Given Circumstances

Given Circumstances
Analyzing the Character's Past and Current Circumstances


It is important for an actor to analyze the character's background so that
choices can be made based on what the character would do in a given
situation (rather than what the actor himself would do). This concept of
making decisions based on the character's point of view is called the
"Magic If". In other words, the actor asks, "what would a character do IF
he has been through all of his previous life circumstances". This allows
the actor to use the character's background as a basis for character
choices, rather than just making choices from his own point of view.

The circumstances that are examined in order to determine the character's
background and current situation are called given circumstances. These six
circumstances are as follows:

1) Time/Date - This includes information regarding the time period in which
the play is set; time of day the action of the scene takes place; the
season; and if there is anything significant about the date. Is the
character a "morning" or "night" person?

2) Place – Information about the geographic location of the play; the
specific locations where the scenes are set; and information about the
climate. The actor should make decisions regarding how his character feels
about the place.

3) Social – Information about the customs and institutions that determine
how people interact in that society. For example, the social customs of
the Victorian era were much different than the customs of today. How does
the character feel about living in that type of society? Social
circumstances also include information about the character's social network
(his friends, family, co-workers, etc.) You should always state the
relationships, and also how the character feels about that person. For
example, just because a person is married doesn't necessarily mean that he
is still in love with his spouse. Go beyond the obvious relationships to
make choices about the character's emotional connections. A decision
should be made about the character's past social life as well as present
social circumstances.

4) Economic – The character's class level and state of wealth or poverty.
What is the character's attitude towards money and possessions? Is the
character driven by material wealth, or does he find fulfillment in non-
materialistic ways. The character's economic circumstances may change
during the play. If this is the case, you should examine the character's
feelings about his varying economic states. In addition, the overall
economic conditions in the character's society should be noted. Is his
country currently in an economic depression where there is little hope for
better times, or is the stock market up and jobs plentiful? If the
character is driven to achieve wealth but economic conditions render that
impossible, the character's state of mind will certainly be affected.

5) Political – Does the character live under a form of government that
places restrictions on certain individuals? For example, the play The
Crucible is set during an extremely strict, puritanical time period. Women
have little voice or freedom in matters of the state. Another example
might be The Diary of Anne Frank, which is set during the Holocaust. Think
carefully about any political unrest that could cause a rift between
different races, social classes, or generations. How does your character
feel about what is going on politically? Does he want to create change, or
does he feel helpless in his society?

6) Religious/ Moral/Ethical Circumstances – Does the character live in a
society in which religion is important? What is the predominant religion
in that society? Does the character adhere to those beliefs? If not, what
are the consequences for his different beliefs? In addition, examine the
character's moral and ethical values. How strongly does he feel about
standing up for his convictions?


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Note:

The playwright will not always give you the answers to all of these
questions. When this happens, it is the actor's responsibility to make an
educated guess based on the information that has been provided.
Professional actors analyze a character's given circumstances whenever they
approach a new character. They never just "wing it". The performance you
see is the result of much analysis and study of the script's dramatic
components.