Directing Tips from Moreno

J. L. Moreno gave some directing tips quoted here from Psychodrama, Vol. I, pages 257 and 258 (The reference to "subject" means the protagonist.):

“The director should work with the minimum expenditure of emotional energy. Once a production has begun he should leave its development to the subject.”

     [This indicates we should follow, rather then lead, the protagonist.]

“When and where guidance is required he should leave this to the auxiliary ego co-acting in the scenes.”

     [Guidance is the operative word. The director can relax if the auxiliary egos      (and double, a specialized auxiliary ego) are performing well. Of course the      director must direct when necessary.]

“He should take advantage of the fact that the auxiliary egos are extensions of his own self, permitting them to be subjectively involved but keeping himself at a distance, objective and uninvolved.”

      [“Uninvolved” could mean the director should place him/herself off the               stage during the action. I don’t know how anyone can be emotionally                 uninvolved. A director has to be involved but must maintain an objective           position to allow for the necessary focus.}

“This has the advantage that he is left out of transference and tele relations but he can watch and correct transference and tele relations which develop between the subject and auxiliary egos on this stage in the course of the action.”

     [The correction of transference and tele relations generally takes place in          surplus reality. Here Moreno essentially says we should not double or play      an auxiliary role and allow transference to occur with the co-therapists, not       the director.]

He continues with : "There are emergencies, however, when the director has to come to the rescue as a person but this is considered an exception."

     ["There are emergencies" does not mean that it's OK to do director                  doubling frequently. Also note that he didn't say how to "rescue as a                  person". As a double or some other auxiliary ego? Or just as yourself,              the director? This action is considered an "exception."]

And I thought directing required imposing tight control, er... structure...and had to be tense with really hard work.

So who taught that frequent director doubling was OK?