The play, which reenacts the famous meeting of the Monroe-Miller and Signoret-Montand couples, struggles to restore the subtlety of the experiences of these superstars of the 60s, at the Théâtre de la Madeleine until December 17.
The play was promising, as were the characters. Marylin Monroe, Arthur Miller, Simone Signoret and Yves Montand, legendary couples on the same stage to reenact a legendary encounter. Ambitious charismatic roles for sisters Mathilde and Emmanuelle Seignier, brought together for the first time in the theater in Bungalow 21. Mathilde Seigner plays Simone Signoret, the second French woman to win an Oscar in 1960. She meets Emmanuelle Seigner who steps into the shoes of Marylin Monroe, one of the most famous actresses in the world.
Prestigious closed door
Written by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt on an idea by Benjamin Castaldi and directed by Benjamin Lippmann, the play is housed in the small bungalow 20 of the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles where Simone Signoret and her husband Yves Montand are staying, in the middle of filming the movie The Billionaire. The one he plays opposite, Marylin Monroe, stays opposite in bungalow 21 with her husband, the author Arthur Miller. Yves Montand ends up succumbing to the charms of Marilyn. It will be the Montand-Monroe affair which will cause a lot of ink to flow. Simone Signoret will be the humiliated woman but will remain dignified. For his part, Arthur Miller will end up immersing himself in his work and divorcing Marilyn.
The cult actress Men prefer blondes, is difficult to embody. Behind the sex symbol hides a personality of great sensitivity, victim of his superficial image and exploited by American studios. Emmanuelle Seigner fails to avoid this pitfall and falls right into the caricature of the brainless blonde. She plays on her charms almost the entire piece, raising her voice, exaggerating the nonchalant gait, and playing the false modesty in abundance when she is complimented. We expected more subtlety from this historical figure, who we know is much more insightful and clever.
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Mathilde Seignier raises the bar
Mathilde Seignier stands out, delivering a remarkable performance as Simone Signoret, giving depth to the piece. His character is fascinating. While she is at the height of fame after her victory at the Oscars, she maintains a humility and detachment perfectly transcribed by Mathilde Seignier. The confrontation scenes with Yves Montand after his adultery are played accurately. The actress conveys the gravity of the situation through her face which struggles not to let the sobs prevail over the anger of the humiliation.
Mathilde Seignier doesn’t overdo it, unlike Michael Cohen who also falls into a crude caricature of Yves Montand. Between the never-ending ribald jokes and the sometimes completely sexist cad attitudes, we are far from the man we called the “perfect man” in the 60s. The challenge of showing something other than the simple encounter between superstars is missed.
“Bungalow 21” directed by Jérémie Lippmann, written by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Madeleine Theater in Paris
Until December 17, 2023
Duration: 1h45