|
Into the
surroundings of the faded, yet still beautiful, glamour of the London
Palladium stepped the impossibly glamorous, and definitely not faded,
Joan Collins.
In
fact, if you’ve had a tough weekend, been up since 5.30am and
taken breakfast at a fast food establishment, then don’t agree
to come face to face with Joan Collins first thing on a Monday morning.
It was very depressing. I felt decidedly unglamorous as I looked
across at this woman twice my age with half the wrinkles! In fact
- NO wrinkles that I could see!
 |
| The
glamorous Ms Collins |
Waiting
to greet her were the great and the good of the nation’s regional
press, there to question her as she prepared to once more be unleashed
on the UK’s theatregoing public.
Wearing
a red leather suit, that few women of any age could get away with,
she answered our questions with charm and wit. An absolute legend!
And
the reason for my Monday morning humiliation?! The stage and screen
siren is making a rare stage appearance in a 14-week UK tour of
Alan Melville’s comedy of manners, Full Circle. And she had
come to tell us all about it.
Comedy
Internationally renowned as a star of both the small and big screen,
RADA trained Joan was last on the British stage in 2001, when she
starred in Ken Ludwig’s Over The Moon at London’s Old
Vic Theatre. For her reintroduction to English theatre she has again
chosen a comedy, a genre that she admits she enjoys.
"I
consider myself to be a comedienne" she says. "I’ve
always loved comedy but I’m not really known for it."
"I
was looking for a play, I read this one and thought this is fun.
It’s very entertaining and a little old fashioned - it’s
set in the 1950s - but this will be something that people will enjoy."
She
also admits that doing comedy is not easy. "Edmund Keane said
on his death bed that "dying is easy, comedy is difficult""
she says. "But it’s a great feeling if you get laughs."
And Joan has worked with some of the funniest people in the business.
"I
was lucky enough to work with Leonard Rossiter [in the famous Martini
adverts] who to me was just the best comedian.. It was very difficult
not to laugh - he was so funny."
Realistic
Joan is also realistic about choosing the right play, because when
you are embarking on a gruelling tour, it’s also important
that you choose to do something that you are going to enjoy, because
then the audiences will leave happy too.
 |
| An
elegant costume design for Joan |
"I
didn’t want to do 14 weeks of Medea and be shattered"
explains Joan. "I wanted to do a play that I enjoy and that
people will go away feeling they’ve enjoyed."
In
Full Circle Joan plays bestselling novelist Denise Darvel who unexpectedly
confesses to her children that the handsome man in the portrait
above the fireplace is not, after all, their father.
Then
the truth is revealed. Denise is not a widow, has never been married
and all three children have different fathers. In the interests
of speedy respectability and comedy value of course, all three fathers
are summoned for matrimonial inspection but alas, none are quite
the same as they were!
Described
as a comedy of manners, it is not shocking or controversial, and
unlike other more mature female actors who have recently stripped
off for The Graduate, there is no nudity. Although if you consider
the time in which it was set, the play could be considered to be
quite scandalous.
"The
shocking part is to do with the mores of the time" explains
Joan. "If you had children you had to have a husband. If the
audience will buy that concept, they will appreciate this shock
value."
Tour
The tour starts in Bromley and will take in 14 places around the
UK including a stop at Milton Keynes from 19-24 April. It’s
a very different life from being in a film or on TV but Joan says
that she is looking forward to it. After all, she is used to moving
around a lot as she lives happily between New York, London and France.
 |
| The
cameras love Joan |
"I’m
a gypsy at heart" she reveals. "I’m looking forward
to touring, I love it. It’s going to be tough but so what.
That’s what this business is!"
"Theatre
is more daunting [than film] in that you have to keep it fresh,
but I came into this business to be a stage actress. I went to RADA.
I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Vivien Leigh."
And
if any theatres are worried about the demands of having a Hollywood
superstar visit their venue, they needn’t be concerned.
"I’m
not Beyonce" she laughs. "I don’t have my dressing
room redecorated, but I do make it homely. I have pictures of the
family and cushions and make-up - which takes up an entire table!"
Marriage
Joan also revealed that the character she plays in Full Circle is
a little like her, except for one important point.
"The
character is a bestselling author, like me" she says, "she
has three children, which I have, but has never been married, which
I HAVE!" she laughs, referring to the fact that she married
for the fifth time in February 2002.
Her
husband is Percy Gibson, who incidentally is the Company Manager
for the tour. At 38, he is the same age as her son, artist Sacha
Newley but the age difference never seems to have worried them,
and neither does working together.
"This
is the third time Percy and I have worked together" she says.
