Talley's Folly

[firstfrost]

After seeing the Lyric's Talley's Folly (we lost chenoameg!) I find that most of what I'm thinking about is differences/similarites to the dpolicar/chanaleh version. All the things I think about the play are still true - I still find Matt more sympathetic than Sally, the writing good, and so on. I found the Lyric Matt very like Dave's Matt, but the Lyric Sally much more different (both harder and more frightened, which meant I could maybe understand her a little more (though I guess having seen it once before helps with that), but like her a little less.). I wonder if this is because Matt's character (for me) is so tied up in the accents and voices?

The only thing that I really didn't like was the music during the Sally-confesses confrontration. My first instinctive reaction was "oh for God's sake, is that someone's cell phone?" Then I realized it was music from the bandstand (there's a line about it), but even so, it made my entire emotional reaction to that scene one of annoyance at the noisemusic as opposed to a reaction to anything going on on stage.

Comments

[dpolicar]

The key thing about Matt, to me, is that he's got about ten tracks runnin' at once, and nobody knows what's goin' down any particular track at any particular time. He's forevermore distracting himself that way.

He's got one track that's all about the war... it's the first thing he talks about to the audience, and the most emotional thing he talks about, it has driven him to make this vow that has isolated him from every woman he's ever met, etc. But it doesn't come up unless it comes up. It colors everything but it sits in the background.

He's got one track that's about proposing to Sally. He knows it, she knows it, and he knows she knows it, and she knows he knows she knows... but unless he actually says it, she doesn't have to respond, and he doesn't have to face the consequences. So he dances. And she dances. It colors everything, but it doesn't come up unless it comes up.

He "knows" Sally was pregnant. That's over on track number three. And he knows she needs to tell him, because what good is an egg 'till it's broken? It colors everything, but it doesn't come up unless it comes up.

He told Buddy about him and Sally, back at the house. Every time she threatens to go back to the house he KNOWS he's already cut off that line of retreat... and he still plays the game. It colors everything, but it doesn't come up unless it comes up.

Matt is a complicated guy.

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

He told Buddy about him and Sally? Not Aunt Charlotte told Buddy and he ended up in argument because of it? (Or was it just that Aunt Charlotte suggested that he tell Buddy because Aunt Charlotte is the secret tactician?)

(Not that your point isn't valid either way, I just realize that that's one of the bits I ended up not sure I understood correctly.)

[dpolicar]

Mm. My reading had been that he and Lotty had conspired, but he'd spilled the beans. But there's nothing in the text to contradict the second reading, I think.

"We weren't talkin' about isms up at the house, we were talking about you and me, down here at the boathouse, last summer." ... "Are you kidding me? mumble mumble sleep under his roof mumble mumble... we think maybe they'll shave your head." Yeah... it's clearly a jointly planned venture, but the actual reveal could have played either way. In my head it was Matt.

Of course, the fact that seven kinds of hell were breaking loose up at the house that you only find out about in Talley and Sons is also important, but Matt doesn't know about any of that either.

[desireearmfeldt]

I don't remember what impression I got from Talley and Son, but going strictly on Talley's Folly, I'd always taken it to be: Matt showed up, Buddy came out to confront him, in the course of the argument (or possibly as the thing that provoked it) Matt spilled the beans, and Lottie was around but not an active participant in the conversation. I hadn't ever considered whether Matt a) told Buddy with the goal of springing Sally from her trap, b) told Buddy because darn it that's what he came here for, or c) just got fed up and yelled it at him in the course of the argument.

[desireearmfeldt]

Much of what you're saying there is also about strategizing, though. (Matt's clearly strategizing--though I don't think he has to be doing it as much or as constantly as in the Lyric interpretation.)

He can send out feelers about proposing, but he'd better not do it for real at the wrong time or he may not get a second chance. (As it happens, he does it at a time that's OK enough that he gets a second chance.)

He can't tell Sally he's cut off her retreat when she's actually trying to retreat, because in that context it might be unforgivable, whereas in a different mood she'll see it as more on a par with the breaking down car and maybe even as the favor he's trying to do her.

It's not just a question of dealing when it comes up; it's waiting for--or causing--the opportune moment. ;)

[dpolicar]

Definitely. Sometimes he's just deflecting, sometimes he's coming at something the long way 'round, and sometimes he's taking advantage of the opportunity as it arises.

But the script allows for many different reads with respect to levels of stretegizing. In my head he's much less strategic than the script allows. For example, his incompetance at skating and at getting out of the hole is definitely intended to get him physical time with Sally, but his putting the skates on in the first place is just intended to be endearing and distracting.

It could easily be read differently though, and the more strategic he is the less likable he is.