「《Sherlock》本身就有種輕快戲謔的味道，但我還是傾向別把它演成喜劇。」Martin Freeman道。
(死線、Nikki、小小合譯)
Written By Mark Gatiss
8:00 AM, 05 January 2014
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| Radio Times 實體雜誌選用的圖其實是這張XD (加工版來源) |
Martin Freeman是個衣架子（譯：clotheshorse，衣架子／曬衣架）。我不是說你該把他放在老爺爺的火爐前然後看著他冒蒸氣（儘管你想要的話是可以這麼幹）。不，他在我們為Radio Times拍攝照片的空檔閒聊他回歸的角色Dr. John Watson時，看起來就像《Sherlock》劇組期望的那樣整潔精練。
眾所皆知他在打扮這塊領域很在行，而且在第一季為自己贏得了一座BAFTA獎杯（譯：2011最佳男配角獎）。《Sherlock》最新兩集已殺青，而他才剛自紐西蘭拍完兩個月《哈比人》最後所需的鏡頭回來好讓我們能夠重新聚首繼續第三集。他的疲倦可以理解：「每次影集差不多拍到這個時候我都是這樣的。我想這齣劇的時程是很嚴刻的－－相較之下《哈比人》其實輕鬆多了。所以是啊，我挺累的，但我必須說我還挺享受的。我必須說我很享受，」他笑道，「因為這寫在合約裡！」
當Steven Moffat和我想到現代版的Sherlock Holmes這個主意時，對我們來說很重要的是這劇得是雙主角。它是叫做《Sherlock》沒錯，但這個大偵探和他的傳記故事寫手間不朽的友情，才是讓這個故事超過120年都如此受歡迎的核心。雖然Benedict Cumberbatch是我們的第一也是唯一的Sherlock Holmes人選，但要找到他的華生可就複雜了點。
「我有收到劇本，」Martin回憶道，「當我聽說將有個新版的Sherlock Holmes，我心想，『這可有點冒險啊，但還有Steven Moffat和Mark Gatiss會在，所以OK－－丟給我瞧瞧吧！』所以我就去了。但大概可以持平的說我當時不在最佳狀態……」
Martin的皮夾在路上被偷了。「真的啊？我都忘了。我承認我當時有點焦躁。但一個月以後我經紀人打來說，『聽著，這個Sherlock案子，他們覺得你好像不太有興趣。』然後我說，『哦，我超有興趣的。拜託打給他們讓他們知道我有興趣。我對它一點都沒有漠不關心，我只是那天不在最佳狀態。』所以我又去了一次，跟Benedict 一起讀詞，那馬上就成了，在我看來似乎是。我一直都很喜歡Ben的作品，我覺得他是個了不起的演員，而且我們之間也有種韻律、相似處和相異處讓這一切就這樣發生了。」
第二次開會之後，Steven、製作人Sue Vertue和我就知道我們能拍了。但確認拿到這個角色時，Martin對華生醫生可有什麼既定的想像？「我那時從沒讀過亞瑟柯南道爾的作品——雖然我當然知道他是誰了。Basil Rathbone就是我的福爾摩斯，因為70年代晚期和80年代每到六點，BBC2上就會播他的電影。所以我這個世代的人，或是跟Mark你一樣年紀稍微進階一點的人，大概就是他那個版本了。」
當然，Nigel Bruce那種歡樂丑角型的華生，也有非常深遠的影響。Martin對此看法如何？「他在那些電影裡面太棒了！兩人都是，但我知道那不是我們這齣戲會走的方向。」
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| Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce = Sherlock Holmes & Dr Watson |
有時候我會想：為了要盡力與Nigel Bruce版本的華生有所區隔，結果會不會出現一個很無趣的華生？Martin跟Bruce（以及在《The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes》(1970, 導演Billy Wilder－－這部電影影響了我們的《Sherlock》) 裡的Colin Blakely）的相似之處在於他也是一位極有天賦、反應直率的演員，而且很搞笑。非常搞笑。
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| 《The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes》 Colin Blakely & Robert Stephens = Dr. Watson & Sherlock Holmes |
「身為演員，你知道有些要求是你很拿手、不用太費力就能辦到的。不過，雖然《Sherlock》本身就有種輕快戲謔的味道在，我還是傾向別把它演成喜劇。」Martin特別擅長審度劇本，他可以用冷諷的一眼來表現冗長的台詞。他面對在最新一季中歸來的Sherlock時，一開始的情緒反應真的是大師級的細膩內斂。
「有時候，」他笑道：「我發現就算我覺得我無比正經，事後看來我還是一副在搞笑的樣子！但我之所以愛我們這版的華生，是因為即使他要耍幽默，也是很直接了當的，這整個節目都很直接了當。裡面沒有丑角，我真的非常喜歡這點，這是寫給成人看的戲，你不需要靠作弊來欺騙觀眾，我純粹在用我對待每件事的態度來詮釋這個角色，那就是真誠以對。我試著把華生塑造成一個逼真的士兵、一個真實的醫生，我想賦予他一種堅強又脆弱的感覺。」
我們已經目睹華生醫師從心理受創的戰爭英雄轉化為貝克街的探險者，Martin又怎麼看待John這三季來的蛻變呢？「嗯，就如同寫作一樣，你也不想老是做一樣的事情。我總不能一直『Sherlock你到底怎麼辦到的？』吧，John不能一天被Sherlock驚豔個六百次，每次都像兩人初遇一樣。所以儘管他還是認為Sherlock的聰穎很了不起，我們必須用別的方法展現這點。
「在這新一季他也墬入了情網。他以為他最好的朋友已經死了。當失去某個深愛的人時，你的生命肯定會變的暗淡一點，但是生活必須往前進。他開始了一段成熟的戀情，這也是他所需要的。所以我想我們再次見到John是在他比較悲傷的時候，因為他失去了一位朋友，一位摯友；但另一方面他對現況其實是滿足的 。」
