Gwyneth and her naked toes
2002-05-16 07:05
London - Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow bared more than her soul at the British premiere of her play Proof, sending the audience and critics into raptures with a wiggle of her naked toes.
The Oscar-winning actress won strong praise for her portrayal of the daughter of a mad mathematical genius on the play's opening night on Wednesday, audience members describing her performance as "superb" and "magnificent".
"Absolutely fantastic. It was the most fabulous night at the theatre you could ever have," gushed one male theatre-goer to reporters after the show.
"It was wonderful, amazing. She really is a superb actress," said a surprised-sounding female member of the audience.
One critic who attended a preview of the show described Paltrow's performance as virtually flawless - right down to her toes.
"It is not often one gets to see anyone acting with their feet. Ms Paltrow manages it however," said Valentine Low of London's Evening Standard.
"In the first few scenes she is wearing sandals and manages to use her toes to express annoyance, frustration, unhappiness and a whole range of emotions that some actresses cannot manage with their faces, let alone their feet."
Paltrow's parents, actors Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, were on hand to watch their daughter's performance in front of a packed house.
But the fans who queued outside the theatre hoping to catch a glimpse of Paltrow herself were disappointed. She was ensconced in her dressing room well before the curtain went up.
Whatever the critics say, Paltrow's season at the Donmar Warehouse is already a guaranteed commercial success - the whole run was sold out weeks before the opening.
Paltrow is not the only Tinseltown star treading the boards in London and giving a box office boost to a theatre capital now rebounding from the effects of last year's suicide attacks on New York and Washington.
Her best friend, pop superstar Madonna, is currently performing in previews for Up For Grabs, which officially premieres on May 23, leading the British press to dub the starry rivalry "The Battle of the Boards".
Paltrow's fellow Oscar-winner Matt Damon is also in town, playing to packed houses in This Is Our Youth.
The trio are the latest in a string of big US showbiz names, including Kevin Spacey and Nicole Kidman, who have forsaken big pay days to work for modest fees in London's West End.
But while the Hollywood stars are working for a fraction of their normal earnings, they know that a successful season in London will not only win them kudos back home but add to their bargaining power when negotiating big movie fees.
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