David Mamet's influence on Deirdre Kinahan's approach to dialogue
Deirdre Kinahan has named David Mamet as a major influence for her dialogue, citing his ability to capture “the authenticity of the way that his characters speak.” The New Yorker writes that Mamet’s plays “strip dialogue of literary nicety and rob plot of that naturalistic decoration which has progressively tamed theatre. His plays, though rooted in reality, are fables, whose uniqueness lies in their distinctive music—a terse, streamlined orchestration of thought, language, and character which draws viewers in and makes them work for meaning.” The article also notes his “distinctive fractured cadences and overlapping dialogue.” Mamet has stated that he believes that people tend to speak in iambic pentameter, whether or not we are aware of it, and writes his dialogue with a rhythm to reflect this idea. His dialogue is action-driven and has been called “hyper-masculine.” Kinahan’s dialogue is also sparse and stripped down, and often overlapping and difficult to follow. Conversations are fast-paced, casual, and have a distinct rhythm when performed.
To further understand Mamet’s influence on Kinahan’s script, we can analyze a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross, a film written by Mamet that Kinahan cited as a favorite of hers.
LEVENE
I can't close these leads, John.
No one can. It's a joke. John,
look, just give me a hot lead.
Just give me two of the premium
leads. As a "test," alright? As a
"test" and I promise you...
WILLIAMSON
I can't do it, Shel.
Pause.
LEVENE
I'll give you ten percent.
Pause.
WILLIAMSON
Of what?
LEVENE
And what if you don't close.
LEVENE
I will close.
WILLIAMSON
What if you don't close...?
LEVENE
I will close.
WILLIAMSON
What if you don't? Then I'm fucked.
You see...? Then it's my job.
That's what I'm telling you.
LEVENE
I will close. John, John, ten
percent. I can get hot. You know that...
WILLIAMSON
Not lately you can't...
LEVENE
Fuck that. That's defeatist. Fuck
that. Fuck it...Get on my side.
Go with me. Let's do something.
You want to run this office, run it.
WILLIAMSON
Twenty percent.
Pause.
LEVENE
Alright.
WILLIAMSON
And fifty bucks a lead.
In this scene, the characters discuss the logistics of a difficult real estate deal. Although the dialogue is stripped-down and sparse, Mamet chooses carefully where to include repetition or “filler” words to recreate the natural rhythm of speech. Levene’s opening line in this scene demonstrates this approach. (“I can't close these leads, John. No one can. It's a joke. John, look, just give me a hot lead. Just give me two of the premium leads. As a "test," alright? As a "test" and I promise you...”) His repetition of “John” and “John, look” may appear significant but add to the conversational rhythm and realism of the speech. The dialogue consists of a series of iambs that allow it to flow naturally and keep the pace of the scene moving. Another example of this emphasis on rhythm and action is clear in Levene’s line “Fuck that. That’s defeatist. Fuck that. Fuck it…Get on my side. Go with me. Let’s do something. You want to run this office, run it.” The dialogue is straightforward and aggressive, yet carefully uses repetition to build momentum and recreate human speech.
It is particularly interesting to observe Mamet’s influence on Kinahan’s dialogue keeping in mind the differences between American and Irish dialects. Irish speech also has a distinct natural rhythm to it that remains from the legacy of the Irish (Gaelic) language. Kinahan’s use of rhythm in dialogue is influenced by Irish syntax, which adds another element to its structure.
RUTH
Please. Please, stop this. It’s a really generous gesture, Teresa, really generous, but Nial and I are doing well, we don’t need…
TERESA
Your father would want it, Nial.
And that’s my last word on it.
NIAL
Right. Grand, ma. Whatever you say but I’m going to go now.
TERESA
No, no.
NIAL
I am. I can’t take any more of this.
DAVE
Take it easy, will you, Nial.
RUTH
He’s right. I’m sorry but I think it’s best if we –
TERESA
No, no. You’re supposed to stay over.
RUTH
But I think we’ve…I’ve caused enough upset.
TERESA
Nonsense.
RUTH
We’ll find a hotel.
TERESA
What upset?
RUTH
It’s not that we’re not grateful.
TERESA
What is she talking about?
NIAL
Please stop this, Ma.
DAVE,
It’s all right, T.
NIAMH
You’re getting all worked up again.
TERESA
But that’s what’s arranged.
NIAL
And I can’t do it, Ma, I can’t, Jesus.
How do you all do it? How do you keep it all going?
