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 Topic: what is a lead?( Topic Closed) |
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falstaff29
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Joined: 9/17/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 155 |
 Topic: what is a lead?Posted: 9/07/05 at 11:56pm |
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Got into an interesting discussion with some fellow actors about the definition of a lead.
It can't be simply the person with the most lines (Theseus has the most lines in Midsummer Night's Dream, but can hardly be considered a lead. Tranio has more lines than Kate in Taming of the Shrew but she's considered a lead while he isn't.)
Note: by lines I mean how much they speak, not how many times. But maybe that's a factor- is the lead the one who speaks the most TIMES?
It isn't simply the person on stage the longest, although I think that's getting closer. (I'd argue that Hal is more of a lead in Henry IV, I, than either Falstaff or Hotspur, because, while both of them say more than Hal, Hal is in more scenes of the play than either. On the other hand, though, in The Third Man (sorry, can't think of a play!), I'd argue that Harry Lime and Holly are both leads, while Anna is not, even though Lime is only onscreen very briefly compared to her).
The best definition I could come up with is that a lead is anyone that you have to mention individually in the most basic (1-2 sentence) plot synopsis possible, although even this rule has exceptions (eg, Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar), and is rather subjective.
What do you guys think? Also, how many leads do you think a show can have? I think anywhere from 0 to 4.
Examples: zero leads: something like Wallace Shawn's Our Late Night (7 people gather at a party and try to one-up each other with tales of sexual deviancy. No real plot, and what plot there is isn't affected by any particular person.) Also, the aforementioned Midsummer- I don't think any character is important enough to be singled out as a lead.
One lead: something like Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Oedipus Rex, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, etc.
Two leads: (most plays, esp. romantic comedies and musicals)
Three leads: Sophocles' Philoctetes, No Exit, etc.
Four leads: Long Day's Journey into Night, Closer, etc.
I realize some of these examples are debatable. I found that once there are five equally important characters, they all sink to a common denominator of "not-really-important-enough-to-be-a-lead" (eg, That Championship Season), or certain characters become "more" important and more of leads than others, even in a supposed "ensemble" show (eg, Glengarry Glen Ross). Can't think of a single show with at least 5 leads.
Thoughts? Other definitions and/ or criteria?
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POB14
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Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349 |
Posted: 9/08/05 at 10:09am |
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That's easy; a lead is any role I play. Did you ever see "Shakespeare in Love"? At a party, somebody asks the guy playing the nurse what this new play called Romeo and Juliet is about. He says, "It's about this nurse . . . " Seriously, it really depends on who is asking the question and why. To a dramaturg, "lead" could be synonymous with "protaganist" or "antagonist." To an actor, it's any role that will make his buddies say, "You were the only thing worth watching in that piece of junk." To a director, it's the roles she needs to cast with actors who can actually learn lines and have some clue of how to act. Personally, I've never found the term useful. Of course, I don't get cast as leads. P.S. (just to contradict myself for a bit) You don't think McMurphy and Nurse Ratched are both leads in Cuckoo's Nest? When I did the play about 12 years ago, we had every actor in the city out for one of those two roles. Now THERE's a working definition of a lead! |
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POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
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Topper
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Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543 |
Posted: 9/08/05 at 11:26am |
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I define "lead" as the character(s) around whom the
story revolves most. Their decisions, reactions, and choices are responsible for driving the story forward. In obvious circumstances the lead is the characters' name who is mentioned in the title such as "Hamlet" or "Annie". (Holy crap! I just mentioned Annie and Hamlet in the same sentence! I defy any credible theater blog to match that!) I know! There are exceptions to this rule such as "Waiting for Godot" and "Harvey" where the lead characters never show up. But isn't that the point? However, I disagree there can be up to four leads in one play. Even in a piece where all four characters need to be universally strong such as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?" the LEAD characters would be George & Martha while the other two fall into SUPPORTING roles. The play is ABOUT George & Martha's dysfunctional relationship and therefore they are driving the story. I think the magical number is -- and always will be -- three. Anything above that becomes an "ensemble" where ALL the characters have their individual moments to move the story forward. I'm sure there will be many who disagree with me, but hey! That's what this forum is for! If you're not forum, you're against-um. |
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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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falstaff29
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Joined: 9/17/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 155 |
Posted: 9/08/05 at 3:53pm |
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Regarding Cuckoo's Nest, I don't think of Ratched as quite a "lead." This doesn't mean that I think she's unimportant or anything, and, certainly, it's a role that I'd give my left arm for (if I were female). But, to use my test, I think you can write a single-sentence summary of the plot without using her; McMurphy's action is more about trying to get his fellow inmates to stand up for themselves than in fighting her (although fighting her is HOW he gets them to stand up for themselves). I see her more as "villain" than "lead." Admittedly, a bit weaker case than saying Anarchist or Oedipus has a single lead. I agree that Nick & Honey are supporting characters, but I don't know that there can't be shows with 4 leads AT ALL. 5 I can't seem to make work, though. Title character as lead works sometimes, and, yes, Godot and Harvey could be considered leads (although I'd argue that since neither is real, they're more of concepts than characters- I mean, would you call the tape the lead in Krapp's Last Tape?). But, to make an obvious exception to title-character-as-lead: The Rocky Horror Show. |
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POB14
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Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349 |
Posted: 9/09/05 at 10:28am |
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To be or not to be, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to wait until the morrow comes, For shalt not the sun come up upon the morrow? Verily, 'tis a hard-knock life for us, 'Stead 'a kisses, we get kicks anon. To sleep, perchance to dream, aye, there's the rub, But Easy Street is where one sleeps till noon. Soft you now, the fair Sandy, nymph? In thy horizons be all my sins remembered. I hope that was funny, because I feel so . . . dirty. |
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POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
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tristanrobin
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Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704 |
Posted: 9/09/05 at 10:36am |
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I think your posts are my favorites
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Shatcher
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Joined: 2/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 251 |
Posted: 9/09/05 at 11:28am |
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POB114 you are so funny!! maybe you should write that musical The tragedy of having to do Annie again. I would love to see a big sword fight! Maybe she could die a wonderful dramitic death before the 28th reprise of that darn song (note: i would use stronger language here but I try to keep it clean!)
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Topper
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Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543 |
Posted: 9/09/05 at 5:55pm |
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That was great!
Unfortunately, the best musical version of "Hamlet" was already performed by the castaways of "Gilligan's Island." Talk about a hard-knock life! |
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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181 |
Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:35am |
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Your all;-
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Joe
Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
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Dustmac
Lead 
Joined: 5/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 42 |
Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:07pm |
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The character that the story most revolves around.
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