Max is maybe the single Cornley character I most struggle to write in fanfiction. Although he breaks character frequently in a way that tells us a bit about who he is, we see very little of him fully out of character, which makes it tricky to get a good sense of his speech patterns. Here's my attempt at listing his main characteristics, though!

• Silly and playful!
• Friendly, generally gets on well with others, although the more serious actors in the society (e.g. Chris and Robert) tend to look down on him a little.
• Supportive and well-off family; we hear multiple times about Max's relatives offering funding or opportunities to the drama society.
• More interested in having fun and getting attention than in putting on a good play. Unlike most of the others, tends not to be too upset by things going wrong and will often see the funny side.
• Generally a decent guy, won't intentionally harm anyone, but can be inconsiderate or oblivious. In particular, often disrupts performances because he thinks it'll be funny or to play up to the audience, ignoring the fact that the other members of the drama society desperately want the play to go smoothly. Kissing Trevor against his wishes in Haversham Manor is another example of this tendency; Max is so tempted by the audience's desire to see the kiss that he'll disregard what Trevor wants.
• Puts on his best and most serious performance during 90 Degrees. It's possible that the secret to getting a strong performance out of Max is putting him in serious physical danger, so he's less inclined to goof around.
• Hurt by criticism, takes unkindness to heart. Someone who feels strongly in general.
• Something is wrong with this man. I don't know what it is. But he cried so much during Robert's 'producing tears' exercise. Something is up with Max, and I'm concerned about him. We're getting into speculation here, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn he seeks the audience's approval so strongly because it helps to counter his own feelings of worthlessness.

back | home