Introduction

This chapter focuses on repeated cues. There are a number of possible ways of acting, or responding to, a repeated cue. There are always at least two players to take into account: the one giving the repeated cue, and the one (or ones) being cued to speak by the cue. Their respective relations to the repeated cue are quite different from one another. Important here is the fact that the cue is always co-owned. The actor throwing out the repeated cue will know that he is scripted to do so. He can therefore choose to do so in various ways. He can ‘play’ the moment; he can equally ‘play’ the actor...

This chapter focuses on repeated cues. There are a number of possible ways of acting, or responding to, a repeated cue. There are always at least two players to take into account: the one giving the repeated cue, and the one (or ones) being cued to speak by the cue. Their respective relations to the repeated cue are quite different from one another. Important here is the fact that the cue is always co-owned. The actor throwing out the repeated cue will know that he is scripted to do so. He can therefore choose to do so in various ways. He can ‘play’ the moment; he can equally ‘play’ the actor whom he is cueing: the repeating cues may be fired out like shots, sudden and stunning; they may be delayed, floating, teasing. It is crucial to any reading of cued parts, and repeated cues within them, that this ‘foreknowledge’ of the actor giving the cues be factored in to possible reconstructions of the dramatic moment.