European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse P1bio by Keith ham5here in just Relea Tett hah Moon Stoerl Weaver in a scene Hart with Michael Caine plays a woman who becomes involved in a world of International intrigue. Sigourney Weaver Shakespeare connection by Leslie Bennetts new York times he blazed across the Cosmos wielding a Flamethrower against deadly extra terrestrials in aliens. She ran roadblocks under fire and conducted a steamy indonesian affair with Mel Gibson in the year of living dangerously. And in of Tosun seers she was a cellist plagued by evil spirits who possessed her Machen appliances and then possessed her. In the just released half Moon Street she plays an intelligent and Beautiful woman whose part time Job with an escort Agency leads her into a world of International politics banking and intrigue. Sigourney Weaver 37. Has become a screen icon la millions. Bui despite her string of Hollywood hits the last Lew weeks found Weaver holed up in a tiny healer on Manhattan s lower East Side Lor one of her More challenging if less lucrative assignments. The theater is Csc repertory where ins classic stage company presented the merchant of Venice in a production that finishes its run this week. With John Seitz As shylock. Weaver stars As Portia and is directed by her husband James Simpson. Although tier Reaume includes Many theatrical credits including hurl Burty and a succession of off Broadway works by her old Friend Christopher Durang Weaver s last foray into Shakespeare ended badly when she was dismissed by Nicol Williamson from his 18bz production of Macbeth at Circle in the Square. I consider myself quite Lucky i was fired because i would pro baby have stayed unti the bitter end Weaver says dryly. I had worked Slot on different roles in she says but i had never worked on Portia or even talked to anyone who had. And i Felt an immediate connection with her. I Feit she was a very contemporary woman in a lot of ways she has a blazing intelligence and has been Given a remarkably enlightened education. She s deeply passionate and idealistic she has a wicked sense of humor and she s fiercely Independent and adventurous even though she marries Bassano it never occurs to her to Consul we before racing off to take on a huge another lure was the Opportunity to spend Lime with her husband a free Lance director. It was Simpson who chose Trie merchant of Venice. Ona of the reasons was that there Are so Many Good roles that you Don t have to depend on one person to carry it he notes. Luckily Sigourney read the plan and " " leaped she interjects. " at the Chance to do it. Because Portia s such a Goodie Simpson continues " like Weaver the 30-year-old Simpson want to he Yale school of drama and has since directed at the Williams own theater festival the Public theater and the ensemble studio theater among other places. As soon As he leaves the room Weaver tiptoes to the door and closes it. He s such a Good director she whispers. He really lets people explore and do their work. He encourages you to invent and try both actress and director see the merchant of Venice us transcending Many of the accusations that have been levelled at it Over the centuries. I think the Story is often misconstrued to be anti semitic says Weaver. I Trink it s really about businessmen with very Dili Erent ways of conducting their lives and different Selso beliefs with Al the prejudice and suspicion that brings. The fact that there is a racial difference enhances the other differences Between these two men. But ultimately Shakespeare who is a very Wise Man presents a total picture of the situation. It s about people s distrust of each other Simpson who has set his production in the 13th Century adds the argument of the play is not simply jew versus Christian it s venture capitalism versus usury which is really the distinction Between Antonio and shylock Shakespeare has the doge of Venice presiding Over the court and that takes us Back to the 13th Century this was a Lime when the concept of usury a very volatile Issue in Shakespeare s time usury was practice by a she christens " although Weaver and Simpson have been married for three years the merchant of Venice Marks the first time they have worked together. It s a Gas says Simpson. However neither sees their personal relationship As skewing the working process Sigourney is a member of the ensemble and she s As outspoken As anybody else says Simpson. We Don t really play it Safe with each other. I think if she has something to say or i have something to say Well say it rather than saving it Lor some Al homa Safe time just Between the two of he treats everyone the same Way Weaver adds he certainly in t going to Lavor she grins. Simpson a child actor in his native Hawaii was earning $2,000 a week on the television series Hawaii Fiva-0 by the time he was 17. These Days however his Tocus is on directing and his schedule is a Busy one. Alter merchant Simpson begins rehearsals this Sigourney Weaver at 37, a him icon to ill Slont. Month Tor his next production Howard fast s citizen Tom pains which is expected to run in Philadelphia and Washington. Simpson and Weaver also met at Williams own where she was performing in old times we barely says Weaver but then i invited him to this halloween party and he asked me out even at an adolescent. Weaver knew it was the life she was heading Lor by the time Lime she was 14 years old Susan Weaver had read the great gatsby and renamed herself sip journey the name f. Scott Fitzgerald gave to the snobbish Jordan Baker s aunt. The daughter of the British stage actress Elizabeth Inglis and Sylvester pal Weaver president of Abc during the 1950s, she attended Stanford University and then went on to the Yale school of drama. Although she has chosen to spend this period of time performing in a Iso seat healer Weaver is Welt aware of her current commercial potential. I could say now s my Chance to make it big and gel a Socko movie Hal puts a at the top of the Heap " she says. God. Just saying it puts me to sleep. Better i should continue doing what i m doing. 1 do believe that whatever you need to learn next you can learn whatever you re doing. The main thing is taking the Steps. And Portia demands everything from me that i can bring to it you could do it forever and you would still be learning things. Pm already dreading the end and we Vul barely saturday january 10, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 17
