Week 2 Session: “Secrets, Servants, and Self-Determination” in Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” – 2 scenes with Septimus – The Rehearsal Room [Video, Audio, and Transcript versions]

Week 2 – Arcadia – Secrets, Servants, and Self-Determination – The Rehearsal Room

Nathan Agin: Hi, everybody. Nathan here. Welcome back for week two as we continue exploring a couple scenes from Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. If you haven’t checked out week one, please go back. watch that. There’s a lot of great discussion already underway. I’m sure we’ll just keep continuing that. and, tonight we welcome our jellyby into the mix. And so, be very exciting to see you, know how those conversations, develop with that character in mind. Just everything else we’re going to be working on. Jamie, in a second, if you don’t mind. We did this last week. just a quick intro for the group. You may know some or many of the actors here, but I don’t know if you know everybody. and then for, you know, people, observing and watching, they can learn a little bit more about you. and specifically, if you have any connection to this Stoppard play or, or if you’ve worked on other Stoppard plays, that would be fun to. Fun to hear. but I think that’s it for me. Have a wonderful evening. I’ll be listening in. I’ll pop back in at the end. and, yeah, have a great rehearsal. so that’s it. I’ll turn it over to Brendan and Jamie, that quick introduction, and then, Have a great rehearsal session, everybody.

Brendon Fox: Thanks, Nathan. So, Jamie, do you want to jump in?

Chris Guilmet: Yes.

James Newcomb: Hello. Hello. Hello. I’m James Newcomb. People that know me call me Jamie. and I’m comfortable with either one. my relationship with this play is a very interesting one because I was cast to play, Bernard, in Ashland, and then I turned it down in order to be with my present wife, Ursula Meyer, here in San Diego. And I, was cast as Septimus in another production a couple of years later. And I had to turn that down because I was committed to go up to Seattle to do a show. So twice I was cast to do this play and I didn’t get a chance to do it, and it’s one of my favorite plays. I just find it, extraordinary. you know, thermodynamics in this context. You know, things will cool down in la, I promise, eventually. so, they heat up and they cool off. So, let’s pray for the cooling off quickly.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

James Newcomb: so my thoughts are very much, right now, with all of the people in LA that I know and people. I’m glad, Jeff, to see that you’re in good shape. Those of you that live In LA that I don’t know. Please be safe. And, I just, You know, it’s just. It’s just overwhelming, really is. So. Anyway, my. My thoughts are very much with that and, and the idea that things will. This too shall pass, you know, and, we’ll learn something from it.

James Newcomb: What else do I need to. I have never.

Brendon Fox: I.

James Newcomb: That I’m aware of. I’ve never done a stopper play. I would love to be involved in a Stoppard play someday. We, shall see. I am now with all of you, so.

Brendon Fox: Right. Exactly. I love, Jamie, that you added. I’ve never done a stopper play that I’m aware of. And to me, that reminds me of Rose and Cranza Guildstern. You might actually have been part of a stopper play. Unwittingly.

James Newcomb: yes.

James Newcomb: Yes, maybe. yeah. From, from a distance.

Brendon Fox: Right?

Geoffrey Wade: You did one in your sleep or something.

Brendon Fox: Well, I. I love that you. You like. It’s like Haley’s comment. It’s you and this play seems to you. You. You’ve come close and now you get to. You get to reconnect with it. And, I. Jamie, that I really appreciate what Nathan has been doing lo these many years with this rehearsal room and being able to bring people together from all over the country to focus on process and have a moment to just give ourselves a few hours to dive into a beautiful text with great artists and, let the work itself be the thing. And, like you, and I’m sure like all of us were. Were thinking and sending, good thoughts to everyone in la. And I would say one of the things that, to me makes this play so resonant years after it was written is one of the many things to me it’s about. Is about empathy and about trying to understand what someone else is going through. The researchers looking back, Thomasina. Trying to understand the world, trying to understand Thomasina. you know, such as try to understand Lady Croom. and I think this, it’s. It’s. To me, it’s a chance for us to remember how everything is connected. And, whether we’re present at a place or not, our thoughts can be there. And I think exploring and stopard is all about science and art and nature and, finding

00:05:00

Brendon Fox: connections. So, you know, I’m glad you could be here for this, Jamie. And I’m. And thank you all for. For coming back for week two. we’ve, And Jamie, I want to make sure you Got the dramaturgy packet that Dr. Kate created?

James Newcomb: I did, yes.

Brendon Fox: Okay, great, great. so I thought. Absolutely. Well, thank you, Dr. Kate. And, I thought that we spent a little bit of. We read both scenes last week, kind of back to back, talked, unpacked those a little bit, and then we went back to the first scene, did a chunk of that. And I would love to now start, with the second scene with, with, with scene six and focus on that for maybe our first hour, take a quick break and then go back to the first scene. How’s that sound, folks? great. So I, and I’ll, I’ll read in the, stage directions and we can just kind of do this with, with chunks, as we go. Scene 6. The room is empty. A reprise. Early morning. A distant pistol shot. The sound of the crows. JLB enters the dawn dark room with a lamp. He goes to the windows and looks out. He sees something. He returns to put the lamp on the table, then opens one of the French windows and steps outside.

James Newcomb: Mr. Hodge.

Brendon Fox: Septimus comes in, followed by Jellyby, who closes the garden door. Septimus is wearing a great coat.

Chris Guilmet: Thank you, Jellyby. I was expecting to be locked out. What, time is it?

James Newcomb: Half past five.

Chris Guilmet: That is what I have. Oh, well, what a bracing experience.

Brendon Fox: He produces two pistols from inside his coat and places them on the table.

Chris Guilmet: The dawn, you know, unexpectedly lively. fishes, birds, frogs, rabbits, produce the dead rabbit.

Brendon Fox: And very beautiful.

Chris Guilmet: If only it did not occur so early in the day. I have brought Lady Thomasina a rabbit. Will you take it?

James Newcomb: It’s dead.

Chris Guilmet: Yes. Lady Thomasina loves rabbit pie.

James Newcomb: You were missed, Mr. Hodge.

Chris Guilmet: I decided to sleep last night in the boathouse. Did I see a carriage leaving the park?

James Newcomb: Captain Bryce’s carriage. with Mr. And Mrs. Chater also gone? Yes, sir. And Lord Byron’s horse was brought round at 4 o’clock.

Chris Guilmet: Lord Byron too? Yes, sir.

James Newcomb: the house has been up and hopping.

Brendon Fox: But I have his rabbit pistols.

Chris Guilmet: What am I to do with his rabbit pistols?

James Newcomb: you were locked. you looked for in your room.

Chris Guilmet: By whom?

James Newcomb: By her Ladyship.

Chris Guilmet: In my room?

James Newcomb: I, will tell her Ladyship you are returned.

Chris Guilmet: Jellyby, did Lord Byron leave a book for me? A book? He had the loan of a book from me.

James Newcomb: His Lordship left nothing in his room. So, sir, not a coin?

Brendon Fox: Ah.

Chris Guilmet: well, I’m sure he would have left a coin if he had one. Jellyby, here’s half guinea for you.

James Newcomb: Thank you very much, sir.

Chris Guilmet: What has occurred?

James Newcomb: the servants are Told nothing, sir.

Chris Guilmet: Come, come, Jellyby. Does a half guinea buy nothing anymore.

James Newcomb: Her ladyship encountered Mrs. Chaytor during her night.

Chris Guilmet: Where?

James Newcomb: Oh, the threshold of Lord Byron’s room.

Brendon Fox: Ah.

Chris Guilmet: which one was leaving?

James Newcomb: In which entering Mrs. Chaytor was leaving Lord Byron’s room.

Chris Guilmet: And where was Mr. Chater?

James Newcomb: Mr. Chaytor and Captain Bryce were drinking cherry brandy. they had the footman to keep the fire up until 3:00. there was a loud altercation upstairs and

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, Mr. Hodge.

Brendon Fox: My lady.

Jennifer Le Blanc: All this to shoot a hare?

Brendon Fox: A rabbit?

Chris Guilmet: no, indeed. A hare though. Very rabbit.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Like my infusion.

James Newcomb: Yes, m’lady.

Brendon Fox: Great. Let’s hold there for for a moment. so what. What do we. We get a lot of information, but also I’m interested to see what. What are we learning about Jellyby and their relationship? Because something I mentioned last week, Jamie, that to me is. Is really, you know, every. Every play I feel like, has its challenges and I feel like this sometimes could be sometimes like with, you know, Shaw or some other playwrights that can be really intellectual. Like to remember where all the chakras are. Right. What’s at stake besides just the wit and the smart talk and how high can we make the stakes for everybody?

00:10:00

Brendon Fox: So I’m curious about any thoughts from the two of you or the group about what might we glean from these two in this scene and what’s new about this morning? I mean, obviously, besides the things that are happening with it. Dawn. But what. What could we potentially explore that might be new in their relationship?

James Newcomb: Well, you know, I, I can say that like most servants who have, served houses for a long period of time, there’s nothing that they don’t know.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

James Newcomb: In spite of their appearance of indifference or you know, withholding. but they know everything. They all. They know what’s happening in the house. And you know, sorry, this phone’s gone off. But and certainly knows about Lord Byron and

James Newcomb: and the disruption that he brings. sorry, I’m gonna.

Brendon Fox: Apparently, apparently Lady Crim is able to call you even while she’s here. On a, servant’s life is now confusion. I love that you’re like, you know, I know everything going on and then the bells are ringing like down navy, you know, like you can’t. You can’t get a break.

James Newcomb: Right. So, you know, there’s that and Septimus is, you know, I, I think, you know, I, I read this and I, I thought of Creature in Harry, Potter. You know, the,

James Newcomb: Oh, you know, the Beatrice Lestrange. And, You know, that. That household of. Of, You know, that. That mutters in, you know, as he’s leaving about the. The house and everybody in it and what losers they are and, you know, not really aristocrats. And, you know, I should be working in a much bigger house with much more prominent, you know, people.

James Newcomb: You know, I don’t know if that’s the case with him. I think he’s probably pretty happy with where he’s at, but there’s just a. You know, I mean, and there’s also a kind of pride in, you know, his ability to serve and know what people need ahead of time. Like a good stage manager.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. Yeah.

James Newcomb: So,

James Newcomb: But there’s a. There’s a kind of, you know, you.

Brendon Fox: Know.

James Newcomb: Just an awareness of what’s going on all the time, everywhere.

Brendon Fox: Right. Well, I wonder about the taking your stage management idea. I mean, to me, what I’ve. What I’ve noticed is that stage managers, in my experience, choose very selectively who they spill the tea with. Right. and I. So I think there. To me, there’s something interesting and juicy about you sharing more than you need to with Septimus, which leads me to think that like. Like there aren’t. There’s not a lot of people that Jelly be. Wants to or needs to, you know, share. I think this scene could have been half as long. You know what I mean? But I. I wonder if there’s something fun about the transaction.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: And. Yeah. And the fact that, like, you get to share the gossip and the tea and that. That maybe Septimus. Because also, like you, Septimus is a hired gun. Right. So you share that. Neither of you are part of the family, and he’s been here now for a while. And I get the sense that. I don’t get the sense that you’re. That you’ve, given him a cold shoulder or somehow he seems to be on the right side of Jellyby, I guess, is what I’m saying, and that maybe he could be rewarded with some. There’s this, you know, and even that little fun exchange about the coin, I think is really fun because that sense of, Right. The way you dangle that, and he picks up on the cue, and right.

James Newcomb: Away it’s half a guinea. That’s not an insignificant amount of money, actually.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

James Newcomb: Pretty, you know.

Brendon Fox: Right.

