Buck up, Hamlet! or how Aziraphale and Crowley's blocking helps communicate the evolution of their relationship
Can we talk about the blocking?
Specifically, I have been rewatching S1E3, one of my favorites. I love how the development of the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley is shown through these little vignettes. There have been some great explorations of the costuming and dialogue, but what always strikes me is the BLOCKING. The way their placement and movements add such depth and tell the story of living as a queer person, having to communicate in coded language.
Through the episode, we get 4500 years of history - Eden, Mesopotamia, Golgatha, Rome and Wessex - to see Aziraphale and Crowley standing on their opposite sides. Aziraphale always on the right, Crowley always on the left. But after the Arrangement, their blocking changes drastically and becomes much more fluid and nuanced. Each scene after this is distinct but the scenes in at the Globe and the Bastille have the most development, and I find myself rewatching them A LOT. Here is what I see.
All the World's a Stage
This is the first meeting we see that isn’t a chance encounter, though the two try to stage it as such. It takes place in a theatre - and they are acting, playing their roles as demon and angel. Even the humans are complicit in this performance, with Shakespeare stepping in to address the two "in your roles as the audience." Oh, delicious.
But once it's been firmly established for anyone watching that they AREN'T friends, they DON'T know each other (cough cough) the following moves are clearly choreographed and have been played out many times before. Crowley sashays to the right, opening the dance, and Aziraphale accepts the invitation to dance with: “What do you want?”
“Why ever would you insinuate that I might possibly want something?” Crowley is just playing his role as cheeky demon offering up a temptation - but his position to the right of Aziraphale speaks to the fact that they are both very complicit in this performance.
“You are up to no good.” “Obviously. And you are up to good, I take it? Lots of good deeds?” Just standard character establishment, here.
“No rest for the, well, good." Ah, this line, the inversion of the well known idiom. Because the line between good and evil (and between angel and demon) maybe aren't so distinct, and Aziraphale acknowledges this with his words. We are moving into negotiations now. "I have to be in Edinburgh at the end of the week. A couple of blessings to do, and a minor miracle to perform. Apparently, I have to ride a horse.”
“Ah hard on the buttocks, horses. Major design flaw, if you ask me. I’m meant to be headed to Edinburgh too this week. Tempting a clan leader to steal some cattle.” The way Crowley moves AROUND Aziraphale here, intimate but also careful, watching for his reactions.
“Doesn’t sound like hard work.” Said with a little sideways look, because Aziraphale can see where this is going. And he's open to suggestion temptation.
“That was why I thought we should… well, bit of a waste of effort. Both of us going all the way to Scotland.”
“You cannot actually be suggesting what I infer you are implying?” A little bit of pretense, because Aziraphale has to pretend to be tempted, right?
Crowley presses. “Which is?” Because he is willing to play the part of tempting demon, but only if it is clear this is a farce, that this is indeed mutually agreeable. He is making sure they are doing the same dance.
"That one of us goes to Edinburgh and does... both. The blessing and the tempting."
Yes, they are doing the same dance, and what is left is the formality of concluding the dance - a moment of Aziraphale expressing his concern for Crowley, the coin toss - they both know how it ends. It's a ritual, an act of give and take.
But if it were ONLY the Arrangement, a simple quid pro quo, it would have ended there. It doesn't. Instead, the two offer each other a more intimate exchange - "It'd take a miracle to get people to come and see Hamlet."
Aziraphale doesn't even have to ask with words, just a look, and Crowley happily agrees. That is the final part of the dance, a small acknowledgement that this isn't just about making their jobs easier.
A Free Man in Paris
Paris is something else. This is a HUGE step beyond making sure that audiences like a show your angel is particularly fond of. This is a stolen dangerous moment, an OUTRAGEOUS flirtation that takes place outside of time, conducted in clear view of others but beyond their understanding. Isn’t that how their entire relationship is now conducted, hidden in plain view and so clearly affectionate?
And look, Aziraphale is BITCHY in this scene. Peak That Bitch. He's just purchased a bookshop, he's creating a very permanent place for himself here on earth - Aziraphale is feeling quite proud of himself. In fact, he's preening a bit that he has figured out how to exist, even in some small limited way, as himself within the confines of the system of Heaven. Buuuut he may have gone just a bit too far, and gotten himself in a spot of trouble. He has landed in a prison, threatened with "death" and stuck because he's already gotten a warning about being frivolous with his miracles. Oh jolly good that Crowley is here to save the day!
