Online chat

It was a good online chat with the students at the University of Mary Washington, in Virginia.

CharlesD contributed 111 messages during 59 minutes.

2007.04.05 09:44:27 Login

Room: CharlesD_Ofc

CharlesD joined the room.

KellieGst8 joined the room.

MalloryGst9 joined the room.

JonathaGst7 joined the room.

CharlesD: hello

CharlesD: Welcome to my virtual office.

MalloryGst9: Hi Mr. Deemer

HelenHGst10 joined the room.

CharlesD: Hi

TinaGst11 joined the room.

CharlesD: My office hasn't been this crowded in a long time!

HelenHGst10: Hello, Mr. Deemer, we are logging in right now and as soon as the
first person's ready we'll start asking questions. Thanks so much for doing
this!

CharlesD: I will enjoy this, I'm sure.

MalloryGst9: Thank you so much for taking your time to answer our questions.

LauraGst12 joined the room.

MalloryGst9: I was wondering if you had any information on Armande's birth
certificate.

HelenHGst10: OK, folks, ask away.

CharlesD: You know, it was 20+ years ago when I did this research! I don't
recall about the birth certificate.

CharlesD: Let me add something+

CharlesD: When I did the research originally, NO ONE that I read took the
accusation M married his daughter seriously.+

CharlesD: They dismissed it as jealousy by the rival company.+

HelenHGst10: So what changed? I find credible sources now at least mentioning
the possibility.

CharlesD: Only later, with a bio by M Bulgakov, the Russian playwright, did
people begin to argue that he had married his daughter.

CharlesD: I think there is evidence that A is M's daughter ... I'm not sure we
can say more than that, historically.

LauraGst12: So around what time was it that people took it more serious?

CharlesD: I think in the late 80s

MalloryGst9: You stated that there were three possible candidates to be
Armande's father. I'm assuming that Moiere was one, but what were the other two?

CharlesD: What interests me, of course, is not whether it's fact but the way
such an accusation in that time could mess with your mind.

CharlesD: I just used that as a dramatic device ... obviously M had other
lovers.

MalloryGst9: That's what we were thinking.

CharlesD: You know, this play was commissioned 20+ yrs ago+

JonathaGst7: So, besides the psychological affect on people, why did you chose
the Moliere mystery?

CharlesD: and the artistic dir who commissioned it did NOT want me to get into
this.

CharlesD: I would never have written this on my own

HelenHGst10: Was the subject of incest such a taboo in the 80s?

CharlesD: HOWEVER, once I learned about the accusation, why all my dramatist's
lights went on.

CharlesD: I don't think so, HH

CharlesD: Anyway, the original play is 3 acts and the controversy is barely
mentioned

CharlesD: But it haunted me

DevinGst13 joined the room.

HelenHGst10: Why?

CharlesD: So I picked up the material again in the 90s and rewrote it as two
acts, focusing more on the mystery

CharlesD: Because it those relig times, to be accused of such a sin would have
to be a major trip on yuor head ... so I thought, maybe this is partly why
Moliere lashed out at relig

KellieGst8: What facts made you come up with the theory that you used in your
play?

TinaGst11: why is it called Sad Laughter?

LauraGst12: And how much research did you put into the second production of the
play?

CharlesD: The accusation is factual. The religious climate is factural. And
Moliere's sudden obsession with false religion is factual. And I know a good story
when I see one. I'm not a historian. I'm a playwright.

HelenHGst10: The religions angle is interesting--especially in terms of
TARTUFFE. Wasn't the original accusation leveled by Montfleury?

CharlesD: When I rewrote the play, I was inspired by the new Russian bio of
Moliere, which argues he DID IN FACT marry his daughter. I wasn't prepared to that
far ... it was, in fact, irrelevant to the psychological issue that itnerested
me.

CharlesD: That Montfl marrie dhis daughter? I hadn't heard that.

CharlesD: Or I forgot if I did.

HelenHGst10: I'm sorry--no Montfluery leveled the charge at Moliere--I think
that's in your play as well.

CharlesD: right

CharlesD: that is fact

HelenHGst10: in the play, A never finds out the truth. why did you keep her in
the dark?

CharlesD: Good question ... I didn't want the focus to change, for the play to
be about her and take thunder away from the ghost ending, which I love.

MalloryGst9: I really enjoyed the ending.

CharlesD: By the way, I rewrote again more recently as a screenplay.

HelenHGst10: do you know if the real A every found out?

CharlesD: thanks, it's a fun speech

KellieGst8: I really enjoyed the ending as well!

