Posted on 08/17/2002 5:20:59 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
It was one of the most eagerly awaited appearances of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The moment when one of Hollywood's favourite couples were to take to the stage to discuss September 11 and their play constructed around its horrors.
But by the time Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins appeared to talk about The Guys, a tribute to the New York firemen who died in the Twin Towers, it was not to the acclaim that might be expected, given the subject matter and the emotional treatment.
Reviews were mixed. "Smug and Sanctimonious" was the heading which adorned that in The Telegraph yesterday and "self-congratulatory and politically incurious" said The Guardian of the script.
In person, they defended themselves against suggestions that they had "over-eulogised" their subjects and that they had exploited the disaster.
The couple themselves, it has to be said, did not seem too troubled. After making the short journey from the Fringe's grandest venue, the Royal Lyceum Theatre, to the Sheraton Grand hotel, they were in expansive mood.
"The entertainment industry is trying to reflect on the event," said Robbins, 43. "That's a totally natural thing for artists, actors and writers to do. To make sense of the madness."
Their play, by Anne Nelson, tells of a New York professor of journalism (Sarandon) who is asked by a captain of a New York fire station (Robbins) to help him to deliver eulogies for a memorial service for eight of his lost colleagues.
Sold out for months in advance, the play is one of at least seven Fringe acts based on September 11. Although most critics have agreed it is well intentioned, it has been denounced as simplistic and glib.
The couple, who met on the set of the film Bull Durham, were adamant that their own contribution was justified and said it had been well received in New York by the families of victims.
Sarandon, 55, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1996 for Dead Man Walking, which was directed by her husband, to add to the four nominations she received for The Client, Lorenzo's Oil, Thelma and Louise and Atlantic City, was pleased to be working with her husband again.
"It's probably what's saving us," she said. "We are still together as a couple, because we respect each other as actors and I respect Tim as a writer."
Despite the explosion of grief and impotent rage that followed the attacks, the couple said they did not believe their fellow countrymen had become warmongers.
Sarandon said: "I don't think you can typify the American people as being hawkish or aggressive."
They spoke of their love for their home city and Robbins said: "The reason why we live in New York is we're trying to get away from the cult of celebrity."
Sarandon said working with her partner had "saved" their relationship and disclosed that she suffered from stage fright before the opening night on Wednesday.
She said: "I was worried that people might not connect and laugh at the right point but the audiences have been wonderful."
Sarandon said she thought the Irish might find the play, which will open in Dublin, more relevant to their own experiences because many had relatives who were emergency workers at Ground Zero.
She would not take the play to the Middle East. "I do work for Unicef but I don't know if I want to go to the Middle East. It's so violent and I've got a family."
The play is being made into a film, starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia, which is due for release on the anniversary of September 11.
Umm, as opposed to say, living in LA? Oh yeah right, no one famous lives in NYC except for maybe Woody Allan and his foster child/girlfriend/wife.
Of course if Bruce Willis, Arnold or W did this, they'd be accused exploiting 9/11 but not the, "I feel your pain" liberals.
Susan Saranwrap has made a cottage industry of indicting her own country, especially when it defends itself. I could be wrong, and I hope someone will correct me if I am, but I don't remember her mouthing off when Bubba was bombing aspirin factories.
Tim Robbins is her boy-toy, and is also an actor.
They are really vile people.
Agreed! You are absolutely spot-on.
Sounds like they are exploiting 9-11 victims for their own gain. Wouldn't surprise me a bit.
The reason nobody does is because it would take 50 takes for them to get it right. Who has time for that?
Why do you think it's violent? Could it be that the people who flew planes into the WTC were FROM there, and have many like-minded friends still there? But we shouldn't be going to war to do anything about it though, right Susan? Although I doubt they would target her. She'd probably be asked to lunch along with Robert Fisk and Jesse Jackson.
Excuse me, I think I'm going to be sick.
I wish someone would drop a Daisy Cutter on 'em.
Got any free time, next week?
I can just imagine all the moral relativism that's written in to that part.
They never bothered to get married.
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