Transcription
How do I know if that's within the imaginary circumstances? Say you keep trying and trying, you're very, very frustrated as a student. How can you help yourself? What is the best thing to do when you're on stage and you're not getting what you need from your partner? You're tense, and that's getting in your way. How do you get rid of that? What happens when something happens inside and you get self-conscious? There's a tendency to attack oneself, saying, "Well, I'm not good. Why? Why isn't this happening?"
Acting is the ability to live truthfully under the given imaginary circumstances. And what that simply means is whatever we do, we really do it. We don't fake it, we don't pretend it, we don't manipulate it, we don't become somebody else to do it. We work out of who we are and what Sandy called our sense of truth.
Some of Sandy's more powerful alumni, Sydney Pollack, Mark Rydell, people like that, were concerned that their Sandy would pass away and there would be no record of his work. So they all got together and they went to Joseph Papp, and Joseph Papp gave them the Public Theater. And they decided to shoot the entire technique. I believe it was done in five or six months, and they did two sessions a day, a morning session and an afternoon session. And Sydney shot all the footage.
The technique has always been known up until today as theater's best-kept secret. You had to know who Sandy was to find him. He, he was not a self-promoter. He taught all the way up until about two weeks before he died. He was 92.
The reason that Sandy basically lost his voice was through throat cancer. They completely removed his throat the first time, and he had to learn to speak from scratch. He learned a breathing technique where he burped up the air, but he didn't quit smoking. So he had a second cancer surgery and completely lost his voice a second time and had to relearn it. And he still didn't quit smoking, and he actually had a third surgery. So he literally had to relearn how to speak three times.
Everybody comes to Hollywood or New York and wants to be an actor, thinking it's about becoming somebody else. And what they all find out when they, especially when they come to our school, is that no, it's not about becoming somebody else. It's about stepping into who you are 100% and using you, because that's the best you can be. What Sandy taught, and what we try to do keeping that alive, is to teach you to be you. And you're unique, and you're individual, and your voice has meaning. So the greatest thing it does is it teaches people to use who they are. And I don't know anything else, including things outside of acting, that does it to the degree that this does. And that's why people will tell you, the ones that stick it out, they'll say this technique is not only a technique in learning how to act, but it's a technique in learning how to live life. And it changes people's lives.
Is oh, oh, yet. [Music] I have two. You just said, "Can it?" What did I just say? [Music] Can she repeat? Can she? You're asking me.
Sandy felt that actors had two major problems: one, they were self-conscious, and two, they didn't listen. And at one point, he was bedridden in a hospital for three days, and he had absolutely nothing to do. So he just laid there and thought about acting. And he thought, "What can I do to get people to not be self-conscious and to truly learn to listen?"
And he thought, if we took a word, something that's true, as in "blue shirt." The blue shirt you're wearing. You put that blue shirt on today, so you know that it's true. And you're wearing it. I'm looking at you, I can see that it's blue. So therefore, we both know that statement is true. So when I say it to you, and you repeat it back to me, we're not questioning anymore the truth or non-truth of that statement. So we stop listening to the word, and we really, truly begin to listen to the human being and how they're saying that word, and the tone and the behavior in that word. And it is the best exercise in the world for an actor's concentration, because it truly forces them to get out of their brain. You cannot think and listen at the same time. And if I put my attention all on you, 100%, then my self-consciousness automatically goes away, because I'm no longer thinking about me. I'm thinking about you.
Um, you have sandals on. I have sandals on. You have sandals on. I have sandals on. You have sandals on. I have sandals. You have sandals on. I have sandals. You have sandals on. I have sandals. You have sandals on. I know. I have sandals. You know. You have sandals on. Yes. I know. Yes. You know. Yes. I know. Yes. You know. I know. You know. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I don't know because. [Music] Not much.
It's really about giving up control and letting you lead me wherever I go. And we build a conversation based on each other's behavior. Whatever you tell me truthfully, I will answer you truthfully. You look like you're all ready. I look like I'm all ready. Yeah. You look like you're all ready. Yeah. I look like I'm all ready. Yeah. You look like you're all ready. Yeah. What? I don't know. Thinking of what to say. He didn't look like he was raining anymore. Well, oh, you're looking at me. Yeah. I'm looking at you. Yeah. You're looking at me. I'm looking at you. You're looking at me. I'm looking at you. You're looking at me. I'm looking at you. Looking at me. I'm looking at you. You're, you're, you're looking at me. I, I'm looking at you. Yes. You're looking at it. Yes. I'm looking at you. Yes. You are. Yes. I am. Yes. You are. Yes. I am. Oh, yes. You are. Oh, yes. I am. Oh, yes. You are. Yes. I am. Yes. You are. Yes. I am. Yes. You are. Yes. You are. Oh, yes. Yes. I am. What? That was okay.
You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. Waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. I'm waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You're waiting on me. I'm waiting on you. You are waiting on. I am waiting on you. You are waiting on me. I am waiting on you. You are waiting on me. I am waiting. You are waiting on me. I am waiting on you. And you're waiting on.
Is you have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. I have a blue dress. Your shirt is tied. My shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt is tight. Your shirt.
Um, if you can't listen, you can't act. It doesn't matter how talented you are. If you're not listening, you don't know what happened. And life happens in the moment. It happens to us now. When we're involved, if I'm living in the past, I'm not really alive. I'm focusing on something that's already done. If I'm thinking about the future and I'm worried again, I'm thinking about something that's not real. It hasn't happened yet. The only thing that's real is what's going on between you and me right now, right here, in this moment. [Music] Red blouse. [Music] I'm staring at you. I'm staring at you.
