Directing: Blocking a two person scene

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Blocking a two person scene

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3799
Printed Date: 5/17/24 at 1:31am
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Topic: Blocking a two person scene

Posted By: SweeneyBob
Subject: Blocking a two person scene
Date Posted: 2/04/09 at 5:22pm

Hey all,
I'll be directing the play Dog Sees God in the fall. I'm trying to come up with the ground plans for each scene (It's a unit set with each scene at a different setting). The problem is that most of the scenes have just two characters, written so that the two kind of just sit side-by-side and talk. So basically, I'm trying to come up with a way to create more interesting images. Do you think it would be okay to have the two actors sit face to face but have it at about a 45-degree angle?

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I tried to illustrate it with the two circles and line above. The circles represent the actors (the one on top facing DS and the one below facing US) with the line showing the angle. Would it be bad if the audience can only see 1/4 of the other actor's face?

Replies:

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 2/05/09 at 9:42am

Yes.

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KEB

Posted By: belle
Date Posted: 2/05/09 at 10:58am

I agree with KEB. The back 3/4s of an actor's head is not very expressive, so I would avoid having it towards the audience for long periods.

I'm sure you can find places in the script to have them stand and cross each other. Have them stand side-by-side arm-in-arm facing out sometimes. Avoid having them sit for long periods. I don't know the play, but movement is almost always better than sitting. Can you have them start at different places on set and come together for the scene?

Sitting facing each other for a little while would be better than the 3/4s back you have illustrated.

Best wishes.