Edgar

A flash banner.

In the Globe Theatre Company's production of King Lear, Edgar was played by Paul Brennen.

About Paul Brennen

Paul has previously appeared in productions of The Tempest, As You Like It, Twelfth Night and Richard II. He was also part of the English Shakespeare Company's ‘War of the Roses’ cycle, which included Henry IV part I & II, Henry V, Henry VI part I & II and Richard III. His television work includes the role of Red in Heartbeat. Paul's film work includes Alien III and I.D.
Click on the numbered links to follow Paul's journey as he creates and plays the character of Edgar in the Globe Theatre.

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 1

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

I have always wanted to work in a theatre that has as much character as the play, or the part you are playing, so I’m delighted to be at the Globe.

It is very exciting to stand on a stage that is the same as that on which the first plays were performed. I was in the company that opened the Globe in Tokyo, which is very different from this Globe, as it is not an ‘authentic’ reconstruction, but it has given me some idea of what playing at this Globe might be like.

One of the most difficult things about working on a Shakespeare play is the language. Shakespeare can appear a bit like a foreign language, as it is complex, strange one line can have four or five different meanings. At the moment we are not at a point in rehearsal where we have to decide upon a particular meaning for each line, we are free to discuss and explore different interpretations.

We have been sitting together, trying to work slowly through the play. It is a gift to hear other people speak, and to listen to their thoughts. Sometimes Shakespeare can inspire you and as an actor you can express things that you never ever dreamed of thinking. Shakespeare can put an amazing amount into two lines, and you think ‘that's a very clever man!’

I just have to admit that I don’t really know that much about King Lear. I spent ages on the Internet looking at the character of Edgar. I am trying to ask myself lots of questions and explore as many different routes into the character as possible.

When you work on a play and a character you have an idea in your head of how your work will progress and develop. This happens particularly with Shakespeare, as you have often seen or read the play before, this creates preconceived ideas in your head of what the characters are like. I remember reading a review of another actor's portrayal of Edgar, and it spoke of his ‘great dignity’. So all I thought of Edgar was ‘dignity’. But then I began doing my own research, and I started to learn about all of the other aspects of his character.

We have started to look at individual scenes. I seem to come up with one daft idea every day! I came up with the idea that everyone should be shot at the end of the play. It is because you kind of know the end of the play, which is to come. The actors know it, so we are always saying ‘oh, he's dead, and he's dead, and he's dead, oh no he's king!’ It is difficult, because you know how the play goes. But, I don’t think anyone liked the idea!!! The end of the play can be difficult as you do get ready for the end and think ‘come on, let's wind it all up’. Edgar comes in and says everything that we have seen - daft ideas aside I don’t want the end to be an anti climax.

We are also looking at relationships, what has gone on in a scene and how does it link to the next scene. I am amazed by the speed of the play, the way it thunders along and the enormity of the story. We have spent a lot of time in discussion but are now ready to start working through scenes actively, you can only read something for so long. The excitement is when you actually get up and think ‘I want to do the fight scene’,

There is an exercise we use in rehearsal in which we always point the character we are speaking to. It is a fantastic exercise to do. You realise that in the play characters rarely say anything to themself, always to someone else. The exercise helps you to clarify who you are speaking to and why.

At the moment everything is still possible. What happens when you get closer to a show is that more pressure is applied and things get ‘locked in’, and then some of the magic goes, or can go. You must find ways to keep you performance fresh, especially when you have to perform a play for six or seven weeks.

We have been rehearsing Edgar and Edmund's fight. I love doing fights. I used to be a fight director for movies. I had to stop doing this because you can get labelled as a fight director and no one takes you seriously as an actor. The main thing to remember is to stay in character in a fight scene. In the fight with Oswald there is a hint that Edgar is quite timid. I remember at school that when a previously seeming timid kid became involved in a fight he would often be more furious than class mates who were associated with that kind of behaviour. This is the kind of effect I would like to explore for Edgar's fight with Edmund. Following on from that idea I am beginning to explore how to develop Edgar's madness. Why does Shakespeare give Edgar this disguise as a mad man? These scenes are very challenging and at the moment I am not sure what I will do. The ‘Poor Tom’ speeches are difficult to understand. I am trying to explore what kind of madman or ‘beggar’ Edgar is – he is always talking about the devil. There is quite a religious side to him. In connection with Edgar's madness I am interested in exploring why Edgar doesn’t tell his father his true identity. One of the reasons might be because I don’t think he has found him self yet – Gloucester says who are you and he just says "I am a poor thing just a poor thing".