Is, um, uh, the next step in that would be the point of view. Once you bring point of view into it, you really leave the simple objects and you look deeper into the person. You look tired today. Yes, I look tired today. Yes, you are. And you start to see where that person really is. You have blue eyes. I have blue eyes. You have blue eyes. You don't have blue eyes. I don't have blue eyes. No, I don't have blue eyes. They look blue to me. They don't blow to you. They look blue to me. They look blue to you. Yes. They look blue to me. They shouldn't look blue to you. They shouldn't look blue to me. No, they shouldn't look blue. They shouldn't look blue. No, they shouldn't look blue. What should they look? What should they look? What should they look? Can't you see? Yes, I can see. Yes, you can see. Yes, I can see. Yes, you can see. Yes, I can see. Oh, yes, you can see. You don't believe me. No, I don't believe you. You don't believe me. No, I don't believe you. You don't believe. Merchandise. Oh, you have big teeth. I have big teeth. You have big teeth. I have big teeth. Yes, you have big teeth. All right. Big teeth. All right. You had big teeth. All right. I have big teeth. All right. A little bothered. A little bit. Just a little bit. A little bit. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Yeah. What? You looked a little, a little, uh, embarrassed. That's right. You got a kick out of that. Yeah. I got a kick out of it. Yeah. You got a kick out of him. Yeah. I got a kick out of it. Oh, you got a kick out of here. All right. I got a kick. All right. You got a kick at it. All right. I got a kick out of him. All right. You got a kick. Well, don't get offended. I'm not getting offended. You're getting offended. I am getting offended. You are getting. Okay. Kind of shocked you, huh? Can I shock me? Not really. Not really. Not really. Not really. No. Not really. Oh, no. Not really. Oh, no. Not really. Oh, no. Not really. That's going to bug you now. Yeah. Beginning to bug me. Yeah. It's beginning to bug you. Yeah. It's beginning to bug. Yeah. I love that. Didn't know what to say, huh? No, I didn't know what to say. And you didn't know what to say. No, I didn't. Except I didn't know what to say. No, I didn't know what to say. No, you didn't know what to say. No, you know to say. You're getting a lot of enjoyment out of this. Yes. I'm getting a lot of enjoyment out of it. Yes. You like stick your tongue out of me. I stuck your tongue. I stuck your tongue out at me. I did not stick my tongue out at you. I don't know what to say. Hmm. Um, I think Carter is going to win again. Oh my god. I think Carter's going to win again. It's [Music]
An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words. And what that simply means is that behavior happens first. Whenever something happens to you, the last thing you do is utter a word. First thing is you feel, then you process it, then you speak it. It's a hot day outside. Yes, of course. Say anything. I hear you. And Lee Strasberg are like two peas in a pod. [Music] You agreeing sarcastically? Strasberg's technique, and this is very general, very general statement, basically says that I will generate what I do. That it doesn't matter so much what you do. I'm going to cry on this line. I'm going to get angry on this line. And they generate the work themselves. And it does work for some actors. Stella's version of it started with the character. She was all about the character and then working back to the sense of truth in the person. But they would start with, you know, how does a character walk? How does they talk? What time period? And they would get all of that and work their way back. Whereas Sandy felt that actors basically had two major problems: one, they were self-conscious, and two, they don't listen. So he felt that when you put your attention on the other person and you open up to them and allow them to penetrate your defenses, that you naturally come to life. You don't have to try to get emotional. You don't have to try to feel or anything. It automatically happens. You have a striped shirt off. That's obvious. So the third moment is her comment on what your behavior was. Um, you may have shocked them, you may have made them angry, or you may have made them laugh. So in your third moment, you will read the meaning of what the other person has done. So it's just a very, very simple way of funneling down and being able to focus on one moment. And if you can do it once, you can do it twice, three times, and ultimately you should be able to do it in every moment. In your repetition, shaking yourself into place. Shaking myself into place. Shaking yourself into place. Yeah. Shaking myself into place. Yeah. You were shaking yourself into place. Yeah. It was funny. Yeah. I thought it was funny. I thought that was funny. I thought it was funny. It was funny. So, okay. It was funny. It was funny. It was funny. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I got it. Okay. I understand. Oh, that's good. That's good. Um, [Music] words lie. People lie all the time. We don't work off the words. We work off the behavior or what's behind the words. So when we're working with text, we're looking for, we're working with why the person is saying what they're saying, how they feel about what they're saying. And then we allow ourselves to do that and let you come into it. And I will let the words come out of me based on what you do. That's how they come out. So they will change a little bit every time. It will never be exactly the same. And it can't be, because life isn't stagnant. So if you do exactly the same thing, er, the same way every single time, it's lifeless. Not in the words. We're interested in keeping the repetition and working off the person's behavior, enough of what they say, but what their behavior is. From my point of view, you're nervous. I am nervous. You are nervous. I am nervous. You are nervous. I'm nervous. You're nervous. I'm nervous. You're nervous. [Music] I'm dancing. You were dancing. I was dancing. You weren't dancing. I wasn't dancing. You weren't dancing. Right. I wasn't dancing. Okay. You weren't dancing. Okay. You weren't dancing. Okay. You weren't dancing. Right. I wasn't dancing. Right. You weren't dancing. So you're bored. No, I'm not bored. You're not bored. I know. I'm not poor. Impatient. Yeah. There's a fear there. Not to change the repetition. Wow. Yes. On. I have a big watch on. You have a big watch on. Right. I have a big watch on. It. So what if you have a big watch? Exactly. So what if I have a big one? Exactly. So what if you have a big watch? Don't get upset with me. I'm not upset with you. I don't believe that. You don't believe it. No, I don't believe it. No, you don't believe it. You're being stupid. I'm not being stupid. You guys are being stupid. I'm not being stupid. You just, just disagreeing. Just disagreeing. Just disagreeing. I'm just, just disagreeing. Right. You're just disagreeing. I'm not just disagreeing. You're not just disagreeing. I am not just disagreeing. Okay. You made your point. Okay. I made my point. Yeah. Okay. You made your point. I made my point. Yeah. You made your point. I made my point. Right. You made your point. I made my point. Your pants are wrinkled. My pants are wrinkled. Your pants are wrinkled. My pants wrinkled. You don't care. No, I don't care. You really don't care. No, I really don't care. No, you don't. No, I don't. No, you don't. No, I don't. Okay. You don't. Okay. Don't get tested. I'm not getting tested. You're not getting tested. No, I'm not getting tested. You're getting irritated. Yeah. Well, okay. I'm getting irritated. Okay. Well, I'm glad you admitted it. Well, I'm glad that you think so. Getting sarcastic. No, I'm not getting sarcastic. Oh, you're not getting sarcastic. Oh, I'm not getting sarcastic. Okay. You're not getting sarcastic. Okay. So forget about it. Forgotten about it. Oh, you've forgotten about it. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. What's so funny? What's so funny? Yeah. What's so funny? Well, you're kind of funny. I'm kind of funny. You're kind of funny. Yeah. How soft. That's what I know.
