The revival of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child is currently running Off-Broadway under the direction of Scott Elliott. The new production stars Ed Harris (Radio) Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story: Murder House and Coven) and Rich Sommer (Mad Men), just to name a few. The play has very intense moments where Rich Sommer’s character forces his fist in the mouth of Taissa Farmiga’s character. Now, Sommer is opening up the scene.
Recently, Rich Sommer spoke to Playbill about one of Buried Child’s harder scenes:
“It is not a particularly fun scene, and I feel somewhat comfortable speaking for Taissa in saying that it is probably not as fun for her as well… I said this before to people: When you do a stage kiss or even stage sex, you can simulate it pretty easy; a kiss can be closed mouth and look passionate, stage sex can be just moving around under the sheets and nothing has to happen. This is a penetration, this is an actual penetration, and there is no way to fake it, really. Bradley rapes Shelly; he’s a man struggling for his importance. In the moments leading up to that, he’s talking about how Tilden was an All-American and how Dodge was a big deal, too, and women like that. ‘I’m going to show you who’s important. I’m important.’”
Sommer went on to discuss how he softens the blow for his costar, adding:
“That moment itself, I try to make it as comfortable as I can for Taissa. I wash my hands, a lot, and don’t touch anything with that hand other than my coat when I take it off and her fur coat when I take it. Other than that, I touch nothing else. I make sure I brush my teeth, floss and use mouthwash because I am right inside of her space. I want to make it as ‘pleasurable’ an experience I can and for a woman like Taissa, who is doing her first play. She’s taking on quite a challenge, and I have to commend her for that; she never shied away from it in rehearsals, not once, so I think that is something to be recognized.”
Buried Child is presented The New Group and performed at The Pershing Square Signature Center. The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, located 480 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036.
