It's a bigger problem when your cast member is presenting a 35 minute monologue and a month from opening night is forced to pull out. Which is what happened to Californian Lives. Alarm bells started ringing a fortnight ago when illness repeatedly forced Barry Clarke to cancel rehearsals and we started to look for an understudy. By the middle of last week, however, it was clear that the understudy would have to perform.
My first action was to filter actors by age and accent (Californian) on Casting Call Pro. Thirty-five faces appeared. I started sending out emails, at this stage only looking for an understudy and not mentioning the play or theatre. Only one thespian was put off by the secrecy; most of the others replied within 24 hours, either expressing interest or pleading other engagements. I sent off scripts and waited. Not everyone responded to this second round and some of those who did decided the part was too much of a challenge.
By Tuesday four or five actors had declared an interest, but that did not necessarily mean a commitment to turn up to the Friday auditions. I needed to find more. So I announced the part on CCP and several others approached me, including a couple whose CVs I had already looked at but decided they would not be appropriate. By Thursday morning I had five definites and two possibles. By Friday morning there were six definites. On Friday afternoon, five people turned up.
The day started well. Our initial candidates had a good understanding of the script and the difficulties of portraying a character who in many ways is characterless. One was an American (good - no problems with accent) whose reading was acceptable and who took Emma (the director)'s direction. There was a Londoner who had spent years in Los Angeles and whose discussion of the script was impressive, but who read the role like Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti Western - hesitating - after every - word and - phrase. His gestures matched the part of a film cowboy, as did another applicant who spoke the part faster but with a Southern drawl that at times was difficult to understand. Then there was the large gentleman whose voice boomed and nearly deafened us; a pleasant personality and excellent for other roles (Emma's mind was reviewing future productions in which she could use him) but not reflective enough for our part.
Then there was John Vernon. We were not impressed when he walked into the room. Large, dishevelled. Nice smile, pleasant manner. Didn't quite answer my question about the character of the monologue in a way that suggested he understood every nook and cranny of the script. But hey, we've booked him in for the same length of time as we've booked everyone else so we want to hear him read the part. And he does. But he doesn't read it; he's memorised it and he's word perfect. And he's impressive. He has all the right intonation and breaks, everything in his voice and expression tells you that he understands the man he is portraying and the importance of the story he has to tell.I'm impressed, and I suspect and later confirm, that Emma is impressed too. But I'm curious to know why John leapt straight from the first section, early in the script, to the second, which is two-thirds of the way through. And why he sat down throughout his performance. His answers are intelligent - yes, the two sections are from very different parts of the monologue, but there's an emotional link between them. And he sat for the first part because that was appropriate for that part of the script, and having gone straight on it was better to stay seated than suddenly stand up. Of course he would expect to move around for the whole play.
Emma goes into her analysis of the script as a whole and the sections we are reviewing. Emma is the kind of director who wants you to understand the motivation underlying each sentence, each word and, dare I say it, each comma. When she directed me last year, I hated what she was doing. Now, as the writer, I love it. It tells me that her understanding of the script leads her deep into the character and the story he has to tell; she brings out into my consciousness what was only in my subconscousness when I wrote the part. In short, she tells me that I'm a better writer than I thought I was.
John listens to Emma's quite lengthy exposition, then gets his chance to reprise the sections his learnt. I don't notice much difference but perhaps I'm paying attention to him in a different way. He's nervous, or perhaps his character is nervous, and that's good. And there is a darkness to John's portrayal - a darkness that was not apparent in his personality but which brings a much greater depth to the narrator that the others we see today. No, he doesn't look quite right - what we see is a not a gay man of a certain age but a man who doesn't take care of his appearance - but when I bring up this issue it's clear that this is only a transitory appearance for a short film he is scheduled to make. A haircut, a trim of the facial hair, a nice shirt tucked into slacks and we will have our Man In A Bar.
As soon he leaves and we hear him descending the stairs, Emma and I look at each other; we almost don't need to tell each other that this is the actor we want. Some actors give excellent audition but never progress beyond that stage, but with John's experience - decades in film, television, theatre and voiceover, not to mention stand-up - I'm sure we're on much firmer ground; he wants this part, he's capable of it and together Emma and he are, I am sure, going to bring my character fully to life. By six o'clock that evening, I've called to offer the part to him and he has agreed to the contract I send over. There are still issues surrounding publicity photos and informing the press and so on, but now that he is onboard a weight has been lifted from my mind.
All of us involved in Californian Lives are sorry to lose Barry and we wish him a speedy recovery. We are also very pleased that we have found such a good actor to replace him. Fingers crossed that there will be no other last minute surprises, but as things stand we have an excellent combination of actors for what looks like being a memorable production in one of the best-known pub theatres in London. Will you be one of those who sees it?
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