Vanessa Redgrave & Joan Didion

Source: NY Times 5/25 Weekend Arts p.B1 "Being Joan Didion" by Campbell Robertson

A large photo of Vanessa Redgrave sitting and Joan Didion standing in Ms. Didion's living room or study. They both look out at us pensively as if to say, "Do you understand?" or "Do you doubt our intention to collaborate?" Vanessa has her hands folded across her knees. Joan stands next to her with her arms folded across her slight frame. Vanessa is wearing a khaki-colored, long sleeved dress and Joan is wearing a pale green cable stitched long sleeve sweater, a pleated grey skirt, and black tights. Joan looks school girlish and Vanessa looks urbane comfortable in her skin. Joan Didion has a penetrating, almost electric stare emanating from her small eyes, while Vanessa Redgrave's eyes are large pools of quiet certainty. Joan's face made me think I must explain myself. Vanessa's face told me she knew what I was thinking. This odd couple are to collaborate on a dramatic treatment of Ms. Didion's autobiographical book, "The Year of Magical Thinking," to be developed into a one woman play. Here were two faces that showed age and experience but had the same source. May I call it the human condition? What was apparent was the fact that these creative women were sitting down to discuss the development of a story that deals with " fear, despair, and the exasperation of bereavment". The photo clearly revealed the wisdom of their collaboration. During the interview Vaness said, " If you care very much about what someone has written, she said, looking at her hands, " and it's a life, it lives, it's not like you talk about it like a book. I find it difficult to talk about it because it is even closer to me now." She looked over at Ms. Didion. We don't know each other that well." "But...," Ms. Didion said, smiling and not finishing the sentence."