AYLI, rehearsal 28: 3.3–4.1

And I’m back. I am assured that Wednesday’s rehearsal was nonproblematic, and I’m going to take their word for it.

3.3 (MARRYING AUDREY)

We’re getting to the point in the process where there’s not a lot for the director to fix (other than lines!) or discuss. This scene is fine.

3.4 (ORLANDO IS GROSS)

Again, nothing to quibble about here.

3.5 (PHOEBE)

The other night Chas showed up with the outrageous hillbilly accent; tonight Julia joined him on Hee Haw and the results are golden: “For wut had huee to dew to chiiiide at mueee?” Phoebe as Suzanne Sugarbaker is a sight to behold and a delight to have witnessed.

Sidenote: my earnest pleadings for a few extra lords to be set decoration have yielded no results, but I’m thinking the prospect of having to schlep the arcs into place every other scene may be enough for my cast to get out there and drag in their young male friends.

4.1 (ORLANDO WOOS)

This is the ultimate Ganymede Game scene, and I was able to add another fillip to it tonight: when Orlando* moves to kiss Rosalind*, it occurred to me that while Orlando may not have it in him to kiss Ganymede, he certainly would — guy to guy — try to make Ganymede uncomfortable. Kind of a “gay chicken” thing.

That actually made the scene even more vibrant as Orlando becomes an active player, not just a compliant patsy.

The first beat of the scene, with Jaques, is a hoot. (I love the line “I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad —and to travel for it too.”)

And the final beat, after Orlando takes his leave, is life-affirmingly funny. Mariel’s delivery of Rosalind’s heartfelt outbursts is enough to give the lie to anyone who thinks that Shakespeare is stuffy or formal or “not modern.”

If people are not delighted by this scene — or indeed by the whole show — then their souls are diseas’d.