There is something raw being communicated here here, where both Aziraphale and Crowley are presenting themselves to the world in ways that are dangerous. Aziraphale's reaction tells us that Crowley's look is doing things to him, but also in a way that it is NOT socially appropriate. Aziraphale may have showed up in all the trappings of an English aristocrat, but here is Crowley as a French royal sympathizer. NEITHER of these are safe choices in the middle of a revolution. The costuming is so critical to fully appreciating this scene, so check out the amazing clothing overview with @cobragardens.
When Crowley arrives and stops time, he and Aziraphale find themselves situated facing one another, but angled so they aren’t facing straight on. Interestingly, from Crowley’s perspective, he is where he is supposed to be - the left of Aziraphale. But Aziraphale, from his perspective, is also to the left of Crowley. It was Aziraphale after all who initiated this situation, who put himself in danger by being too… Aziraphale. It’s dangerous to be yourself when you don’t fit into heteronormative social expectations, isn’t it? Still, the two keep up a very flirtatious banter as they discuss the situation, and Crowley maintains his very-intentionally-unbothered sitting position up until Aziraphale goes too far and thanks him for coming to his rescue.
While Crowley is also flirting with danger in the way he is dressed, he also didn't just pop over for a nibble dressed this way. And whatever he might have been up to was interrupted so he could rescue Aziraphale from the consequences of his own reckless authenticity. After removing the chains, Crowley pushes Aziraphale to reconsider his honest expression of himself in this exact place and time - for the sake of survival.
Aziraphale, willing to risk himself alone, rather quickly adopts a more acceptable appearance when it might impact Crowley. It is only after Aziraphale is safely disguised and returned to his proper place to the right of Crowley, ONLY then does Crowley restart time. They can go enjoy lunch now, with the proper precautions and masks in place.
For these two particular human-coded occult beings, this is also such an honest moment. They both showed up damn authentically - Aziraphale so fabulously ostentatious, focused on chasing down some pleasure (in this crepes) and Crowley wrapped in a clear protest against the current violence. Just as Aziraphale indicated with his "Oh good LORD" as he looked the demon up and down with obvious thirst, Crowley's request to Aziraphale to change his appearance and mask better is done in such a way that affirms that Crowley LIKES who Aziraphale is without the mask.
The scene is so playful on the surface, the body language and dialogue flirtatious. It's something so familiar to the queer experience, making light of the absolute danger that we must sometimes navigate just to exist. The more I watch it, the more obsessed I become.
A Spot of Bodysnatchin'
It is worth remembering that we didn't get this scene in S1.
I am going to go through it soon, because again they dance back and forth beautifully in this minisode, but suffice to say we all know... it didn't end well for Crowley.
No Walk in the Park
The moment in St. James Park is brief, and it wasn't until S2 and the meeting at Edinburgh that we got the full context for this meeting. But even without this, we can clearly see that things are weighing heavily on Crowley. The scene in the Bastille took place in a prison, with the threat of execution over their heads. The juxtaposition of this conversation taking place in a park - a place that is not only NOT inherently dangerous but looks lovely and welcoming - only highlights the change in Crowley's attitude. He still attempts to be playful, but he's afraid. Look at that paper, it's a bit crumpled, he's been carrying it around for a while.
They are firmly entrenched on their assigned sides for the entire conversation, both very stiff. It feels uncomfortable to watch. When Aziraphale refuses his request, and indicates whatever is between them is just "fraternizing" with the enemy, we get a glimpse of how fearful Crowley really is. In none of these flashbacks has Crowley ever spoken to Aziraphale with the anger we see here. When they part in anger, it feels wrong.
Take Me to Church
So there is a long break between meetings now. But then, ah, the church. The place Aziraphale realizes his feelings. (Look, if Michael says this is where Aziraphale realized he'd fallen in love, I am not here to argue.) What I love is that again we see Crowley and Aziraphale swapping sides. Crowley is here to save his wayward angel, AGAIN. Despite feeling the ill effects of walking on consecrated ground, Crowley is here to save his angel and defeat Nazis. It's definitely not remotely evil intentions.
It isn't like the Bastille, but some of the parallels exist - Aziraphale failing to grasp the risks of his actions. And the silliness of his little dance coupled with just how deadly serious this situation is harks back to their flirtations in the prison.
Crowley is to the right of Aziraphale from the time he arrives until the bomb drops. Then in the rubble, with the danger past, we see them on their assigned sides again. UNTIL Crowley hands Aziraphale the books he saved with a "little demonic miracle of my own." He then crosses Aziraphale, and we see the look of absolute adoration as the angel watches him walk away to the right.
