z B1 is WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1994 4111111MINEW Michael BrosHow John Malkovich during a reading for the Steppenwolf Theater Compa- ny's dramatization of Don DeLillo's novel "Libra." As a Stage Director, John Malkovich Is True to His Image vich since he read it, before it was By MEL GUSSOW published in 1988. "It addressed in a very striking way how it was that the Special to The New York Times system doesn't work," he said, "how CHICAGO — As an actor, John we churn out people like Oswald." As Malkovich repeatedly transforms for the assassination: "It's the story himself. In his words, he can "go into that won't go away. DeLillo refers to other people's skins." These people it in the novel as the seven seconds happen to include some of the strang- that broke the back of the American est, most obsessive characters in century. That's not hyperbole. To me movies and theater: the volcanic it was the beginning of nihilism — a Pale in Lanford Wilson's play "Burn huge psychic disturbance." This" and, last summer, the killer in Through the years, Mr. Malkovich Clint Eastwood's film "In the Line of has acquired a reputation for playing Fire." In his next movie, Stephen outsiders on the edge of violence. Frears's "Mary Reilly," to be filmed From his point of view, that "says this summer In England, he will face more about my capabilities, or about the doubly daunting task of playing how I'm perceived, than about my Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (opposite interests." Julia Roberts in the title role as the "It has more to do with people housemaid). feeling that I could go either way," Preserving the prevailing Malko- the thought that in real life he could vich image, his current theatrical become like his demonic characters. work — as director and, for the first Clearly there is something about time, as adapter — is a dramatization those characters, and about Oswald, of "Libra," Don DeLillo's award-win- that strikes a reflexive chord. He ning novel about Lee Harvey Oswald attributes it partly to the fact that he and the assassination of President is nonjudgmental about roles and John F. Kennedy. The production is at the Steppenwoif Theater Company, "quite ready to understand how the theater that originally nurtured someone in a totally different position the talents of Mr. Malkovich and his sees the world." And of course he has friends. to make his choices from what is "Libra" has fascinated Mr. Malko- Continued on Page B6 Continued From Page BI the story," Mr. Malkovich said. As he vich said. "But what if he wasn't? I less in his search for a character. Did saw it, "The main thread is Oswald can see how, given a certain degree of he learn anything from Mr. Eastwood made available to him. "People don't and his relationship with his mother." sensitivities, proclivities and rage, I as a director? "In a way," he replied, say, 'Hey, why don't you do 'Sleepless He also asked himself: "If there were could have ended up differently. I see "but not necessarily from working in Seattle'?" a conspiracy to kill the President, Oswald as a,bright, kind of dyslexic, with him, which I loved. From watch- For Mr. Malkovich, who was in what shape would it take? It's not the troubled boy with absolutely no pa- ing him as an actor. He's a great residence in Chicago this month with silly shape of movies and fiction with rental help. As Faulkner said, 'the minimalist. He's not a big talker, his companion, Nicole Peyran, and steely-eyed men. They're sort of nor- sequence of natural events and their Clint, let's face it." their two children, "Libra" repre- mal people, which I thought Don did causes, which shadows every man's Increasingly, Mr. Malkovich, now! sents a homecoming and a reunion. wonderfully in the book." brow.' How do you end up with the 40, is taking more control of his ca- Along with Mr. Malkovich, Laurie During several trips to Chicago, high-powered rifle in your hands and reer decisions. He and Russ Smith, Metcalf, Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, Mr. DeLillo became Mr. Malkovich's the President passing under your one of his oldest Steppenwolf friends, Glenne Headly (Mr. Malkovich's for- resident expert. "John has his own window? And how do you move from have a production company with sev-, mer wife), Kevin Anderson, Joan Al- attack," Mr. DeLillo said. "He wants that circumstance to pressing the eral projects lined up after "Libra," len, John Mahoney and others have to create a stage space in which the trigger?" including a movie thriller called emerged from the ensemble, and novel can reinvent itself. The play "Forget