The Burton Camelot stories are indeed sad. But his drinking while performing dates back to the first time he played Arthur. Julie Andrews talks about it quite candidly in her autobiography, with some amazement, as he often drank before going on but still delivered an apparently excellent performance. (Yet what if he hadn't been drinking?) Alcoholics notoriously have a threshold, and learn how to manage under the influence. Interestingly enough, acting is one of the few professions were such behavior would be possible or accommodated on an ongoing basis (admittedly, only with stars). One cannot easily turn up in an office reeking of alcohol and behaving differently. Not as a rule.
In light of the PETER PAN story: I was involved in a professional summer theater with the lead actor had a major marijuana, uh, issue (we'll let others determine if "problem" applies) and his line-retention abilities was the most obvious result. He paraphrased all the way through tech, and never really learned the play word for word. The pace could also go haywire at odd moments, because his internal metronome became much slower than the others', though not predictably "druggie." I also had a dear, late friend who toured as Eleanor in LION IN WINTER and freely admitted she played it stoned, insisting it improved her work. I didn't think she looked remotely high (and to be fair, her pace was fine), but I didn't think she was all that effective, either. Maybe 'tis better to save the recreation until the curtain comes down.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
Updated On: 8/23/12 at 09:37 AM
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