CharlesD: I don't

HelenHGst10: regarding the screen play, did you change anything? what and why?

CharlesD: Oh yes

CharlesD: It's a very, very different animal!

DevinGst13: That's interesting, because when I read the play I thought the
story would work really well on screen.

CharlesD: I did NOT change anything in the story in the play, but I added many
characters and settings and issues ... for example, in the screenplay I have
fun with the King wanting dances in his plays....Mol actually obliged.

CharlesD: I have a sword fight between Mol, who is terrible, and Montl ...
Montf is major in the splay

CharlesD: I have Armande take a young lover, explicitly

KellieGst8: so was La Grange a factual person or did you invent him?

CharlesD: It's more involved ... I actually prefer the splay

CharlesD: No, he is factual ... we have his notebooks, which is much of what we
know about how M's company worked. I thought therefore he would be the perfect
narrator.

CharlesD: Understand that the commission came with rules....I could only use 4
actors, and I was given which ones ... I was resident playwright at a company

HelenHGst10: I love the way LaGrange becomes all the other male
characters--it's very theatrical

CharlesD: So it was very challenging

CharlesD: Yes, and it was necessary with only 4 actors ha ha!

CharlesD: but i love theatricality like that

DevinGst13: Why did you decide to call it "Sad Laughter"?

JonathaGst7: Where did you research? Anywhere overseas?

HelenHGst10: we found that that Mad and A acting other female roles was a
little confusing--probably because we didn't read the stage directions very
carefully. do the cut-out women work on stage?

CharlesD: the original title was THE COMEDIAN IN SPITE OF HIMSELF

CharlesD: I can't recall when the new title came to me ... I wanted a diff
title because I don't like the original play, even tho it was a success

CharlesD: First, it's too long

CharlesD: In fact, during the premiere production, I kept rewriting, trimming
... EVERY WEEK was a new play! the actors hated me.

CharlesD: I did all my research at the univ lib and getting books thru interlib
loan

HelenHGst10: when was the last time SAD LAUGHTER was performed?

CharlesD: 2000 or 2001

CharlesD: I directed the first prod at a college

CharlesD: 1999

CharlesD: So it sat for about 7 yrs

CharlesD: I had a film producer hot for the splay but nothing came of it

MalloryGst9 left the room (signed off).

CharlesD: I still market the splay

HelenHGst10: Do you have any plans to revise this version of the play at
all--or are you working on another play or splay

MalloryGst9 joined the room.

CharlesD: No, I think I am done with this story ha ha. Actually, I am retired
as a playwright. I still write splays but mainly libretti for a composer in
Tennessee and fiction.

CharlesD: I

CharlesD: I've become very interested in modern chamber opera.

MalloryGst9: What is libretti?

CharlesD: Plural of libretto, the book for an opera.

HelenHGst10: you said that the original Moliere play was commissioned. why did
they want a play about moliere?

CharlesD: Because this company, the New Rose Theatre, were Moliere fans and did
a M play every season. I was their resident pw so they commissioned me to write
one, with 4 specific actors.

CharlesD: Actually the Russian M Bulgakov has the most widely prod play about
all this.

CharlesD: He has a huge cast.

HelenHGst10: I've never heard of it--what's it called?

MalloryGst9: I found that having only four actors made it more interesting.

CharlesD: hmm i think it's just called Moliere

CharlesD: no, wait, it has a title relating to Stalin, I think

CharlesD: can't remember

MalloryGst9: What do you believe about this controversy?

JonathaGst7: Prof. Deemer, did you meet any influential people while
researching? Anyone you kept in touch with?

JonathaGst7: Anyone that really helped you find what you needed?

CharlesD: 1st, about the controv ... I bel A is Mad's daughter ... no thoughts
on if Molis father

CharlesD: In research, the unsung heroes in my book are LIBRARIANS

HelenHGst10: i think she has to Mad's daughter too--it's too coincidental for
her not to be

MalloryGst9: If Moliere was the father, do you think he knew>

CharlesD: I think he FEARED he might be

CharlesD: In those days, that would be enough to send you off yr rocker

CharlesD: I like La Grange's bet re Pascal's Wager

CharlesD: tje russian play is he Cabal of Hypocrites

HelenHGst10: Could you talk about the Wager a little more--I think that's such
a neat addition to the mystery

KellieGst8: That wager really made the play interesting, I really enjoyed it

CharlesD: Well, it's a famous argument for the existence of God ... Pascal
looks at the 4 permutations of Believe, Dont and God Exists, Doesnt ... and the
only BAD combination is if you disbelieve and he exists ... so why take a chance?

