This production will be showing at the Orange Tree Theatre, opening on 23rd September, with previews from 14 September and running until 19 October.
On a rainswept afternoon in 1952, Hollywood and Broadway’s leading director, Elia Kazan met his closest collaborator, the playwright Arthur Miller. As the anti-communist crusade of McCarthyism blacklisted hundreds of their colleagues, Kazan and Miller faced a stark choice. Should they betray their friends, or risk never working again?
David Edgar’s illustrious career includes multi award-winning plays for the RSC and National Theatre. His compelling new drama imagines a confrontation between two giants of stage and screen, both passionately involved with an actress about to become the most famous movie star in the world.
The Artiscape interviewed Faye Castelow about the production.
Faye Castelow returns to the Orange Tree to play Day (Molly Kazan), having previously appeared in Audience/Mountain Hotel and Leaving. Her theatre credits include Leopoldstadt (Wyndham’s Theatre), The Rover, The Witch of Edmonton, The White Devil, The Roaring Girl (RSC), Man and Superman, After the Dance, Time and the Conways (National Theatre), Rattigan’s Nijinsky and The Deep Blue Sea (Chichester Festival Theatre). Her television credits include Clique and Rellik.
What attracted you to the script?
Castelow: I loved the way David had chosen to tell this story – not choosing the obvious route: no grand historical showpiece with a cast of hundreds, but through the story of a friendship between two men. It’s such an effective way of making the historical personal, and thus brings the audience so much closer to the play.
Can you tell us about your character?
Castelow: Molly Day Thacher was a playwright and dramaturg – whip-smart and confident with it. I think those that knew her would attest to her being pretty formidable. She has the ability to think quickly and express herself briefly – which is such a skill – I was so drawn to her wit and intelligence. She was married to Elia Kazan, with whom she had four children – and their relationship – though far from perfect – was one of mutual respect, admiration and ambition.
What (if any) research did you do in preparation for the role?
Castelow: It was a thrill to dive deeper into this period of time – one I think I thought I knew about, but of course, even the slightest bit of research teaches you how wrong you are. I spent some time learning about the Group Theatre, the crucible of Kazan’s career, alongside Elia Kazan’s autobiography, which has fantastic insight into his marriage to Molly and their life together.
What do you think the audience will enjoy about this production?
Castelow: I think (hope) an audience will be surprised at how present they are in this show – how through the unravelling of a friendship they not only learn and relive this extraordinary inflection point in history – but will be moved to sympathise and empathise with these four people negotiating love, marriage, political betrayal, identity and so much more.
What are you looking forward to in performing in the show?
Castelow: I’m looking forward to the audience reaction mostly – you can never take for granted how physically present the audience are at the Orange Tree – you literally have people on set with you (and try not to trip over their feet!). It’s a fast-paced, super-charged 90 minutes and I’m looking forward to how we move them each night – it will be so interesting to see how the audience sides (or doesn’t) with our characters and how that changes from performance to performance.