When we teach it, we say you're not allowed to ask questions. Now, it's Sandy's technique, so when he's teaching, he can do whatever he wants. But the reason that, uh, we make statements for the most part instead of asking questions is, the first thing when I ask you a question, that you do is think. You have to think, "What's the answer?" And the whole point of the Meisner technique is to get out of your head, stop thinking, and work from your instincts. So that's one reason that we turn things into statements. The other reason is that 90% of the questions that you ask are just social. You already know the answer to. You know, "Are you okay?" Your friend is sitting there crying, and you say, "Are you okay?" Well, obviously, you know they're not. So it's really a meaningless question. So what we do is we just cut through all that. We go right to the heart of the matter.
Being able to see what's going on in the other person in their behavior, it should be spontaneous from the other person's behavior. If you use this while you were doing a play or a scene, it would, uh, seem to me, it would tend to keep what you were doing in connection with what the other person you were playing off of was doing. I think we do this in life, and we do this all the time when we're talking about anything with someone. We work off their behavior, whether we know it or not. But this puts it so we can do it under imaginary circumstances. It makes us more sensitive. That's the living part in your definition, "to live truthfully under your imaginary." That's the life part of it. It's what happens between the two people. You can't do anything unless the other fellow makes you do it. And that's really the core of the technique is to, you know, make a statement, really send it to somebody, and then let them penetrate you back with their statement. And when you do that, life happens. You don't have to try. People automatically feel. [Music] Is no, my face isn't paralyzed. Well, obviously not. Going to express everything is because I agree with you that you can't just confuse. Oh, um, thank you. Is, um, oh, oh, thank you. Strangers. [Music] If you do something to me, how do I know if that's within the imaginary circumstances or not? My reaction. I mean, hmm. [Music] [Music] Um, for a, when you explain things, they seem very simple. There's nothing you've explained that I think that I don't understand. Then when I do it, and it doesn't work out right after it's over, very often I can see what I missed. But before that happens, I don't know what questions to ask to prevent me missing it. Um, you switch feet and then finish it. And after a few years to add it and went through your way through the other technique.
The independent activity is our version of how to create a circumstance. When you get a scene, ultimately, there's a situation, a circumstance, it's emotional, all that, and you need techniques how to do that. Our way of building that is through the independent activity, and it starts very simply with a difficult task that you really have to accomplish. And again, it's another way to take the attention off yourself, because if you pick a task that is almost impossible for you to do, you are forced to put 100% of your attention on it to accomplish it. And in that very act, you've gotten out of your head. Your instincts will take off. I have one. Just afraid to volunteer. Come on. You can. Oh, oh. Correct me. The next step in that would be we add a time limit to it. It's called a sense of urgency. Because if I, now, something's almost impossible and I don't have enough time, I have to focus on it completely. My logic, my societal brain shuts down, and my animal and my instinctual brain takes off. The next step in that would be we add an emotional reason. And that's an emotional reason that truly affects you, overcomes you. It can be happy, it can be sad, it can be angry. It's teaching your actors faith to believe the situation, because ultimately it's imaginary. But in that moment, it's incredibly real. And your subconscious doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's not. So if you have the actors' faith to believe that situation's real, your subconscious will say, "Well, if that's true, here's how we feel about it." And all of those feelings will come flooding out. Suicide. Oh, I might feel better. Get you. God, no. Jose, I don't know what to do. What is going on with you, Susan? I don't know how to deal with you. You don't have to deal with me. God, you're acting so weird. [Applause] Okay. [Music] If it'll help, I'll say, but I'd rather not say. We say in preparation, you know, don't divulge it. And it's the same thing with any of your personal work. Nobody really needs to know what you're using. But now, when you bring it in context of an acting class, if Sandy's working with a student and it's not working, and he asks them, you know, "What are you working from?" Or I do that, and the student says, "I can't say." You've just tied our hands. I can't help you at all, because I don't know what's in your mind. I don't know what's in your heart. So if I don't have that information, I can't help you. The only reason he's asking, or I'm asking, is because we see it's not working, and we want to help you find where you went off track. That little piece. So in class, yes, there are times when you will reveal things about yourself, but it's only when it's not working. If something's working, nobody needs to know.
I have a homosexual lover who is blackmailing me, who threatened to blackmail me if I, if I didn't go live with him. And he's, he's threatened to send this tape to my parents. And I came home, and this was in my room, all torn up. I have to meet my parents in an hour, and I have to find out if they know. I don't know if it's the one that they listened to. I gotta know. I gotta meet them. I can't accept it. I'm not sure if I'll make. I don't know if you understand what I'm trying to say. This is all like this. Okay. Right. I have to meet my parents in an hour. I don't know whether I should go on because I don't feel that we're communicating. I have to meet them in an hour, and I have to know if they know. If they listen to this tape. Dirty ass. Uh, things. Uh, things. Things that happened. [Music] Who is? See, I'm afraid they've listened to it already. I have to know if they listened to it already. If I put it together, I could listen to it to know if they've listened to it. Well, here's where you, here's my, I would tell because I would be able to tell if they listened to her because it's in my produce. He threatened to blackmail. He threatened to blackmail me. Okay. I said, "All right." In front of the black man, I come home, I see the tape that I've listened to before with him in my house, in my room, torn up. The only way he could have gotten there was that he mailed it to them. All right. Now I gotta, I have to be sure, because the reason I'm meeting them in an hour is that I'm being the best man of my brother's wedding. [Laughter] I left out one for last. [Music] Is this is the tape of sexual acts between myself and another family. Noise. Noise. [Music] Objectively, I'm not sure I'm communicating to you what the setup is. Maybe I am confusing. Right. It's all tangled up. So why don't you throw it away? Because that's not the setup that I set up. I mean, I have to go by my setup. I didn't explain it to you correctly. Can I explain it over again? This one more time? Okay. [Music] I'll explain it from the very beginning. Okay. I had sex relations with a man. He's blackmailing me. He has repeatedly threatened to blackmail me and showed me this tape that he had today. Put this in a place, send it, give it, hand it to my parents so they can listen to it, and it would reveal that to me. Look to them. Okay. Today is my brother's wedding. I know it's getting complicated. Uh, today, everybody's