Kathleen Chalfant created the role of Vivian at the MCC Theatre in 1998 (it transferred shortly afterwards to the Union Square where it ran for roughly a year and a half). An extraordinary performance by one of our greatest actors, Chalfant played Vivian with a hard outer shell, the very picture of prim, proper and precise rectitude at the beginning of the play, making her slow slide into illness and having to surrender control of her life heartbreaking and ultimately devastating (Emma Thompson did well in the film, but Chalfant owns this role). They gave her every award they could that year (The Drama Desk, Obie, Lortel, et al) and it solidified Chalfant's reputation as one of the finest stage actors of this generation (her Hannah Pitt from "Angels In America" is still definitive -- superior to Streep's in the film).
She's currently in GUANTÁNAMO: HONOR BOUND TO DEFEND FREEDOM at 45 Bleeker and will soon star in FOUR BY TENN, an evening of Tennessee Williams' one acts at MTC beginning in October. If you've never had a chance to see her live, by all means catch her in one of these productions.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 8/28/04 at 06:02 PM
