Jacob Kahn says to Asher: An artist either reflects his life, or comments on it.
Jacob Kahn says to Asher: Every great artist has freed himself from something - his family, his nation, his race. Something. A truly great artist must be tied to only his art!
Jacob Kahn says to Asher: An artist is responsible to his art! To his art! Just that!
These are powerful statements from a mentor that guide Asher in becoming who he becomes.
In playing every role, the text, for me anyway, slowly takes on meaning. I will be part way through a run, rehearsal, reading and hear the line for the thousandth time when, DING, it hits me, "ahh, that is what the line means." And so in rehearsal on Sunday, I was struck by these lines, and Asher was effected in the scenes.
In turn, I was effected in my life. I am an artist. Does my work reflect or comment on my life? Have I freed myself from something? Am I tied only to my art? Are these valid questions or just the musings of an old bitter man in a play?
I think they are both valid and coming from a bitter man, so I must take them with some salt. However, I believe I must take them. I have always spoke to the struggle which artists undertake, and here I am doing a show, portraying a character, who faces that struggle in its extremes. Has the universe drawn me to a show, given me a voice to reach out and speak through my art, to diatribe, a point, a heart felt pain, to a larger audience than just a friend over coffee?
I have noted and wondered about my being the only artistic soul in my family; that is to say the only artistic soul who pursued professionally his art. (My family screams in art). Is this a sense of freeing myself from the confines that lead my family members to traditional work; something I believe would kill me? Have I freed myself from my family?
Do I feel a responsibility to anything other than acting? If so am I a weaker actor for it? Possibly.
In examining these questions have I, through the answers, defined myself as an artist? Taking these statements from the character, or the voice of the playwright, to equal the requirements for artist, it would seem so.
In the end, I feel that these are philosophical discussions, which have great purpose in defining and leading to greater understanding of the self. They could lead to a belief system for some. For me, they, I believe, will remain philosophical thoughts and queries. In this state, they leave me open, they leave me thoughtful. As a person, they deepen me. As a character named Asher Lev, they inform my argument in the play.
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