An Exercise in Courage
There are certain figures and institutions who rise above criticism, even as we are shaking our heads asking why they chose to participate in the project. For example I muttered to myself, “You have got to be kidding me!” when I saw Catherine Deneuve in that awfully cheesy, tongue in cheek movie, “8 Femmes”…a musical murder mystery starring some of France’s most cherished leading ladies.
From the start, “Mother Courage”, playing at the Delacorte theater in Central Park, has garnered intense criticism both about the length, and the performance of its actors. Certain local gossip columns have reported that audiences are walking out on Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. We have to ask ourselves, how could the actors who riveted us in Sophie’s Choice, fail to impress us?
Both actors have rightfully earned the respect of audiences for their long distinguished careers. Yet these are the same audiences who expect that every performance they give or role they choose, be Oscar worthy. While technically speaking I don’t know how I would have done it differently, something about it was just…not right. I know that I stand on the precipice of a cliff when I say that even Meryl is not capable of perfection.
Why is it this is statement taboo? It is not because she is one of those gross celebrities with an overblown ego. Quite to the contrary. She has an excellent, personable reputation.
I think it’s our fault. As an audience member, I expect that once an artist reaches a certain level of success, they’re never allowed to venture into territory where the odds of their success are uncertain. They always have to be geniuses or why else do they deserve the status given them by us mere mortals. Celebrities are our gods, our queens and kings, our saviors and our role models.
True the role of Mother Courage would have been better served by someone like Patti Lupone, who could have easily personified the strong gruff character and belted out the lyrics with the skill needed to carry the role. But what I took away from the preview performance of this play was that being a great artist is often an exercise in courage. We have to go beyond our own boundaries, and be willing to fail, so that we are NOT imprisoned by expectations. Then when we do succeed, our success does not become a trap where public opinion matters more than the act of creation.
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