Bruce Dow returns to DC to take on the role of F in David Muse’s production of Cock. Bruce is well-known to local audiences from his memorable comic roles at the Shakespeare Theatre Company (most recently, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). In this interview with Cock Assistant Director Elizabeth Dinkova, Bruce discusses the particular joys and challenges involved in working on Mike Bartlett’s play and his involvement as an actor with social media.
What is it like to work on a Mike Bartlett play?
Cock is a very well-crafted play. Although presented in one roughly 90-minute act, the play seems to follow a classic three-act structure. The situation for the play is presented, develops and self-complicates, climaxes and comes to a “sort of” resolution. For an actor, this can make things a lot clearer in the playing, and, I think, makes it infinitely satisfying for an audience to watch. Bartlett is a master at setting up threads of thought, ideas, and action, and I think the structure helps both him and his actors immensely. Being modelled on the metaphor of a cockfight, the play is a series of clean, concise, sharp “arguments”—for lack of a better term. Points are presented, followed up, or dropped and tactics changed based on their success in achieving their momentary goal.
The difficulty, for me, comes from the fact that although each character has a definite back story, to me they feel more like Shavian constructs created to present a specific point of view. The challenge for the actor, in this case, is to flesh out concept into a full person. Bartlett's language, however, could not be further from Shaw. He reads more like Pinter, Beckett, and, at times, Noel Coward. The language is terse, repetitive, caustic, and he uses blank spaces on the page as Pinter does his famous (pause) [among other things], which give his actors a strong dramaturgical command to be specific—but what that specificity is is often left to one's own devices. It makes for a very intellectually and emotionally involved rehearsal process.
Most exciting is the fact that Bartlett has stripped the stage of all its accoutrements. As with a real cockfight pit, there is no set, no lighting, no props, and very limited costumes. So, all that is on the stage is the actors and the language. Which, in a way, echoes Shakespeare.
What has been most rewarding and most challenging about this experience?
Rewarding has been the chance to work at the Studio on something so different, in front of DC audiences. My first show in DC was Ethan McSweeny's sumptuous production of A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Shakespeare Theatre Company - two season back. My latest gig in town was playing Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, again, for STC. So, folks are used to seeing me in very much “dressed up” productions, playing very over-the-top characters.
Having the chance to do something this intimate, lets me, well, just act. It is as rewarding as it is terrifying. I've done shows of all shapes and sizes in my almost-30-year career, but when you know an audience may be expecting one thing... and you know they are going to get another... it's thrilling, and a bit scary!
Who should come to see this play? What would you say is the target audience?
Anyone who likes “language theatre” should come see Cock. The title is sensational, but, once you get down to it—the play quickly moves past anything outrageous, and it all comes down to characters expressing themselves through words. Don't get me wrong—the play does live up to its sensational title—but, the excitement of the experience for the audience is all about watching combatants go at each other armed only with their words. It's thrilling.
The play deals with themes of sexual identity, but I feel that's more of a method of expressing a power struggle... Anyone who's had a date, kissed a man, or a woman, will love this play!
You are one of our most active social media presences in the cast. As an actor, what do you social media for? How can social media help promote our art?
I was a Facebook user for a long time, but I just got worn out. Now, I am an avid “Tweet-er”. A lot of actors use Twitter and other social media for self-promotion—which, of course, I do, too—but when that is all that they are promoting, it quickly becomes dull. Theatre companies use social media for self-promotion as well, and it quickly becomes clear which companies are keeping their social media audiences engaged, and which need some more imagination. Social media has proved its potency around the world in actually making things happen. I don't see myself as a major inciter of global change—that would be ridiculous—but I do see myself actively adding my voice to ideas, pushing those ideas towards some of the people who should hear them, and, I add some new ideas of my own, when I have them—which is few and far between!
I see social media more as “media”. I find a lot of my news online. Freedom of speech is one thing, but finding a truly unbiased news source in America is very difficult. Finding world news that is not directly reflective of our American experience is also very difficult. However, you can find it online and through social media. For me Twitter means that I re-Tweet much more than I actually put out on my own, sometimes with a personal comment, sometimes without. Some politics, sure, some personal thoughts, some random musings for the universe—but what excites me most is seeing what is happening in the world, and especially in American and World Theatre. Thanks to Twitter, I can tell you who's doing what theatre-wise in almost every city in North America—and a number around the world. It validates, questions, and puts our self-importance as artists into some perspective. Ha! Or, I like to think it does!