By: James Riley

James Riley — Mon, 16 May 2011 05:43:26 +0000

Ah, thanks, Basil. I guess I meant to say that the best characters have real life roots. Sometimes the greatest part of writing is being willing to strip it all back to the realities you see around you. Prosecutors, in particular, can become bull dogs in the pursuit of their victory, truth be damned if necessary. When Thomas Hutchinson wrote his famous letters to (Lord Dartmouth?) advocating that English liberties be curtailed in the colonies, so as to preserve the rights of the crown, I thought of Simeon’s character. Even though I’m not old enough to have shared a drink with Governor Hutchinson, I’ve seen this institutional arrogance so much, I thought it deserved a place in Courage. Looking forward to giving Simeon more trials. You did a great job. I simply can’t believe how beautiful the rough cut is.

By: basil.hoffman

basil.hoffman — Sun, 15 May 2011 04:37:04 +0000

I appreciate your kind words, Jim, but I disagree with your modest refusal to take credit for the creation of the characters you have written. As an actor, I am merely a servant of the writer’s creation. The four characters you have given to me (excluding, of course, Ebenezer Scrooge of Charles Dickens’ creation) were all vividly written, and my task was to allow those characters (insofar as I am able to do that) to live through me. Whatever success I have achieved in playing those roles must be credited in large part to the writing, without which there would have been nothing to play. Of all the characters you have given to me (including Ebenezer Scrooge), Simeon Trapp was the most interesting for me because the script revealed so many facets of this man’s humanity (mostly displayed in inhumanity) and challenged me to find out how that wonderful stuff might come out of me. Your writing has been a gift to me, Jim. The honor has been mine.

Comments on: Who Invents Character(s)?

By: James Riley

By: basil.hoffman