I actually like the majority of the dialog in these. I appreciated especially, from our class conversations, the subtleties of dropping information naturally. That’s probably especially important in this form as you don’t have time to change scenes lots of times (or at all) or introduce lots of characters. I noticed, in terms of structure, some of them slowly lay details, allowing the reader to piece things together, closing with a more overt explanation but no resolution (Rodeo, Soup), remain less mysterious and then end with a bang (Roads) or have a shift in a the middle that mostly resolves (Dance). I liked Dance in the beginning, when they were fighting, but I thought it got really annoying when he was talking about not being able to dance. That’s probably an important lesson: sometimes shifting into “the point,” the profundity can feel forced and therefore annoying. Same with a huge dramatic finish like in Roads--I was completely with that play until the dad blew up their cars. Lame.
I think writing a 10-min play would be really good for me. I think it forces a small focus and an attention to purpose. Every line has to be setting up the play from the beginning if you only have a few pages. I’m attracted to the simple plays, that are simple in plot and action, but I think I fall into the trap of trying to make it so heavy (like in Dance) that it stops being simple and is just annoying. I would love to write just a short little play that did what it was trying to do. I think I’ll need to change my thinking, deliberately conceive of an idea that fits within a 10-min play. I don’t think any of the ideas/projects I’ve submitted thus far could be made into 10-min plays without serious revision, esp. not my latest one (which maybe shouldn’t be forced into play format anyway).
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I think you're right -- the approach here is to think of a 10 minute play and then write it rather than coming up with an idea and making it ten minutes worth of play. Only a certain kind of story works when told this way. It will be interesting to see whether the confines of this form make the conception and writing and revision processes harder or easier. Indeed, I think the confines might prove not just fun but useful and helpful.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, needs a point but less heavy handed, less obvious, less cheesy is certainly the goal here. Often in plays I think the during is better than the denouement. In the same way that you're striving for subtlety of details and exposition and plot, you should be striving for subtlety of moral and point as well. A worthy goal for sure. I hate cheesy theater.