Expert: John T. Aney - 9/21/2006

Question
I'm playing Wong, the water seller in my high school's production in "The good woman of Setzuan".  I was wondering in how i can position/create a persona (physical aspect) of this character.  He's 36, poor, victimized by those around him.  any suggestions in any way I could convey any of these descriptions (like for example slouching to make me seem old) ?

Answer
First of all, find out what is said about him by the other characters in the play, how they react toward him, what Brecht has written about him, etc.  That's always a good place to start.

Second, remember that our perceptions of a character are usually different from how a character perceives himself.  You say that he is victimized by those around him, but most people don't say "I'm victimized by people around me" in real life.  They may have other ways of describing their situation - "I'm poor, I can never improve my lot, it's important that I take care of myself or my family, not anyone else," etc.  When people think about themselves, they usually use words that imply action - I work hard, I don't have enough to eat, I have to haul this water around.   So, think about the character in terms of physical action.  If he's poor, and he's a water seller, what does that mean that he does.  If he's a victim of other people, how is that reflected in what he does, rather than what he is.  Think about him, his life, his occupation, what happens to him in the play, how people treat him.

Any specific suggestions I give you as to physically embody the character will not work for you, as they will be too generalized - that means they will come from what I say to you, and not from your understanding of the character.  There are a lot of ways to "convey" what you are looking for, but you need to find them on your own, based on your reading, thinking, and understanding the character.

It's hard work, to be sure, but no one said acting was easy.

Good luck!

jta