wedding. You see those were the pride. That's what today's brother's wedding. I come home. Okay. So I'm coming home to get ready to be his best man. Okay. And, um, I see this tape in my room, all torn up. I don't know if my parents listened to it or not. And if they did listen to it, I don't know what they heard. So I have to go to the whip to the church, and I have to know before I go there. Because if, if they listened to it, I'm not going to face them. That's my setup. And that's it. What am I going to do? Why? I'm going to be your brother's best man, and my parents are going to be there, and I have to face them. No. If they, if they heard this, and if they heard this, if this is what I think it is, yeah, and they heard it, yeah, I can't face them. So what will they do? They'll jump off the environment. I don't know. I mean, in real life, what will they do? Right. Is, um, that wasn't difficult. Um, [Music] Oh, [Music] Um, five. To be a student of Sandy's was life-changing, literally. He's the most authentic person I ever met in my life when it came to this. He's, his demands were huge. Um, if he thought you had talent, you couldn't get away with anything. He would ream you for 45 minutes for the, the tiniest, tiniest mistake. But what he was doing in that is he was looking way deeper into you than you could see. And he was saying, "Come on, you have more in you. Get up." Is I wanna be here? Get up. That's a serious problem. It is. You might know, you know, you don't need an atom bomb. Firecrackers move us. Little simple things in life move us every day. And for the most part, in bigger ways. So we try to get actors to be very, very simple in their work, because that's honest. You don't need to work very hard. You just need to work right. You're happy. Yeah. What? Yeah. Are you not? [Music] Um, you want to talk to me? No, I don't really, frankly. You turn to me. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. Yeah. Fine. Could you just move back, please? Move back, please. Okay. Now, there's something good about this, but it's our, um, what's missing from you is come here. Because [Music] again, the knock at the door originally is just another way to isolate a moment. People think that acting is talking, so it's only in the dialogue. But again, a knock has a meaning. If someone knocks on the door, pounding on it, chances are you're not going to walk over to that casually, because it's either a fireman telling you the building's on fire, somebody wants to beat you up. Breathing heavily. God damn it. Is you do want to talk? No, I don't. Jesus, that's stupid. That was stupid. You looked at me and then you say, "That was stupid." I could, could you explain that for me? [Music] Or because I knew that I was in an exercise instead of, you know, accepting my imaginary circumstances. What happens when you get like exercise conscious, or something happens inside and you get self-conscious? Let's say Kurt is doing his activity, and all of a sudden he gets self-conscious that he's up in front of the, you know, he's that he's working, instead of really doing what he's supposed to do, and that bubbles up inside of him, and then he becomes aware of it, that he's feeling that. What do you do as an, as an actor doing the exercise with that feeling that's very real? So how do you, that's wrong. Stop what you're doing. Okay. You don't try and put. You don't try and go home. [Music] Um, [Music] Then that stops the exercise, right? Because that's the truth for you. Then fly down. Um, I have to practice my [Music] relaxation. [Music] You're interfering. Oh, crazy. I'm not crazy. [Laughter] Yeah, that's right. You try and get rid of the thing that's interfering with your, with your task, no matter what it is, as much as you can, right? [Music] Get rid of you, right? Oh, I'm confused. Okay. All right. Can we do it again? Okay. Please don't do that, because you're interfering. No, please. I want you to leave. Yes. Even if you don't understand it, I want you to leave. All right. [Music] Don't worry what I'm gonna do. Don't worry. Great. [Music] [Music] It's also a transition into the beginning of what our real improvisation is. The person outside the door is coming from a real place. The person in the room is trying to do something. And those two emotional worlds will collide. So [Music] uh, so studying. Yes. Okay. I heard you. All right. Okay. The pinch in the ouch goes back to the repetition. It basically says, I give you a stimulus, that stimulus causes an emotional response. That's really all the pinch in the algae. [Music] Not to do anything until the other fella makes you do it. Uh oh. [Music] Um, John, how do you feel? How I feel? Come on now. Is that a stupid question? Is that a stupid question? Don't look at me like that either. I'll separate the face. We're gonna slap. You want me to slap you? What's the matter with you?
What do you do when you're on stage and you, you're in a play and you're not getting what you need from your partner? I think though the only internet moved the words in from the apartment on any assumption that don't build up when you say in isolation. Does that mean you're not in full contact with your partner? Um, I'm doing an independent activity. Or and that's very important to me. You said that would be my priority. But if, if my partner came in and what was going on with her, or what seemed to be going on with her, seemed more important, would I go with that? Then you would feel it here. Okay. So whatever you are made to do, you do. How you react off the other person from their behavior, what it makes you do. I am all right. All right. Wow. Okay. [Music] Is okay. When you work and you experience a lot of frustration because although you understand what's being taught, you find it hard to do it. And let's say you keep trying and trying, you're very, very frustrated as a student. What do you think? How can you help yourself? What is the best thing to do? Or the best thing for time sure? Yesterday when I worked, um, I went home and I realized that things were happening that made me feel that I wasn't following directions as carefully as I could have with the technique. And I realized that feeling that frustration inhibited me from being able to ask maybe a question that could have helped me. It's just, it's like discouraging. It makes you scared to get up again. It makes you, it like freezes you. And it's, um, [Music] because the experience makes you hate yourself because you feel lousy doing lousy work because you want to be good and you, you disappoint yourself. Yeah. So you have to forget about mine to be good. But what do you, I guess what you said was just do it again. Keep going again. Everybody makes me sick. Everyone. But I need that over here. Keep working it. Yeah. What else? When I came in and Kurt was intent on his activity, and I didn't adjust truthfully to that, would that be the equivalent of being on stage and fabricating more than is really going on or doing? What do you think? The cattle pet. If I reacted truthfully, I would have left because I, I saw that he was very intent. Stand up. So much of the, of the technique seems to be based on doing truthfully with imaginary circumstances. In the free improvisation, when you're coming to the door, I guess I search for a doing. But you don't have, I don't find that I have certain, that's something an object to do too, because I have to be done to by the other person. So the tendency is to feel like you're up there with nothing to do. I mean, right. I guess one, what I would say that you're doing is responding to what's going on inside the other person. You're responding to what's going inside. That's the doing. Wait a minute. Say yes. There's something wrong with commenting on you're putting ashes. If you can't help it, you come. Yes, that's true. There's no such thing as