Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 130

Muha:​ So, you’re somewhat notorious for your calm demeanor. There really doesn't seem to be
a whole lot that you can’t really just take with a deep breath and a sigh and just say “That’s okay.
Let’s move on.” It strikes me as being a very theatrical way to live life. The theatre being the
thing that cannot exist unless it’s performed in, and then night after night that show moves on,or
dies, or however you want to phrase that.​ Is this just for the night or is this an intentional
thing? Or do you actually have this wild persona that you bust out at home out of the
public eye?
Watson:​ Yes. I will invite you over to see that later on. You really did think about these
questions Nathan, truly. How others perceive me? How others look at me? That’s an interesting
question. You know, I like to think that I’m a problem solver, and I guess I’m probably, I mean
not necessarily, a ​ good ​ problem solver, but you know I want to take things and try to work them
out, and part of play production is working out a problem from beginning to end and as you said
“put it to rest” at the end and seek out the next problem. So, I think there is something in my
nature that enjoys that duration. That concrete precise amount of time dedicated to a problem, a
play, a production that I can comfortably or at least in my own mind think that I’ve put some
signature and stamp on it, and that it's over. That I can move on to the next thing. I like the idea
of being able to put things in a frame that I can then feel like I’ve accomplished at least that for
better or for worse. Some productions have been better, some have been worse.
So, I think part of it is what I see and imagine the process to be. You know, it’s no surprise that
it’s collaborative and that it draws on the talents of many and so I have to. I meant that’s the
agreement I enter into. And to do that I think my perhaps my personality [is] one that tries to
honor that collaboration. That we’re all pushing the rock up the hill together. So, some people
work better in a volatile/hysterical environment. And I think there are good examples of how that
is a positive as well. But for me, I like to keep a cap on things a little bit, and keep it somewhat
orderly and attentive to the various talents of those around, and not necessarily put myself above
that, although sometimes you have to do that as a director.
I’m sure there are people out there who I’ve directed that can recall Watson going off the deep
end every once in awhile. About throwing a fit about one thing or another. I directed “A Doll’s
House” so many years ago and my Torvald at the time was actually a professor of psychology,
Peter Bankart. He wanted very much to play the role of Torvald. While Peter was so willing and
eager on all accounts, he was also probably not quite prepared for the amount of memorization
that’s involved, and the pace that we put things together, and I drilled him and drilled him and
drilled him in terms of memorizing those lines. To the point where finally he said, “You know
Watson. I am so angry with you. You remind me of my Japanese instructor at Irwin College
when I was in college. I could never learn Japanese the way he wanted me to, and I cannot learn
this play the way you want me to.” So, I have had my moments when things have erupted.