Lead, Statement, or Response?

I recently wrapped up a run of Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends with a nearby community theatre. It was a phenomenal experience, and a long overdue return to the stage. Can't wait to audition for another show!

In the play, my character, Marge, spends her days looking after her perpetually needy husband, Gordon. A determined peacemaker who's uncomfortable with strife, she's full of her own tension. Frustrated at Gordon's refusal to have children, she (s)mothers her friends (and him) through excessively generosity and misplaced effervescence. It was a treat to play such a complex character, and the small cast (only six characters) meant that we got to work as a cohesive ensemble. The action takes place in real time, too, so we had a chance to dig deeply into character interactions, rather than jump from scene to scene.

In one of our rehearsals, our director asked us to label each of our lines as a "lead," "statement," or "response." It was a fascinating exercise. A "leading" line means that the character has a plan, whether subliminal or intentional. They're trying to get a reaction from another character or influence future actions (even ones that take place much later in the story). It's similar to the idea of a "leading question."

A "statement" is self-explanatory. The character announces information or makes a comment without hoping for a reaction from another character. It's useful in theatre, where the audience has to follow the story without narration or description. In a "response," a character reacts to a lead (more often), a statement (less often), or something happening in the action.

As we made our way through the script, we realized that we could apply more than one label to many of our lines. Sometimes we could apply all three! The exercise reinforced the idea that there are so many layers to human interaction. Conversation, whether on stage or in life, is filled with nuance.

Now that we're through the final curtain call and I'm back to my offstage life, I find I'm applying the "lead," "statement," or "response" exercise to my drafting. Dialogue is one of my favorite parts of writing, and I've enjoyed transferring my acting experiences onto the page. Intricacies and purpose make dialogue so much richer.

Try it out next time you're thinking back on a conversation or crafting a new piece of dialogue. You might find new depth to the people and characters in your life!

The cast and crew of Players of Utica's Absent Friends, 2025