Sword Canes and Eyeballs

Tonight and tomorrow, I hand the rehearsal conch to Andrew Gummer, our fight director. He came in tonight with tremendous energy and a lot of great ideas, and managed to get three different fights blocked (or at least sketched out) in three hours' time. We did a basic trip for Kent & Oswald; a more elaborate chase scene between the same characters (culminating in a near-riot, as Edmund and Soldiers spill onto the stage); and finally, we blocked the violence which surrounds Gloster's blinding.

The other day in the Playhouse, I stumbled across a wicked sword-cane, and I immediately started thinking of ways to work it into Lear. I've always loved the idea that a perfectly normal, functional stage prop can suddenly transform into a deadly weapon. The most logical character to wield such a weapon is Cornwall, who is himself a sort of time bomb. But he only uses it to threaten people--it is his servant (played by Kassia, her name is now Emilia) who picks it up and uses it (against him)--and then dies by it as well. Finally, I imagine the sword-cane falling into Oswald's hands, and then being once again turned on its owner (this time by Edgar).

Is that over-kill?

In between fights, I was able to work one-on-one a bit with Edmund (is it "legitimate" or "legit'mate"?), with Regan (such a passionate character...but where does that passion come from, and to whom is it directed?), with Gloster (going from vexed codger to resolute revolutionary) and with Cornwall (it's not his fault...none of it is...God told him to step on the eyeball...). A very productive night, all in all.