CHAPTER 20

Session Ten

In this session: • Antithesis • Next assignment

Coach: Today we’re going to start on antithesis. Add antithesis to your monologue for next time. On your copy, circle all antithetical words, phrases, or ideas and draw lines connecting them. It’s your job as an actor to work out your analysis, which includes antithesis. If you rely entirely on your director to do this for you, your performance may be damaged. You could luck out and have a director who requires you to do this analysis, but likely you won’t. So you must take the time to find your own antithesis. I’ve found this works better if you work in small groups, like three or four actors getting together and checking each other’s material. Three brains are better than one when it comes to finding antithesis. We spend time finding the antithesis for this reason: If you read the verse without allowing the listener to clearly hear the antithesis, your reading becomes generalized. And what did Stanislavski—?

Bride: “ ‘In general’ is the enemy of art.”

Coach: Right. Of course, it’s more than just finding it; then we have to play it. If you don’t dig out and play the antithesis, your work will not be as specific as it can be if you stress the antithesis. I have some examples here. Look on page 57 at Romeo’s speech to Benvolio. This is the classic example used in most books. Let’s read through it first, then we’ll go back and take it line by line. (Maggie and Bride read the speech, and then I explain what is happening in the play at this point.)

We’re going to look for words and ideas that are opposites, that can play one against the other. Back on the first page of the chapter is Webster’s definition of antithesis: “The placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas.” One idea against another. Sometimes antithesis is illustrated by a line from a famous American, Thomas Paine. What is it?

Kristin: Give me liberty or give me death.

Coach: So you play liberty against death. You stress each equally. One idea against the other. Antithesis can also be a complete sentence against another complete sentence, or one group of sentences against another group, or even the first half of a speech against the second half. So without looking at the answers, take the first two lines and identify what is antithetical.

Jerrod reads the first two lines and we work out the antithesis. He then reads the lines again and stresses the antithesis, one idea against another. This takes a number of tries because he doesn’t want to be specific. He only wants to stress part of each antithesis. Finally he gets it and we move on to the other lines, the actors taking turns finding the antithesis, then reading the lines until the antithesis is clear. We also pause to check scansion, to insert caesuras, and to define words. We review the answers that are already in the book.

Coach: Good. Now, let’s each read the speech and use all the antitheses. (Reactions.) It’s fun—try it! (All read the speech, listening to each other play the antithesis. They hear when another actor misses one of the antithetical ideas.) Be sure to circle your antithetical words and draw a line connecting them. When you memorize, memorize these ideas as well and you will be very close to reading the line correctly. Of course, all lines don’t contain antithesis. If you don’t find any, don’t worry about it. But find what is there.

Look at the speech from Henry V, page 58. Who would like to read through it? Nice and slowly, just let us hear the ideas. (Bridgett reads the speech.) Let’s interpret what he’s saying.

We discuss the speech and its inherent meanings. I clarify what the “opposed numbers” are at Agincourt and discuss the background to Henry V achieving the crown. We look through Henry’s list of tributes that he offers to gain God’s support for the battle today. Then the actors take turns reading one line at a time and finding the antitheses. After doing this, each actor reads the entire speech and we listen to how each handles the antithesis.

Coach: Good. Let’s take a break, then we’ll continue.

There are a few teaching technique that have worked especially well for me when coaching an actor to handle verse. As each actor reads a speech like Henry’s, the others are required to follow along. By doing this, they begin to hear when an antithesis is not stressed. Hearing this helps them when it’s their turn to read the speech. The readings, then, improve as more actors read. This technique also works on the phrasing and breathing exercises—and we find ourselves breathing along with the actor who is speaking!—and in marking scansion—i.e., putting difficult lines on the board to work out together. Also, whenever one actor is presenting a monologue, all other actors can be assigned to listen for different specific skills (e.g., scansion, phrasing, breathing, feminine endings, elision, antithesis, trochees, etc.), and each gives notes on what he hears or doesn’t hear. The technique keeps all actors involved and improving, even when it appears that only one is working.

Coach: (After the break.) Antithesis is not always black and white, although it often is. Let’s move on to the speech from Twelfth Night—Olivia on page 59. Who would like to read it? Nice and slowly. And now everyone start listening for the antithesis right away—even if you’re the person reading—like a cold reading at an audition.

Kristin reads the speech. She plays a number of the antithetical words, but misses some. We define meanings of words in the speech, then each actor takes a line or two and works out the antithesis. We discuss how the antithesis in this speech differs from the one in Henry V, and we find all of it.

Coach: One of you suggested that there should be an antithesis to “pride,” but can’t find one. “Prejudice” should be there, right? Okay, bad joke. Do you all know Pride and Prejudice? Have you all seen the BBC six-part version? Absolutely fabulous; I have it if anyone would like to borrow it.

Now let’s look at Margaret on page 60. Just glancing at it, notice the antithesis. Here it’s pretty much black and white. Who wants to read? Good. Everyone look for the antithesis as she cold-reads the speech. (Bride reads as all others watch for antithesis.) Look at all the antithesis in this speech. Shakespeare is filled with it, and if you don’t find it and play it, you simply pass over the meaning of the line. How is the audience supposed to get it?

We talk through the antithesis in the speech and then move on. Different actors read the other speeches presented in the book and everyone helps to find the antithesis. These speeches include Petruchio, Richard II (which everyone wants to read, so all take a turn with it), Bolingbroke, and Phebe.

Coach: Wonderful. Now take your own monologues and work with the first four lines. Take your time and see what you can find. (All work on this for fifteen minutes or so.) Everyone please read your first four lines so we can clearly hear the antithesis. Remember, all lines don’t have antithesis. You don’t want to force it. (The actors take turns and read aloud their first four lines, adding antithetical ideas to what they had read at the last session. Not all have antithesis in their first four lines.)

That will do it for today. For next time, add antithesis to your entire monologue, and don’t forget your sonnet. (Groans.) And don’t forget, you’re in this workshop by choice. You were not forced to be here.

Alex: No, I was forced. (All laugh.) Because I wanted to get better at this, I didn’t have a choice. So I was forced.

Amber: Then so was I.

Coach: Well, I wasn’t. I’m doing it because I enjoy it. Hope you’re enjoying it, too. See you next time and we’ll run all of the monologues, complete with antithesis.