James Newcomb: Rich. So.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. Which I think is. And I think, too, Chris on a tutor’s Salary that to me shows the level of stakes of how much you want to know. That giving him that much money. And I think Jamie, maybe it’s on you to help the audience clock how much that is to both of you. Right. You’re right. And that then we can really understand like wow, he really stuck his neck out. So I think Chris, then there’s, it’s not just funny, it’s actually a little bit maybe more desperate of seriously, Half guinea? Really? Yeah. I mean that’s a lot of money I just gave you, dude. You know, can I, can I get something a kind of

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Brendon Fox: something big and, and then it comes. Right. And then, and there’s a, it probably would have been more if she hadn’t come in.

James Newcomb: Right.

Brendon Fox: But I, I, I like that he, that Jelby puts that out there, that opens the door and you know exactly what the cue is, Chris. But I think the surprise can be. I’ll tip you. You know more than zero would have been great. Right. Because Byron gave him zero. So you have a low bar to cross. But you went way over with that half guinea. And I, I mean that’s, that to me is kind of interesting. Right? The fact that you in a, in the urgency of the moment want, you know, spend that to get information.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah, yeah, agreed. I think it also in my head it also says something about what transpired overnight and where Septimus is in terms of this transformative near death experience as we talked about last week, that, that he’s not, not exactly himself either. You know, he’s, he’s in this new frame of mind or you know, he’s had this bracing experience. Take here’s 20 bucks. What can I get?

Brendon Fox: Yeah, yeah, right. I love that it goes along what we were saying earlier last week with you and, and, and Jennifer about like what have I got to lose? Right. I mean it’s, in a way it’s only money. That’s not what matters right now. Yeah, it’s it. And I like and you know, and Stopper loves these double entendres. right. The, or these double meaning of what if we hear the pistol shot, we’re waiting to see is he alive, is he dead. Right. And, and then when you come in and you say what a bracing experience, I think we’re meant to think the duel. Right. And I, and I love that you immediately say it’s the dawn. It’s, it’s, it’s nature. It’s like it and you know, and I think it’s Interesting. And a great foreshadowing of. You’re going to become the hermit of Sidley Park.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Spending all your time in nature. Only in nature.

Chris Guilmet: I imagine that he’s. Septimus is not someone who’s shot a lot of things either. Could also be that he. Like that shot, is that he just shot the rabbit. And that is also a racing experience, too.

Brendon Fox: Yes, absolutely. Well. And that you took a life.

Chris Guilmet: For Thomasina, I think.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, right. For Thomasina. And I love that, Chris, that you’re out of your comfort zone and really are. You’re not someone who takes a life of any kind, of any animal easily. And you didn’t want to go into the duel, but you’re doing it. And then. And then he didn’t. Right. Just so I’m clear on the backstory, so you went out there, right. You were supposed to have pistols at dawn. You decided to stay overnight in the gatehouse. Why? You could have just come from the house at dawn. What? Why did you decide to spend the night out there?

Chris Guilmet: Man, that’s a great question that I wish I’d given more thought to before you asked me.

Brendon Fox: well, Good thing we’re in rehearsal.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah, exactly. I think. I think it’s tied to the letter that he left for the lady. You know, like this confession of his feelings to someone he never really should confess that sort of thing to and then has to get out. Like, I’ve done this thing. I can’t really stay in this room, in this place. I’m going to move on to the next thing, which, in writing the letter, there’s a good assumption that I’m not going to walk away from it or I wouldn’t have done that. So.

Brendon Fox: Yes. Yes. So. So it’s either way. Yeah. You’re. You’re out of the picture, either by death or. It’s also a great way to avoid seeing what effect it has on her in the moment, because there’s a very different experience. Right. Jennifer, of like, here’s my letter to you. Right. We see both versions in Jane Austen. Right. Those who receive a letter and can process it emotionally on their own, and then those who are given a message and the person standing there in the room. Right. I mean, I’m just adding to what you’re saying, Chris, but, like, it’s interesting and Septimus is character when it comes to these matters of the heart. He can take on carnal knowledge. As scary as it is with Thomasina, that’s daunting. But what’s more daunting is the letter of your feelings. So you’re like, I’m gonna place that. I’m either gonna peace out permanently or at least peace out temporarily while you, read it, digest it. Do you know what I mean? And so even if I do survive, you’ve already had a chance to look at it.

Chris Guilmet: I’d say that the carnal knowledge is a very dry description, right. There’s

00:20:00

Chris Guilmet: no emotional content to it. You take the penis, you put it in. Whereas this, as a confession of love, is a whole other matter. M. But if Septimus had not gone outside and spent the night, she would not have found the letter in the room. She would have come in and found Tim, and he could have been like, oh, hi. You know, so learning that she came into the room looking for him while he was outside, there’s also a bit of like, oh, that might have been a miscalculation if I didn’t want her to see it while I was living. Because now I know she’s. She must have seen it in my room because I left it for her to see if I didn’t return, which I didn’t last night. But now I’ve returned and now she’s seen it and fuck. You know, or.

Téa Guarino: Or.

Chris Guilmet: Or maybe yay. Or whatever. Whatever the.

Brendon Fox: Right. It could. It could go either way. But. But you’re in that state of uncertainty, right? Like Schrodinger’s cat, right? You’re in that states of, like, where is this tragedy or triumph? And you. And you. You don’t. Adding to your, you know, bracing experience.

Chris Guilmet: But. But I. I feel like he would not have left it if there was any chance of her seeing it while he was still alive. Like, I don’t. I don’t think he maybe thought that far ahead of, What happens if she finds it? Because I’m out here, like, either I’m dead and she’s read it, or I’m alive and I can tear it up because she hasn’t seen me yet.

Brendon Fox: Right? Right. Which would hopefully be the case, right. Because if she’s a. You don’t expect her to be awake at dawn, right? So I think that’s a great point. Right, so you have. If the cheater didn’t explode, right? If all that stuff didn’t happen, right. You could have been. She would have been none the wiser. I love that. And that you could have actually then thrown that into the fire and then, you know, nothing would have changed. You would have pined like Gatsby, never seeing. Never meeting Daisy and Right, but the big, the one of the big blow ups is, oh, she has seen it and now she’s here and we have to deal with that. Or we’re choosing to deal with it. But I, I love that. All of that sense of you being out there and really not thinking that there’s maybe a good chance you were going to live to tell the tale. So you take yourself out of, the house and therefore you miss all of the, the chaos that goes on. and the fact that also in the beginning you say, Chris, I was expecting, I was expecting to be locked out. What time is it? So Jellyby. Jamie. You see, right, you, you come into the room with your lamp and then you see him outside. Why are you even in the room? Are, are we starting the day or are we. Or what? What, What? Are you looking for him or. You’re muted.

James Newcomb: I thought. Yes, he was starting the day. I think it’s the beginning of the day. it starts early anyway, you know.

Brendon Fox: So that for all the servants. Right.

Geoffrey Wade: And what’s his name? Left an hour before. So he’s.

James Newcomb: Oh, Byron.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: He’s had.

James Newcomb: Right.

Brendon Fox: Oh, right, yeah.

James Newcomb: Right.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. So you’ve never been to bed?

James Newcomb: Well, yes. No. Ah, not the first time.

Brendon Fox: Right.

James Newcomb: You know what I mean? I mean it’s kind of like whatever the house needs is whatever I’m there for whenever, you know.

Brendon Fox: Right.

James Newcomb: I mean it’s not, you know, it’s. It is that thing. I mean, it’s nobody, nobody, nobody knows what’s happening more than I do.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. But I, and, but I think along with that, Jamie, I think there could be something fun of. When you say the house is up and hopping. What if, what if this is unusually hopping?

James Newcomb: Oh, hopping. Unusually hopping. 4am or 5am in the morning.

Brendon Fox: Right, right. Yeah. This, there’s. This is. It’s an understatement, I think.

James Newcomb: What.

Brendon Fox: You know, I mean, and so that, that way, Chris, there’s a difference between like, oh, we’re interpreting. Oh, yeah. There’s been a little excitement. And the more he unpacks, I think there’s some fun. Chris, in. Wait. What else went on? Wait, how much is what.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, I mean, a lot has gone on. A lot of people left. Lady croom’s been sneaking around or looking around. There’s a lot going on for five.

James Newcomb: Yeah. The house has been up and hopping.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

James Newcomb: Means that it’s, it hasn’t stopped.

Chris Guilmet: It’s been.

James Newcomb: It’s not a new thing. It’s something that has Been going on.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

James Newcomb: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: The, You were missed, Mr. Hodge, again, is an understatement. I think that I wonder, Jenny, is there some more you can. What if we lean

00:25:00

Brendon Fox: into that of like that is. There’s so much behind what I’m telling you of like you don’t understand how much you should have been here. And you know, and I think, Chris, in your innocence, there’s a sense. Oh, that’s nice. Of people. I was missed. Right. And Jeremy’s like, no, you don’t understand.

Jennifer Le Blanc: You were missed at volume, right?

Brendon Fox: Yes, exactly. At volume.

James Newcomb: At volume.

Brendon Fox: And Captain Bryce’s carriage with Mr. Mrs. Chaytor also.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: And this is pretty rare for septimists to see an exclamation point question mark. I just want to flag that because that’s pretty. I, would encourage you, Chris, See what happens next time of just letting him. Letting the flabbergast station come out even more. The bigger the rugs we can pull out, the better. And then on top of that, we have Lord Byron, right?

Chris Guilmet: And everybody, everybody, the entire retinue is.

Geoffrey Wade: A lot going on in that house.

Brendon Fox: And then I love your first question is, what am I going to do with these guns? Which is interesting. You know, like it’s. It’s like it. You don’t want these guns, so you borrowed these guns of his for the duel from Byron? Is that the idea?

Chris Guilmet: Yeah, yeah.

Brendon Fox: That’s fascinating.

Chris Guilmet: I certainly don’t have any guns.

Brendon Fox: Right. I love that. And you don’t want them. I love that. You’re like, well, he should have at least stuck around to collect his firearms because I don’t want these anymore. So it’s kind of great to tell us that about Septimus. I’m realizing.

Brendon Fox: Right. And I love that. By whom? By her leadership in my room. And that’s kind of Chris, I think that’s, you know, potentially exciting. Potentially scary. She went to your room. I don’t think she’s ever been to your. Does she know where my room is? You know, there’s. And then before you can even get any more from information from Jellyby, he’s about to leave. Right. I. I kind of. I think that’s really smart of you, Jamie, to be like, I’m not going to say anything more A without a tip or B without Lady Kruhn present because now it’s about to get right. You already said a certain amount. And now of course, Satan is going to want. Is going to want to know more details.

James Newcomb: Yes. Yeah.

Chris Guilmet: I do think that that in my room is like, I left that letter to be found. If she went in my room, she found it. I think Septimus clocks that instantly.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. Ah, that’s great shit. You know. Yeah. Which I love. And that Jellyby is going right over. You know, there are things Jellabee knows that you don’t and, and vice versa. So I love that, Chris, that if you’re freaking out and Delby has no idea why, what’s the big deal? Right? About like. Well, it’s a very big deal and we’re going to find out why.

James Newcomb: maybe qualify my earlier statement that Jellyby thinks he knows more about what’s going on.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, I think that’s, that’s fun, Jamie, right? When there’s like, well why. What is, what am I missing? Right? Yeah. What’s the. And that could help prompt you decide to go and get. Maybe I should go. I should go get Lady Croom. You know, there’s, there’s, there are things happening here I’m not fully aware of. And then we have this beat about the book. Right, Chris, that.

Brendon Fox: You, we. And this is the book that gets referenced by the academics. Right?