I am trying to let things slip into my mind, rather than thinking about them too much. I want to do full credit to the character of Edgar. When I eventually come away from the Globe, in six months time, I want to feel as if I fulfilled the potential of the character.

One of Edgar's most important relationships in the play is with Edmund. Although they are enemies they both Edgar have traits in their character that the other one should have. They are brothers and are linked. Edmund needs some of Edgar's soul and spirit. How this relationship develops will be one f the central elements of my performance.

Activities

Internet Research

Paul is using the Internet to help him research the character of Edgar. Search the internet using the key words Edgar or King Lear. Can you find an information that might be of use to Paul? Send it to Paul with an explanation of why you think it might relate to Edgar.

Preconceptions

Paul had his own preconceptions or ideas about the character of Edgar and is trying to forget these as he creates the role. From your reading of, or work on the play what are your ideas about the character of Edgar? Why do you have these ideas? Send them to Paul.

Pointing

Try Paul's pointing exercise for yourself (use some lines from the scene you are studying at present). Do you find it useful? What do you find out about the effect of language in the scene and the relationships between characters?

Edgar's True Identity

Paul is unsure of Edgar's motivation for not telling his father his true identity. What do you think are his reasons? Give evidence from the text, where possible to back up your ideas.

Back to top

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 2

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

This week we have been rehearsing the fight scenes using machetes and chains. It is quite exciting! In discussions, when I am sitting down, I have some fantastic ideas. However, these ideas do not always work in practically in rehearsals.

I have been thinking about the relationship of brothers. What does it mean to have a brother? What kind of relationship do Edmund and Edgar have? What effects their relationship?

We ran through the entire play last week, which was very useful. Often, it is easy to become so absorbed in your own character that you begin to forget about the rest of the play. Everybody's work had become separate. I had not seen Tonia (Chauvet, Cordelia) and did not know what work she had been doing, as we do not appear in any scenes together. The run through of the play gave us the opportunity to share our work, and this was very encouraging. It has been difficult going back to working on individual scenes.

Before we had the run through of the play, we would spend two hours on every scene. Now we spend approximately one hour on every scene, but our work is more detailed and concentrated.

The play has a social context, and as an actor you have to find your character's position in that. There are specific questions regarding scenes that must be considered: where is it set? What time of the day is it? What are your character's feelings in this scene?

I have been thinking about my relationship with Gloucester. Do I get on with my father? I think that there is a change in my feelings towards him and it is very emotional near the end of the play when I see him without his eyes. In the first scene in which I appear (Act I Scene II) my relationship with my father and Edmund is explored. It is in this scene that Edmund asks me questions about my relationship with my father. It is when you love someone that you are vulnerable to them, and this is why Edgar believes the things that Edmund tells me. I do not think that Edgar, at that point in the play, would imagine that Edmund would write such a letter.

In that scene I only have six lines, and within that I have to show so many different things. I have been trying to decide how Edgar should exit from this scene. I do not think that there should be a change in his character from that point. The way that I have rehearsed it is that there is only a change in his character at the beginning of the next scene that he is in. This is when he realises the enormity of the situation, which has an effect on his character.

I wanted to show different aspects of Edgar's character. I did not want to present him as a character who is ‘off-balance’ as soon as he comes on the stage. His behaviour in Act I Scene II is slightly strange and weird, particularly parts of his conversation with Edmund. Edmund is interested in the stars and Edgar calls this ‘sectary astronomical’. This is illogical, and quite strange, as it is actually astrology that all things ‘portain’ to, rather than the science of astronomy.

