UNITED KINGDOM: OPENING NIGHT OF STAGE PLAY "THE GRADUATE " STARRING KATHLEEN TURNER

Record ID: 389148

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: OPENING NIGHT OF STAGE PLAY "THE GRADUATE " STARRING KATHLEEN TURNER
  • Date: 5th April 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT) (REUTERS) (PERFORMANCE CLEARANCE FOR RESALE) SCENE FROM PLAY
  • Embargoed: 20th April 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA5DUFJE8ILEYC3RWJDRELKO700
  • Story Text: Hollywood star Kathleen Turner brought the house to its feet on Wednesday night, following her performance as Mrs Robinson in which she bares all, in the new stage production of 'The Graduate' in London.
    The Graduate, opened in London on Wednesday (April 5) at the Gielgud Theatre where it has sold more than 40,000 seats for its 10 week run.Hollywood screen siren Kathleen Turner bared all and won a standing ovation as the middle-aged temptress Mrs Robinson in a new stage version of "The Graduate".
    Anne Bancroft offered Dustin Hoffman just a tantalising glimpse of stocking in the 1967 hit film.
    The 45-year-old Turner suffered no such inhibitions, dropping her towel before a gulping Benjamin, the young student played by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys.
    But it was all done very discreetly with the stage lighting at its most subtle and shaded for the big moment.
    Still, it certainly was a more rounded performance than Bancroft in the physical sense of the word and Turner, sex personified almost 20 years ago in the steamy film hit "Body Heat", revelled in the box office pull of her London stage debut.
    Playing the consummate older woman on stage is clearly a joy for the husky-voiced Turner, drawn like fellow Hollywood stars Charlton Heston, Kevin Spacey and Nicole Kidman to the glitter of British footlights.
    Despite the luke warm reviews from critics, fellow actors declared the play a hit and hailed not only Turner's performance but that of her co-star Matthew Rhys.
    Delighted with her standing ovation, Turner believes that appearing naked on stage was the right decision."It's right for the play, it's simply right.I mean it was really left up to me to decide what to do there it's in the play but the director had always said that it would be my choice and as we progressed in rehearsals it seemed quite right for Mrs Robinson," she said.
    Producers of the show are capitalising on the interest in the shower scene by selling monogrammed towels as novel souvenirs of the production.
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