Rachel Weisz on...

10 April 2012

Ahhh, God. Suddenly Last Summer is a strong story full of fragile people who have almost become monsters. Even acting in it is savage and sweaty, like being in a hot house. Tennessee Williams's play hasn't been on in London since 1958 - so we have this great luxury of not walking in anyone else's recent footsteps. My character, Catharine, is the most vulnerable in the piece. She's been through the wringer. She's witnessed the terrible death of her cousin. She's at the mercy of her wicked aunt. She's been in a lunatic asylum for a year and is one step away from a lobotomy. But I didn't want her to be a victim - that would be a trap. She's very strong, a survivor, an optimist. She's been through a lot but her spirit has never died. She has a great lightness.

This is the second time I've worked with the director Sean Mathias - a few years ago at the Donmar we did Design For Living together. For me he is the ideal director to work for. Most directors come along with a vision of the play and tell you where to stand, how to stay things, what to do. Sean isn't like that. He lets people go on their own journey. He kind've guides you.

But he's pretty wild. He doesn't have a stereotypical or conventional imagination. And he's a great understanding of humanity, which is very well fitted to Tennessee Williams. I think he understands these fragile monsters. But he is a wild head!

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