nothing. We're always doing something. Even silence has a myriad of meanings. So every moment that you're alive, you are feeling, doing, breathing. So yes, one of the things that we do do is try to get people away from trying to be something, because you don't have to try. You already are. And if you can relax into that, you can't be better than that. That's a 100%. We have something called the reality of doing, which is whatever you're asked to do, you do it 100%. So it's not, "Try to be 100%." Just be 100%. And if we ask you to count the light bulbs, really count them. Don't play at it. Don't act it. Just count them. Because now you're real. And if we capture that on film, it creates incredible moments. And that's why you will see over our 71-year list of alumni that 90% of them have moved into film and television incredibly easily, because this work is magic for the camera. Emily Glory, so looks a jerk. [Laughter] Yeah, you should feel like a jerk. What I feel like is here. Um, I know you're here. You know I'm here. I know you're here. What is it with you? What is it with me? I'm gonna cry. No, I'm not gonna cry. Yeah. Don't kill me. I don't understand. You don't understand. No. Was it funny? That's funny. Um, okay. Forget it. Okay. Forget it. You don't even know what I'm talking about. I don't know what you're talking. No, you don't know what I'm talking about. I do know what you're talking about. You can't know what I'm talking about. Stupid. It's stupid. Stupid. You don't care. I don't care. Sorry. You sorry. Um, we're brothers and sisters, and he was supposed to pick me up. [Music] What? Oh, oh, oh. I came to borrow money from her because, again, I haven't met my rent for the last, now it's the three months. Now she's, she's loaned me money before, and it was really, she's just the only person I could come to. And I didn't want to have to come and ask her, but I had no other choice. I had to. So all I mean, besides feeling guilty, and then the way she was treating me, I didn't know what to do. It made it even that much harder. So I was controlling my temper for fear that I was really going to, um, alienate her. And then there was no chance that I was going to be able to get it or whatever. Yeah. I had a chance to get an apartment. An apartment. And I'm supposed to call the man to give him the money, two months' rent. I'm supposed to call him before two o'clock, and I can't find his number. And I really need the apartment, and I really want it. You don't. I see if your choices aren't imaginatively true, your emotional problem is being solved. When you, oh, is did you understand? All right. I controlled it because of the circumstance, because of the fact. Right, right. I was around in a play. You might have to, after all, once preparation lasts only for the first moment. So if I am coming to your door, I am coming from some place. And that's some place in the training would be an emotional place. So let's say I'm coming from getting the news that my father died, and I'm very emotional about that, and I come into the room. Bad actors will play that emotion. They will try to hold on to it for the entire scene. But a great actor uses it only as the first moment. It brings them onto the stage, and then again, they put their attention on what's going on in the room. Return felt very foolish. It enhances the flavor. That's what it says. The food you put it on has a flavor. And that oop to begin with. Yes, that's what preparation does for your acting. Oh, instinctively. Talent. I can't tell you exactly what talent is. I don't know. I can tell you what I feel about talent. It's in the definition. We talk about it. And the first class that he said, "Acting is the ability to live truthfully under the given imaginary circumstances." Now, he had worked on that sentence for 71 years. Funny, he didn't use the word talent. He didn't say, "Acting is the talent to live truthfully under the given imaginary circumstance." Because had he said that, most people would be x'ed out. Raw, pure talent comes along once in a while. Marlon Brando had raw talent. I believe Marlon could have studied with a plumber, and he would have been a good actor, because he had at 23 years old, he was doing Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway, and he's completely wide open. He's holding nothing back, and he's showing people a form of acting that almost nobody had seen before. When I was 23 years old, I was still figuring out who Marty was. So I didn't have that talent that he had. But what I am is I'm Irish, and I'm tenacious. And when I want something, I will work at it until I get it. So he said it's an ability, and an ability is a skill. And the cool thing about a skill is it's learnable. You know. Oh, I think, um, makes me, it makes me wary for some reason. Yeah. I am, um, I don't know. Trust. Who did what in their ability? I think somebody gave me $50,000. What you wanted? Don't. Things that really do mean something to me. Things that I would like to do. Mean a lot to me. Things that I want to do more than life. Things that I, things that excite me. Not like I like the word. Even if you look at Stanislavski's work himself, in his later work, right before he stopped, uh, he gave up emotional recall. An emotional recall is basically saying that if I go to an event seven years ago that really happened to me, and if I sit down in a chair, close my eyes, relax, if I remember the sounds, who was there, what they were wearing, and relive that event, that I will feel the emotion from that event. It does work. It is true. But Sandy threw it away for a variety of reasons. One, he felt that actors, great actors tend to be introverted personalities anyway, and that when they were going back and they were reliving these traumatic events, say, your dad beating you with a belt when you were 10, that it tended to shut the actor down. It didn't open him up. It closed them off even more. Another reason that he changed it is he felt that meanings do change. You know, I'm six foot three. When I was six, I was three foot two. So my dad beating me with the belt was traumatic. But now I tower over my father. So that very same thing that was traumatic then may not mean that to me now. And probably the most important reason he changed it is he felt it wasn't healthy. It's not a healthy way to work. Dustin Hoffman did Death of a Salesman on Broadway. After six months of doing that eight times a week, method work, he had a nervous breakdown, and he had to take a break from the show because he's reliving all this stuff, all this real stuff that happened to him. And in our work, uh, Sandy felt that something that we all do at each one of us is we daydream, we fantasize. So what preparation really is, is a specific form of daydreaming, and it's an emotional daydream. And the beauty of that is it comes from your imagination. We start with a core truth, you know, something like, "I love my mother." And I will feel that love. And once I'm full of that love, which is real, I'll create a situation in my imagination that, um, I've seen her in a hospital, and she's about to have an operation, and I'm afraid she's not going to make it. Again, my subconscious doesn't know that that's not true. If I have very strong actors' faith, I will feel that emotion. But my mother isn't sick. So after it's over, I can let that go, and I can go home and be healthy, and I don't have to stay in this torture and this trauma. This is my independent activity. Trying to forge my father's signature on a check. What's the most? Why? Why? Um, I work at a restaurant, and I took a thousand dollars from it. And they just called me up and told me that they know I did it. And that if I'm not down there in an hour with a thousand dollars, they're going to call the police and turn me in. So like, and I don't have a thousand dollars. You know why?
