I'm playing in a PTA game at the moment. We've just finished episode two. After the pilot I was unsure of my character, Lazarus Moore. He's a former priest, now a hardened utilitarian. He's also indeterminately old, thanks to an expensive treatment that eventually killed most of its users, except him. Could be some others out there but we haven't met them yet. And I've decided that he'll be played by Hugo Weaving. His portrayal of characters like Agent Smith and V made a connection to me with the detachment and passion of Lazarus.
Now that you've met Lazarus let me tell you the fun of playing him. As I said, I wasn't sure about him. As a utilitarian he had to have an overriding principle that drove him, and it had to be strong enough to make him leave his faith. And it had to be so strong that he would sacrifice for it; sacrifice himself or others.
So I wondered if he was the villain of the show.
As it happens, I'm more convinced than ever that he is. I don't like him but it's so indulgent in his skin. Playing him is like playing Lex Luthor or Doctor Doom. He has plans behind his eyes. He knows things. He wants things but won't tell what they are. And part of that fun is that I don't even know what he wants. He won't tell me either.
Lazarus is going to drive the story. He's building something that is bigger than him or anyone else and to do that he will use whomever and whatever he needs.
It's this drive and ambition that makes him so fun and dangerous to play.