MalloryGst9: That was an interesting component. It really makes sense.

CharlesD: Unless you're an existentialist ha ha

HelenHGst10: so the BAD combo for Moliere is he assumes A is not his daughter
and it turns out she is?

CharlesD: then "authenticity" matters more than the odds

CharlesD: exactly, HH

CharlesD: he fries in hell

CharlesD: why chance it?

CharlesD: La Grange argues

CharlesD: Another thing about this play....

CharlesD: There's actually some personal stuff in it ...

MalloryGst9: What is personal?

HelenHGst10: so why does he chance it--even in real life. He knew he and Mad
had slept together--A's age is about right--how could he not have at least
suspected...

CharlesD: I was ending a relationship as I was writing it, and all the stuff
about life being a dress rehearsal for a play came from my gut at the time

CharlesD: well, i think he did suspect ... but at the same time, he saw all
this hypocrisy, and Montfl WAS jealous of his sudden success, and the rest ... it
gave him an out

CharlesD: In fact, to me, that speech Mol gives A about dress rehearsals is the
most moving in the play.

MalloryGst9: I agree.

CharlesD: I think it mirrors a lot of writers' experience: you blow a
relationship, then you write about it. The art comes out better than the life.

CharlesD: For a writer, IT'S ALL MATERIAL.

CharlesD: Which is damning in a way.

HelenHGst10: i tend to feel sorry for M in the play--he's found himself between
a rock and hard place. but I think it's kind of noble him wanting to protect
her--paternal or marital loyalty?

MalloryGst9: I found it really interesting that Moliere wasn't very interested
in even touching Armande after he found out that there was a possibility of him
being her father.

CharlesD: I think he did love her ... but I think in the end, it's the kid

HelenHGst10: you mean the children they had together?

CharlesD: yes

CharlesD: and A, after all, staying on stage, was not a stellar mom

HelenHGst10: Some of the students thought it was weird that they named the girl
Esprit-Madeleine...

KellieGst8: yes

CharlesD: You know, in the play, the device of the gossipy women works
fantastically well ... their heads appear in a painting.

MalloryGst9: I agree.

HelenHGst10: and the idea that both sons died shortly after birth...

CharlesD: tis an interesting name, which is factual

MalloryGst9: Also, it was very interesting that they named their daughter,
essentially, the spirit of Madeleine.

CharlesD: "providential retribution" ... of course, it was common then, too

CharlesD: I mean, it's a real soap opera isn;'t it ha ha

HelenHGst10: where did you get the idea of the "painted" women--I thought it
was great--but I missed it on the first entrance of the painting

CharlesD: I was looking thru an old photo album and saw me as a kid at an old
west town, in jail via the head hole ... and i thought, wow! that would be a
neat way to turn the wealthy ladies into gossipers

CharlesD: again, very theatrical

HelenHGst10: that soap opera quality--I really can't believe no one has turned
this into a film--seems like a natural--it has scandal, sex, actors, kings

CharlesD: I write plays, or try to, that are not just naturalistic

JonathaGst7: Do you use this play in your teaching?

CharlesD: I am amazed nobody picked up on my splay ha ha ... esp after shake in
love

CharlesD: no i have not taught it

JonathaGst7: Any reason why?

CharlesD: yes, i teach screenwriting now

JonathaGst7: I see

CharlesD: and i don't use the splay because it would be too vanity-like ...
well, unless it got done

DevinGst13: Good point.

CharlesD: this term i am teaching casablanca and sideways

CharlesD: same story strategy, did you know that?

JonathaGst7: Interesting

CharlesD: both about redemption after lost love

HelenHGst10: Well, Mr. Deemer, our class period is just about over and I'm
afraid we'll have to sign off. Thanks so much for an intersting and enlightening
discussion. I think I'd like to read the screenplay as well. Thanks so much
for your time and willingness to chat.

JonathaGst7: Thank You Sir

DevinGst13: Thanks!!

MalloryGst9: Thank you very much Mr. Deemer

KellieGst8: Thank you so very much for your time!

TinaGst11: Thank you!

CharlesD: i'll email you the record of the chat

LauraGst12: Thank you so much!

CharlesD: my pleasure

HelenHGst10: That would be terrific--have a great day!

CharlesD: don't stumbled on your way out

CharlesD: bye

JonathaGst7 left the room (signed off).

HelenHGst10 left the room (signed off).

MalloryGst9 left the room (signed off).

KellieGst8 left the room (signed off).

DevinGst13 left the room (signed off).

TinaGst11 left the room (signed off).

CharlesD left the room (signed off).


2007.04.05 10:43:50 Signoff