The Torch Theatre Company’s highly acclaimed drama, Who’s Afraid of Rachel Roberts will hit the Edinburgh Festival later this year.
Following a sell-out national tour last year the fascinating story of the outrageous Welsh actress Rachel Roberts and wife of Rex Harrison, will once again be performed by playwright and Welsh BAFTA-winning actress Helen Griffin, in the highly praised production from the Torch Theatre Company.
Helen Griffin is also up for the best actress award at the inaugural Welsh Theatre Critics Awards this year for her performance in this role and is the favourite to win amongst a strong field of Welsh theatre actresses.
Directed by Peter Doran and co-written with actor/playwright Dave Ainsworth, Who’s Afraid of Rachel Roberts is one of three Torch Theatre Company productions planned for 2013, which also include The Turn of the Screw in October and Aladdin at Christmas.
So, how did a shy Welsh minister’s daughter become a booze-soaked, foul-mouthed, fading Hollywood star? Rachel Roberts studied acting at RADA and went on to win two Evening Standard Best Actress Awards, three BAFTAs and to be Oscar-nominated twice. She made her name in the black and white 'kitchen-sink', ground-breaking British films, This Sporting Life and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning in which she oozed domestic sexuality as a bored and repressed housewife locked in a passionate affair with a wayward rogue played by Albert Finney.
‘Rachel Roberts was one of our Welsh Greats, who had a fascinating and shocking life…’ explained writer Helen Griffin’…but you don't have to know who she was to enjoy the show - the themes in her life and in our play - an obsession with celebrity, an addiction to alcohol, an inability to let go of a lost love - are eternal and perhaps more relevant than ever today.’
Marriage in 1962 to the love of her life, actor Rex Harrison, gave Rachel Roberts the opportunity to live the Hollywood dream – basking in the lifestyle of glitzy parties, jet setting and social climbing. However, a seriously insecure and emotionally troubled woman, Rachel’s behavior whilst in public became increasingly alarming as she became more reliant on drugs and more unstable whilst drinking. A volatile thrill seeker known for her shows of antisocial behaviour, an appearance on the Russell Harty TV chat show was so drunkenly chaotic that it ended in Rachel being dragged off stage – and the tapes destroyed!
‘Rachel is a mass of fantastic contradictions, which makes her a rich and entertaining character to play…’ continues Helen. ‘You could call her one of the original 'ladettes' - her wild, foul-mouthed, attention-grabbing behaviour in public was very shocking - and she meant to shock. She could be incredibly crude and obscene - especially for her time. Part of me cringes on her behalf, and part of me says – ‘go on Rachel, ata girl!’
‘And then sometimes you just want to shake her. She had a great career of her own but once she married superstar Rex Harrison, she gave it all up in order to be 'The Perfect Housewife' which failed miserably and led to her public outbursts becoming even more wild and provocative…’
Despite these outbursts however, Rachel Roberts was still able to function as a serious actress. With a deep sense of discipline ingrained from her hard upbringing, she went on to win Tony nominations for two of her Broadway performances.
Says Helen – ‘In many ways, Rachel was her own worst enemy and I think this is pretty clear in the show, but her biggest redeeming feature is her sense of humour. Even in her darkest, bleakest moments, she could make you laugh and I admire her so much for that. I hope we've really found that aspect of her in the show - out of depravity, shame, self-loathing, Rachel can still wring a belly-laugh! The show promises to be a wild and bumpy ride...'
As a Playwright, Helen Griffin’s distinguished career includes Mental which was co-written with Jo Brand and the award-winning film, Little White Lies for which she was also awarded Best Actress, BAFTA Cymru. Her long list of TV credits includes Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Criminal Justice, Satellite City and Twin Town. She has just finished filming series 3 of Getting On with Jo Brand.
Who’s Afraid of Rachel Roberts is a Torch Theatre Company production which performs at the Edinburgh Festival this summer before returning to Milford Haven and a national tour.
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