Western Mail
Karen Price
March 3, 2000
The chemistry was evident straight away. Matthew Rhys and Kathleen Turner were promoting their new stage production of The Graduate. As they posed for cameras they looked every inch the generation-gap lovers they are due to play. "There is chemistry between us," said Cardiff-born Rhys. "But it's all very professional," he was quick to add.
Rhys stars as Benjamin Braddock, the role made famous in the film by Dustin Hoffmann. He has a torrid affair with Turner's character Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's employer. "It's great to be seduced by a star on the London stage," laughed Rhys. "The first thing my dad said was, 'Oh, you're being seduced by Kathleen Turner eight times a week'. "I was worried by what degree of intimacy would be involved but I read the seduction scene for the audition and no acting was required. I just stood there stuttering a lot." Rhys's friends were rather envious of his latest role and had been teasing him about it, he said. "There have been a few references to Romancing the Stone."
The 26-year-old is full of praise for Turner, the star of some of Hollywood's highest-earning films, who is now making her West End debut. "When you are working with someone of that calibre they are so professional. She's spot on."
Turner, 45, who has been married for 17 years, is just as complimentary about Rhys, who is well-known on the London stage. "He can really act," she said. "With acting it's like dancing, where one leads and the other follows, and then they change over. Well, he can dance."
The cast have been rehearsing for almost two weeks but yesterday was the first time they had stepped into the Gielgud Theatre in London, where the performance will run for 12 weeks. "Rehearsals have been going well, considering it's only the second week," said Rhys. "But I feel extremely frightened at the moment as we've stepped into the theatre for the first time, so it's hit home quite hard. I'm extremely excited. I'm looking around, taking it all in and breathing deeply. "The fact that Kathleen is so laid back about it all is increasing my tension."
Rhys admitted that he had an act hard to follow in Dustin Hoffmann, although he had never seen the Oscar-winning film. "You just mention The Graduate and everyone sees Hoffmann, regardless of whether they have seen the film or not. Somewhere in the back of people's minds Dustin Hoffmann is lurking, but I will try to make it my own role."
Turner, who plays the role made famous by Anne Bancroft, also refuses to watch the film. "I have no desire to see anyone else's performance," she said. "I have it in my head." Turner is delighted to be making her West End debut in The Graduate and enjoying working with a younger man. "It's a wonderful challenge to be in the West End, as it is on Broadway," she said. I think it's the right piece for me to do."
There are no plans to take the production to the United States but Rhys says he would love to star on Broadway. "I would absolutely jump at the chance to work in New York. I hate to tempt fate and it frightens me to talk about it, but ultimately it's something I'd love to do."
According to Sacha Brooks, one of the producers of The Graduate, Broadway could soon be beckoning for Rhys. "Matthew is such a nice guy; I just think he's going to be a star. It's a clichéd thing to say but he has charisma as well as talent. We flew Kathleen over in November and lined up four boys for her to see, but Matthew got it because of the chemistry, which is absolutely vital. We had to make sure that worked first."
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