I firmly believe that every story is a love story. Students don’t buy this one. They pull out examples of every mean-spirited, vendetta-led, and revenge-filled play as an example. I, of course, follow this up with the question, “What is the opposite of love?” Most respond with the obvious, “Hate!” but a few anticipate where the question is going and answer correctly, “Apathy”. Still some students do not get the connection. I share with them that when I was their age, I, too, saw the opposite of “love” as “hate” but as I get older I see that “love” and “hate” are mighty close bed-fellows.
Love is energy. Hate is energy – – two different masks but the very same underneath. When a character is filled with hate at another character, it is easy to say that there is not one touch of love present. I feel this is wrong, and I feel this is a weak, flat acting choice. If one were to hate someone and want nothing to do with them, wouldn’t one just dismiss them? Why hang on?
We only hate, because somewhere there is an unresolved love story. Perhaps the unresolved story is not one with the person in front of them but the person in front of them seems to be the only way to finish the chapter begun by someone else.
Note: Lots of “metaphoricallness” I know. But what is a director if not a pusher of metaphors? P.S. I heard a great joke yesterday. “What is the perfect metaphor?” Wait for it. The word, “metaphor” is the perfect metaphor. Okay . . . let’s not call it a joke, and let’s not call it funny.
Plays get very interesting and life gets very dangerious when love is mistaken for hate; hate mistaken for love; and pain for pleasure. In reading 27 Wagons Full of Cotton by Tennessee Williams, the class was faced with a women who tolerates mental and physical abuse every single day. I ask the students, “Why does she stay – especially when she has the means to go?” – -“Why?” – – because pain has been redefined as love for her. She wants to be present. She will take hate if that is all that is being served. The greatest despair would come from her husband’s apathy. Pain at least gives her presence.
Beware the love stories that you begin to write with someone – – if the story is not finished correctly, you may begin using hate as a way to force the story to its conclusion.