KNOT HEART - Almeida Theatre

Margot Leicester in rehearsalPhoto: Matt Humphreyphysical and medical implications of somebody addicted to heroin.It’s a relief that he is there as we have pages and pages of questions to ask. It’s especially like golddust to Lisa and Kieran who both play addicts in the play and therefore need to know the answers toso much. What is the physical reaction to taking a hit of heroin? What happens when an addict startsto cluck? What would a user start to look like after years of abuse? Dr Owen answers these questionswith clarity and with insight that engages us all. We are in the room still talking hours after rehearsalsend and I am very aware of my ever-changing views about drug use whilst being a part of this project.Whilst David has not written a political play, one cannot help but notice that we all take a politicalview when it comes to the use of drugs. I still can’t conclude what my politics are but what I amconvinced of more and more is that this problem, currently part of the criminal system, is absolutely aproblem of health. Dr Owen talks of addiction in general, about predisposition, about genetics andeven about the frontal lobe of an addict. People who are prone to addiction have different shapedbrains he is saying . They are more likely to be impulsive or anxious... I think I stop breathing at thiscomment. I ponder at my own impulsiveness and start to think about my relationship with food.Suddenly, rejecting coffee this week seemed like a good idea.Again there is the feeling of a part of us within being unzipped. Something that this rehearsal processhas been doing constantly. I am not sure if I signed up to face my own personal demons here but Iam certainly fascinated by the concept. And if that’s what is going on with me, I can’t help but wonderabout the well of emotion and reflection that is going on within the cast.In the Rehearsal RoomWeek 4This week Michael has gone back to the beginning of the play, working through scenes at a quickerpace so we are getting much more of a sense of how things flow. This doesn’t stop him howeverfrom completely doing away with an idea, or adjusting, or even completely changing the blocking of ascene if needed. Just as I think we have found everything that could be found in a given moment orthat we’ve cracked it, Michael will go silent for a moment. Usually when he re-emerges, he will havesuddenly got a revelation about a particular line and how the delivery should be completely changedor how having the actress standing instead of sitting will raise the stakes. The control freak in me hasResource Pack: The Knot of the Heart 28