Advice with Qui-Gon Jinn

My first real post about acting!

Recently, I was cast into a role that I did not want. The play was Wind in the Willows and I had to play Mrs. Badger. (Originally Mr.Badger, but changed to Mrs on my behalf.)

Here is the description of the character: A wise but stern authoritarian. Old fashioned, stalwart, and kind.

Yea, not the most “fun” character to play. And I honestly do not think I played her very well. I think back, or I read a little of the script again, and I think, “Oh,  If I only I’d have done this, the character could have been awesome without breaking character!”

So today, my word of advice is: If you get a character you don’t like, make it your own! Of course, you can’t change the character completely, but you can still add little tidbits on to it. Exaggerate the personality maybe.

Here is a couple of examples.

Badger: Off to be human. Well let him them, if he can’t behave like an animal.

When this line came, I just said it and added a little humph in there. Now that I think, Badger is elderly, I could have made her sound more like the type of old lady that sits on her front porch muttering about those darned kids. That would have made the character more inresting.

Badger: Yes, and I’ve found you both eh? Safe and that is all that matters. Come, it is time we started for home.

Here, again, I just said this line with a strong voice. I sounded like a politician giving an unconvincing speech. In the description of the character, it notes that she has a kind side. Maybe I could have made her sound like a grumpy old lady trying to be kind and comforting, leading her young friends Rat and Mole away by the arm so that they’d stop dwelling on their fear.

Badger: Now, Toady, I don't want to give you pain, after all you've been through already, but seriously, don't you see what an awful fool you've been making of yourself? When are you going to be sensible and think of your friends, and try to be a credit to them?

This line, I didn’t do much with, But I think it was the only one it was ok to not do anything with. I was supposed to be lecturing Toad, who pretty much did his part in making that little line more inresting by his facial expressions. (Thank you Toad, by the way.)

So, that is the end of my advice, hope you enjoyed it. Ask me a question I just might answer it.

May the Force be with you.