Revealing Moment in Frances McDormand Interview

[greatwhiteway72]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 1:27am

I just stumbled upon an interview with Frances McDormand in which she had a revealing moment about her somewhat unpleasant experience doing the Broadway revival of "The Country Girl" in 2008. Did anyone see her in this production? Any memories of her or the show in general?

She certainly has interesting things to say about it...

She starts talking about it at 51:25 and ends at 53:40:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtLPPda-meE Updated On: 10/22/14 at 01:27 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 1:49am

There's no video linked.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 1:51am

Or maybe it's a podcast!

[LarryD2]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 7:45am

Here is the video in question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtLPPda-meE

[greatwhiteway72]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 10:40am

Sorry about that. The link is now in the post. Check it out.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 4:04pm

Many actors experience unpleasant gigs, even on the Broadway level. As McDormand states - you do the job. A job is a job and you professionally do what you were hired to do, regardless of how you personally feel about it.

I know more than a handful of actors/dancers who have worked in shows they didn't much care for. Many encountered situations similar to what McDormand experienced - great on paper but not in the final product. They were excited to be cast in a project that sounded exciting on many levels but as rehearsals progressed they realized its a hot mess. Sadly, your feelings never change and you just hunker thru your commitment as professional as possible AND giving your 110% though deep inside you're hating it.

This is the reality in every job that exists - even in show business. Its not all glamour and fabulousness, folks. There's more going on behind the curtain than all the pretty things going on in front of it.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 4:17pm

I've found, oddly enough, that being in a show one knows is not great means that you bond with the cast that more intensely. It's a "band of brothers" mentality. "Okay, we can get through this without any of us strangling the writer, we'll all be better people."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 4:28pm

Too bad she doesn't actually go into what it was that didn't work. Did the book need to be pruned? Was the concept wrong? Was the direction bad?

And I also wonder how much thought people put into the projects before they sign the contract. Did she read the play? Did she meet with the director? How much responsibility should she take for a bad production?

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 4:49pm

She did go into what was wrong. She said it was completely miscast -- she said SHE was miscast -- and that the play is somewhat clunky.
This whole interview is fascinating (but I love her), especially the part around 40 minutes where she discusses how she used to love rehearsals but resent performing for audiences and how she came around.

[east side story]

Posted: 10/22/14 at 5:07pm

I love when any performer speaks so candidly about their past jobs. Of course they've had sh!tty experiences. That happens to everyone, be it an actor or a monkey. She's also totally out of her mind, which I find even more fascinating when coupled with her talent.

Updated On: 10/22/14 at 05:07 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/23/14 at 9:09am

I saw that production of The Country Girl (a wonderful play which, if given the right production, probably wouldn't feel dated at all), and McDormand's comments stack up pretty much perfectly with what I remember.

The play just kind of laid there on the stage. Of the principals, only Peter Gallagher seemed to be any degree of engaged in the proceedings. And Morgan Freeman looked absolutely miserable. Yes, he was playing a depressive alcoholic, but this wasn't a character choice. He just looked like he wanted to be a million miles away from that theatre.

As McDormand said, she showed up and did her work. Her performance was nothing short of professional, if not exactly memorable. When she came back to Broadway in GOOD PEOPLE, it was a complete 180--she was marvelous and well-deserved the Tony she won.