Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 329 Listen to My Version! (Bonus Chapter for 19,000 Votes in September)

Dean Emil Perrin turned to Lionel eagerly, his voice urgent: "Lionel, what do you think?"
Madame Berthe's performance was flawless, wasn't it? And François, he portrayed that hypocrisy..."

Lionel raised his hand and gently interrupted him.

He slowly stood up, walked to the center of the "stage," and glanced at the two main actors: "Mrs. Berthe, Mr. François, thank you both for your dedication."

Your professionalism is admirable, especially in this environment.

The actors breathed a slight sigh of relief, but Lionel's next words made their hearts leap again. "However, we are rehearsing 'Thunderstorm'."

This play is neither *Hernani* nor *Hamlet*; it doesn't require the overt passion and manifesto of classical tragedy.

He looked at the actress playing "Madeleine": "Mrs. Berthe, your grief is very real, and your technique is impeccable."

But Madeleine's emotions at this moment are not just sadness, but also a numbness ravaged by time.

When she saw her old nightmares reappear, she felt horror and resignation.

What you just portrayed was more of her accusation against Ravelne.

Mrs. Berthe paused, carefully considering Lionel's words, and slowly nodded.

Lionel then turned to the actor playing "La Verne": "Mr. François, you portrayed the character's hypocrisy and coldness very well."

But La Verne wasn't a born villain. The moment he recognized Madeleine, he shouldn't have only felt panic and a cold indifference to distance himself.

Shouldn't there be a trace of tenderness deep in his heart? Even if it's extremely brief, even if he himself is unwilling to admit it.

However, this glimmer of tenderness was quickly extinguished by his harsh questioning. I think this makes the character more three-dimensional, and also more tragic.

François fell into deep thought and picked up the script again to read it.

Lionel raised his voice slightly so that the other actors could hear him: "The power of 'Thunderstorm' lies not in how ornate the dialogue is, nor in how bizarre the plot is."

Its power lies in suppression, in that sense of destiny that destroys everything.

This sense of destiny brewed within the cage of the 'La Verne Estate', and eventually erupted uncontrollably.

All performances, whether dialogue, actions, or expressions, should serve to create this atmosphere.

He paused for a moment, allowing everyone to process his words.

Lionel wouldn't normally be so deeply involved in the actors' performances; in his previous work, "The Chorus," he completely let the actors improvise.

This is because "The Choir" was originally a film, and film interpretation is inherently very different from theater, so Lionel has no right to comment.

However, "Thunderstorm" is different. It is a classic play that has been performed for nearly a century since it was written, and it is the signature play of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Lionel has seen different versions of "Thunderstorm" performances—live and video—at least dozens of times.

The lines and performances of those excellent actors are practically etched into his mind, and such resources certainly cannot be wasted.

More importantly, the acting skills of 19th-century actors were vastly different from those of later generations—

Konstantin Stanislavsky is still a teenager, and his "experiential learning" approach is still in its infancy.

As for the Method School and the Expressionist School... they are still at least several decades away from being established.

Many actors today still retain some remnants of operatic performance styles, lacking a sense of "realism" in both their dialogue and physical movements.

This level of acting skill would be perfectly fine for portraying the character in "The Choir," since that play is a light opera and a bit of exaggeration is acceptable.

However, Lionel felt something was off about "Thunderstorm" – a feeling he had when he watched "A Doll's House" before.

Now that he had identified the problem, he had to make the play as close as possible to what he would see in the future.

Otherwise, all the effort and money spent on renovating the stage would be wasted.

Lionel continued, "Also, regarding the pacing, some pauses could be a bit longer."

For example, there should be a moment of silence before 'Madeleine' delivers her key lines, which should create a sense of suffocation for the audience.

Don't be afraid of awkward silences; the charm of a story often lies in these seemingly empty moments. The rehearsal room was quiet, save for Lionel's voice and the ongoing construction noise from next door.

The actors listened attentively; some seemed to understand, while others were still pondering the words.

The anxiety on Emil Perrin's face gradually dissipated as he realized that Lionel was not negating the previous performance, but rather guiding it.

He seemed to be injecting a completely new concept of drama into the minds of these actors.

……

After a long pause, Lionel finally said, "That's all for today. Please go back and study your characters more carefully."

We'll continue at the same time tomorrow. Thank you all for your hard work.

The actors bowed and dispersed in hushed tones.

Emil Perrin leaned over and wiped his sweat: "Excellent, Lionel, spot on!"

The problems you pointed out do exist. It seems we need more time to work together. I hope you can be present at all the remaining rehearsals!

Lionel looked toward the closed door of the rehearsal room, the door panel trembling slightly with the knocking from outside.

He responded calmly: "Technical modifications are merely the shell, Emil. What truly brings 'Thunderstorm' to life is the soul of the actors on stage."

The body and the soul must move in sync!

Just then, the door to the rehearsal hall was pushed open.

Nikola Tesla stood at the door, looking tired but excited: "Mr. Sorel, the first batch of custom-made 'Yablochkov candles' has arrived."

Preliminary testing of our control circuit has just been completed. At the latest, we can begin testing to simulate lightning effects within a week.

We will definitely catch that 'lightning bolt' you desire.

------

By the time Lionel returned to his apartment on Boulevard Saint-Germain, dusk had fallen.

Guy de Maupassant was deep in his armchair in the living room, with a small mountain of notebooks and scattered manuscript papers piled on the coffee table beside him.

Upon hearing the door open, Maupassant immediately sprang to his feet, his face flushed with excitement.

He waved a stack of papers covered in writing: "Leon! You're finally back! Look at these!"
I dug up information from the National Library, archives, and even old newspapers, uncovering the changes that have taken place in Parisian cafes over the years!

Before Lionel could even take off his coat, he eagerly began to explain his idea: "The first act of 'Café,' I've got it all figured out!"

The year is set in 1793, the height of the Reign of Terror! Our café is located not far from the guillotine!

His eyes gleamed, and he spoke rapidly, like a machine gun: "Once the curtain is drawn back, what you'll see is a truly impactful scene—"

An old nobleman, having just lost his hat, sheepishly sought refuge in a café, while outside, a procession of prison wagons moved and the strains of "La Marseillaise" filled the air! ...

After a long while, Maupassant finished explaining his vision for the first act and eagerly asked, "How was it, Léon!"

Isn't it full of tension, irony, and a sense of historical absurdity? That's what drama is all about!

As Maupassant finished speaking, his chest heaved, as if he could already hear the enthusiastic applause erupting in the theater.

His gaze toward Lionel held both expectation and challenge.

Lionel listened quietly with a faint smile on his face.

He walked to the liquor cabinet, poured two small glasses of brandy, and handed one to Maupassant.

Lionel took a sip of his drink and said slowly, "Guy, your idea is indeed very dramatic."

However, you can listen to my version…

(End of this chapter)