Rains & Belonging

Salutations all!

Firstly, here is what appears to be a marginally revamped poster for Before the Rains. Pretty, no?

The schedule for the Tribeca Film Festival has also now been released. Before the Rains will be shown on April 29, May 1 and May 2. Click here for locations and exact times.

Press-wise, Kerala Next briefly comment on the film's aforementioned wide distribution, adding also that Sivan's piece 'throws in plenty of visual surprises'. Lastly, thank you to the tagboarder who directed our eyes to this short video on the film which we may have missed from last year. (Note: Ms Ehle snippets present.)

Another reader has kindly alerted us to the short interview with Rosemary Harris which is included as part of the extras on the Belonging DVD. Rosemary Harris played May Copplestone in the 2004 television drama, and the following is what she had to say about the project. The novel referred to in the first question is Stevie Davies' The Web of Belonging.

Q: Had you read the novel?

RH: [...] I didn't know of the book before, but I think it's a masterpiece. It's so rich and free, and my sisters are now both reading it, and they keep ringing me up and enthusing about it. I actually have to give my darling older sister, Pamela, the credit for my May wearing a baseball cap!

I once brought back a silky blue one from the States. I lent it to her, and with her blazing blue eyes, she looked so gorgeous in it that I never had the heart to take it away from her, and she now wears it all the time. So I thought May's cap could be an homage to my sister. [...]

Q: Describe May.

RH: [...] May invented the term strong-willed. She's a bit of a monster really. I think she's a little bit round the bend and a complete narcissist. She only sees things from her own point of view. I've certainly known people who can be utterly charming, but ultimately care only for themselves.

I think she's a wicked character to play (especially when she starts talking about cattle dung being a serious threat to the ozone layer in the southern hemisphere!), and I adore her--I think there could be a whole play about her! I don't normally play
such colorful characters as May, and it's fun.

May is the younger sister of Brenda and obviously the difficult one. Apparently I was rather difficult as a child. I was considerably younger than my sister, yet she was terrified of me. I was called the household devil, so I have used my own experiences in playing May. [...]

Q: Would you ever want your children to care for you in your old age?

RH: [...] I don't know if I will need care later in life, but I wouldn't wish it on my daughter or son-in-law! I would like to keep going in a little bungalow, managing my myself for as long as I possibly could.

I am very interested in this new ruling being discussed about housing where developers must build houses with a bedroom on the ground floor and a bathroom just because they can't manage the stairs and things. They seem to think that this will help a lot with the problem of shuttling old people off into nursing homes.

Being an actress, one need never retire. I suppose the longer you can keep your marbles, the longer you can "stay on the branch" and the less competition there is. When I was young, people used to say, "How can you learn all those lines," and I thought, "That's the silliest question," and now I think it is the most sensible. Now when I start a new job, my brain needs to crank up and struggles to memorize for a few days, and then suddenly, something kicks in, and it's lovely to thread all those beads together and relish the mental exercise. [...]

Additionally, here are the relevant thoughts of one reviewer, who after praising Brenda Blethyn's performance, says:

[...] But the limelight in this case has to be shared with Rosemary Harris, playing the mother-in-law, who has some excellent lines and delivers them well. Both turn in top quality performances. [...]

On the story:

[...] The plot is simple: what happens when a middle-aged husband leaves his wife for a younger woman. But the result is not exactly predictable. [...]

Belonging can be purchased on Amazon, in Region 1 and Region 2.

Today's miscellanea:

• Variety have an interesting piece about reconciling theatre and digital technology. The Coast of Utopia is mentioned, although blink and you may miss it.
• Broadway World announce that Martha Plimpton will be one of nine co-chairs at the Drama League Awards in May. Tickets are available for the ruble-laden. The Coast of Utopia won in last season's 'Distinguished Production of a Play' category and Rosemary Harris is listed as a past recipient.
• And finally, a nice article from the Times talks at length about Tom Stoppard's life. It is actually written by Tom Stoppard, which helps.