Quest for Knowledge" - ARCADIA - Tom Stoppard | The Rehearsal Room

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Final Session: "The Quest for Knowledge" - ARCADIA - Tom Stoppard | The Rehearsal Room