但曾身為戰士的John Watson 能真正的離開戰場嗎？「他懷念阿富汗和軍旅生活中的革命情感。在這部影集的一開始，我們便清楚地揭示了這部份。所以他回到和平時期的倫敦，他能抓到最接近的舊日亢奮就是和Sherlock一起日以繼夜地對抗犯罪。我們有共識的把John塑造得像個腎上腺素上癮者，這蠻合理的。」
「拜託老天爺啊，我從來沒上過戰場，我只知道那些從戰場回來的人都有段艱難的調適期。我是說，就算你不曾上場打仗，就算你只是加入軍隊，要再回歸平民生活大概就會遭遇更多衝突與磨合了。」
Martin現實生活中的伴侶，一位很傑出的女演員Amanda Abbington 加入了Sherlock團隊，飾演Mary Morstan。道爾小說迷們都將知道Mary會在John的生活中扮演怎樣深具意義的角色，而且不算劇透的說，她即將成為Mrs Watson ! 所以在新歡和回到他生活中的Sherlock間，Martin會希望看到John Watson未來如何發展呢？
「我只是希望他能維持3D的立體感，你知道的，立足在這樣緊張刺激的世界。而且我喜歡John的獨立。我享受那些他得單獨行動的時刻。但我也知道這齣戲是建立在John和Sherlock之間所產生的花火上。這個劇集一飛衝天令人驚喜，而且更成為一種電視劇的重要典範。我記得播出後，每個人都說『我愛那個Sherlock Holmes』。其中表達最大聲、最友善、也最熱情的某部份粉絲好像是那些介於專科和大學年紀之間的年輕女性，事實上，這真讓我驚訝。我身邊喜歡這部戲的人都比她們大。它的觀眾群寬廣得驚人，真的很令人滿足。你還有什麼好要求的？」
那到外國拍攝呢？「當然好了，出國！我肯定會愛死這件事，就像Rupert Graves在拍攝S103時說過的那樣。當年開拍的時候，我們在最冷的一月站在兩吋深、凍死人的水窪裡，然後開始幻想著這部影集將來會有什麼。皇宮謀殺案？烘乾室冒險記？陽光殺手？」
Sherlock continues on Sunday at 8:30pm on BBC1.
(原文如下)
"There’s an inherent light-heartedness to Sherlock, but I err towards not doing the comedy," says Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman is a clotheshorse. I don’t mean you should put him in front of your gran’s fire and watch steam come off him (although you could if you wanted to). No, he’s looking as trim and dapper as the Sherlock team have come to expect as we take a little time out from the Radio Times photoshoot to discuss his return to the role of Dr John Watson.
By common consent he’s brilliant in the part, and won a Bafta for his performance in the first series. With two new episodes in the can, he’s just returned from New Zealand doing two months of final work on The Hobbit before we all reconvene for episode three. He’s understandably tired: “I always am around this time in the series. I think the schedules on this show are quite brutal – The Hobbit is a doddle, actually, comparatively. So yeah, I’m quite tired, but I have to say I’m enjoying it. I have to say I’m enjoying it,” he laughs. “It’s contractual!”
When Steven Moffat and I came up with the idea of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, it was crucial to us that the series be regarded as a co-lead. It’s called Sherlock, but the great detective’s enduring friendship with his Boswell is the beating heart that has kept the stories so popular for more than 120 years. Although Benedict Cumberbatch was our first and only choice for Sherlock Holmes, finding his Watson was a slightly more involved process.
“I was sent the script,” remembers Martin. “When I was told there was going to be an updated Sherlock Holmes, I thought, ‘That could be risky, but it’s going to be Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, so OK – show it to me!’ So I went in for it. But it’s probably fair to say I wasn’t in the best frame of mind...”
