Character Work: Agent Provocateur

Objective

You are attempting to cash an out of state check by persuading an otherwise normal bank teller you are "new" to the area.

In truth you have been hired by "The Agency" to conduct intelligence work.
{This is your "secret" during the scene.}

History

You have recently moved into the area serviced by this bank, but have yet to establish a "relationship" with anyone.

All of your identification is in order, but it is not from the same state as the bank branch you are attempting to infiltrate.

You are "short of cash" {Hint: looking a little desperate is helpful as a "choice"}

If you are asked as to whether or not you have an ATM card, you may reply as follows:

"Yes, but my wife has it..." or any variation thereof.

CAUTION: Please remember:
as in all good theatre training, more often than not "...less is more...".

Variations

A. You work for a secret quasi legal government agency and you are carrying a micro cassette and microphone attached to your person. During the interview the conversation is being recorded.

Note: This will help an actor develop his own sense of "the stakes" and feed his natural paranoia.

B. As an "obstacle" in addition to the anticipated reaction from the bank teller you may try working with the idea you can’t remember if your microcassette was turned "on" when you entered the bank.

C. During the interview you may choose to work within a "physical" limitation as well. In this case, add the idea your bladder is full.

D. During the interview you notice a local police car has pulled up in front of the bank and two officers appear to be watching your behavior. This will help add the element of "time" to the exercise.

E. Your cassette recorder runs out of tape midway through the interview and there is a loud "click" which suddenly emanates from your underclothing...

Advanced Options

Having successfully fulfilled all the variations and scenarios as possible, a further exploration may ensue - if time permits.

A. Police enter the bank and ask you to take a little ride with them to the local precinct.

During this time your microcassette may or may not still be turned on.

Explore both possibilities as they begin to question you.

Try to explain yourself without revealing the true nature of the organization that hired you in the first place.

OR

Explain yourself completely and fully and choose that the police become more polite as you continue to speak...

B. Having left the bank after unsuccessfully attempting to cash your out of state check, you drive 20 miles away to register in a motel and discover you have lost your wallet!

In this variation, explore the possibility of returning to the original location and having to explain yourself when you must finally report your wallet is missing to the local police.

IMPORTANT: Please remember at no time do you look, sound or behave like anyone in the town.

Professor Spolan’s comments on this exercise.

It is always a good thing to know what you are doing on stage moment to moment.

Often life imitates Art.

This is why good theatre training is important..

Good theatre training plus years of experience has taught me not to pull into a bank parking lot
driving a luxury foreign car with an out of state license plate
and attempt to cash a $25 check

drawn from a bank from yet another state.

This is especially true when the town you are in

itself

has only ONE Traffic Light.

Gingko Extract short term memory enhancer
is a valuable tool the longer one stays in this business of Art...

Remember that.

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