When we use the term imaginary circumstances in the definition, what we are really talking about is the medium that you are working in. Whether you're working on a stage, whether you're working in film, whether you're working in television, radio, even writing, it's ultimately an imaginary situation. But the key and the art comes in is can you believe that imaginary situation to the point that it becomes real? Something that would you, if you mean otherwise. Now you go to school. You didn't have my thing to get. Who is? Oh, so, oh, uh, we're having an affair. She's next door. She lives next door to me, and we're having an affair. What happened to you when the door opened? When he just walked away from me, it, uh, it kind of hurt me that he, I don't want to do it. I want to. I would, you know, where you going? Yeah. It's making a choice between this and my husband. Going back. No, he's moving, and I have to move with him. Who? What's he gonna do? Don't need anything. How much? Don't demand me. I stay in the corniest way. Who? Who chooses not to? Acting on the part, whatever that means. Is it going? Um, yeah. So far. Um, I look like I saw the ghost. Oh, what is, um, yes, I am. Oh, all right. Let's see what happens. You, we're, ugh, be going. Um, uh, don't. I don't know. Just don't. I'm not doing anything. And no, it's not my neck. Don't shut down. [ __ ] Then just this. Never mind. Michael, what are you doing? Never mind. Just enough of mind. Oh my god. Where is the charm? I don't know. He's got it. I don't know. I guess I didn't really kind of get it, you know. If you say your wife, oh, yourself. Who is? Okay. Preparation, simply defined, is the self-stimulation of emotion. 85% of the asthma is, oh, I want to see us go with what we've given ourselves. Live it out as fully as we can. Not hold back. You shouldn't get scared. You hold back for because you think you're not doing something right. You want to do it right. And also, a lot of times because it's not what you're actually doing, it's not specific enough. It doesn't give you that pinch inside you that's really going to let you go with it. So you start going up into your head and holding back. If it's really specific, and if you're really doing it, and it brings you to a life, then it's, it's, it's right there. And it's really no more than that. Bob and open the door. Don't do that [ __ ] again. Don't do it again. And don't cook all those kids with me. Shut up. No. On. Oh. Oh. You've lost something.
Okay, you lost it. Yeah, I lost something. Okay, you lost something. All right, I just said you lost. All right, lion, you want me to leave? I would like... right. I was just looking for my key. I can't leave unless I can lock my own door. I'm supposed to be shooting a commercial this morning and doing some wishful thinking with the money I'd be getting.
There's more. That's just... that's our physical speech. Uh, yesterday my boyfriend told me that he overheard my brother tell someone that I could not act my way out of a paper bag. I know. I think it's gonna be something, you know. Hmm. You is all right. She threw me out. Okay. Right. Right. Oh. Hmm. Again.
[Music]
Oh, I'm going to untangle some gold chains. I know. I miss him. I miss him. Oh. Oh. So you, um... hmm. Can you come back? Could I come back? I don't know what you're talking about. It doesn't matter. Jose, come back. I'm here. Just leave him. Come back. Okay. Leave him. Come back. All right. No. Is he pleased? Jose, please don't come here. I'll say no. Um, I'm not supposed to have these. Untangle this. Was more important. Now, would you? Because she... I assumed she didn't like me, right? Now. Oh, well. It was... I thought it was bizarre. It was unexplainable to me. Well, the whole thing. I mean, she throws her arms around me and then she hustles me to the bed. She tells me to come in and go out. I kissed her on the floor and I didn't know what to do. I mean, why didn't you wait? Um, yes, it's true. What was it? Treating me confusingly. She was... she put her arms around me. Well, for someone who kicked me out, it is. Yes, the moment confused me. I don't know what to say. Yes. Yes. A diary. Um, is... Oh, it looks nice. And, um, he's just cast me in a, um, a dream role, which is no good because it really didn't mean anything to me. It's so general. Yeah. Yeah. Your luggage doesn't mean anything. Yeah. It's too casual. In general. You went to college. Open California. Don't prepare for anything. Go outside. Open. Not. Oh.
[Laughter]
The beginning was mirage. Then you went into dialogue. And that's really going on for 10 minutes. Hmm. Oh, town. That's what. Oh. Oh.
[Music]
You.
[Applause]
Oh, skinny. Okay. Can I ask you any questions or just make it up? For instance, I know him. I do know him. He did something to you. I better known. Oh, so get the [ __ ] away from my door. Hmm.
[Music]
Happy to see me. I need to see. Yep. I'm happy to see you. Quick draw. Happy. Of relieved that. Yeah, like you wanted to come to me.
[Music]
Act like a little kid. Thank you. No, no. You look so relieved. Are you embarrassed? Yeah, I'm embarrassed. Embarrassing. Don't hide your. Yes. Oh, what are you smiling at? Am I smiling? Yes. L. Would you shut up? Funny? Is it funny? No, it's not funny. Don't touch me. Yeah, I'm starting to laugh. Is it any of your business? Don't push me. Shut up. You talking to? I asked you a question. You talking to me now? I think she wants you to leave. Are you gonna do something about it? Huh? You can, buddy. I can't. What? Give me a little. Don't step off. Just back off. Hey, I'm helping you here. Don't you get on me. You're a sweet guy, aren't you? You know, you're funny. Yeah. Well, you're bugging me too, buddy. Don't put your hand on. You want him to leave? Yes or no? That time. I gotta settle with her and send your business. You gotta... What the hell are you waiting for? Your business, buddy. Oh, this is gonna settle a lot, right? This is... I gotta answer to you now. It's not that easy. Oh. Oh. What the hell are you doing here? Say something. Please. Don't tell me. Of course, I'm gonna yell. Jesus Christ. What the hell do you think of it? Don't tell me not to slam the door in your face. You... What the hell do you want? Will you not do that? Please, God. God. Well, if you don't have anything, I have something to say. Okay. You have something. I didn't mean. Yell it. Okay. Okay. You didn't mean to yell. Just say it then. Say it. Christ. It's very hard to ask you to ask me what to ask me what to ask me what. You know, I'm not a joke. You know what do you think I am? You're not my evil. Why do you think I have to be treated like that? Huh? Get out. Get out now. Don't go. Come on.
[Music]
You asked me to ask you. Treating me like there's a wall there. Oh, wow. Of course, there's a wall. You put it there. I never wanted it. Then you put it there. I was here. You know that. That's... this is... it's making me very crazy because you're not even responding. Get out. Get out. I mean, I know you mean that. No, no. Please go. Look, I'm sorry. I get under your skin so much. Just stay over there. I don't know what I want you to do. Yes.
[Applause]
All right. Um, I think one of the greatest things that the technique gives is we learn the lines by rote, which means mechanical, absolutely devoid of any emotional content. And the reason for that is it allows the actor to be in neutral. We don't know where the cues are coming in. When you first learn this, you've only learned your part. And then you get together and again, through the listening with your partner, that's when you actually hear when to come in. But we don't preconceive any emotion in it. And therefore, when we actually begin to work, we're free to go anywhere without interpretation. Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early life what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's masculinity? All right, that's good. Again. Can you see by the dawn's early life? We're so proud that we have twilight's last name. All right. Is, um, I have some preconceived ideas.
