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Late, great film director had at least one fan in the theatre
Amid the gushing (and fully deserved) tributes to the film director Robert Altman, who died on Monday, one of his favourite actresses remembers when the critics were less kind.
Neve Campbell was the star of Resurrection Blues, which marked Altman’s West End debut, aged 80, this year. She told People: “We were called the worst thing to have hit the Old Vic in 30 years. I don’t know what happened.”
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The production of Arthur Miller’s penultimate play was a disaster. It closed early after critics called it “bizarrely awful”.
Was it Altman’s fault? He did say at the time: “The actors have to know the play . . . but I want to keep myself as virginal as I can. I say, ‘Tell me what this play is about’. I’ll find out as I do it. I’m really looking forward to seeing it.”
Sometimes even genius has an off day. Remember him instead for M*A*S*H, The Player and Gosford Park.