The text itself is very useful. You can delve into it for any answers that you may need. I like to think of it as an archaeological dig; if you go down far enough you will find the answers!

The ‘Poor Tom’ scenes are going to be a big part of the character, and it will be very challenging. I will have to delve into the details of the story and language to truly show what is happening. I need to find a way to define him as a character to explore the ‘journey’ that he is experiencing.

Michael (Gould, Edmund) and I had rehearsed Act II Scene I, when Edgar is leaving, we had rehearsed in a very small space. When we had the opportunity to rehearse it on stage we found it did not work. We realised that we would have to ‘open’ it out in relation to the stage. Rather than standing together for the scene, we experimented with each standing beside a pillar and speaking across the stage. I think that this approach will be more successful in involving the audience. The Globe stage is a unique space, and the way you present the story must fit around it. I have been trying to work on the stage as much as possible.

I would like the students to think about the cast of King Lear. Who would they cast from their friends, family and celebrities to play each role? Why would they choose each person to play that particular part?

Activities

Setting and Time

Paul is working through the play working out where he thinks each scene is set and the time of day in which it takes place. Try this exercise for yourself, for any scene or scenes of your choice. Send your ideas to Paul so he can compare them with his own.

Edgar's First scene

Paul is exploring how he should respond to Edmund's revelation in his first scene. At the moment he does not think Edgar should change or show the effect of the news of his father's rage and ‘displeasure’ until the scene which follows. Do you agree?

Playing the Globe stage

Paul has found that scenes that work well in the rehearsal room do not necessarily translate on the Globe stage. Experiment playing Act II Scene I firstly with Edgar and Edmund close together, then on opposite sides of the room or stage as Paul and Michael are now playing the scene. What is the difference between each approach? Which do you prefer and why?

Back to top

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 3

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

We have begun performing previews of the play. It is only once you get on the stage that you realise the different spatial relations. In this space it does not work if you stand close together. I have been experimenting with the space: standing in the corners, going along the back and generally finding places that will give the entire audience a good view of what is happening on stage.

I think that the play has really developed. As you work through the play more and more, the story and the meaning start to become clearer.

The main thing that I am thinking about is way in which Edgar puts on and takes off the character of Poor Tom. It seems that sometimes he is in control of Tom and sometimes he is not - Edgar really seems to be on the ‘edge’ at points. I have decided to play him so that Poor Tom just comes ‘flying’ out of Edgar. I made this decision because I do not think that you can choose to be like this unless you have some kind of vision to follow. I think that madness is in Edgar.

I am still learning about how to play the Globe space. It was a surprise on the first night, because the audience seemed so close. I found that the audience can be quite seductive, and you have to be careful not to play to them in order to get laughs. Sometimes I want to stick my tongue out for comic effect! I feel very comfortable acting on the stage because I have wanted to do it for such a long time.

I am experimenting with vocals. I am trying to change the way that I use my voice, which I think will be a hard process to go through. I have also been thinking about developing motivations and triggers to keep myself running while I am performing. An example of this is one day developing Edgar's journey towards suicide, and then the next day concentrating on his fight against suicide. I have thought about what his mother was like and, in a sense, I use the yard as a mother figure.

When Edgar is playing Poor Tom his mask drops at times. I do not think he can control this. After the ‘cliff’ scene with Gloucester when Edgar is pretending to help him commit suicide, I think there is a moment when he is about to reveal his true identity to his father. He takes off the noose that he has been wearing around his neck when playing Poor Tom, but then Lear comes on and the struggle starts again. He puts the noose back on when his father starts asking him who he is.

I have begun investigating and experimenting again this week. Last week, during the technical rehearsals, I found that the play almost disappeared because we were all concentrating on things like music and costume.

Activities

Motivation

Paul chooses a different motivation to work on for each performance. This is a way of keeping each performance focused and fresh. The motivation can be quite a large idea or a small part of Edgar's character. Can you think of some motivations or areas of focus for Paul to think about in the weeks ahead?

