How is the stage adaptation of Misery different from the book and movie?
The adaptation borrows more from the book than the movie because it deals a little more with Paul Sheldon’s inner monologue. It’s more a story of conflict between this obviously wacky crazy woman and this man who, through these circumstances, is in a drug-induced fog. The crazy woman makes the man crazy in a different way, and in that way brings about her own ruin. How do you approach the play with your actors? We only have a three-week rehearsal period, but we’re going to try to start nice and easy, reading the text, getting comfortable with the words. It’s my habit to stage quickly and then really start to dig and look at little moments. The way we’re going to focus on it is a combination between the psychology of the two people working against each other and what’s going to play to an audience. You have to combine warped psychology with some good old-fashioned gothic terror. What attracts you to the script? I’m very interested in the dark side. I’m fascinated by what makes people go
