A CHANGE OF PACE FOR BRIAN D'ARCY JAMES
When last we spoke to Brian d'Arcy James, the Broadway mainstay was a little green behind the ears, as he was in the midst of what would add up to 1,750 hours in the makeup chair (calculated by his makeup man Dave Presto) becoming Shrek for Shrek the Musical. We talked then about the streak of comedies he was performing in. Now breaking that streak, he has turned in his ogre ears to co-star with Laura Linney in Time Stands Still, a play which offers him a chance to show off his dramatic chops with an excellent cast in a far cry from a family-friendly fairy tale: The realistic world of people who cover war, and how it affects them and their relationships.
There is a meta-moment in the show when James' character is ranting about the way privileged Americans go see political plays and pat themselves on the back. His character, after all, has seen real suffering. James loves the way that line can bring an audience to a moment of self-reflection — just as the whole Time experience has done for him.
"I feel very blessed to dip my toe in the stream of public consciousness of what's happening in the world," James says. "When the earthquake in Haiti took place, my awareness of what's going on through the eyes of my character — someone who goes to disasters and war zones — changed. My perspective has been shifted dramatically in terms of what it takes to do that, the sheer effort of it. And the simple decision to do it. What we can or can't do to help others and feeling frustrated and paralyzed by that nowadays, that is an important concept."
On getting involved in Time Stands Still…
It fell out of the sky like a huge gift. It didn't take long for me to consider doing it because of all the people involved, the quality of Donald Margulies' writing and the mention of the wonderful Laura Linney. Why would you even think twice?
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Brian d'Arcy James with Laura Linney in Time Stands Still
photo by Joan Marcus
On co-star Eric Bogosian…
I've been a big fan and seen everything he's done since I've been in New York. I always love listening to his take on any given subject. It's always three steps beyond a simple observation or comment.
On co-star Alicia Silverstone…
She is very, very kind. She's also a New York Times bestselling author. I love the way she evolves in the play. What you think you are going to get is not what you end up with.
On what's up next…
There is a summer lurking in my future. I might just take the summer off, and that sounds so luxurious. All I'm saying is I don't have anything going on, and I'm making it sound better than it is. [Laughs.] I'm saying I'm taking the summer off when the reality is I don't have a job!
[Time Stands Still is at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th Street, through March 27.]
BRIDGING THE BRIDGES: AARON KROHN
This is the second year of The Bridge Project, the melding of British and American talent under the direction of Sam Mendes, taking place at BAM until March 13 and going global thereafter through August. The Tempest, opened on Feb. 24, joining As You Like It in rep in Brooklyn. Last year's Bridge shows featured Simon Russell Beale and Ethan Hawke. This year's include Stephen Dillane and Christian Camargo. There is but one cast member who has taken part in both Bridges so far — Aaron Krohn.
Aaron Krohn
How did the Texas-born Krohn manage to be the lone repeater in the cast? He claims his love for the British version of "The Office" was a big factor.
Mendes was a big fan of The Coast of Utopia from which he cast Hawke, Richard Easton, Josh Hamilton, Krohn and others in last year's Bridge plays. Krohn says he and Mendes hit it off with their mutual love for "Office" quotes and Woody Allen films.
"I'm sure Sam would have been happy to have Ethan Hawke and Simon back, but they have their careers to go onto," Krohn says. "This was the first time I had a director call and say, 'Hey, I want you do to this play.' I like to joke that I am announcing myself as now an offer-only candidate to the business."
Asked for a glimpse of how Mendes works, Krohn describes an environment that makes actors feel comfortable at play and allows them to feel like a true part of the creative process. Reviews singled out Krohn's Silvius from As You Like It for praise, proving that Mendes must enjoy more than just Krohn's "Office" quotes, and indicating Krohn may have that "offer-only" status in his future. For now, the star treatment he enjoys most is showing up at BAM and hearing people say, "Aaron, you're back!"
(Tom Nondorf can be reached at tnondorf@playbill.com.)
