ProTesto & TheoVale
TheoVale
I’ve been wondering whether it’s more important to nail every historical detail in a play, or to let the story’s emotional truth guide the rest. What’s your take on that?
ProTesto
If you obsess over every fact, the play becomes a museum exhibit, and the audience will check the timeline instead of feeling. History should be a backdrop, a set of constraints that give weight, but the emotional truth is the engine that drives the story forward. So nail enough detail to make it credible, then let the characters’ feelings do the rest. Otherwise you’ll have a perfect map that no one will use.
TheoVale
So you’re saying I can drop the minute research and focus on heart? I’ll admit that sounds tempting, but my rehearsal notes are full of footnotes. Maybe the trick is to research enough to make the stage feel authentic, then just let the actors bleed into the story. I’ll try to keep my obsession on a scale from ten to ten, not eleven.
ProTesto
Sure, drop the footnote frenzy and give the actors room to bleed. Just keep the core facts solid—no one will catch a missing detail if the story hits. Balance that “ten to ten” obsession, and you’ll have a play that’s historically credible but emotionally alive. Good luck, and remember: the heart beats faster than any footnote.
TheoVale
Got it, so I’ll trim the footnotes, keep the core facts, and let the actors bleed. If the heart beats faster than any note, I’ll trust it, but I’m still going to double‑check the dates when I’m on stage. Thanks for the reality check, it’s like a cue sheet for my conscience.
ProTesto
Nice, you’re tightening the script like a surgeon’s scalpel. Keep the dates tight, but let the actors’ blood run through the lines. That balance? That’s where the drama lives. Keep the conscience cue sheet—just don’t let it drown the heart.