Chris Guilmet: This is the, the, the, the the poetry. It’s the, it’s Croom’s poem that he thinks he’s written.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. So he didn’t, he didn’t leave the book. And then we have the coin. I would, I’m sure he would have left a coin if he had had one. Then we get the half guinea, you know. Thank you very much. What has occurred? The servants are told nothing, sir. I love that way, Jamie. You get to be impressed by the size of the money. But then you first give him that first party line. Right? I love that that you’re the. He has to jump over that one little hoop like, you know, the standard response is we, of course we know nothing. Right? That’s what we, that’s why we stay employed. And then I love that Chris is like, come on. Yeah. And then you phone.

James Newcomb: I just gave you half a guinea.

Brendon Fox: Come on. Right.

Chris Guilmet: This isn’t the first time I imagine that Septimus has bought information from Jellyby either. Like m. Yeah, but this is a dance.

Brendon Fox: Maybe not, not to this amount. You know what I mean? There’s a. I, I, that’s, I, I, I think that’s, I love that. And then, and then immediately Jamie, you, you give up some information. I love that, you know, you, you encounter Mrs. Cher during the night. And

00:30:00

Brendon Fox: now we start. We have to get this geography right of the. This is like the game of Clue. Right. Which room? Where are people? So, and, and Jennifer, help me with this too. So you, last night while Shader and Bryce were drinking. Right?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah. Decided to discuss poetry with Lord Byron in the middle of the night.

Brendon Fox: And, and you, you were about to go discuss poetry with Lord Byron when the door opens and there’s Mrs. Chater coming out. Mrs. Chaytor’s coming out, having already discussed poetry.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes. Having had a thorough discussion of poetry.

Brendon Fox: Right. And then what do you imagine happened at that moment, Jennifer?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, I think screaming must have occurred because of what we discover later. I believe I probably began, the screaming. but also in that, Mrs. Chater’s carnal, embrace with Septimus is also discovered because I think that’s why I’m headed to Septimus room.

Brendon Fox: So, so how does it get discovered that he hooked up with Chaytor?

Jennifer Le Blanc: I mean, I think that’s part of the screaming match. You know, probably along the lines of, I’m going to tell your husband about your passion for poetry, et cetera, you know, and then somewhere in that.

Brendon Fox: Discussion, all the dirty laundry comes, all.

Jennifer Le Blanc: The dirty laundry gets aired. Because I think that’s what sends Lady Croom to Septimus Room where she finds the letters. And it just occurred to me, if that’s the case, she’s got the letters, she obviously, she’s kicked everyone out. It, sounds like my husband slept entirely through it. Good man.

Brendon Fox: I love that.

Jennifer Le Blanc: But I’ve, I’ve shuffled off Byron, I’ve shuffled off my brother and the cheaters. All of the arrangements have been made. I have read the letters and it occurs to me I’m coming into this room. I hadn’t thought about it before, but if she hears the gunshot.

Jennifer Le Blanc: And she happens to know that Shader is in a carriage.

Brendon Fox: Hm.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Leaving. And so is Byron.

Jennifer Le Blanc: So the only one with guns right now and who wrote me a farewell letter is Septimus.

Brendon Fox: Oh. So you could think that perhaps Septimus.

Jennifer Le Blanc: It just occurred to me because I was like, does she hear it or what is she, you know, why is she coming into this room?

Brendon Fox: I love that. And that that really puts the stakes really high for you. And the vulnerability of, did Septimus do something with a gun out?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Did he do something rash?

Brendon Fox: Yes. Oh, that’s, that’s great.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I’m wondering, I mean, like it hadn’t occurred to me just before reading it this time, but I was like, if she, did she hear that? And then, hence why she would ask about the hair when she enters. Because if she’s seen a dead hair, it’s like, Ah, great. Gave me a heart attack to shoot a hair.

Brendon Fox: Right. So you’re using. You can still process. Be processing your shock and it’s not over. But I love that you’re trying to use. Use your wit to. Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: And there’s the propriety of Jellyby’s existence in the room.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Even with all the dirty laundry. We’re supposed to pretend that there’s decorum.

Brendon Fox: Yes, Yes, I do believe.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Some sense of decorum. Shall we?

Brendon Fox: And the look you give him, I love that also. It’s like both of you, everyone’s sort of over all the decorum. Right. So even when he, when he says a rabbit, I. I think it’s great of like. Really? Yeah. Are we gonna do that? No, no, I’m not gonna. You’re right. Now is not the time to get into this.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Semantics. We’re doing semantics.

Brendon Fox: Right. And I love you want to have it both ways, Chris. No, no, I will give you that as a hair. I will say it’s very rabid.

Chris Guilmet: Like, I mean, it is.

Brendon Fox: And that’s, that’s when your cue, Jamie, is to go. Okay, I’m gonna go. you know, they, they, they don’t. They, they don’t. They don’t need me. But I think you wanting your infusion too here means. I mean, tell me what you think, Jennifer. But I feel like first of all, as you’re. If you’re getting over your nerves still. Right. The shock of what happened, and you need that to calm down. But it also implies to me that we’re. You’re. We’re going to be here for a moment. Right.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I’d like to discuss these young man.

Brendon Fox: Right. So. So I feel like Chris, you know, like the fact that she orders her infusion to be brought to. Into the room.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes.

Brendon Fox: to me there’s a sign of where. Make yourself comfortable. Mm.

Brendon Fox: And then once at the

00:35:00

Brendon Fox: moment Jo be leaves, I think there’s something fun. Jennifer, can we explore this sense of. There’s a certain amount of still decorum while Jelly’s there. And the moment he leaves, you can go right for him. Right. Go right for the jugular on. How dare you. Great. And that way that allows Chris and Septimus to be kind of thrown off balance again. You know, he thought we might sort of slowly on ramp into a genteel discussion. But I think, I think you’re taking the initiative is a way to throw him off balance. Right. To get.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Not this much adrenaline running in me. So,

Brendon Fox: Exactly. Can, can we, can we try that from right before you come in?

Brendon Fox: how about. I’m, halfway down on 72. Jellyby. Her Ladyship encountered Mrs. M. Chater during the night. Is he ramping?

James Newcomb: Yes. Her ladyship encountered Mrs. Chaytor, during the night.

Chris Guilmet: Where?

James Newcomb: Oh, on the threshold of Lord Byron’s room.

Chris Guilmet: Ah. Which one was leaving?

James Newcomb: In which entering Mrs. Chaytor was leaving Lord Byron’s room.

Chris Guilmet: Where was Mr. Chaytor?

James Newcomb: Mr. Chaytor and Captain Bryce were drinking cherry brandy. They had a footman to keep the fire up until 3:00. There was a loud altercation upstairs and,

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, Mr.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Hodge.

Chris Guilmet: My lady.

Jennifer Le Blanc: All this to shoot a hare?

Chris Guilmet: Rabbits. No, indeed.

James Newcomb: A hare, though.

Chris Guilmet: Very rabbit.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Like my infusion?

James Newcomb: Yes. My lady.

Jennifer Le Blanc: How dare you.

Chris Guilmet: I cannot be called into account for what was written in private and read without regard to priority, addressed to me, left in my room in the event of my death.

Jennifer Le Blanc: What earthly use is a love letter from Briond grave?

Chris Guilmet: As much, surely, as from this side of it. The second letter.

Brendon Fox: Let me hold here for a second. I just want to see what happens one more time. This time from the Mayan fusion. And, what struck me, I think, just now was I want to see what happens. Chris. If you. What if you. If she’s going to go there, you. You meet her at the net, Play the net, tennis wise with her.

Chris Guilmet: Okay?

Brendon Fox: Because I think, what if the gloves are off for both of you? That’s really intense for both of you. When you say as much, surely, as from this side of it, it’s like, you know. Okay, take that. Sure. Okay, so how about from just my infusion?

Jennifer Le Blanc: My infusion?

James Newcomb: Yes, milady.

Jennifer Le Blanc: How dare you.

Chris Guilmet: I cannot be called into account for what was written in private and read without regard to propriety, addressed to me, left in my room in the event of my death.

Jennifer Le Blanc: What earthly use is a love letter from, beyond the grave?

Chris Guilmet: As much, surely, as from this side of it. The second letter, however, was not addressed to your ladyship.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I have a mother’s right to open a letter addressed to you, addressed, by you. To my daughter. Whether in the event of your life, your death or your imbecility. What do you mean by writing to her rice pudding when she has just suffered the shock of a violent death in our midst.

Chris Guilmet: Whose death?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yours, you wretch.

Chris Guilmet: yes, I see.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I do not know. Which is the matter of your ravings. One envelope full of Rice pudding. And the other of the most insolent familiarities regarding several parts of my body. But I have no doubt which is the more intolerable to me which. Oh, aren’t we saucy when our bags are packed? Your friend has gone before you and I have despatched the harlot Chater and her husband and also my brother for bringing them here. Such is the sentence, you see, for choosing unwisely in your acquaintance. Banishment. Lord Byron is a rake and a hypocrite. And the sooner he sails for the Levant, the sooner he will find a society congenial to his character.

Chris Guilmet: It has been a night of reckoning indeed.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I wish it had passed uneventfully with you and Mr. Chater shooting each other with the decorum due to a civilized house. You have no secrets left, Mr. Hodge. They spilled out between shrieks and oaths and tears. It is fortunate the lifetime’s devotion of the sporting gun has halved my husband’s hearing to the air he sleeps on.

Chris Guilmet: I’m afraid I have no knowledge of what has occurred.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Your Trollope was discovered in Lord Byron’s room.

Chris Guilmet: Ah. discovered by Mr. M. Chaytor.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Who else?

Chris Guilmet: I’m very sorry, madam, for having used your kindness to bring my unworthy friend to your notice. He will have to give an account of himself to me, you may be sure.

Brendon Fox: Great. can we just hold there for a second? So that’s great. That’s great, folks. Let’s talk about what happened there with the two of you. I think there’s something juicy. When the gloves came off and you both just kind of went for it in a way that’s been kind of pent up, this moment of. What struck me for both of you is when you said, it’s been a night of reckoning. What jumped out at me was you’ve been watching her and everyone fawn over Byron, right? It’s like the cult of Byron. And what I heard this time, Chris, was, wow, finally people can see the bullshit artist. Finally. You know, even if you and her never hook up, it’s like that alone is satisfying, right? The fact that, yes, send him off to the Levant, good. But I, but you can’t believe it because 12 hours ago he could do no wrong, Right? Right. And everyone was fawning. So I think it’s fascinating to hear how extreme she’s been. It’s like kicking him to the curb and he’s a piece of trash. And so I, I, I just think there’s something fun you could Explore more Chris. Of like, I like these epiphanies we’re having, you know. Does that make sense to you, Jen?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Oh yeah.

Brendon Fox: It’s the fact that like when she turns man, it’s like, like I had, I, I don’t. I never liked him. I think he’s a raking hypocrite. Like there’s not even like any, any reference to, you know, he had good, good parts.

Jennifer Le Blanc: No, no, he didn’t anymore.

Brendon Fox: In retrospect, we’ve revised history, you know, so what, what, what, what, what jumped out of the two of you? That. For that, that chunk which I think is so ra.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, she’s got, she’s. I think she’s still got a whole bunch of anger and needs an outlet. I’m still mad and I’ve sent everyone away that I can.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

Jennifer Le Blanc: And my husband’s still asleep.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, so I’m going to find Septimus.

Brendon Fox: And not just anger, but also libido. there’s a lot of pent up energy that’s part rage and part like. And horniness. You were on the cusp of hooking up with Byron. Right. And now everyone is gone, but you are not satisfied.