[Music]
I have a feeling. Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we have at the twilight's last gleaming? Another thing actors do is they learn it. Well, I'm going to be mad here. So they'll memorize it that way. And the problem with that is when they get on the Saturday director says, "I don't want you to be mad. I want you to be this." They can't let go of that because they put it into their subconscious that these words mean a certain thing. And that's going to create very stale, presentational, one-dimensional acting. But when you've learned them by rote, you don't know how they're going to come out. So basically, again, I'm free to put my attention on you, allow you to affect me, and then it's going to take off and go wherever it goes. Most people, when they come from an other acting tradition, learn their cues. That's what most actors have done. They memorize both people's lines, but they really only memorize the last line before the other person's going to talk and their line. So most of the time when they're working, they're not listening. They're just waiting to hear that cue line so that they can say their line. I'm... Oh, is that's your answer? Um, and yes, I'm Susan Vaughn. Let me try to go. I think her name is Sanford Meisner. And I, and I studied with you at one time. And, and there was a school, and it was across the street from, from this club. This club. And there were like stripes on the front, and they were blue and white stripes. There was an awning on the front, and it said Club El Morocco.
[Laughter]
Um, otherwise, doesn't have to be so big. Okay. If you look like a man by the name of Sanford Meisner, whom I once knew and studied with, and he had a school across the street from the club. Oh, is, um...
[Music]
Um, when you feel absolutely mechanically. First conversation, in my opinion, the real knowledge in Sandy's work, or in the improvisational months, the first three months is all improvisation. It's all the basics. The repetition, the independent activities, the knock at the door, and the building of how to work improvisationally. Then we give you a scene, and it's just application. So you are acting. You're doing the acting in those improvisational months. And then also, we do is we take the text and we put that on top of all this behavioral work. And that's why Sandy said the last thing that happens is the words. No, these first basic scenes, they all contain one thing in common, which is a simple human conflict. Most of the plays are out of print. You can't even find them anymore. But they're very well written for what they are, and they give the actor the possibility of exposing himself just with this one little conflict with the other person. We finished the foundations. It already started on the house. You just see it from here. So you can... Don't the stones like a nice pillow with the sun on them. Oh, yes, Ben. It's gonna be a grand house when it's done. Henry, supposing when it's done, you didn't like it. I suppose you can sell it. I suspect so. No danger of that, though. I like it. All right. Can be certain. Can you? Once I... I've seen the plan. So have you. You liked them, didn't you? Well, yes, I like the plans. Well, you like the house. I'm just saying you can never really tell. Sometimes I like the pattern of a dress very much, but when it's done, somehow it doesn't appear. Well, you'll like this. All right. I'll see that. You know, I'd rather live there than anywhere else in the world. Good house. Give it a break. You know what you... I'd rather live there than anywhere else in the world. I'd rather live there than anywhere else in the world. Give me a... I'd rather live there than anywhere else in the world. I don't think it's indicated in the script. It's not something in this scene says that. Yeah. Why is that? I'm in love with his brother. How do you feel about that? Um, scared because I don't want that to happen. Oh, yeah. Does that... The script won't give you any. Oops. I'd imagine he's... he's looking out the window. He's been looking at the house being built through the window. Anything except the dialogue doesn't tell you something that would make people want to do something. Um, have you ever asked yourself why won't you say that? Uh, yes. Well, the whole point of the scene is that I want him to agree to, um, because, because if we don't, that's the end of our... that'll be the end of our marriage. Is, um, anxiety is what is what comes to my mind. He's building his dream house. He's building a dream house. That's all I got from the script. He doesn't realize what's going on with his brother. He's just thinking of his beautiful house that he's building for his wife. What not to think. Just do what. Just do. Don't think. What are you doing? Just listen to her. The best place in the world that I want to live. The most favorite spot in the world. You want me to tell you about that? Sometimes I like the pattern of a dress very much, but when it's done, somehow it doesn't appeal. Oh, you'll like this. All right. I'll see you to that. I'd rather live there than any other place in the world. It's a good house and a perfect position and the best country in England and nice. And they have a family too. Yeah. I'll be able to come over and play with David sometimes on the farm. You don't think it's too near the family, do you? Families know. It's nearly a half a mile away. It's just the right distance. A mile isn't very far. You don't want to cross three counties every time we drop in for a cup of tea, do we? We're going to drop it for a cup of tea very often. What is it, Mario? I thought you... I thought you liked the family. You like David, don't you? Yes, I like Judy very much. Is it Hannah that's upsetting you? I don't think I like any family as a family. That's a curious thing to say. I don't think it's at all curious. They suffocate me. Well, they suffocate each other too, but I suppose that's their business. Sometimes I feel I can hardly breathe here. You know, the truth of the matter is that when you first came, you found the family novel and entertaining, and now the novelty's wearing off. And I suppose now you think I'm hankering after the gay life. Well, no, not necessarily the gay life, certainly something new. Henry, look, Mariel, you're not a little girl any longer, and you can't go skipping about all over the place. It will... you gotta learn to settle down sometime. Settle down. Settle down anywhere you'd like, but not here. We went all over this the other day, and it's too idiotic. No, it's not. You're carrying on like a temperamental child. Not a child. Yes, you are. I suppose it's one of the things I liked. In order for him to say that, there should be something in my behavior. Okay. You know, the truth of the matter is that when you first came, you found the family novel and entertaining. I suppose now you think I'm hankering after the gay life. No, not the gay life necessarily, but certainly something new. You're quite... When we're in our own house, you won't have to see much of the family. You won't see him at all if you rather not. And in the meantime, we stay here. Well, naturally, Henry. You know, we went over this the other day, and it's too idiotic. No, it's not. Are you carrying on like a temperamental child? I'm not a child. Yes, you're carrying on like a temperamental child. I'm not a child. Oh, yes, you are. Well, I suppose it's one of the reasons. Henry, how long have you known me? Nearly ten years. We've been married one. Yes. Well, during that time, have you often known me to go on about anything? No, not often. And if I have, it hasn't been without reason, has it? I suppose not. Well, I have a reason now. Well, then, what is it? I've told you. Don't be ridiculous. That's no reason at all. Oh, and you couldn't take it on trust, you know. I'm not gonna encourage hysterical behavior. Hit me, please. Let's leave this place. No. Yeah, I know. And preparation. It would be an invention on your part. Who are... where... who you just... who came from content? Oh. Oh. Okay. Takes place. Oh, um, situation. That's why I do later about that. He loves looking at it.
