What with all the death, destruction and general mayhem last week, there were an awful lot of tears shed on Coronation Street and rightly so.
I've been trying to decide which actor or actress was best at crying/bawling.
I'm leaving Fiz Stape aside, because she was giving birth. Her screams during the live episode are still echoing round my livingroom. My goodness, Jennie McAlpine must have felt better after that! It was more gruelling than listening to John Lennon's 'Mother'. I'm also not counting snivelling or sniffling. It has to be full-blown 'put your back into it' sobbing. Personally I'd go for Sally Dynevor as most convincing. Leanne (Jane Danson) was also pretty good. Carla (Alison King) would be next, but there was a bit too much snot.
Does anyone know how actors produce loads of tears? I'm hoping it's a hanky full of onions but I'm sure someone will disillusion me.
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15 comments:
Leanne and Sally are a tie for first place for their crying.
Carla was an annoying drunk cry, which I hate.
And Fiz??? What the hell was all that screaming for? That was wayyyy over-acted. She wasn't delivering a full-term baby.
Oh, and I think Claire did a good job portraying someone in shock.
Most actors produce tears simply by inhabiting the character in the given situation. It's connected with what they call Emotional Availability, or an actor's individual ability to connect with the emotion being portrayed. One trick is usually to invoke a sad memory, like a beloved childhood pet dying. Some actors are incredibly good at this and can turn on the tears like a light switch, with others, it can be hit & miss, although that's no reflection on their acting abilities - I've known so-so actors who can bawl on demand. Similarly there are some superb actors who simply cannot cry. There are eye drops (Essence of Onion? could be!)available for those actors who really can't do it though.
Julia Howarth as Claire for me too. Well, she's got the kids too, which Leanne doesn't even though she adores Simon. Claire broke my heart. She really conveyed how I think someone in her situation would react, from what I've seen & personal experience.
Jane Danson as Leanne was amazing as well, though her crying had to be restrained by the fact that Peter might yet live. And Alison King as Carla also in a way had to hide why she was crying for Peter so much, so it was interesting to see her try, without success for Leanne.
I still maintain that Fiz giving birth would still be very painful even with a premature baby, given the fall she took and the stress of the crash.
Ah, it's good to be back talking about Corrie again after a 2 day much-needed rest from last week.
I think the best bawler last week was probably the audience watching. But if it had to be an actor/actress it would be sally dyvenor and jane danson. Fiz was funny to watch!
Yes, a will agree probably Sally D. and Jane D. but with Julia H a very close second. It broke my heart seeing her sobbing in Betty's arms. I wondered where Claire's mother was but it's possible she'd already gone to France i suppose.
Jane Danson was excellent. But really the whole cast were great, even if they didn't have the big storylines.
definitely Leanne and Claire...both had ME bawling!!!
Fiz, meh. She was great don't get me wrong - and I've heard delivering a baby when it isn't 'time' is more painful as your body isn't ready (not buying it, 30 hrs I went through full term and hot damn that was pain)
Carla can eat my used tissues - whatev's. Crocodile tears. (though Alison King is great - just a character thing)
Yes that Claire/Betty scene was very emotional. Thanks Cobblestone for the helpful info. It must be exhausting emoting like that, if you're drawing on your own experiences. I think I'd rather opt for the onions, me.
Probably Claire and Leanne were best, although there was excellent acting all round really. Fizz balling her head off was a bit OTT, although her line about not reaching the "birthing" chapter in her baby book did raise a smile.
It can get a bit beyond your conscious control occasionally, Seapenguin. I was once touring in 'Pygmalion' playing Henry Higgins and one night just burst into tears in the Act 4 clash with Eliza. Never rehearsed it like that at all, certainly didn't intend it - it's just where you are on the day, I think. That's why I think the achievement of last Friday, with the additional nerves that Sally, Jane, Julia (and bless him, let's not forget Craig as Graham, who delivered a deepling moving, tearful eulogy on Ashley)&c MUST have been feeling. It was possible the tears may not have come at the precise moment they needed to. But they did. Brave and magnificent.
Graeme was good. I thought it was quite moving when Fizz apologized to John about having hurt the baby. It makes me choke to think of it. She was way over acting the screaming though... but Fizz must have been very scared and in pain, so I'll let it slide.
Seems like Carla's always having to share a man, except when she was with Tony (who adored her) and then she didn't want him.
what I don't get about Carla is that one minute she can't be with Trevor because she's still in LOVE with Liam - she even made him look more like Liam - and then the next minute she's sooo in love with Peter she wants to ruin the only friendship she has and break up a steady household. yeah, I know, it's a soap, but honestly... we all know that Carla would be a terrible mom to Simon and she and Peter wouldn't last a minute.
Claire's scenes were the most heartbreaking for me, with Leanne and Sally being tied for second.
As for Carla, I didn't feel any sympathy whatsoever for her. Alison King is a wonderful actress, don't get wrong, but Carla was just annoying. Me and my friends were rolling our eyes during her drunken rant at the hospital, and cheered when Leanne slapped her.
So, Claire gets my vote!
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