ABSTRACT
The second step of Given Circumstances is searching out the ‘Action-facts’ for the characters of the play. An actor will of course want to focus on their individual character, whereas a director researches each character. It is best to begin the search with the character’s Line of the Role, a process which identifies all the hard facts that can be gleaned from the text of the play, in order. This involves laying out a chronological lifeline for the character from prior to the play, called the Pre-life, to everything done in the play during the character’s sequential onstage appearances, and offstage Events. With the Line of the Role completed, one begins harvesting a catalogue of Given Circumstances, the facts detected about the character as the play progresses, both offstage and on. As has been the case in all Text Actions so far, this is an objective exercise – just the facts – setting the many unanswered questions and fantasies aside for later speculation and Études. Questions of veracity will come up: is such-and-such really true? Be sure you feel the fact is reliable; if not, lay it aside for later, or at least note it with a question mark.
