New York (AP) 鈥 Jessica Chastain counts her performance as Nora in the current Broadway revival of 鈥淎 Doll鈥檚 House" to be one of the 鈥渉ardest things鈥 she has ever done.
Coming from the actor who has played televangelist and country singer Tammy Wynette, that's saying a lot.
The two-hour play was so emotionally draining to perform, she said, that she wanted to skip the final bow.
鈥淚鈥檝e come out for the curtain call, not ready for the curtain call, and that鈥檚 been difficult,鈥 said.
But after speaking with director Jamie Lloyd, she rallied and decided it was important for the audience.
鈥淭here are times I go out there and I鈥檓 like, trying to hold it together. And I鈥檓 still feeling like the play course through my veins,鈥 she said.
The Oscar-winning actor is currently appearing in a limited run of the groundbreaking 1879 Henrik Ibsen play that challenged the sacredness of marriage, gender roles, and women鈥檚 rights. It was so controversial for its time that many actors would not perform the play鈥檚 ending.
Chastain saw the subject as a worthy reason to return to the stage because it still resonates today with conversations about representation and authenticity.
Earlier this week, Chastain sat down with the Associated Press for a special interview where she spoke about the emotional demands of the play, the importance of examining people's struggles, and what she's thinking about, sitting on stage when the audience enters the theater.
Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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AP: How challenging was it to perform in such a scaled-down version of the play? Jessica Chastain: Oh, it鈥檚 so difficult. The director, he was very smart in the way that he, like, held information back from me because we knew we were doing this for a long time. And then as rehearsals came closer, he started to give me a little information about, like, maybe no props 鈥 and I was like, what is happening?
AP: It鈥檚 quite minimalist. Chastain: I remember one time, very early on, I said to Jamie (Lloyd), 鈥業 don鈥檛 understand how to do this. I mean, in the play it says that I enter the stage and I鈥檓 eating cookies, and then (turn) right immediately.鈥 I said, 鈥業 say to someone (a castmate), I would never do that.鈥 So that鈥檚 important that the audience knows that. Like, obviously in the beginning I鈥檓 not being truthful because I go, 鈥楬ow do I do (pretend I鈥檓 eating) if I don鈥檛 have the cookies?鈥 (Lloyd says) 鈥樷橞ecause you do it with your acting.鈥 It鈥檚 probably one of the hardest things I鈥檝e ever done. This idea of, like, trapping me in one place and stripping me from any kind of tool. It feels quite bare.
AP: When Ibsen wrote this play more than a hundred years ago, it was controversial and some actors would not perform the ending. Does it go beyond talking about woman鈥檚 oppression in the 19th century, to relate to today? Chastain: Absolutely. It鈥檚 this great piece of feminist literature, but it鈥檚 I think the way Jamie has staged it and thought about it, and the way Amy鈥檚 adapted it, it goes beyond gender. It really speaks to anyone who is playing a part to please a person, in order to have power in a society that denies them freedom and agency. And in doing so, you鈥檙e upholding the system that denies you freedom and agency. I learned a lot about myself by playing Nora. Like, in what ways do I deny my feelings or deny who I am to try to make others happy in order not to cause any waves? And I think many people could probably relate to that.
AP: The show begins when we walk into the theater and you are already sitting on stage. What are your pre-show thoughts? Chastain: I鈥檓 going into the character of Nora. I鈥檓 already starting to feel a little trapped and stuck. You know, I鈥檓 in the house and I鈥檓 also connecting to the audience. So, I鈥檓 looking at everyone in their eyes. I鈥檓 connecting to them energetically. It鈥檚 the beginning of creating almost like this sacred space. I鈥檓 letting them know: I can see you. I value you. You鈥檙e in this with me. And we鈥檙e going to go on this journey together. This is a joint experience.
AP: As an actor that always seems to be working, why was this play important to dedicate your time to, eight times a week? Chastain: I think anything that I put my energy into, I鈥檓 asking myself, 鈥榃hat am I putting into the world?鈥 What am I putting out to the world, in terms of this message to the public that maybe, hopefully, inspires people when they come to the play. Are they going to reexamine their lives and how they鈥檙e living their lives? And then thirdly, what am I going to learn about myself? It鈥檚 going to be really challenging for me. And this for sure, checked every single box.
AP: Nora goes through a lot in the performance, how emotionally draining is it to play her? Chastain: Thank goodness I get to start in a quiet, up, energetic, happy, playful way. She really does go through some kind of a mental breakdown in the middle of the play, and then she rebuilds herself from that. It鈥檚 such a beautiful journey, as an actress, to get to do that. But there are often times I鈥檝e come out for the curtain call, not ready for the curtain call, and that鈥檚 been difficult. I鈥檝e actually asked the director if it was possible for me to not do a curtain call because I felt like I needed a moment to calm down from the last scene. I've wondered about Nora just leaving. And Jamie helps me understand that the curtain call is not for me, it鈥檚 really for the audience. So there are times I go out there and I鈥檓 like, trying to hold it together. And I鈥檓 still feeling the play course through my veins.