Back to top

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 4

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

I met the re-rehearsals with some trepidation. When you work on a play for a few months you develop set ways of playing the scenes and you have worked out how things should be done. It is, therefore, very challenging to start rehearsals again and face the prospect of your ideas being altered. I have thought of the whole process as a human bone! You begin with broken ideas, which are like fragments of bone, and fuse them together until you have a fully functioning bone. However, if you break the bone again, there is always a chance that it will not heal fully.

Before the re-rehearsal period I had worked out how to play the ‘madness’ scenes and I had started to associate particular images with these scenes. I found it difficult to be presented with new images in the re-rehearsals (e.g. I now come on stage, as Poor Tom, with a cradle). However, I have enjoyed this. Small changes took place during this time and some bits have been cut back further. I think that it has ‘freshened’ the play up.

It was also very challenging going back onto the stage after the re-rehearsal period. However, we all now have the confidence for working in that space and interacting with the audience (knowing when to draw them in or exclude them). We are currently trying out all of the new thoughts and ideas.

During the re-rehearsal period, Barry (Kyle, Master of Play) wanted me to broaden and deepen the concept of madness in my character. I was also keen to concentrate on the portrayal of the relationship between Edgar and Gloucester. Was it coming across clearly? We looked at ‘tweaking’ the beginning of the second half of the play, which begins with a rather ‘dense’ speech. I want to make sure that people understand it, and so I have been working on really drawing them in to the speech. It is a difficult speech and often people are more interested in the costume of Poor Tom.

I was talking to Geoffrey (Whitehead, Gloucester) about the relationship that Edgar has with his father. Edgar is a man who loves his father, but is sent away from him in very intense circumstances. Edgar warns his father against being too proud. I think that at first the audience thinks that Edgar is a weak and strange character, whereas Edmund is very cool. This may be because I only appear in two very short scenes at the beginning of the play, and then I suddenly come back on and declare that I am going to act mad. However, I do not think that Edgar is weak or strange. Michael (Gould, Edmund) and I were discussing the two brothers, and the change that happens to them in the play.

I do think that there may be an element of real madness in Edgar. It is extraordinary, and actually mad, to suddenly decide that you are going to act mad. Shakespeare has a plethora of disguises that he gives to characters, but for Edgar he chooses madness. It is an interesting journey of discovery for Edgar, and at the end of it he emerges a man. At the beginning of the play he is quite cerebral, but as the play develops he begins to ‘root’ himself. We became very interested in the images of Christianity that he talks about, like being chased by the devil. Edgar goes into the wilderness to discover himself, and he learns that he is a redeemer and can help his father and Lear.

I think that Edgar and Cordelia share similar qualities. They are both characters who try to harmonise the world on stage, particularly with their fathers. I think this is where the parallels come from.

I love performing the play in the evenings when you can see the transition from day into night. The play gets darker and more intense as the playing conditions in the theatre change. Things were a bit unsettled when we first went back on to the stage after the re-rehearsal period. However, it has begun to gel together and we have captured the play again and the audience really wants the play to ‘flow’.

We had a very good show last Friday, and I felt that this was because of the audience. I love the interaction with the audience at the Globe. It is almost as if we do a different play every night, because each individual show is different. The interaction always changes, depending on the scene or the speech. I have found that there are two types of soliloquies. Some are like magnets; they draw people in to what you are saying. Others I call ‘electric’ soliloquies as the words go straight out to the audience. My soliloquies start off as magnetic and as they play develops they become more electric. Conversely, Edmunds’ speeches become more magnetic.

Often the people at the side of the theatre can feel a bit isolated from the action, and so at one point of the play I share a moment with them so they feel a part of what is going on. It is when Gloucester is about to jump off the ‘cliff’, and I wink to the audience as I am ‘helping’ him do this!

There is a big theme in the play of appearance and reality, particularly with Edgar and Kent – who change their appearance (physically). However, there is also the idea of what people truly want and what they display to other characters. How honest is everyone? Who can you trust? It is finally in the last scene, after everything that my character goes through, can I say that I am Edgar. This is a very important part in the play for me as I am finally honest about my identity.