Jennifer Le Blanc: And I think there’s this extra level of, I don’t think Lady Croom at this point has considered her interest in Septimus. But if this cheater woman was with both Byron and Septimus, we very dislike her. Very dislike. And it, you know, like. And then conflicted because I find this letter seemingly to Lady Croom out of nowhere from Septimus. So that’s a, that’s a lot of information. but I feel like I can hold him responsible for Lord Byron and being in my house. And so I shall.

Brendon Fox: Yes. Yeah. And I love that. And the section about the letter too. What? I love that. As you’re exploring Jen, both verbally and physically, it’s starting off as a weapon and then becoming the fan and the sense of needing to cool down. And I think there’s an opportunity. You can even see what happens if you let. Is there a moment of, of more of the desire popping through before she shuts it down? Because I think it’s helpful.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I think at least in my imagination. He’s a very good writer.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Septimus.

Brendon Fox: And isn’t that part of the point of this play is writing is an erogenous zone?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: words are an aphrodisiac. And I think it maybe is that help you turn your focus on him in a new way? Because that’s also why you love. I mean, yes, Byron’s handsome and he’s, you know, he’s roguish but also he can write like freaking nobody’s business. So there what I love is people. I mean it’s not, that’s not Mrs. Chater’s M.O. but it seems like it’s yours. So the fact that you read this letter now of like, oh well, now I have to think of you in a different way because if you can write like that, what else can you do?

Jennifer Le Blanc: I was also curious just this is very nerdy but Jen, which of the letters she opened first? Do you know? Would she normally have opened a letter to her daughter?

Jennifer Le Blanc: But considering the content of the evening.

00:45:00

Jennifer Le Blanc: But if she opened the letter to herself, to Lady Croom first and knows the contents of that.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Then yes, you’re going to tear the heck open it. What the heck is he writing? To my young. If this is what you wrote to me, what have you written to my young daughter? Yes.

Brendon Fox: And then I love that you’re oven. And then you run right into rice.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Pudding and then it’s rice pudding. That’s like what is happening with this man?

Brendon Fox: Yes. You know, and and, and how dare you be so callous. So then your new problem is. Well, if it wasn’t sexual, then you’re discussing rice pudding at a time when she should be in mourning.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes.

Brendon Fox: So that doesn’t show a lot of maturity on your part. One way or the other you have, you are, you are violating my daughter. But in, but in the case of the rice pudding, it feels very, you know, shocking for you to do that to her. And I, and I love the. Chris, it feels like you’re half step behind of like wait, did someone die and I’m not aware of. Yeah, no, it’s your death. You keep up.

Chris Guilmet: But I didn’t die. Yeah, I, I think that that point of, of which letter did she read first? It’s interesting to think if she read the rice pudding one first and that was like, well what’s in it? Oh my God. Like it’s a whole other. Oh my God.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah, it’s just interesting to see like how her evening has played out.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

Jennifer Le Blanc: That’s a roller coaster.

Chris Guilmet: I’m curious if did she go to Byron’s room of her own accord.

James Newcomb: Or.

Brendon Fox: How do you mean?

Chris Guilmet: Was she invited to Byron’s room by him?

Brendon Fox: Oh, I see. Or did she take the initiative?

Chris Guilmet: You know, as the lady of the house, I have certain sure I can go wherever I want. It’s my house. So I’m going to go here and. And is met by the by the trolley or was interesting some sort of invitation and went and still finds this other woman coming out.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah, that’s. I mean I’m inclined to guess invitation because of the way she says he’s. He’s a rake and a hypocrite. The hypocrite makes me think it was by invitation.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: What do you think Jeff? I’m frankly of the other camp that she goes on her own and that’s why they run into. I think Byron might have arranged things a little better if he knew they were.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Oh I actually assumed that lady, Mrs. Chaytor took her own initiative.

Brendon Fox: See that’s what I thought. I, I thought that was my answer. That he had always planned to meet with Eddy Croom. But, but, but the Jader pointed in so to speak.

Geoffrey Wade: and this is, you know, not to Interfere in anybody else’s character development but.

Brendon Fox: No, please.

Geoffrey Wade: It makes, it makes Lady Croom if, if she’s the one who’s even more been made the fool of because she went on her own initiative and this other woman is coming out. It seems that that might help with the altercation that everybody hears throughout the house. I don’t know.

Brendon Fox: Right. Right. Well there go either way.

Geoffrey Wade: It’s just. That’s the way I feel it. Yeah.

Brendon Fox: But, but, but either way I think it helps Yujin feeling. Feeling embarrassed. Right. And that’s not something you’re used to feeling like up until this the whole play we’ve always seen her. She can handle landscapers, she can handle music teachers. Byron everybody. Right. And so this is the first time we watched her with egg on her face and feeling so Vulnerable and humiliated. Yes, in a way. And though you have by course correcting by banishing everyone from the Garden of Eden. Right. Like you basically saying this did not happen, this will never be spoken of. And we. But, but, but it’s because you put yourself out there.

Brendon Fox: One way or the other. And the fact that now you’re still. That’s only an hour ago.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Dr. K, did you have any thought on what we’re chatting here?

Dr. Kate Moncrief: Well I, I’ve been mentally going down the rabbit hole still on money. Thinking about that half K and how much it’s worth.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: And what he’s trying to get with that amount of money. So Brendan, you mentioned that it’s a lot of money, but in 1809 the salary of a tutor or A governess would have been about £25 and a half. Guinea is about a half a pound. So for Septimus it’s like a week’s salary. So like that’s a lot of money. What is he trying to get in that minute? And like he doesn’t, like, he gets a little bit of information before Lady Croom comes and interrupts. So I’m wondering for Septimus, I’m thinking

00:50:00

Dr. Kate Moncrief: about like what his event is, what’s happening for him with that money and with Jellyby and then how it’s interrupted by Lady Croom and he’s basically spent a ton of money to get very little information. And does that affect the energy in the room?

Brendon Fox: Well, and the fact that I think along with that cape it. When I’m looking back at that exchange, Chris, I keep coming back to what am I to do with these rabbit pistols? And Jamie, you don’t answer that. You go straight to. You were looked for in your room. By whom? By her ladyship. In my room. Here’s some money. Essentially. I can see why you’d want to pay some money to get like. Well, wait, wait, wait. Tell me more about her going to my room. Because that that to me is like you were saying, Kate, something has to prompt him to spend a week’s salary. And it feels like the only thing that’s particularly juicy that happens five lines earlier is Lady Croom looked for you in your room in the middle of the night.

Chris Guilmet: Well, I, I actually, the next thing I ask about is the book.

Brendon Fox: Right. But that, that’s true though. I don’t, I, I guess what I’m struggling with is like, why would you. That the, the what, what, what would, what’s the bribe for Jelloby about? You know.

Chris Guilmet: Well, I’m wondering, did I, did I put something in the. Is I, I can’t remember off the top if I, if I’ve put anything in the book.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I think the challenges are in the book. Right? Oh, the written challenges.

Brendon Fox: Yes, yes, yes, that’s true. So you, you, you could be wanting them to, to track. To get hold of those too. Yeah, the, and the fact. And when you, when he talks about the, like back on 23, I have no doubt which is more intolerable to me. And I think that was great, Chris, of leaning in on the witch, of like actively sort of goading her, you know, like. Well, I mean. Well, if you’re going to bring that up, tell me, tell me once and for all, which is more intolerable. And she doesn’t answer you, you know, but, but I. But I think what’s fascinating is to me, I wonder, as I’m watching this Chris and Jen, I think he’s acting in a more saucy way than Avery has. He’s acting Byronic. He’s kind of pushing things in a way I feel like Chris, Septimus never has. You’ve been really good. You’ve behaved yourself well. You’ve stuck to the rules of the game. And tonight is a different Septimus.

Chris Guilmet: I don’t have anything to lose anymore. I assume I’m out. I have to go. What? I. I’ve no. I have no reason to be careful. Which sort of makes me like Byron, who is just uncareful anyway.

Brendon Fox: Right, Right. Well, Jeff. Jeff, I see you wanting to say something. You’re muted. Still muted.

Geoffrey Wade: Just talking to myself here. I’m just nodding in. In agreement to how everything, you know, everything can be possible. You know, all these different things can be.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, possible. it’s great to see these two, Septimus’s theme side by side, because I feel like as challenging and as exciting as Septimus is in the first scene with. With Thomasina, as I’m watching the scene between you two, this feels like. Like a man with nothing to lose. And the fact that here’s a woman who is seeing. You’ve already seen him write something. You’ve witnessed this writing, Jen, and now he’s somebody who is being pretty bold with you. Right? Aren’t we saucy? And I don’t know if you’ve ever associated that word with Septimus before. So like a week ago we talked about wonder. Right? So could part of the wonder be the two of you and you looking at him in this new way of. So wait, who this is Septimus 2.0. Who is this? Now?

Geoffrey Wade: Again, this is, you know, so much of the play is this. It’s, you know, it’s heart and gut. I mean, you know, head and gut. So we’re getting a lot of his head in the first scene and how clever he is and how much he knows, you know, all that. It’s wonderfully witty that way. And this one seems more sort of groin oriented for both of them, you know? And, this is the love that hurts when he says, oh, no, you know, sex, is much nicer than love. It’s much easier. It does not. Doesn’t hurt so much.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, well. And again, how do you.

Geoffrey Wade: Because

00:55:00

Geoffrey Wade: he is saucy. He’s a little.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, yeah. Well, and that sense of, being a little braver. It’s interesting to me, Jen, when you say, aren’t we saucy when our bags are packed and then how do you get from there to. Your friend has gone before you. Can you help me with that?

Jennifer Le Blanc: yeah. So he is being saucy and he, he should be under the assumption that he is going to be fired. So when you’re, when your bags are packed, because this is behavior that would get you kicked out. and so I am informing him that you will, you will be following. We are all, you are all fired. Like everybody out. So that’s, I mean that’s where I’m going with like the Oh, you’re flirting with me as you pack your bags by. Because I got rid of him and, and even kicked my brother out. I killed my brother for his poor company. So you’re going to.

Brendon Fox: But to add to that, you say Lord Byron, such as descendants for choosing unwisely in your acquaintance management. What could some of this be? You. You are going to ask him to choose?

Jennifer Le Blanc: It could be. Although I would say like to me the double is your, your poor judgment in Byron, but also your poor judgment and Mrs. Hater Chater.

Brendon Fox: Right. So.

Jennifer Le Blanc: So we like in this case, it’s both like you chose unwisely.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Jennifer Le Blanc: On both counts. Bye.

Brendon Fox: Well, but that’s what, that’s what I think is interesting is that you haven’t yet said bye. You are, you are laying the groundwork to say goodbye. But I like that you’re saying here’s. You’re sort of. It’s like the game show, right? The lady or the tiger. You’re pulling this curtain back and going, okay, so if one chooses Chador and Byron, one will be banished.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Explain, you know. Oh yeah, you have, you have 30 seconds.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Oh yes. No, I think she would very much like an argument on the subject.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: I think she would like to be talked out of it.

Chris Guilmet: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, I think that’s what I’m. Yes, exactly.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes, yes, yes is it gives me a reason to let you stay.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. To let you stay. And because you know he could easily defend Byron. Right. Lord Byron is a rake and hypocrite. The sooner he sails for the land more congenial to his character and you’re baiting him. You know, there’s mostly good friends, so it makes sense to see Septimus go. My lady, I think that is unfair. I think you’ve been extreme. I will not take my leave. Right. Because I think you’re purposely putting down red meat to see. All right, I pretty much called him all. Every name in the book. Are you going to agree with me or are you going to defend your hypocrite friend? And he hasn’t yet. He hasn’t given you his decision. You know, he gives you the. It’s been a night of reckoning, but the clock is still running. Right. He hasn’t actually. Like you’re still waiting. So are you pro or anti Byron and pro and anti Chader. Mm.

