In this episode, Declan Donnellan talks about motive, and ways of examining why people in real life and characters in plays do what they do. He talks about dread as a motor for dramatic action, and goes on a deep dive through Act 1 of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters, passing through Oscar Wilde, Macbeth, TV crime dramas, and Sally Rooney’s Normal People on the way. You can read Act 1 of Three Sisters here (https://bit.ly/3clnnxn). And see photos from Cheek by Jowl's production of it here (https://bit.ly/2XbrIic). Follow Cheek by Jowl on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Full transcripts of episodes are available upon request. Please contact [email protected] to request a copy.