This scene is certainly not for the feint hearted. Some stage combat can be used to great effect when Patrick is grabbing Carol and they are struggling. The violence is mostly suggested but there is some physical contact which adds to the gravity of the drama. This scene of domestic struggle is topical and relevant to an actor's investigations of the human condition. This scene examines domestic violence in such a way that highlights the devastation of these events but also allows us to empathise and examine the reasons behind such tragedy. Carol's needs are probably fairly simple. She married a man for love and while she might have had some intuition about his potential for anger and violence she had not experienced it in any real sense before they were married. Even after Patrick has destroyed furniture and kitchenware and caused her physical harm she is still prepared to work to make things better. For the actor playing Carol this is a strong character note. She might appear on the surface to be a victim to Patrick's aggression but she possesses deep resolve and determination. For the actor playing Patrick, discovering the deep internal reasons for Patrick's behaviour presents a challenge that will be hard to achieve if there is any judgement on the actor's part. It is often a challenge to play an unattractive character, especially one who is violent and abusive to a figure of beauty and grace. It feels too easy to judge Patrick and condemn him to be simply - a violent man - the challenge for the actor is too find empathy. What is Patrick's deep seated fear and what are his habituations? Why is he tormented so? The actor playing Patrick needs to find the emotional tension between the strong heart-felt desire for self improvement and the primal surges of anger that occur when his way of doing things is challenged. Why is he such a control freak? The fact that Carol's father is waiting downstairs for her should anything go awry presents us with at first a logical footnote to Carol's way of thinking and preparation. Her parents are supportive and apparently protective. Carol's mother bought new crockery and other gifts for the household. The father waits downstairs to take his daughter in care if needs be. This all seems reasonable and innocuous until we consider that Carol's family have probably been here before. Is this a pattern that Carol is also familiar with? We may never know. |