Work Text:
The roles of The Emperor and The Secretary in The Emperor’s Hands are a true test of the actor’s art, and in particular, their ability to work closely with another actor.
The Emperor sits, nearly motionless, on a dais for the entire duration of the play, with his face in shadow. Restricted to the dais, The Emperor must nevertheless have a strong presence, and the full scope of the character must be communicated through posture, gesture, and voice. To do so while retaining an appropriately imperial demeanour requires great subtlety on the part of the actor.
The Secretary is more active, and seems at first the less challenging role. However, his ability to shift subtly between personal speech and speech on behalf of The Emperor is essential to the impact of the play. The Secretary must be aware of and attuned to the Emperor at all times, without ever looking at him until the final scene.
The most difficult aspect of these roles is the synchronicity between them. They must frequently move, and even speak, in unison, without The Secretary being able to see The Emperor. There are three modes of synchronisation, which the play moves fluidly between:
- The Emperor (mirrored). When The Emperor speaks in an official capacity, he is physically mirrored by The Secretary, who acts as a conduit of his speech. Gestures are formal and straightforward to choreograph. Some productions have The Secretary mouth The Emperor’s words; productions also vary in the extent to which The Secretary extends The Emperor’s gestures through facial expression, posture, and movement across the stage.
- The Secretary (mirrored). There are times when The Emperor physically mirrors The Secretary. This must be subtle, in order to convey the play’s essential ambiguity, and in keeping with the limitations on The Emperor’s movement. The actor playing The Secretary should note these moments and be mindful of alternative interpretations of his words which might be felt or expressed by The Emperor.
- The Emperor and The Secretary (doubled). There are times when The Emperor and The Secretary both speak and move in unison. It should be ambiguous whose inner thoughts that speech represents, and who is reinforcing the other. Note carefully all uses of the words ‘we’ and ‘our’, and the ambiguity of the plural and imperial ‘we’.
The following doubled soliloquy is the final scene of the play, and it is the only occasion when The Emperor and The Secretary de-synchronise. Done well, the effect is extraordinary. Done poorly, it loses all impact. This desynchronisation is not only a matter of pace: The Emperor and The Secretary must use the same words to express different emotional arcs. There are a wide range of possible interpretations of the script, and aspiring actors are encouraged to explore as many interpretations as possible.
THE EMPEROR/THE SECRETARY :
We are alone now. Speak.
[Their speech and gestures gradually de-synchronise as they continue.]
How can we speak when we are so far distant?
We are as close as we can be, our every movement mirrored.
We offer our trust, our voice, our hands. We must always look away.
We shape the empire! Lives are in our hands, and we do not let them fall.
With these hands, we grant justice, peace, prosperity.
We do not touch.
Do we not need touch? Can we know and be known without it?
No-one is ever truly known. No-one can touch another's heart.
With these hands, we shape the world. These hands, which can raise up and cast down.
Can they reach out? Cross the chasm that divides the emperor from his people?
What can the emperor's hands not do? What can the emperor not demand?
We need no demands.
We give and give, the glory of the empire passing through us.
We are not the glory of the empire. We are human.
[The Secretary finishes this speech standing in front of the dais. In unison:]
We are alone.
[The Secretary turns around to face The Emperor for the first time. In silence, mirroring each other, they raise their hands to touch.]
END SCENE.