Brendon Fox: And then. And then I love the next page. You push further. You have no secrets left, Mr. Hodge. I mean that’s. It can’t be. This is the most blatant we’ve been in some ways the whole play. They spilled out between shrieks and oaths and tears. Thank God my. My husband didn’t hear any of this or you wouldn’t. You might not be alive right now, but it’s. It’s another provocation, I think too. Right. You have no secrets left. So are we. Are we going to stay on? We’re going to be truthful.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Right. Right. Which I think is also letting him know I also know about you and Mrs. Jader.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Bluntly, yes. So in that like that is also now revealed.

Brendon Fox: Right. And. And your response, Chris, is. I have no knowledge, I’m afraid I have no knowledge of what. What has occurred. Which is not true. Right. Because courtesy of Jellyby, you know a little bit of what’s occurred.

Chris Guilmet: I have no first hand knowledge.

Brendon Fox: Exactly. I was outside. Right. And. And so then you. And I love that your Trollope, she’s not a name anymore. I love that it’s. And not the Trollop. Your Trollop.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Was discovered in Lord Byron’s room. ah. discovered by Mr. Cheater. So I love Chris. Now, knowing what you know from Jellyby, you’re going to hold her feet to the fire and say, so are you going

01:00:00

Brendon Fox: to be truthful? Yeah. And I love that you guys answer a question with a question. M. Who else would you do? You want to volunteer a name? Because you. You know what will happen if you do. And. And then I think this is so beautiful, Jen. Is that. Then finally, Chris, you choose what side. Right. I’m very sorry, madam, for having met. Use your kindness to be my unworthy friend. To your notice. He will have to give an account of himself to me, you may be sure that’s. What do you think? That seems to be moving the needle in the right direction. Right, Jen?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, it’s Interesting. I’m reading the next stage direction which says, before Lady Croom can respond to this threat.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: So I think there is an implied threat to that, if I’m understanding it correctly. And I would love to hear other thoughts on it, because what I interpret as the threat is, well, Lord Byron has a sort of, a side of the story too. He’s my friend. I could ask him what happened.

Brendon Fox: Oh, no.

James Newcomb: Oh, no.

Chris Guilmet: I feel like.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Okay, great.

Brendon Fox: That’s.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s not what that means.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: What do you. What do you think, Jeff?

Geoffrey Wade: Well, it seems to me, what I know of the language at that time, when he says he’ll have to answer to me, that means I’ll. I’ll kill him. I’ll challenge him.

Brendon Fox: All the, all the.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: So it’s the threat that’s a challenge.

Geoffrey Wade: For a duel is to pirate. He’s basically. It’s like, you know, okay, you know, this is kill, Kill Claudio. Okay, I’ll do it.

Brendon Fox: Great. Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Well, that’s fun.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s what I think.

Brendon Fox: Yes.

Geoffrey Wade: But the language, he’ll have to answer to me is a. Is a challenge to it.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Okay.

Chris Guilmet: Which has a very extreme response, too. Like that.

Brendon Fox: That.

Chris Guilmet: That’s kind of a, Comes a bit out of nowhere from, from the exchange that’s just happened between us. Like, I’m going from, you know, we’re going to. I’m afraid I have no knowledge of this. To. I’m actually, I’m actually. Yeah, I’m really sorry about that. I’m gonna kill the motherfucker for that.

Geoffrey Wade: I, I, I think it’s a. Yeah, I think it’s a sign of. He’s making his. She said, choose wisely. M. And I think. And he said, my choice.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: My choice.

Chris Guilmet: I will kill.

Geoffrey Wade: I will kill my friend for you.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: Which raises everything up so that we have this whole, the whole rest of this. I mean, there’s a lot of scene to go still, but it’s like a.

James Newcomb: Series of impulsive impulsivity, you know?

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

James Newcomb: Rose, these things. I’m starting with the half crown or half guinea, you know that it’s like, it’s nothing like you said before, Jeff. It’s coming from the groin. It’s not coming from the, the head. You know, it’s. There’s no rationality to this. And it’s all extremes, you know, and, and it’s a laddering of impulsive extreme.

Brendon Fox: You know, and, and playing chicken with each other, too. Right.

James Newcomb: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: I went here and then I’ll Go there and I’ll meet you. And I’ll meet you and, and, and, and they don’t have time to really like, be rational about it. You’re right. And I think if they’re going to go somewhere, they’re going to double down. So I think, I think, as you said, Jeff, it feels make sense to me, Chris, if like as she is saying, there’s no secrets left. This man treated me abominably. You have to choose, and it has to be extreme one way or the other. If you choose badly, you will be banished forever from my company and everyone I know. If you decide to be you, then if you choose not to go that way, Chris, you have to show her there’s no ambivalence. There’s no kind of sort of. I’m disappointed in him, you know, because anything. Because she just was the Old Testament God there in her speech, right. She cast Adam and Eve out of Eden. So that’s what, that’s. The woman you’re dealing with right now is like not in half measures. So you, you respond strongly and passionately. And that might be the only thing that registers with her right now. You’re. You’re all in or you’re all out. And. But that can be a nice surprise for you, Jen. You know, that impulsiveness, like Jamie said of like, he goes there and I think it’s kind of, it would be kind of fun to explore, Chris, of this coming out of you and maybe you not realizing, oh, shit, I just challenged him to a duel.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: You know, and, and, and before either of you can fully process that, here.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Comes Jelloby and tea time.

Brendon Fox: Right. And you have to sit on that. Yes. Like, like Gwendolyn and Cecily. You have to be like, ah, so much I want to say. And. Exactly.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s a playwright coming in.

Brendon Fox: Right? Yeah. All right, well, this is a great moment I’d like to take. Can we take a quick five and let’s, Or five. Ish. Let’s come back at, nine, 15 my time, which is 5:15 your time. And we’ll circle back to the beginning. Thanks, everybody.

01:05:00

Chris Guilmet: Thank you. And then I’m gonna.

James Newcomb: Disappeared.

Brendon Fox: I’m here, I’m gonna listen.

Chris Guilmet: And I’m going to, take, my leave.

Brendon Fox: Yes. We will see you next week.

Geoffrey Wade: Okay.

Chris Guilmet: Oh, my God, this is so much fun. I’m loving this so much.

Brendon Fox: It’s. It’s so great.

James Newcomb: Yeah.

Chris Guilmet: Okay, I’ll see you all next time.

Brendon Fox: All right, Timmy, continue.

Chris Guilmet: All right, bye.

Brendon Fox: And we’re back.

Geoffrey Wade: Hello.

Brendon Fox: Hello.

James Newcomb: Hello.

Brendon Fox: before we pick up on page eight, just before Jellyby comes in, I just had. I had. If you don’t mind me, Téa, I just would love to ask your. Any thoughts you had on all the things you just witnessed? And, we’ve talked a lot about you in that, first hour, but, about Thomasina. But, just from the outside, any things you wanted to share on? that other scene?

Téa Guarino: I. I was just thinking about the. That’s just the subtlety of the subtlety, but the non. subtlety of the language that the playwright is using. That is just so. And this is my first time. Well, my second time now, just like looking and reading, kind of digesting it all. So I’m just kind of seeing what, you know, how things are being laid out. It’s just so calculated in every way. And I just. I love what. What Jen and Chris and and Jamie are doing with. With the characters. It’s just, Yeah, it’s. It’s awesome to watch. And I think the. I think the funny thing was, when Jen was talking about the, like the letters and like the rice pudding. I know that we’re gonna come back to the rice pudding. Putting topic in. In this scene, which is just like, how different that scene is to my relationship with Septimus in the first scene. And just like the. The arc of things. So it was just. It’s so interesting to, you know, see and watch and be a part of it.

Brendon Fox: So.

Téa Guarino: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: I hadn’t thought of this before, but just when you mentioned the rice pudding again, it. You could. You could say that a part of this play is all about our appetites. Right? And in. And how do. How would we want to feed ourselves in every part of ourself? And for Thomasina, I love the obsession with rice pudding. I mean, you know, like, they’re like, yes, rice pudding is the best. And like. And it’s. And it’s so simple in some ways. Like, she’s so. She’s a genius, but she’s also like, I live for rice pudding. And, And. And then in the. In the later scene, it get. When they are adults, that gets so much more complicated about appetites. And am I allowed to have this? Am I ashamed of this? There are rules. And for Thomasina, it’s like rice pudding is like, that makes it the best day ever.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, it’s simple as that. And now that you bring it up, the other thing about the rice pudding, metaphor image is that my answer to it is that things just get more and more complicated and mixed up, and you can’t go back and it. In this morning scene that we were. You. You were just working on, that’s what’s happened. I mean, things have gotten so complicated, and there’s kind of no way to straighten it out. You can’t unstir the pudding.

Téa Guarino: Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: Again. Yes, again.

Brendon Fox: It’s.

Geoffrey Wade: It’s appetite and time travel. It’s, you know, head and groin all happening. That’s what. That’s what I love about this guy.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. Mixes.

Geoffrey Wade: He mixes it all together, you know? Yeah, I just noticed that.

Brendon Fox: Well, let’s. Let’s. I, just never knew when we were about to start this, a week ago, how much of our time would be spent talking on rice pudding, which is amazing to me. I have no. No notes on that. I think that’s just. It’s so. So beautiful. just going back. Let’s go back to the top of eight. It’s about where we left off. And a quick question for you, Jeff. after she says, I shall never do it without thinking of you. Thank you very much, my lady. Was Mrs. Chaytor down this morning? No. Tell me more about sexual congress. Just to ask sort of a blatant question, but, Why do you instigate that? What’s. What’s your. Why do you want to know what’s. What’s that about?

Geoffrey Wade: I hadn’t. Sorry. No, I’m not muted. I, I hadn’t thought too much about it. I thought it, I guess, in a kind of simple way. I was just wondering if she, I don’t know if she’s. If she’s in a state about what happened yesterday. About the, The carnal embrace.

Brendon Fox: Right. In the gazebo. So that was just yesterday. Right. And. And so if she’s come down this morning, she’s. You were up earlier than Mrs. M. Cheater. Right. But Thomasina was at. Was it at breakfast?

Geoffrey Wade: So she heard all this right in the. In the kitchen?

Brendon Fox: Right in the kitchen. And then Mrs. Chaytor was down this morning. Yeah. What kind of state she’s in? That makes sense to me. And was she, She doesn’t seem like the most subtle person. I guess not gathering about Mrs. Jader?

Geoffrey Wade: Currently not.

Brendon Fox: So. So maybe it’s, you know, like, what. Is she in any kind of state to. That might call, attention to anything that happened?

Geoffrey Wade: Exactly. Has she. Has she given it. Given it away?

Brendon Fox: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Which. Which is. Which is great. And then she gives you the good answer, which is no. Right, so that’s. That’s good news.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes.

Brendon Fox: That she hasn’t been down, probably.

Geoffrey Wade: Oh, and that’s good because that makes me think, so if Mrs. Chaytor hasn’t blown the gaff or, you know, told what’s going on, if there’s no sign from her, that helps sort of motivate or inform this line. So much for Mr. No. It’s Noakes who’s the snake in the garden. He’s the one who’s given it away.

Brendon Fox: Yes, right. Yes, that’s right. Oh, that’s great.

Geoffrey Wade: That helps inform that.

Brendon Fox: Right. So she’s off the hook. Right. And it’s actually.