Sweeeeeet baby Jesus, baby girl has it BAD.
Always Crashing in the Same Car
This extremely heartbreaking scene has been dissected, chewed over, breaking our little hearts with it's sharp pieces.
But it is purposeful that this scene took place in the Bentley. Being in the car is symbolic because Aziraphale is here making an offering to Crowley, in his space, something that he Aziraphale feels is WRONG which is highlighted by his placement to the left of Crowley. He is scared, acting against all his own desires, but he does it anyway because he cares for Crowley. It's simple, powerful placement. Need to hurt more? Yeah, thought so. Take a deeper look at the dialogue with @zionworkzs.
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This has me thinking about Swiss going into heat on stage. He tried so hard to ignore it, tried so hard to act like he was fine and nothing was wrong. But about halfway through the set it hits him all at once making his knees buckle.
He can smell Mountain. It makes it so much worse. The earth ghoul always worked up a sweat behind those drums but today it was particularly bad, the rich earthly scent flooding his senses and clouded his mind like thick fog.
He looks back at Mountain, leaning against the mic stand for support, hoping to catch Mountain’s eyes from under both their masks. Mountain isn’t paying attention to him, too busy focusing on playing, which he should be too, but he’s distracted by Mountain, watching his strong arms come down on each drum, with strong hits. He groans, unable to help himself, wondering what they’d feel like hitting somewhere else.
He feels himself collapse with need, grinding against the mic stand as his knees hit the floor. Mountain’s looking at him, he can feel his eyes burning into the back of his head, can feel the disapproving stare from under the mask, but he can’t stop himself now. The pressure on his cock is too good, too much, and nothing in the world could get him to stop now. There’s slick soaking through his trousers, running down his thighs, he knows Mountain can see it, know he can smell it as he watched Mountain scent the air, sees him gritting his teeth with a growl, bringing his arms down on the drums even harder.
He’s moaning under the mask, thankfully the loud music help cover it up, but he knows that Mountain is close enough to hear him. He can’t stop rocking on his feet, pushing his cock into the cold metal of the mic stand.
There’s a tapping onto his mind connection, like someone is poking at his brain and if he was in the right state of mind he’d ignore it, focus on his work, but right now he’s lost the ability to think. He opens his mind and let’s the wavelength in.
"if you're gunna act like a bitch in heat, I'm gunna breed you like one.”
Mountain’s deep voice booms in his brain, echoing around, even over the loud music
Swiss falls forward with a loud moan, he almost falls face first into the floor, but he doesn’t care about that. His brain is gone, turned to mush and leaking out his ears. His arches his back, pushing his ass out and high in the air, presenting himself for Mountain. If his tail was unglamoured it would be hitched up high over his hip, the perfect position to be mounted and bred.
He can’t see Mountain from this position, and he’s glad for it. But he can still hear him, sneering at him in his mind.
“You’d let me, wouldn’t you? You’d let me come over there, Mount you like the bitch you are.” He hears the drum miss a single beat before resuming it’s otherwise perfect playing. “You want that? Want to be mounted and fucked right in front of everyone? Show them all how well you take such a big cock, how well your greedy little hole just swallows it? How well you take a knot? Wanna show them what a good little breeding bitch you really are?”
Swiss moansloud enough that Phantomlooks behind him with a looks of shock on his face. Swiss doesn’t care though, just arches his back even more for Mountain, feeling a rush of slick leaking out of him, and running down his thighs.
He feels Mountain in his head again, poking around, and it makes him whine before Mountain has even had the chance to say anything.
“And once I was done using you, breeding you, I’ll turn you around and make you show the audience, show them your little hole all stretched out and full of me. Show them how I claim you, and every single one of them will know who you belong too.”
Swiss blacks out a little as he cums, feeling his cock pulsating hotly in his jeans as he feels himself coat the inside of them and make them warm and wet and sticky. He whines, long and low in his throat, before getting back up on very wobbly feet, trying to act like that didn’t just happen.he grimaces, his jeans sticking to him in an uncomfortable way, damp and sticky.
He has to sing in a second, his part of the backing vocals coming up. He looks back at Mountain, only to find the earth ghoul looking directly back at him. He watches as Mountain runs his tongue along his fangs, palming at the very obvious erection in his jeans, all while never missing a beat. He feels his cock begin to kick and fatten back up at the wild look in Mountain’s eyes, and he knows right then and there that he’s in for a long night.
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