Martin’s wallet had been stolen on the way there. “Had it really? I’d forgotten that. I’ll admit maybe I was a bit stressed. But a week later my agent rang and said, ‘Listen, this Sherlock thing, they’re sort of under the impression you weren’t that into it.’ And I said ‘Oh... I am really interested. Please call them and let them know that I am interested. I wasn’t being blase about it at all. I just wasn’t on my best day. So I came in again, read with Benedict and it instantly worked, it seemed to me. I always liked Ben’s work. I thought he was a fantastic actor and there was something about our rhythms, similarities and differences that meant that it just happened.”
After that second meeting, Steven, producer Sue Vertue and I knew we had the show. But having secured the part, did Martin come with any preconceived ideas of Dr Watson? “I’d never read any Arthur Conan Doyle then – though obviously I knew who he was. Basil Rathbone was my man, because in the late 70s and 80s his films would be on BBC2 at six o’clock, so for people of my age, and even people of your advanced age, Mark, he seemed to be the one.”
I sometimes think, though, that in striving to get as far away as possible from Nigel Bruce, the result can be just a dull Watson. What Martin shares with Bruce (and with Colin Blakely in Billy Wilder’s 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes – the influence on our Sherlock) is that he’s an immensely gifted straight actor who’s also funny. Very funny.
Nigel Bruce’s delightfully buffoonish Watson casts a very long shadow, of course. How does Martin feel about that? “He’s just so great in those films! They both are. But I knew that wasn’t where we were going to be heading.”
“As an actor, you know there are things you get asked to do that you do quite well, with less effort. Although there’s an inherent light-heartedness to Sherlock, I slightly err towards not doing the comedy.” Martin is especially good at interrogating a script, and dispensing with superfluous lines that he can achieve with a sardonic glance.His initial reaction to Sherlock’s return in the new series is a masterclass in understated emotion.
“Sometimes,” he laughs, “I realise even when I think I’m being dead straight, I look back and still think I’m mugging. But what I love about our John Watson is that even though there is humour in him, it’s a straight part, and it’s a straight programme. No one is a buffoon in it, and what I really like about it is that it’s writing for grown-ups, where you’re not having to cheat the audience. I’m purely trying to play this part the way I approach everything, which is to be truthful. I was trying to make Watson a feasible soldier, a feasible doctor. I wanted to give him a strength and a vulnerability.”
We’ve seen Dr Watson go from psychologically damaged war hero to Baker Street adventurer. So how does Martin think John has changed over the three series? “Well, just as in the writing, you don’t want to keep doing the same thing. I can’t still be going, ‘How do you do it,Sherlock?’ John can’t be as flabbergasted 600 times a day as he was at the beginning. So even though he thinks Sherlock’s cleverness is astonishing, we have to find different ways of showing that.
“With this new series, he’s also fallen in love. He thought his best friend was dead. There’s definitely a sort of light that goes out when you lose somebody you love, but now his life has moved on. He’s in a real grown-up relationship, which he needed to be. So I think that we join John in a way a bit sadder because he lost a friend, a very good friend, but in a way more content, actually.”
But can John Watson the ex-soldier ever really leave the battlefield? “He misses Afghanistan and the camaraderie of war service. We explored that a lot right at the beginning of the series. So he’s come back to peacetime London and the nearest thing he can get to that old rush is being with Sherlock and fighting crimes day in day out. Between us we have all made John a sort of adrenaline junkie. I think it’s so common.
“Please God, I’ll never be in a war zone, but everything I sort of know about people who come back is that it’s a hard transition to make. I mean, even if you’ve not been in a war, even if you’ve just been in the Forces, you come back and probably have more fights in civilian life.”
Martin’s real-life partner, the wonderful actress Amanda Abbington joins the Sherlock team as Mary Morstan. Fans of Doyle’s stories will know what a significant part Mary plays in John’s life and it’s no spoiler to say she’s about to become Mrs Watson! So with new love andSherlock back in his life, where would Martin like to see John Watson go in the future?
“I’d just like him to keep being 3D, you know, in what is a very heightened world. And I like John’s independence. I enjoy the times where he gets to be separate. But I also know the thing is predicated on what happens between John and Sherlock. It was amazing how quickly the show took off and became a sort of staple bedrock of telly. I remember after it went out, everyone was saying, ‘I love that Sherlock Holmes.’ The loudest, friendliest and most enthusiastic part of our fanbase seems to be teenage girls between college and university age, but that surprised me, actually. The people I’d been hanging around with who loved it were older than that. It’s an extremely broad audience and that’s really satisfying. What more could you want?”
Foreign filming? “Yes, abroad! I’d definitely love that, as Rupert Graves said in episode one when we were standing in two inches of freezing water on the coldest January since records began. We were just fantasising about where future episodes could be. Murder in a Palace? The Adventure of the Dry Room? The Sunshine Killings?”
Sherlock continues on Sunday at 8:30pm on BBC1.
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