[Music]
Oh, carriage. That's ridiculous. If you're in an earth whose age? Oh, okay. About like that. Oh, is... is convention. Sam Sharon, what are you doing here? I just got in. Hello. Oh, how? Yeah. How do you overcome that tendency to anticipate? I could be expecting someone else. I could be really involved in what I'm doing. I would think at the beginning, I'm getting suntan your own life unless something would happen who could change it. Sam Sharon, what are you doing here? I just got in. Hello. Well, how are you? Fine. How was Hollywood? Okay. Did you get a suntan? Sort of. I'll try and catch up. They have a studio audience for the radio show. I may have to go over to the guild to see about a play, and I'm looking sort of pasty. So I'll be with you in a moment. You look fine. I mean, one minute, Sam. I have something I want to tell you. I didn't want to write. I wanted to tell you in person. Well, what is it? I want a divorce. Didn't you hear me? I said I want a divorce. I heard you. He said you want a divorce. Can't understand why. Come on. Are you sober? Yes. Sam, I'm in love. Being married never seemed to have interfered with that before. Why the sudden decision? I'm pregnant. Maury. Of course, it's Maury. My God. What a lousy. Oh, come on. Let's not have any high moral tone about the paternity of the child. Sam, you're mad because your ego. My ego. Don't give me that crap. You're marrying. Won't keep him out of the army. Now, even if you are pregnant. Don't be a bastard. Don't talk that way. What's the matter? Don't you like the word bastard anymore? Sam, I'm in love for the first time in my life, and maybe the only time. Maybe it's the baby. Maybe I finally got proof I'm a woman. Being in love is something I don't deserve. Straight from the psychiatrist's mouth. Damn it, it's true. It's always been Maury, hasn't it? Yes. Yes, it's always been Maury. And now he wants me. I'll wake up, Sharon. You know, Maury, you know what moves him around. It's not you he wants. It's his child. The most important, number one piece of pottery in his life. He wants it. He wants it so bad he's willing to buy the oven. My God, you're crazy. It's the truth. I don't care why he wants me. He wants me, and that's all that counts. Well, this time it's different. Yes. Yes, it is different. There's a whole new ingredient, and it isn't sex, and it isn't convenience, and it doesn't compromise. Love. I used to think there wasn't such a thing. Now I know. I just forgot it. Like I hope you've given up until you feel it again. You can understand what I mean by hope, can't you? Yes, I can understand hope. Thank you, Sam. I knew divorce. No divorce. Sam, look, I want to work this out. I want to make you understand. I know what you must feel. No divorce. Anything, Sam. Anything. I've got to give this name, and it's yours. There's no secret. No divorce. This is my last chance. Please, I beg you. Let me out. What is it? Money? Hollywood? You want me to open doors? That is the price, isn't it? Whether you believe it or not. Best wishes. Well, you needed to be emotionally much fuller. Needed to be higher stakes. I would have to figure out what was so horrible about this life and what was so horrible about this life that I could not stand it anymore. Relaxation.
[Music]
Then who can provide you are you saying that I was indicating essentially you weren't indicated. I think I understand you're saying with all that tension, there's no way that truth is. Oh, how do you end that's getting in your way? How do you get rid of that? I'm just curious in case it happens. It's happened before. Coming at you. And sometimes.
[Music]
Your attention. Okay. I just do this. Okay. Treated as if I'm not dealing with the seriousness of the situation. I see him a little confused. You know.
[Music]
Who are you now? Really get down. Sam Sharon, what are you doing here? I just got in.
[Music]
Hello. Well, how are you? Fine. How was Hollywood? Okay. Did you get a suntan? Sort of. I'll try and catch up. They have a studio audience for the radio show. I have to go to the guild to see about a play. I'm looking sort of pasty. So I'll be with you in a moment. You look fine. I mean, the back of you. One minute, Sam. I, I have something I want to ask you. I didn't want to write. I wanted to tell you in person. Well, what is it? I want a divorce. Didn't you hear me? I said I want a divorce. Yeah, I heard you. You said you want a divorce. I can't understand why. I'm in love. Are you sober? Yes.
[Music]
Being married never seemed to interfere with that before. Why the sudden decision? I'm pregnant. Oh, of Maury. It's Maury. Oh God, what a lousy influence. Oh, come on. Let's not have any high moral tone about the paternity of the child. Oh, Sam, you're mad because your ego's been hurt. My ego. Don't give me that crap. You're marrying him now. I'll keep him out of the army. Even if you are pregnant. Don't be asked. Don't talk that way. Oh, what's in that? Don't you like the word bastard anymore? Sam, I'm in love for the first time in my life, and maybe the only time. Maybe it's the baby. Maybe I finally got proof on the woman. And being in love isn't something I don't deserve. Straight from the psychiatrist's mouth. Damn it, it's true. It's always been more passionate. Yes. Yes, it's always been Maury. And now he wants me. Oh, come on, wake up, Sharon. You know, Maury, you know what moves him around. It's not you he wants. It's his child. The most important, day number one piece of pottery in his life. He wants it. And he wants it so bad he's willing to buy the oven. Oh, my God, you're cruel. It's the truth, and you know it. I don't care why he wants me. He wants me, and that's all that counts. Oh, this time it's different. Yes, it is different. There's a whole new ingredient, and it isn't sex, and it isn't convenience, and it is a compromise. It's love. I used to think there wasn't such a thing. But now I know. I just forgot it. Like a hope. You've given up on until you can feel it again. You can understand hope, can't you? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I can understand hope. Thank you, Sam. I knew divorce. No divorce. Sam, look, I want to work this out. I want to make you understand. I know what you must feel. But no divorce. Sam, this is my last chance. Please, I beg you. Let me out. What is it? Money? Hollywood? You want me to open doors? Well, that is the price, isn't it? You learned, didn't you? I had a good teacher. Oh, let me. Whether you believe it or not, that's the wishes because. Oh, is, um, great. Wonderful button. Yeah. Terrible. Your emotional. And instead of feeling that I have to make that clear, the feeling should just be there. And years ago, age on stage. Um, I.