"We get along brilliantly so I’m looking forward to it."
 |
| Joan
publicises her show |
She
reveals that the secret of their successful relationship is being
each other’s best friend and sharing everything.
"Friendship
is incredibly important" she says. "My husband and I started
off as friends and it’s very important for our relationship."
Age
Joan’s own age has been the subject of much speculation over
the years. Rumoured to have hit 70, she will celebrate her birthday
during the tour. But when asked if she had anything special planned,
she was very coy.
"I
don’t really celebrate" she says, "you don't once
you get past 40."
She
clearly didn’t want to go down the age route but from the dates
and range of her work she is obviously a senior citizen and you
simply can’t deny that she looks fantastic, even against somebody
half her age. So what’s her secret?
"It’s
not just one thing" she explains. "I’m quite disciplined
about eating the right food and I do a work out two or three times
a week when I’m in London. I also believe in taking care of
my skin."
Her
marriages and her everlasting good looks have made Joan the subject
of much tabloid speculation over the years, but she has learned
to live with it.
"I
don’t really worry about it" she says. "There’s
always a certain interest in any woman over 40 who still looks good.
It just makes me laugh."
"Anyway,
there are so many newspapers now, I suppose you have to fill them
with something" she adds wryly, bringing a ripple of knowing
laughter from the newspaper journalists.
Reviews
And it’s not only stories about her in the paper that she takes
with a pinch of salt. Joan also reveals that she doesn’t really
take much notice of her reviews either.
 |
| Joan
knows how to pose |
"Sometimes
I read them, sometimes I don’t" she says. "You do
the best you can in a play and give it your best shot and if the
critics don’t like it that’s too bad. I just hope the
people like it. That’s what we’re doing it for."
Not
one to sit still for long, Joan also says that she plans to keep
herself busy during the day times while on tour. "I may be
writing my touring diary" she says. "I can write while
I’m acting, but obviously not at the same time! Otherwise what
do you do all day, I have to do something."
She
also admits that she will be shopping a lot and may have to get
another suitcase. Rather surprisingly she revealed that she can
usually walk around quite easily without being hassled, although
quite how Joan Collins could browse the shops without being recognised
was something I couldn’t quite grasp!
"I
can walk around London easily" she says. "I go to Waitrose
and M & S and sometimes I’m recognised and sometimes I’m
not."
Clearly
aware of our disbelief she adds "Obviously I dress in a more
demure fashion!" Well, clearly the red leather two piece would
stick out like a sore thumb against the sea of tracksuit bottoms
(myself included!) at my local supermarket.
Nap
She also explains that her touring day revolved around getting ready
for an 8.00 curtain and I was more than pleased and relieved to
discover that this involved an afternoon nap, something that I am
increasingly feeling a need for, even if it is under my hair at
my desk. Now, if it’s good enough for Joan, it’s good
enough for me!
 |
| The
set of Full Circle |
Nominated
for an Emmy award and winner of the Golden Globe and People’s
Choice Award, as well as numerous other awards worldwide, Joan has
appeared in more than 55 feature films and dozens of television
programmes. She has also published ten books including novels, a
beauty book and an autobiography.
Perhaps
above all, she is internationally renowned for her role of Alexis
Carrington Colby in Dynasty; the most highly rated evening TV drama
of all time. For eight years, viewers were treated to a weekly dose
of Alexis' elaborate schemes for power, money and love, during the
course of which Joan created one of televisions most popular characters,
and etched a place for herself in Hollywood history.
Proud
But with a career spanning many years and all sizes of screen and
stage, plus being a bestselling author, it is hard for Joan to pick
out specific career highs and lows. She merely refers to its longevity.
"I’m
most proud of having kept a career going when my father told me
it would be over by the time I was 25" she says. "And
be able to combine it with a writing career."
And
what of the low points? Joan is philosophical. "An actor’s
career is just a few high points followed by many lows" she
says.
Joan
clearly has no plans to stop working. She loves producing and, together
with her husband has obtained the rights to a novel to produce as
a film at the beginning of next year, but she also admits that she
doesn’t plan ahead too much because it’s tempting fate.
So will she ever retire?
"Retire"
she laughs incredulously. "What for?!"
Read
our review of Full Circle
>>
| Barry
Dymock, Luton, Beds |
Friday,
26-Mar-2004 03:21:31 GMT |
 |
| I
found this a very entertaining story and almost felt that I'd
been there listening to the questions and answers personally,
without having actually put a question to Joan myself. 65 next
month, I guess I've 'grown up' with Joan, so this story is more
like an 'update' to me of an incredible person and personality,
one whom I've loved and respected for the vast majority of those
years. |
|
