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This is the third bulletin from Jaques (Tim McMullan), in which he shares how is character is developing through discoveries made in the language.

Developing character

I had the strong feeling before that Jaques was a very enigmatic character, in the sense that he was difficult to pin down – he wasn’t quite what I was expecting him to be. He’s quite a slippery character and seems to change. As we have been doing rehearsal though, I’ve learnt more about him. I think I have been drawn gradually to a more melancholic and slightly more caustic character than I was exploring at the beginning of rehearsals. At the beginning of the play, he is full of energy and verbal inventiveness, ideas and quick ways. Hopefully all of that is still there, but as I’ve been playing the part, he has deepened a little bit; there is a more withdrawn side to him, a melancholy way.

Discovering language

I think discoveries come from the language: the more you start to inhabit the language, the more the language starts to inhabit you, as you get used to it. The rhythms really start to have an effect on you. But I also think it’s important to consider what is behind Shakespeare’s thoughts. So for example the “His acts being seven ages” speech (2.7.144) was probably written as a way to cover the time that it takes for Orlando to go and bring back Adam! It’s a bit of a stand-alone speech in that respect, but it’s an amazing piece of writing. It could just be a pretty piece of speech, but I think there is also a real desolation about it.

Jaques as a Fool

Jaques says at one point “Oh that I were a fool!” (2.7.42). There are two meanings in that – firstly, “Oh if only I were a fool” then he’d have licence to say whatever he liked. Then another side to it – “Oh that I were a fool” then everything would be a lot easier philosophically. There is a sense that if you’re a fool then life is much easier because you don’t take anything too seriously or too deeply, which is a kind of paradox. I think Jaques goes a step beyond just seeing the folly, and as a result, I think his view of folly becomes a kind of desolation.

These comments are the actor's thoughts and ideas about the part as s / he goes through the rehearsal process – they are simply his / her own interpretations and frequently change as the rehearsals progresses.

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