A Far More Interesting Journey
Posted by Christopher Larkin on 10/29/2008
Francis Guinan takes a different journey every night. I have never seen him do a show without trying something new.
For those who have not yet seen Kafka on the Shore, Fran has taken on the challenge of bringing the capitalist icons of Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders to life. While these two figures serve the same purpose in the telling of the story, they both have personalities all their own.
I cannot count the number of times I’ve been thrown off guard by his willingness to completely change his intention from scene to scene. For Fran, each night is a new night. Each show a new show. Every audience that has stepped into the Steppenwolf house thus far has seen a unique performance by him. Even if he knows a moment works beautifully and is guaranteed to get a response, that does not stop him from taking a risk and changing it altogether.
I, on the other hand, cannot make this claim. While I have become more and more comfortable throughout such a long run to experiment, I do tend to stick with what is safe. When I discover a moment that works I’ve found it difficult to let it go the following night. Therefore, I’ve found there are certain moments or lines that I’ve tried to recreate, which I know is not a good habit. After a while, I find that the process feels inorganic, and I lose interest in these moments that should be made fresh every time.
Rather than creating I just end up recycling. It cheats me of my experience, and it cheats the audience of theirs.
In Fran’s past blog post titled 80 Cents on the Dollar, he recounts one night during previews when he accidentally forgot a line and had to call for it. While he blamed this on lack of preparation, I have to disagree. I have found, in the limited experience that I’ve had, that dropping lines tends to occur when I am truly in the moment. Since previews, Fran has occasionally dropped or paraphrased a line, but I truly believe that is only because he is consumed entirely by the world on stage. He gives in to the play, and lets whatever happens happen. And in doing so, Fran’s journey each night is far more interesting than mine.
I want nothing more than to get to that point. I’m sure this is something that develops with experience, and I know it won’t suddenly happen overnight. Three weeks remain for the run of this show. I cannot promise an entirely unique performance to anyone who decides to dream with us for a second time, but I can promise that I’m going to do my best to try.