To write a great play, you need great characters.
More specifically: it’s extremely beneficial if you have a play with complex and interesting characters that actors want to play.
Needless to say, if you can accomplish that, you’ll dramatically increased your odds that your play will get produced!
But how, exactly, do you write a complex character?
Well, I want to share a trick that can be extremely effective. It’s based on something called “shadow theory.”
Shadow theory says that whatever traits are apparent in a person’s external, visible personality are an indication that the exact opposite resides in the shadow–hidden in their internal personality.
So for instance: a character who is sweet as honey and never seems to get upset about anything has, deep within them, the capacity for dark rage and violence.
Similarly, a character who doesn’t seem to care about anyone has, deep within them, a deep desire for love and affection.
Shadow theory tells us that these characters hold back their internal traits because they want to disassociate from the shadow traits, seeing them as ugly, weak, undesirable, etc.
But the traits are still there, under the surface.
What’s important to realize, as a playwright, is that these shadow traits make for extremely fertile ground for a story. For one thing, they come with built-in inner conflict and the potential for compelling character change.
For instance: if you have a character who’s always generous and self-sacrificing, what would it take for them to stop holding back the shadow trait of being selfish and greedy? The answer to that question can make for an excellent high point of a play–if not its climax.
It’s also fun to think of the various ways in which shadow traits can subtly make themselves known. For instance, a character may be particularly harsh in criticizing people who share his or her shadow trait (it’s called projection). Similarly, they may vilify, hate, or fear other people who remind them of their own shadow.
Have a think about shadow theory and some of the ways you might use it to help write more complex and compelling characters.