Geoffrey Wade: And then, I mean, a lot through. Through a lot of this. I mean, I’m. I’m dealing. I’m talking genuinely with Thomasina because I like her so much, but I’m also thinking about. Right. Or, he’s thinking about how do I deal with this thing? How much trouble am I going to get into?

Brendon Fox: Right. Well, because you did it in a gazebo, that could have, you know, it was. It was indiscreet. It wasn’t. It was. Not that it was like in the. Necessarily in the middle of the open lawn, but still, it wasn’t in a room.

Geoffrey Wade: No.

Brendon Fox: So I think it was something that’s, It’s. It’s, you know, you’re exposed and I think that puts you in a. A tricky place because of this.

Geoffrey Wade: But it’s all. As far as I’m concerned, it’s all her.

Brendon Fox: She just literally ran you to ground.

Geoffrey Wade: And it’s interesting that they’re. They’re only aspired because of Noakes.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: Theodolite, which is there on the table. It’s a sort of telescope thing. Right. So.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Geoffrey Wade: He’s laying things out. So he’s. It’s like they’ve been. It’s kind of far away from everything.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Geoffrey Wade: So.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. That’s why you thought it would be safe. Yeah, that it’s enough of a speck on the. To me, it implies how big Lady Croom’s estate is that you can see it, but you can’t really pick people out with the naked eye. But if you have a, telescope.

Geoffrey Wade: Damn Age of Enlightenment instrument.

Brendon Fox: Damn you, Age of Enlightenment.

Geoffrey Wade: Damn you, Age of Enlightenment.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: While we’re still talking about locations, do we know why he slept in the boathouse?

Brendon Fox: Oh, you mean from the previous scene.

Téa Guarino: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Oh, well, I think what Chris was sharing was that it was, It was about connected to the letters that he didn’t he? Was. He didn’t want to be there when the letters. This was sort of. He was leaving his kind of last will and testament to Thomasina and Lady Croom. And then being away to have the duel, probably to die, but not. Not wanting to be in the house.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: Yeah, I was sort of connecting it to the gazebo.

Brendon Fox: Was.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: This is the boathouse. Another hookup spot.

Brendon Fox: Oh, interesting. Yeah. yeah, yeah, I think there are probably plenty on a country estate biggest.

James Newcomb: Date, like you said.

Brendon Fox: Right. Well, what if we start with M? That question. Was Mrs. Chater down this morning? Could we go from there? The top of eight?

Geoffrey Wade: My top of eight. Oh, yes. Thank you. Thank you. thank you very much, my lady. Was. Thank you very much, my lady. Was Mrs. Cheetah down this morning?

Téa Guarino: No. Tell me more about sexual congress.

Geoffrey Wade: There is nothing more to be said about sexual congress.

Téa Guarino: Is it the same as love?

Geoffrey Wade: Oh, no, it’s, much nicer than that. I am teaching Jellyby.

James Newcomb: Beg pardon? Mr. Hodge. Mr. Chaytor said it was urgent you receive his letter.

Geoffrey Wade: Oh, very well. Thank you. Thank you.

James Newcomb: Mr. Chaytor asked me to bring him your answer.

Geoffrey Wade: My answer? well, my answer is that as is my custom and my duty to his lordship, I am engaged until a quarter to 12 in the education of his daughter. When I am done, and if Mr. Chaytor is still there, I will be happy to wait upon him in, In the gun room.

James Newcomb: I will tell him so. Thank you, sir.

Brendon Fox: Hold the letter. Place it.

Téa Guarino: What is for dinner, Jellyby?

James Newcomb: boiled ham and cabbages, my lady. And a rice pudding.

Téa Guarino: Oh, goody.

Geoffrey Wade: Well, so much for Mr. Noakes putting himself forward as a gentleman and a philosopher of the picturesque. A visionary who can move mountains and cause lakes, but in the scheme of the garden, he is the serpent.

Téa Guarino: When you stir your rice pudding, Septimus, the spoonful of jam spreads itself round, making red trails like the picture of a meteor in my. As in my, astronomical atlas. But if you stir backward, the jam will not come together again. Indeed, the pudding does not notice and continues to turn pink, just as before. Do you think this is art?

Geoffrey Wade: No.

Téa Guarino: Well, I do. You cannot stir things apart no more.

Geoffrey Wade: You can. Time must needs run backward. And since it will not, we must stir our way onward, mixing as we go, disorder out of disorder into disorder, until pink is complete, unchanging and unchangeable, and we are done with it forever. This, ah, is what is known as self determination, or, free will.

Brendon Fox: Great. Let’s hold there for A moment. so we got. What do we. What’s going on with the letter here? Let’s go back to eight. So is this the challenge from Chater?

Geoffrey Wade: yes. Well, it’s the beginning of the beginning of the challenge because he’ll come in in a minute and say, I, I asked you to come see me. And.

Brendon Fox: Right, right.

Geoffrey Wade: but he, he didn’t quite say.

Brendon Fox: Right, right.

Geoffrey Wade: And then he goes into that. You were, you know, what is it?

James Newcomb: What is it?

Geoffrey Wade: You were with my wife. I demand satisfaction. And then I say, you, your wife demanded satisfaction. I can’t spend all my days satisfying the cheaters.

Brendon Fox: Oh, it’s so great. So, yes.

Geoffrey Wade: So it’s not the actual challenge, but it’s.

Brendon Fox: Right. Okay.

Geoffrey Wade: Come and meet me immediately in the gun room.

Brendon Fox: Okay, great.

Geoffrey Wade: So my response is, I’m teaching until quarter to 12. I’ll go when I’m done, you know.

Brendon Fox: Right, right. So. So I. So the one thing I would just offer Jeff is, is there any, value in. In letting the gun room kind of throw Septimus just a little bit? Not, not to tip our hand too much, but you know, it’s just strange place to meet.

Geoffrey Wade: Right, right.

Brendon Fox: Very good.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Yes. and it does, I think for Jamie, for you and Jeff, it. What struck me that time was it. It seems like Stopper is showing us that the. The normal MO is. And the surprise is they are never interrupted. You know, that there’s a. There’s a real sense of what is happening. Like this is our sacred time. So I think Téa, for you as well, I think there can be that needle scratch of what this was always uninterrupted time. And I think lady Croom was probably behind that to be like. Like we are giving them the. This beautiful room for three hours every morning after breakfast. So I think that Jeff, and all three of you can lean into that more of like what is happening. Like, I don’t know why I have to even tell you this. You know what this is? And that way, Jamie, it’s like, yes, but this is exceptions. I was told to wait. Right. That’s why I think there’s something fun, Jeff, about your two thank yous. Because that sounds. Second one. I wonder if maybe it’s not so much upset as why aren’t you leaving? Thank you. you know, it’s one thing. Yeah, go ahead.

Geoffrey Wade: And that first thing too. Well, no, it’s just to, I agree with what you say that the, I’m teaching Jellyby is as much like, you know, I’m teaching. This is weird. Why are you coming in?

Brendon Fox: Right?

Geoffrey Wade: It’s not just annoyance. It’s. It’s that. Yeah, like you said, it’s not normal.

Brendon Fox: And then. And that. And then it’s not enough that he comes in to. Gives you a. Give you a letter. Okay, that’s strange. But then the. The new surprise is you’re still here.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Right. Nothing. This can’t wait for another hour. Yeah, I mean, you know, I mean, it’s. It’s, We’ve been here for a little while, so it’s not, you know. And then the third weird thing is. Oh, I’m supposed to meet him in the gun room. Okay. You know, and then. And so here’s the thought. Jamie and Téa, what if we explore. How would you feel, Jamie, if, like, if, you know, I feel like the whole family is pretty charmed by Thomasina and servants included. So what if. What if you decide

01:20:00

Brendon Fox: to tell her spoiler alert about the rice pudding just to see her react?

James Newcomb: Oh, yes, that’s very good.

Brendon Fox: You don’t get many pleasures on the day.

James Newcomb: That’s very good.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, right? Yeah, it’s like, it’s.

James Newcomb: It’s like it’s not an ordinary day. It’s not a cooking day.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Chris Guilmet: Evening.

Brendon Fox: Exactly. And Téa, I think you can go more nuts with that. Yes. Right. Like, we have to see the 13 year old geek the F out. Yeah, Right. It’s. It’s like, because I think that’s part of it too is like, we have to keep that dichotomy between like, oh my God, My God, that’s so great. Okay, what’s the deal with like, time. What’s also the deal with like, not stirring? Like, so. And I know we’re just exploring this and making sure we’re clear on things, but as you get more comfortable Taya with her and her thought process. And in no way am m. I saying, like, we should rush, but I would encourage you to see what happens if she allows herself sometimes to run down the hill. You know what I mean? That she’s just like, but what about this? But like, so that it’s a need that is kinesthetic. But explain the jam. Like, you’ve been thinking about this for months and today. And so like, since Inta was triggered by Jelloby going, guess what we’re having. Excellent. Okay. We’re talking about the jam. Yeah. Like, I’m not going to go through another night of having the jam and keeping these questions myself.

Téa Guarino: Yes. Beautiful, right?

Brendon Fox: That. That way we keep her still. Like, she’s asking these huge questions, but she’s asking them as a 13 year old who is like, tell me yesterday.

Téa Guarino: Yeah, I already needed to know.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Yes. And like, why. And you’re dropping on your duties to tell me this sooner? Like, right? And like, the more you. And I think you can have more fun too with like. But is. And when he’s like, oh, that’s not weird. No, it is weird, dude. Right? How. Yeah, yeah, that’s strange. You can’t. And then he gives you this new way to think of it. And I think that, you know, I think there then, Jeff, you can have fun with meeting her. Part of the fun of being with Thomasina, I think is. I think there’s a part of Septimus that is both a boy and a man, Right? Oh, yeah. Let yourself geek out too. So that if she’s going there and rallying the cage, I think you can have fun, like meeting her in whatever way you can to say. Yeah, but remember, time. Right? And then that way it allows you tann to go. Oh, crap. Right.

Téa Guarino: Yeah, like, whoa.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, like, you know, don’t.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, that’s very good. Because it is both. I mean, it’s a very sophisticated adult answer. You can’t make time go backwards.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s the only way that would work. And then it gives you this. This kind of nihilistic version of. It’s just disorder into disorder into disorder. But. But still, you know, it’s something that she could understand. it’s.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes. I mean, I totally agree.

Brendon Fox: It matches her experience. Right. You. You give her that scientific. That’s what makes him such a brilliant teacher. You put it in a term she can understand. And then also m. Like a teacher. Jeff, I would encourage you to. To explore more. This is known as free will or self determination. You know, there are times as a teacher, you’re saying something that’s just for you. You know what I mean?

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: And it goes right over the heads of the students. I’m sure Dr. K can’t relate, but you know, where. Where. And Because that is not picked up at all, I think, by Thomasina, but I think that’s you in the audience. Like, you’re just being cheeky with yourself of like.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: You know what I mean? Yeah, it’s. It’s because that’s where I feel like you.

James Newcomb: You.

Brendon Fox: And then because I think, Téa, that way if we let you still be on the pink is complete. Oh, my God. And you we see how wrapped you are with that. And now you’re chewing on that. That allows Jeff to kind of be a little, you know, witty about whatever self determination is for himself. And then you can come right in with, okay, well, if that’s the case, then what about God, right? It’s like.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Hm.

Brendon Fox: It’s like just when. Just when Septimus thinks it’s done, it’s only. You’re only quiet for a second because the hard drive is worrying.

Téa Guarino: Yeah, yeah.

Brendon Fox: Right.

