The Tamesis
This week, penetrate Continuing its spring theater coverage!
Lindsay Ferentino 13 fearOne of the most anticipated London transfers of the year, it opened on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theater last week. The play is adapted from the 2015 documentary of the same name, telling the story of Nick Yaris, who was wrongly accused and convicted of rape and murder. After 22 years in prison, he was eventually exonerated by DNA evidence. Two veteran actors, Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, bring this semi-fictional story to life: Brody plays Yaris, while Thompson plays a prison volunteer with whom he falls in love.
The production marks the Broadway debut of both actors, and they sat down with senior editor Marley Marius to discuss the experience. Each spoke of the importance of reenacting a living person’s life moments; Yaris, now free, was a frequent presence at reading tables and performances. As Thompson says, when it comes to work like this, “Whether they’re in the room or not, they’re in the room.”
Meanwhile, offstage, Brody and Thompson took very different approaches to relaxing. Brody, a self-described homebody and true jack-of-all-trades, spends her time making music and cooking stews, while Thompson looks forward to watching other shows and hunting down speakeasies around the Theater District in her free time. Listen to the full conversation above.
