My idea is that I’m turning the thin gruel of the emotional, but ungelled play into 3 screenplays centering around each of Barre, Lynn and Chikembe. I’ve had a minor breakthrough with the Barre script – no big surprise – but I’m eager to see how it opens onto the other two characters’ stories. Chikembe and Barre don’t have much of anything to do with each other. In fact, I only see a couple of tangential characters who happen to intersect with both of them. I’ve also decided to commit to making Barre male and Lynn female – oh well. I did have this idea that was easily dispensed with of keeping them androgynous. But I began to understand that the conflict is not theatrical so much as cinematic. Epic, if it would become theater, and I’m not sure I could do a Brecht take on it. It’s possible, but I’d have to be REALLY into that style of story telling. Beyond Lehrstuecke, I’m kinda underwhelmed.
Anyway, I’m stoked. I almost have a first draft of a First Act for the Barre script. Woo hoo! Full steam ahead.