Téa Guarino: Pauses. There’s no.

Brendon Fox: No, no, in the brain, right?

Téa Guarino: Yeah, not at all.

Brendon Fox: And that’s what I feel like, Jeff. It’s sort of like you’re having fun with the tortoise. Like, sit. Now I can go back to what? God. Okay, we’re back.

Geoffrey Wade: Okay.

Brendon Fox: Exactly.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s. Again, that’s. That’s a great little thing that he gives you. It’s like this is what’s known, as free will of self determination. He almost says QED but picking up the

01:25:00

Geoffrey Wade: turtle and placing it, that’s sort of like the QED he said earlier. This is the end of discussion.

Brendon Fox: End of discussion. Sit. No more from you. And that’s. And that’s what’s so funny. Yeah. It takes him and it lets him be entertaining for himself as well, that he can’t. You know, I think he gets a kick out of himself. A lot of stoppers characters do. Lady croom does, you know, they are. Have a spit of self satisfaction. And I think that it. There’s some. What also occurred to me, Téa, is there’s something wonderful with Thomasina about the bright shiny object. Like, the last question doesn’t matter.

Téa Guarino: Only this now I’m on this one. Like, I don’t. I don’t care about that anymore.

Brendon Fox: Right, Exactly. There’s no previous scene. It’s just. Okay, here’s the only question I want to. No, forget. I don’t even remember Bryce Pudding is. Got it in a Newtonian. Yeah, right. Because this. This is like.

Téa Guarino: Yeah, that’s the only thing that matters right now. I think that that makes it more. That. That makes it less complicated for just less complicated in my brain as tay. It’d be like, okay, this now, boom. this now it’s just like a. So like, that’s. That’s great.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Right. Like the dog and up squirrel. Right? It’s. Except it’s like quantum mechanics. Right? Oh, my God. Right?

Téa Guarino: That’s a perfect example, actually.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, that and I. I mean, it’s funny, Jeff, that you make this and then you go into The Etonian. I mean we’ll get into this in a second. But it’s funny how. I mean obviously you know what she said. But they. Why, why be puckish at this moment, do you think?

Geoffrey Wade: I, I’m not, I’m. I’m not quite sure.

Brendon Fox: Yeah. I don’t.

Geoffrey Wade: It just. He’s just, you know, since you pointed out this, this thing which is great. This Sort of enjoying his own cleverly conclusion of the, of the. In. In the midst of teaching. It’s like, oh yeah, this is funny. And QED and. And I think he’s just still in that. I think he. That’s. That’s a mood. A mood that carries through.

Brendon Fox: Let’s put it. Yeah. Oh, that’s fun.

Geoffrey Wade: I can get. If you can give me.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, that’s great. You’re still. No, I like that you’re still in that. You’re still feeling kind of in that sense of a little full of your oats and you know, and, and having fun. And I think that, that, I think that’s nice because it contrasts with her earnestness.

Chris Guilmet: Yes.

Brendon Fox: Right. And that you get to be a little more playful.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: I was wondering, is there sense in this speech, what he’s saying going back to the letter? Because he does look at the letter before he says, I’m teaching. And part of me is wondering is he buying himself a little time?

Jennifer Le Blanc: Right.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: He doesn’t go overboard on the gun room. But it’s weird because he knows what he did. It’s Mr.

Brendon Fox: Wife.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: Right. He had just asked is she down yet? That was the question. Is he down yet or is she down yet? No. Then he gets this note which he actually reads before he responds. So he knows what’s in it.

Brendon Fox: Yeah.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: And I was thinking about when he says time can’t run backwards. We must stir our way onward, mixing as we go. M. He knows what he did. And you know, he also has in his hand A note from Mr. Chainer. Can’t turn back time. He did a thing. And free will or self determination. Like he’s made a choice about what, what he did there. So I wonder if there’s both the teaching moment for her. But you know, he’s thinking personally about his own actions and what he did and stirring things up.

Téa Guarino: Yeah. I think almost like that’s good. You get like horrible news and then like a friend 5 year old child comes up to you and it’s like, look at like my drawing of the sun. Like oh my gosh, like all my rays. And you’re just like, I just lost my job. Like oh my gosh, look at the orange and red there. And wow. And like you don’t even notice like what they’re saying, but you’re just like, yup. Like you can. You’re like a great drawer, but it’s still in the back of your head of like this thing is like weighing down on you. So yeah, I was definitely thinking that too as well. So. Such a great point.

Brendon Fox: Well, and he is as the serpent. I mean you say Jeff, this is going to connect to what you say Jennifer, in the next, in that next scene we’re studying what, what I hear under what you just said, Kate, is, the next step after the

01:30:00

Brendon Fox: servant serpent is banishment. You know, it’s like it’s, it’s. I mean whether this is fully conscious or not, but essentially of have I. Is. Is. Is there. Is there no going back from this? And is this going to be. You know, because if now if. No, you know, if not, is the serpent. He’s not. He’s savvy. He’s smarter than Cher, than Right. And what does he want? Or what is he going to say? And so now that’s worrying in the back of your mind. And so I, I like that, that maybe there’s something fun, Jeff, when we come back to it of like the way that you use all that language of my answers, my custom, my duty to your lordship. Is there a little bit of a sense of trying to deal with what you just read and taking it out on Jelloby a little bit, you know what I mean? Not in a super harsh way, but there’s just something to explore there, I guess.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes. And I think it’s poor Jellyby, the, the go between. He has to communicate, all this back to him. so, So I guess I’m telling Jellyby how rather than just saying I’ll meet him at 1:00, you know, tell him 1:00 or I understand this thing. He goes through this long thing so that Jellyby can in his inimitable way, you know, get at shader, you know.

Brendon Fox: Yes, yes, exactly. You know, I like that. I mean making a bigger deal out of the fact that what, what has been interrupted here is important and sacred and you know, and hoping that Jellyby sends that across of like I’m not someone that can just be talked to in a gun room whenever someone wants, you know, I am. There’s a sort of building up what’s happening here.

Geoffrey Wade: Right. So. So, Septimus, I’m not. I’m not upset at Jellyby, but I have. But I. My upsetness has to be carried by him back to Shader.

Brendon Fox: Exactly. Kicking up that dust. Exactly.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: He may not be eager to have a chat with the husband of the woman that he just slept with.

Geoffrey Wade: True.

Brendon Fox: Right, Right. And that you. That way. It’s true. And you do give a specific time. Like, I am not leaving right now. I am free at this time. You know, and that there’s a. There’s a sense of. My time is important with Thomasina. so I’m not. I’m. I’m not going to. He. Because he. He probably said in the letter, you know, it must. It’s urgent. I demand to see you right now. And, no, that’s not going to happen.

Dr. Kate Moncrief: And isn’t it cool then how much of the rest of the conversation is about time and m. How time works?

Brendon Fox: Yeah, that’s true.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, that’s.

Brendon Fox: Oh, that’s a great point, Kate, because at the end of this session with Thomasina, you’re going to have to go to the gun room. And meanwhile, she’s blissfully unaware, but everything she’s bringing up does circle back to, so do I have free will? Was that meant to happen? What happens next? And I think so. Maybe this just can. But I think there’s still the opportunity, if you’re being a little playful here, maybe Jeff, you. Maybe Septimus needs to bring. To. To be. To try to stay upbeat, to keep the ball in the air for his own psyche, too. That maybe you need to stay light.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, I mean, I. I think, again, I think it’s. It’s kind of both. I think he stays light. I think he perhaps sees the. The irony in it. But. But he. But, Septimus just doesn’t seem too worried about dealing with Cheater because of the way he actually does deal with him later, which is to say your wife is so humid that you can grow orchids in her knickers in January.

Brendon Fox: He says that.

Geoffrey Wade: And he’s so clever that he manages to make it like, oh, I can’t shoot you because you’re such a great part poet. he just. He may not want. In the scales of this. I think it really is really important that he gives all this time to Thomasina. Right. That m. As you’ve been saying, it’s kind of sacred. So, yes, he’d rather not do this, but he will, and he will go to the gun room. Except Chater, you know, birth sin Here.

Brendon Fox: yeah.

Geoffrey Wade: it’s just, you know, seeing how he hand. How he handles it when it actually comes to the point he’s not. He doesn’t seem to be too worried about dealing with Cheater.

Brendon Fox: No. And that’s true. What I would just add to that is maybe part of what gets your mojo back or in is having this rest of the scene with Thomasina.

Chris Guilmet: Yes.

Brendon Fox: You know what I mean? So that it does ramp you up to deal with Chater fully in that saucy way that you can.

01:35:00

Brendon Fox: Because you’re in the zone with Thomasina. Do you know what I mean? Like, I’ve got this with her, I’ve got it with Chater because I think it’s. To me, it’s a Shakespeare scene. The way that Stoppard writes these long scenes where you have people going in and out. Right. We could have done a separate scene with you and Chater, but instead I love that you don’t get a chance to breathe right. Like some of those Act 4 Shakespeare scenes. So you have to go right into. Well, I dealt with her and I’ll deal with you. Yeah. Ah, yeah, yeah. So I think it’s yes. And what you’re saying, Jeff, just like, let’s use this. If you’re feeling a little shaky, all this stuff with Thomasina can give you, you know, can make you feel centered. Can feel like I’ve got this if I can handle her. And talking about time and everything else I can handle.

Geoffrey Wade: She’s really smart, unlike Shader.

Brendon Fox: Right. So this is. Then it’s like with Chater, it’s like the bunny slope. Know what I mean? Oh, and I didn’t even mean to do that. The bunny slope. Sorry. My. It’s this. This stuff comes out. All right, so let’s go back to, let’s. Let’s try a little bit of that from the, let’s go from where we left from the same place. How about the when. When Jelbi comes in with. I am, on eight. Yeah. I am teaching Jelly.

Geoffrey Wade: From there.

Brendon Fox: Okay.

Geoffrey Wade: I’m, teaching Jellyby.

James Newcomb: I Beg your pardon, Mr. Hodge. Mr. Chaytor said it was urgent you receive his letter.

Geoffrey Wade: Oh, very well. Thank you. Thank you.

James Newcomb: Mr. Chaytor asked me to bring him your answer.

Geoffrey Wade: My answer? well, my answer is that as is my custom and my duty to his lordship, I am engaged until a quarter to 12 in the education of his daughter. when I’m done and if Mr. Chater is still there, I will be Happy to wait upon him in the gun room.

James Newcomb: I will tell him so. Thank you, sir.

Téa Guarino: What is for dinner? Jellyby?

James Newcomb: Boiled ham and cabbages, m’lady. And rice pudding.

Téa Guarino: Oh, goody.

Geoffrey Wade: So much for Mr. Noakes puts himself forward as a gentleman. A philosopher of the picturesque, a visionary who can move mountains and cause lakes, but in the scheme of the garden, he is the serpent.

Téa Guarino: When you stir your rice pudding, Septimus, the spoonful of jam spreads itself round, making red trails like the picture of a meteor in my astronomical atlas. But if you stir backward, the jam will not come together again. Indeed, the pudding does not notice and continues to turn pink, just as before. Do you think this is odd?

Geoffrey Wade: No.

Téa Guarino: Well, I do. You cannot stir things apart.

Geoffrey Wade: No more you can. Time must needs run backward. And since it will not, we must stir our way onward, mixing as we go. Disorder, out of disorder and into disorder, until the pink is complete, unchanging and unchangeable, and we are done with it forever. This is known as free will or self determination. Sit.

Téa Guarino: Septimus, do you think God is a Newtonian?

Geoffrey Wade: An Etonian, almost certainly. I’m afraid we must ask your brother to make it his first inquiry.

