If you were directing the play "a view from a bridge" what advice would you give to the actor playing Eddie about his character? Use quotations and close reference to the text.

Task: If you were directing the play “a view from a bridge” what advice would you give to the actor playing Eddie about his character? Use quotations and close reference to the text.

“A view from a bridge” is a play with five main characters. Eddie and Beatrice are married whilst they adopt Catherine, who is Eddie’s niece. Marco and Rudolfo are their cousins who come to stay from Sicily. They are both illegal immigrants. A situation in the play occurs where Eddie becomes possessive of Catherine while Rudolfo plans to marry her. From the director’s point of view advice to the actor playing the part of Eddie is complicated, but crucial. If I was the director looking for an actor to play Eddie it would have to be a man in his forties because that is most likely to be approximately the age of a man who has a niece the age of seventeen. Eddie is a longshoreman in the play and it would make sense if the actor was well built.

In the film we watched Eddie had no real muscle definition. Also the play we watched Eddie seemed to sit in the same seat all the time. This shows that the character of Eddie was perceived as lazy, I did not think this was the case because of his active job. I would tell the actor to be more dynamic, energetic and move about the stage more, especially when he gets frustrated.

The play was set in the nineteen fifties so Eddie would be told by me to dress appropriately. Eddie should wear old rugged clothes because of the limited income provided by his job. This brings me to Catherine who, in the film we watched was definitely overdressed and too clean for the circumstances she lives in.

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Another big aspect I would give advice to the actor about is his relationships with other characters. In the play we watched it was hard to comprehend the part where Eddie’s innermost feelings for Catherine were exposed. This was the scene where Eddie came home drunk and found Rudolfo in Catherine’s room. To make the scene more believable Eddie should show more love for Catherine. He should do this through body language. His facial expression should show over concern and love for Catherine or he could stare gapingly at her body. The play we watched the actors face was expressionless and all he did was say his lines whilst sitting in a chair. That was not enough. Although curiosity should be put across to the audience it shouldn’t be obvious what is to happen. This is because Eddie is a person who bottles up his emotions a lot.

Eddie bottles up emotions a lot in the play. One example is his possessiveness over Catherine and also the scene were Eddie screws up a newspaper in frustration. He also develops a hate for Rudolfo, which probably would not have existed if he didn’t have emotions for Catherine. A good example of Eddie’s bottled up emotions coming out is the scene where Eddie hits Rudolfo hard in the face whilst teaching him boxing” Now watch out here I come, Danish! (He feints with his left hand and lands with his right. It mildly staggers Rudolfo Marco rises.)”By that point Eddie came to the point where he could not keep his hands off Rudolfo. All the emotions about his possessiveness over Catherine came out with a sudden burst of anger. All the way through the play Eddie refuses to admit to himself what he feels.

In these two scenes of the play we watched the range of acting from the actor playing Eddie was poor. His face was expressionless and also his body language was almost non-existent. His accent was good, however his tone of voice stayed at the same level all the way through, this made it hard to state weather he was happy or

sad. If I was the director appointing an actor to the job part of the specification for the part of Eddie would be a good range of acting.

Eddie’s relationships with other people in the play differ greatly, he has respect for Marco, and this is because Marco acts more like a true Sicilian. He keeps a low profile and is very macho. He hardly ever speaks without being asked a question. An example of this is when Marco and Rudolfo arrive and they all start talking and Marco only answers the questi9ons asked in one sentence no more. Eddie is probably friendly with Marco because he is afraid of him. Eddie wants to stay on the right side of him so Marco feels awkward about complaining about the way in which Eddie treats his brother.

Throughout the play Eddie’s sexual relationship with Beatrice is not active. I know this because Beatrice tries to talk to Eddie about it, but Eddie refuses, “Well tell me what” “I aint got notin to say about it”. This is because of Eddie’s obsession with Catherine. Catherine does not really know it, but she is teasing Eddie. An example of this is when Beatrice talks about Eddie in the bathroom with Catherine. I think that Eddie’s behaviour is based on the fact that he is a Sicilian male because it shows when he has the urge to be a macho and man of the house. Also respect is the most important thing and is greatly valued, this explains Eddie’s behaviour towards the end of the play.

I think that the background culture should be kept in mind because part of the specification is a strong macho man capable of a convincing accent and not slouching or looking lazy. In the play we watched Eddie sat in the same chair too much so either a younger is needed or an actor that looks dynamic at least. Also a good point is to advise the actor to walk about the stage when Eddie seems to struggle to express feelings through his limited vocabulary. Eddie’s character shows stubbornness. He shows that attribute throughout the play and does not expect his family to correct him on anything he has already stated.

I also think that when he releases bottled up emotions, like in the situation when he comes home drunk the actor should exaggerate his facial expressions. In the play we watched Eddie’s face was expressionless showing poor acting, which was disappointing.

As the play progresses Eddie seems to lose his mind, and also at one point he loses his sense of Sicilian justice.