PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"The Summer House"

CREATING A GENEROUS CHARACTER

This BBC produced movie from 1993 is noteworthy for a clutch of good performances. The story revolves around an impending wedding for Margaret (LENA HEADEY) is about to be married. Her mother Monica (JULIE WALTERS), her fiancé Syl (DAVID THRELFALL), his mother Mrs Monroe (JOAN PLOWRIGHT) and the family friend Lili (JEANNE MOREAU) are central to the story and provide the excellent performances which along with a good script make this a very watchable film. But it's particularly worthwhile for the wonderfully colourful performance by JEANNE MOREAU who with a bold and confident touch plays the flamboyant, cheeky and generous Lili.

Boldly Vibrant
JEANNE doesn't work at selling the character but always deals with the story and lets the character unfold through her actions. There are many lines which could have been 'worked' to exploit and delineate Lili's character thereby clearly defining her for the audience. But JEANNE is never distracted from dealing with the action of the moment. Never does she display information she feels should be conveyed to the audience about the character - JEANNE MOREAU sticks purposefully to her task leaving the script, the performance and the audience to fill in the blanks. In this sense it is a very restrained performance yet the result is a well-told story and a richly complex, boldly vibrant character. (If she had not chosen this path the consequences could have been disastrous for the script so strongly draws Lili's character that any excess by the actor would have easily created a caricature.)

The boldness of the performance is in part achieved through a simple and confident use of intuitive choices. Watch for the scene in the pub where JOAN PLOWRIGHT and JEANNE MOREAU play two convivial drunks. JEANNE'S subtle business with her cigarette holder is a delight.

Active Stillness
Another interesting portrayal of character is the bride to be - Margaret. Margaret is LENA HEADY'S screen debut and she delivers a very well balanced performance. It is particularly interesting in terms of performance process for even though she is creating a shy, subdued character who is facing a major life crisis LENA doesn't retreat inwardly to explore feelings but remains active in her choice of "need"/intent. Her actor's choice is to always focus her energies on the world around her, it is just that she deals with the impulses this produces quietly, passively or sometimes defeatedly that creates the image of her character. This is a clearly readable and engaging performance which is potent in its stillness. It is also an excellent example of the fact that introverted characters do not need to be built on introverted performances.

LENA'S listening is also fabulous. This is a very confident debut.

A film well worth viewing despite the fact that it may have to be done from a well-worn videotape.

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