Téa Guarino: No, Septimus. A Newtonian. Septimus, Am I the first person to have thought of this?

Geoffrey Wade: No.

Téa Guarino: I have not said yet.

Geoffrey Wade: If everything from the furthest planet to the smallest atom of our brain acts according to Newton’s law of motion, what becomes a free will?

Jennifer Le Blanc: No.

Geoffrey Wade: God’s will?

Brendon Fox: No.

Geoffrey Wade: Sin.

Brendon Fox: M. No.

Chris Guilmet: Very well.

Téa Guarino: If you could stop every atom in its position and direction, and if your mind could comprehend all the actions thus suspended, then if you were really, really good at algebra, you could write the formula for all the future. And although nobody can be so clever so to do it, the formula, must exist just as if one could.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes, yes. As, as far as I know, you are the first person to have thought of this. In the margin of his copy of the Arithmetica, Fermat wrote that he had discovered a wonderful proof of his theorem. But the margin, being too narrow for his purpose,

01:40:00

Geoffrey Wade: did not have room to write it down. The note was found after his death, and from that day to this.

Brendon Fox: Oh.

Téa Guarino: I see now. The answer is perfectly obvious.

Geoffrey Wade: This time you may have overreached yourself.

Brendon Fox: Great. Great. Yes. And what is. And Teo, What? What is it? What is obvious to her?

Téa Guarino: That is such a good question. Let me see. No, keep going, keep going. I don’t want to cut you off.

Brendon Fox: Well. Well, I mean, I wonder, because, a couple of lines later, after Shader comes In you say, such as my lady take from on the music room, there’ll be an extra spoon full of jam. If you can find his proof. And you say there is no proof. The thing that’s perfectly obvious is that the note was a joke to make you all mad.

Téa Guarino: Oh, to think that there. Yes, yes, yes.

Brendon Fox: So I, I love that she’s like, it’s a prank.

Téa Guarino: It was a joke.

Brendon Fox: It’s a to. It’s a total. So I. And I love that then. And then you seem so cocky about it that. That’s when such was like, okay, yes, you’re brilliant. But.

Geoffrey Wade: But I misunderstand it, but she’s again, like a kid. Right? Sort of a kid would think, oh, I get.

Brendon Fox: It’s a joke, right? It’s a joke.

Téa Guarino: You don’t get the joke.

Brendon Fox: Yeah, right. But that’s something. I think that something you would do, Messina, right, would be like, that would be so awesome. And then you’d just be going round and round trying to figure it out.

Téa Guarino: Like on one of my homework work problems, I just like, do something super specific. I’m just like, didn’t you get it? The answer was zero. Isn’t that so funny? Like, no, it’s not. No.

Brendon Fox: Total math geek humor. Exactly. This is like you.

Geoffrey Wade: Yes, yes, I love that.

Téa Guarino: I love that.

Brendon Fox: But the. I think you really hit on something there, Téa, of. How did that feel with the way that like, you were attacking her, with such vibrancy and this sense of like throwing herself at the questions.

Téa Guarino: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: How did that work for you?

Téa Guarino: I. It kept me like, out of my head as far as I think the thing that would be the most obvious it would be for me to lean into her being into her, knowing that she’s so smart and like taking that in. In like my everyday. But I think I wanted to go the way of. I’m 13 years old. Like, I know a lot of things, but I’m 13 years old. So like, yes, I’m smart, but it’s also like I wanna. I. I just want to learn things. So I think just going towards the way of learning more instead of the way of I know everything is just gonna. It just like opened me up to just be less snooty as far as like an academic. 13 year old is how I was thinking.

Brendon Fox: Right, right. And also makes you too mature otherwise too. Right. Like we’re gonna see her age in the course of the play. But this is when she’s at her youngest and her, her, her brain is. Is operating on some. On Some quantum level, but. But her body and her. Her emotions are that sense of the sponge, I think. I love that, like you’re saying the learning is everything. Like, it’s. And it’s like, yes, and. And keep going. More. More. It’s like there’s a. I noticed this kind of hunger, this feeling of, like, wanting to just always go further. That’s. That’s not satisfied. But also, I think you’re starting to really explore how actively she listens as much as talks. Like she has no filter.

Téa Guarino: No, I think it’s like. I think it’s kind of the. I, think me and Septimus are both in, like, filtering the conversation in our own way. Like, Septimus is hearing, like, all these existential things about time and like, I’m. I might die if I leave. When I leave this room. And I’m like, okay. Oh, yeah, like that word. So this is my next question. But like, I’m not hearing about anything else. So I feel like it’s kind of that, back and forth of. If you were to. If you were to replay it and Thomas Cena’s head and Septimus had what just went on, it would be like, totally different. So I think that’s also super fun.

Geoffrey Wade: Great. Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Love that there’s editing going on in both your parts. Right. Which is very true. Right. Like, we hear what we want to hear. We’re just picking out the parts that are important to us. We’re like, blah, blah, blah. Oh, let’s. Let’s talk m. About that. Blah, blah, blah, you know? And I love how actively bored you were with the whole thing with Chador and the letter. We’re like, I’m in the zone. What is happening? Come on, jellyby. You’re. This sucks. And it’s like. Right. That. Unedited. Yeah. What about me? What about me? Bring it back to me.

01:45:00

Brendon Fox: He’s right. Listen to. Listen to Deceptivus, you know, and that’s like, so we can. We know that something is going on on Septimus, and there’s something odd with the gun room and there’s unusual stuff happening. But. But I love to see how much can fly over her head too. You know, that there’s frequencies that she’s just not.

Téa Guarino: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: Attuned to.

Téa Guarino: Mm.

Téa Guarino: Just rice pudding. That’s all I heard.

Brendon Fox: Jen, what. What do you. What do you have?

Jennifer Le Blanc: I just. It struck me, and this may have already occurred to you, but while I was listening to the arguments that they’ own trains that somehow, like, are running parallel, but not like different. But that the argument that Thomasina puts forward philosophically is the opposite of the one that he put forward because he ends his speech with. So that’s self determination or free will.

Jennifer Le Blanc: But if I understand these philosophies correctly, where she says if we could freeze time and write that that would be the opposite of free will, it would mean there’s a formula where everything is in fact predetermined.

James Newcomb: Yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Right. So that you don’t actually have. Like from a physics point of view, then you wouldn’t have free will because it is actually all predetermined. So it’s interesting. Even if they’re having like through different context lenses, it’s the opposing viewpoint. I think if I’m understanding their arguments correctly like this, like if there is an exact mathematical equation, then it is in fact predetermined.

Brendon Fox: Yes, right.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah, that’s right. Yeah.

Brendon Fox: I love that.

Geoffrey Wade: I’m sort of talking about chaos and she’s talking about a formula.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Right.

Brendon Fox: Which is.

Jennifer Le Blanc: Which is the opposite of her. Her rice pudding.

Chris Guilmet: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jennifer Le Blanc: So those two things would be in conflict. Yeah.

James Newcomb: Jellyby is going right from interrupting this lesson to the kitchen to tell them to put rice pudding on the menu, because he’s interrupted it. So it’s not determined. He makes that up in the moment.

Brendon Fox: There’s. There’s free will by jelly. Yes. I love that. It’s. It’s. Well, it’s. It really is beautiful too. Just those little moments, I feel like, of humanity, of watching you, Jamie and Téa, just that, that choice to drop in the rice pudding and the reaction you gave Téa and the like. That is as important as any theory. You know, like the moments we see right now between you and this and the servant tell us a lot about Thomasina. Right. That she does not stand on ceremony. She doesn’t care about status. She’s just like jealousy, you know, Jellyby’s one of your. One of your buds, you know, like, you know, hook me up. This. And I. And I love that, that there’s a. That’s. There’s that love there that can happen among the whole family that you’ve grown up with this guy.

Téa Guarino: It’s just.

Brendon Fox: But not in a way that’s like, he’s over there.

James Newcomb: He’s like in a. In a constant state of ecstasy, ecstasy of ideas, ecstasy of thought, ecstasy of, you know, rice pudding is coming, whatever that is, you know, it’s like there’s this, you know, just ecstasy, you know, that. That surrounds her. This is.

Geoffrey Wade: That’s great.

Brendon Fox: Well, I. It reminds me a little bit of a nephew I. I had a couple of years ago. I think maybe when he was like around 5, 5 or 6, his favorite phrase was, what’s this? Everything was like, what’s this? What’s this, what’s this? And I keep. And I thought about this tonight with Thomasina. Yeah, right. It’s, ah, constant. Like you were saying, Jamie, of like, turning over rocks. And what, what does this mean? And it’s. And I was struck by that childlike wonder of no agenda. No. I want this to fit into a certain worldview. And I will. When I. When you stumble on something like, I guess that’s it, right? This whole idea. But, but there should be able to be a theory. And I think the one thing I want to. I want to leave you with, that we can explore next week is that for Jeff, that moment of you disclosing Fermat and the theorem. Right. And the. That near the end, I suddenly have this image of like, it’s like the longer you tutor her, the more you realize, maybe, Jeff, that you can go to new places to share with her these new ideas. Like, I don’t. What. You know, another question of why is this day different than any other day? Today is the day you decide to share this with her. That might have been three years from now. But what just happened the last five, ten minutes? Okay, I’m not sure if I’m gonna like, fry your circuits, but I’m going to move you from undergrad to grad student here. And I

01:50:00

Brendon Fox: know you’re 13. And. And she goes with it. Right. Except then she reacts like, oh, I’ve got it. You know, and then that’s like, well, you got a little cocky there. But does that make sense? Like, it’s a chance that we can explore next week of like, oh my God, now there’s more treasure. There’s more things to discover.

Geoffrey Wade: Yeah.

Brendon Fox: And more to discover next week.

Geoffrey Wade: This.

Nathan Agin: This is wonderful. I am such a, giddy audience member over here. and, I’ll try to say this succinctly. I mentioned I played the part of Septimus. There can be this morning period, sometimes where you discover, oh, I miss so many things about the part that I played. and I will say it’s been completely eclipsed that feeling by just seeing the joy each of you are experiencing, going, oh, yes, I can do. Yes, yeah, let me do. I mean, like, it’s. It’s so exciting and so much fun to see. And that’s why we’re doing this. Just the. The specificity you can. You can get to of, just like, well, what are we doing with this moment and what can we do here? And. And Jamie just, you know, creating that example of, like, you know, Jellyby deciding in that moment to put rice.

Chris Guilmet: Put.

Nathan Agin: You know, I mean. I mean, it’s just such a perfect example of, you know, they always talk about having a secret. You know, the actor, like, the audience, it doesn’t need to know what you’re doing as long as you know what you’re doing. And it just. But it just fills it with so much more life. And it’s.

Brendon Fox: It’s.

Nathan Agin: It’s just so exciting, so much fun. And it’s. It’s the basic stuff of acting, of, like, what is this moment and what are we doing here and what does it mean but to, you know, for you guys to take the time and really go through it, it’s, it’s so much fun to watch, and it just brings it so much to life.

James Newcomb: And.

Nathan Agin: And yes, it’s tinged with that. Oh, that’s what they were talking about in that moment. How could I have missed that? Oh, man. But it’s great. It’s wonderful. So, yeah, no, just really, really, loving this and enjoying it. So thank you very much for continuing to illuminate the play to me, who did it. So, you know, it’s great.

Brendon Fox: Thank you, everybody. Thanks for another great week. excited to see you all next week.

James Newcomb: It’ll be great to be here this week.

Geoffrey Wade: Good to see you, Jamie.

Nathan Agin: See you next time.

Brendon Fox: Bye, guys. Bye, everybody.

01:52:16