Venus In PASTO

Just got back from Venus in Fur, by David Ives.

I know little about the structure of a play, which is funny, because when I was acting, I always memorized the play. I knew I was ready for opening night when I went for a run and could run the whole play in my head (I'd skip the scenes I wasn't in, lol). So, I was aware of the structure on some level, but never made a conscious effort to understand how the playwright had constructed the play. I approached the play in terms of my character's history and objectives, as an actor should.

So, most mornings, I go to get coffee with my work buddy, Greg. Greg has an M.F.A. in play-writing from U.N.L.V.  And, in turn, I have a B.F.A. (Buy the Fucker A coffee and ask him a lot of shit.).  One walk, he casually tossed off PASTO.  Sixteen lights went on in my head. You don't know what you don't know.

Ken Macgowan came up with PASTO in his "A Primer of Playwriting" and UNLV professor Davey Marlin-Jones taught it to his students. I'm lucky Greg was all up in that mix.

So, let me PASTO "Venus."

Preparation: Thomas, the writer/director of an adaptation of a kinky 19th century German novel, is on the phone with his fiancee. He lays out that he is a) looking for an actress to play Wanda and b) can't find one who can handle the role. He says all the women are young, uninformed, and talk like valley girls.

Action: In walks young, not-to-bright, colloquially rich (and coincidentally named) actress Wanda, hours late.

Struggle: Wanda begs for an audition and Thomas balks. Thomas gives in and Wanda is terrific! The play is kinda sexy to them. They slip in and out of the present day and play-acting and shift power back and forth. Thomas' fiancee, Stacey calls. Wanda calls her "significant other." Wanda tells Thomas the play is really about his own desire to be dominated. Thomas doesn't like that Wanda is right. In a passionate exchange, Thomas calls Wanda a stupid idiot. Wanda is hurt. Eventually Wanda confesses to spying on Thomas for Stacey. Thomas asks Wanda to stay and finish the play. They become more turned on.

Turn: Stacey tells Thomas to call Stacey and tell her he is not coming home. Thomas resists, but gives in.

Outcome: They engage in some S&M and Wanda turns out to be the goddess Aphrodite.

OMG! That's amazing!!!!

I went to see the play with my friend and classmate, Deb. She thought the turn happened at a different point and she's not wrong.

And I'm studying adaptation with the awesome Eric Schmiedl. His theory is that a work has a heart and the bones are the structure and the breath is the way it's told. Heart, bones, breath. The heart of this play: two people's passion coming up against each other. The bones: playwright and actress in an audition. The breath: the S&M power play of desire. OMG!!!!

This really helps me understand how a play is constructed and adapted.