Me Not," in which Mr. Mal- Then he quoted the play's Ferrie. they have remained an extended the- comes at you with lots of texture and kovich would play a burned-out detec- "History is the sum total of all the atrical family. Between movie and with a level of irreverence that is tive, and a film about Howard things they're not telling us." Mr. other stage assignments, many of advantageous." Hughes. Malkovich was reminded of a conver- them return to work at Steppenwolf. At one point, Mr. Malkovich consid- In June, he is to begin work on sation he had with the film director Ms. Metcalf is appearing in "Libra." ered directing "Libra" as a movie, "Mary Reilly," which will unite Bernardo Bertolucci when .the Berlin For several years, the company but he decided it was better suited to members of the "Dangerous Liai- wall came down. "He was vvery, very has been in its new modern home, the stage. Stylistically, the attempt is sons" team, including Mr. Frears, affected by that," Mr. Malkovich with a wide proscenium stage and a Christopher Hampton as the screen- said. "He couldn't understand why I studio theater, a distinct change from writer and Glenn Close in a cameo wasn't. He said everything is politi- the early shoestring days when the role. Jekyll and Hyde should offer' cal. I said, no, actually nothing is. troupe moved nomadically around him a rich environment for split-psy- Success brings a That's the whole problem. Every- Chicago. Today, with International che acting. About his Hyde to come, thing is still personal. There are success, Steppenwolf continues to he said with a devilish smile: "He's things that run much deeper: provide an alternative, and some- nomad back to pretty barbaric and lethal. They said dreams, visions, down to the deepest times a pipeline, to Broadway. If "Li- I was the only one mean enough to levels of self." bra" works, then Mr. Malkovich and Steppenwolf. play the part." his co-producers will think about pre- senting it in London or New York. A Conduit to the Actors (The opening-night reviews presentational rather than represen- To help his actors, he gives them praised Mr. Malkovich's staging and tational. Nine actors playing dozens Tucker Foundation Ms. Metcalf's performance while ex- of characters sit at banks of micro- the most specific directorial notes, pressing reservations about the play. phones and rise to create scenes and suggesting, for example, that Ms. Metcalf play Ferrie with a slight Awards Music Grants Hedy Weiss of The Chicago Sun- in some cases to address the audience Times said it was an "intriguing, speech impediment. For her role as directly. As the play moved through The Richard Tucker Music Foun- ambitious, but not entirely satisfying rehearsal and then previews, it gath- Oswald's mother, he told her that if dation has awarded its 1994 Career the audience laughed at her last intellectual vaudeville.") ered electronic enhancement: video Grants of $6,500 each to Marie Plette, monologue, she should silence them. Normal Conspirators cameras and monitors, slides and a soprano: Kim Josephson and Earle As he explained: "It's fine if they Sitting in the theater several weeks film. Patriarco, baritones, and Steven Oswald is played by Alexis Ar- laugh. It's probably preferable." But Condy, a bass-baritone. In addition, ago, with a knitted skullcap covering her character shouldn't allow it! queue, Oswald's mother by Ms. Met- four Robert M. Jacobson Study his receding hairline and making him Looking back on her long Steppenwolf look almost Asian, he is rehearsing calf, who also portrays David Ferrie, Grants of $5,000 each are to go to a bizarre conspirator. In this version, collaboration with Mr. Malkovich; Christine Goerke, a soprano; Laura his actors at the same time he is Ms. Metcalf said his notes "are by farl Ferrie acts as a kind of father figure Tucker (no relation to Richard Tuck- reshaping the play. In his hands is his the most creative of any director I've to Oswald. In the Oliver Stone movie, er), a mezzo-soprano: Richard Clem- text: a dogeared paperback copy of ever worked with." "Libra" with a makeshift cover on "J. F. K.," he was played by Joe ent, a tenor, and John Packard, a which the author has written the title. Pesci. Were Mr. Malkovich to portray As a director, he considers himself baritone. The book has been thickly indexed by a character, Ferrie probably would "a receiver" who "conducts" the ac- The foundation, named for the 1 the adapter. have been his role of choice. As the tors and "waits for the idea to hit." American tenor, who died in 1975, Trying to capture the crisscrossing director worked on the play, Ms.