Back to top

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 5

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

I am very tired and can’t wait for our holiday next week. At the moment I seem to be having good and bad performances. It is very easy to blame bad shows on the changes made in the re-rehearsal period. But of course there were good and bad shows at the beginning of the season as well. Equally, sometimes I think a good show is a result of the changes. Of course it really doesn't have anything to do with this, it's all to do with me and my own feelings about my performance.

We have had fantastic audiences this season. I find that King Lear is received better at evening performances than it is during the daytime. Matinees are hard because in daylight the changes in the weather seem to be more noticeable. We have had performances where we have had three or four showers with beautiful sunlight in between. It can be very distracting for both the audience and the performers.

I don’t have anything more to add because really we are just carrying on the performances and nothing new is happening. I am still having a wonderful time playing Edgar.

Back to top

Paul Brennen - Character Notes 6

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

I was previously in a show at the Globe in Tokyo. That Globe is very modern backstage; they have televisions in every room. However, the spirit of it is much the same as it is here. The Globe here is more fun because you can build up a real rapport with the audience who are more demonstrative. I am really looking forward to going back there (the cast of King Lear will be performing the show in the Globe in Tokyo, Japan for two weeks).

Last night the audience really changed during the performance. It started raining and so they were not very jolly in the second half of the play. The Dover Cliff scene, when I am pretending to help Gloucester commit suicide, is usually quite funny. But, last night the audience seemed to want it to be more serious.

I did not have many preconceived ideas about Edgar. When I first started this show I was uncertain as to where to begin with his character and so I wrote to many people asking them what they thought about him. I also found clues in the language. Shakespeare's language can be quite difficult, and I do not think it is necessary to understand every word. Even if you are working on a modern drama, it is difficult to understand everything that is written. I think that the most important thing is to understand the essence of what is being said. It is better to see a show if you are studying it – Shakespeare is meant to be seen, not read!

I did a lot of research for this part, particularly on the Internet. I even went on to a site about schizophrenics. I also looked at madness in Elizabethan times. We are very lucky to working with Jaq Bessell (Head of Globe Research). If we do not understand something then we ask her to research it for us, whether it is themes or specific words. Although we do not use the research explicitly on stage, it does help to inform and strengthen the character we are playing.

I have been thinking about Edgar's madness, particularly during last night's performance. I think that sometimes when Edgar is mad, he is actually very sane. His madness seems to make sense. However, last night I experimented with acting a bit mad, when I am supposed to be sane.

It can take some time to get used to the live audience at the Globe. It took me at least three or four weeks. Our rehearsals were in a very intimate space, and the actual theatre is quite big. My initial reaction to this was to project my voice very loudly. However, I have realised that I do not need to do this. The key to speaking in this space is being able to breathe in the right way. If you are able to do this, then your speeches can still be quite intimate, but can also be heard by all. Normally in a theatre there are lights and music, but here there are none. So we really have to concentrate on the person we are on stage with, as well as engaging the audience.

I enjoy playing to the audience, and letting them see different aspects of my character. I like sharing ‘secrets’ with the them. There is one section of the theatre, the top right bays, which I really play to. Before the fight with Edmund I turn to them and pray, so that they can see that I am unsure of what is going on, and then I turn back to the rest of the audience and pretend to be very confident. Not only does this help them see a different part of my character, but it also draws people in (who might otherwise feel isolated). My favourite moments on stage are when I want to laugh!

I think that the feeling of the play at the end can be seen as both positive and negative, depending on the interpretation. It is really up to the audience to decide. I think that the ending in our production is a bit negative.

My funniest moment on stage was actually at the Globe in Tokyo. We were performing a scene where everyone is released from prison. There was supposed to be eight people on stage, but everyone forgot to come out, and I was on stage alone! So, I sat for a while and then said my greatest Shakespearean improvisation – "Oh well. I’m glad I’m out" – and then I ran off stage! In this production I have missed the plank of wood that I have to hit my sword into on a few occasions. That is quite funny because I do not look as ‘butch’ as I hope to!

Back to top