As in Mamet’s work, the conversation is straight-forwarded and unembellished, yet Kinahan adds rhythm and repetition to the characters’ speech. Characters have clear objectives, with Teresa trying to convince Nial to accept the cheque, and Nial and Ruth trying to leave to avoid more controversy. Nial’s line “And I can’t do it, Ma, I can’t, Jesus” utilizes a similar technique to Mamet’s “I can't close these leads, John. No one can. It's a joke. John, look, just give me a hot lead.” She is careful about when she chooses to repeat words and phrases in dialogue, allowing them to serve the structure and action of the dialogue. Additionally, characters interrupt and overlap each other as they all voice their actions and objectives. Kinahan utilizes Mamet’s techniques of rhythmic and fast-paced yet naturalistic dialogue, and reworks it for Irish linguistic patterns and dialect.
To further understand Mamet’s influence on Kinahan’s script, we can analyze a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross, a film written by Mamet that Kinahan cited as a favorite of hers.
LEVENE
I can't close these leads, John.
No one can. It's a joke. John,
look, just give me a hot lead.
Just give me two of the premium
leads. As a "test," alright? As a
"test" and I promise you...
WILLIAMSON
I can't do it, Shel.
Pause.
LEVENE
I'll give you ten percent.
Pause.
WILLIAMSON
Of what?
LEVENE
And what if you don't close.
LEVENE
I will close.
WILLIAMSON
What if you don't close...?
LEVENE
I will close.
WILLIAMSON
What if you don't? Then I'm fucked.
You see...? Then it's my job.
That's what I'm telling you.
LEVENE
I will close. John, John, ten
percent. I can get hot. You know that...
WILLIAMSON
Not lately you can't...
LEVENE
Fuck that. That's defeatist. Fuck
that. Fuck it...Get on my side.
Go with me. Let's do something.
You want to run this office, run it.
WILLIAMSON
Twenty percent.
Pause.
LEVENE
Alright.
WILLIAMSON
And fifty bucks a lead.
In this scene, the characters discuss the logistics of a difficult real estate deal. Although the dialogue is stripped-down and sparse, Mamet chooses carefully where to include repetition or “filler” words to recreate the natural rhythm of speech. Levene’s opening line in this scene demonstrates this approach. (“I can't close these leads, John. No one can. It's a joke. John, look, just give me a hot lead. Just give me two of the premium leads. As a "test," alright? As a "test" and I promise you...”) His repetition of “John” and “John, look” may appear significant but add to the conversational rhythm and realism of the speech. The dialogue consists of a series of iambs that allow it to flow naturally and keep the pace of the scene moving. Another example of this emphasis on rhythm and action is clear in Levene’s line “Fuck that. That’s defeatist. Fuck that. Fuck it…Get on my side. Go with me. Let’s do something. You want to run this office, run it.” The dialogue is straightforward and aggressive, yet carefully uses repetition to build momentum and recreate human speech.
It is particularly interesting to observe Mamet’s influence on Kinahan’s dialogue keeping in mind the differences between American and Irish dialects. Irish speech also has a distinct natural rhythm to it that remains from the legacy of the Irish (Gaelic) language. Kinahan’s use of rhythm in dialogue is influenced by Irish syntax, which adds another element to its structure.
RUTH
Please. Please, stop this. It’s a really generous gesture, Teresa, really generous, but Nial and I are doing well, we don’t need…
TERESA
Your father would want it, Nial.
And that’s my last word on it.
NIAL
Right. Grand, ma. Whatever you say but I’m going to go now.
TERESA
No, no.
NIAL
I am. I can’t take any more of this.
DAVE
Take it easy, will you, Nial.
RUTH
He’s right. I’m sorry but I think it’s best if we –
TERESA
No, no. You’re supposed to stay over.
RUTH
But I think we’ve…I’ve caused enough upset.
TERESA
Nonsense.
RUTH
We’ll find a hotel.
TERESA
What upset?
RUTH
It’s not that we’re not grateful.
TERESA
What is she talking about?
NIAL
Please stop this, Ma.
DAVE,
It’s all right, T.
NIAMH
You’re getting all worked up again.
TERESA
But that’s what’s arranged.
NIAL
And I can’t do it, Ma, I can’t, Jesus.
How do you all do it? How do you keep it all going?
As in Mamet’s work, the conversation is straight-forwarded and unembellished, yet Kinahan adds rhythm and repetition to the characters’ speech. Characters have clear objectives, with Teresa trying to convince Nial to accept the cheque, and Nial and Ruth trying to leave to avoid more controversy. Nial’s line “And I can’t do it, Ma, I can’t, Jesus” utilizes a similar technique to Mamet’s “I can't close these leads, John. No one can. It's a joke. John, look, just give me a hot lead.” She is careful about when she chooses to repeat words and phrases in dialogue, allowing them to serve the structure and action of the dialogue. Additionally, characters interrupt and overlap each other as they all voice their actions and objectives. Kinahan utilizes Mamet’s techniques of rhythmic and fast-paced yet naturalistic dialogue, and reworks it for Irish linguistic patterns and dialect.