UNITED KINGDOM: JERRY HALL PREPARES TO BARE ALL IN THE ROLE OF MRS ROBINSON TAKING OVER FROM KATHLEEN TURNER IN THE PLAY "THE GRADUATE"

Record ID: 847282

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: JERRY HALL PREPARES TO BARE ALL IN THE ROLE OF MRS ROBINSON TAKING OVER FROM KATHLEEN TURNER IN THE PLAY "THE GRADUATE"
  • Date: 28th June 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (RECENT) (REUTERS) (PERFORMANCE CLEARANCES FOR RESALE) KATHLEEN TURNER AND MATINEE RHYS PERFORMING SCENE FROM "THE GRADUATE"
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK 29 JUNE 2000 EDIT S 230 , SHOWBIZ FEED
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9O7MCC9US2MCD9N4M16ENOFAX
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Texan beauty Jerry Hall bay be most famous for being the former Mrs. Mick Jagger, but soon she may be more well known for being Mrs. Robinson. Miss Hall is due to follow in Kathleen Turner's scantily clad footsteps to play the middle-aged seductress in the West-end stage play of "The Graduate".
    Billed as "the hottest ticket in London", The Graduate has been playing to packed houses since it opened in April.
    Sales have certainly been boosted by Kathleen Turner's well publicised, if subtle, nude scene.
    But at the end of July, Turner's contract comes to an end, and a new performers will take over. Cast in the leading role of Mrs. Robinson is Jerry Hall, who seems undaunted by stepping into Turners shoe's.
    "It's fantastic for an actress to walk into a hit play which has already got great reviews, and which is so beautifully written, it's got fantastic beats, its very very funny, it's very rewarding to get laughs, there is is nothing I'd rather be doing, no place I'd rather be, than right here, as long as I can stay, it's great!.... Oh no, I think it's wonderful, I want the people to be there. You need an audience, it doesn't matter how good you are if no-one sees you."
    Immortalised on film in 1967 by Anne Bancroft playing opposite Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin, Mrs. Robinson is the ultimate older women, who sets her sights on a naive young man. Although Hall is a relatively inexperienced stage actress, she is relishing the chance to take on such a great role.
    "It's a fantastic part, Mrs. Robinson, when you say Mrs. Robinson people know what you are talking about so it's wonderful to play a character like that, people know you are playing the older seductress, it's a play about, it's a sexual power play, she is totally in control, she wants this young boy and she gets him."
    Before The Graduate opened to the public three months ago, the will-she / won't she debate over Turner's possible disrobing reached almost fever pitch in the media. In the end, much to the delight of many a male fan, she did, and so will her successor.
    "Oh yeah, it's an integral part of the play, she has to go all the way, he's not making it easy for her. So it would be very odd if I didn't do it, and it's also a very beautiful moment because it's when she say to the other actor, she says to Benjamin, I am available to you, so she has opened herself emotionally, at the same time exposing yourself physically tot he entire audience, it's quite a powerful, moving moment...You have to be liberated to do it, i am just going to go with it, just be in the moment."
    Although recent publicity has mainly concentrated on Hall's split from Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger after he allegedly enjoyed a string of high profile affairs, Hall now feels she has reached a new chapter in her life, and is confident of her former husband's support.
    "He's very supportive, he's very proud of me, he thinks I have a fabulous body, he's like oh yeah, he's a little worried everyone else is going to see it. He's been great, it's amazing, we still love each other, we are great friends, our marriage didn't work, it wasn't good for me, but we haven't copped out on being good parents which I think is wonderful, we are very very proud of the way we have handled it, this past year was a very difficult year for me, my twin sister had breast cancer, i was getting a divorce, life couldn't have seemed worse and now I feel like I have started on a new chapter, I was thinking maybe it was too late for me, for acting, i had small children, I put it aside I was quite depressed, and now I am thinking yes, a miracle's happened, it can all start again, I can continue to be creative, to do something I love. " QUESTION - WHAT DO YOUR CHILDREN THINK? "They were quite amazed, like, Mum You're going to take off your clothes? But I said, it's acting darling!"
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