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Author Topic: Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines  (Read 3995 times)

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Offline Philippe Cordier

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Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« on: March 12, 2003, 03:58:51 AM »
"I guess no one had ever loved me before."

"For us, a new day isn't a new beginning."

Those aren't direct quotes but I think my paraphrases capture the essence of Pansy Faye's scene with Quentin yesterday.

What an interestingly written and performed scene between the drunken Quentin and down-on-her-luck Pansy Faye, visiting Collinwood after an engagement at the Blue Whale.

Nancy Barrett movingly evoked a hurting, depressed spirit behind Pansy Faye's tough exterior, facing the cold truth of her life behind the limelights ... shades of Marilyn Monroe; evocative of a Tennessee Williams character. (Made me realize how much I'd like to see Ms. Barrett perform Tennessee Williams ... I think she could do justice to Blanche DuBois ... though I suppose she's too old for the role now.  I could also see her as the fragile Laura of "The Glass Menagerie," if she had played her at the time she was on DS.)

Might something of Charity Trask been showing through Pansy Faye in this scene, too?

Sadly, how brief this moment of self-realization was, and the hard-as-nails Pansy was back in a flash, her roiling anger palpable as she gleefully pounded the stake into Barnabas' chest.
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Offline Mysterious Benefactor

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2003, 06:29:11 AM »
I think NB was brilliant about capturing these little moments in all of her characters, Vlad.

I've said it before, but I never really appreciated NB when I watched DS as a kid - but now as an adult I'm continually floored by the subtleties (even when she's screaming) and depth she brings to her performances.

Like you, I would love to see her on stage. Sadly, though, her stage appearances are all too infrequent because, in her own words, she's "just lazy when it comes to looking for work."
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Offline Gerard

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2003, 10:19:50 AM »
Which are the reasons why Charity/Pansey is my favorite NB character.  She is absolutely splendid in her portrayal.  She is closely followed by Carolyn Collins Loomis from PT.

Gerard
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Offline Patti Feinberg

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2003, 12:56:46 PM »
Quote from: Gerard on March 12, 2003, 10:19:50 AM
She is closely followed by Carolyn Collins Loomis from PT.
Gerard

This is probably my favorite, though unfortunately t hey couldn't give her much to do with Mrs. Loomis.

Also unfortunately

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

This is really the last of where Ms. Barrett gets to 'star', if I'm not mistaken, all her roles from here on in are quite under what we'd like to see :-

Patti
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Offline dom

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2003, 04:07:20 PM »
Nancy as Pansy has Daytime Emmy Award written all over it. I really think she could have been a strong contender had they been awarding them back then as they do today.

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Offline Midnite

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2003, 05:08:13 PM »
I think NB's performance as the embittered, grief-stricken (and sometimes drunk) Carolyn Loomis is among her best.
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Offline Luciaphile

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2003, 06:16:26 PM »
Quote from: Vlad on March 12, 2003, 03:58:51 AM
Might something of Charity Trask been showing through Pansy Faye in this scene, too?

Sadly, how brief this moment of self-realization was, and the hard-as-nails Pansy was back in a flash, her roiling anger palpable as she gleefully pounded the stake into Barnabas' chest.

I think you're absolutely right about Charity. She's there all along lurking in the background. There are a couple of bits coming up where she pops up now and again.

I wonder though . . . is this really possession or is it a total possession? Pansy, at least as she was played so briefly by Kay Frye, seemed far less altruistic and far more self-involved than Barrett's Pansy. It would be easy to ascribe that to a new take on the character, but my thinking is that many of the traits Barrett's Pansy possesses are traits that Charity would like to have (lack of inhibition, freedom, self-confidence) or already has.

Not sure how much sense that makes . . .

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Offline Cassandra Blair

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2003, 06:33:50 PM »
It makes lots of sense to me, Luciaphil.  Was wondering kind of the same thing.  It seems almost like NB's Pansy/Charity is a combination of the two women's spirits - there is much of the assertiveness and self-posession (excuse the pun) we saw in the real Pansy, yet we still see the introspection and the vulnerability displayed by Charity before she got zapped by the Count's meathook.

It's almost like Charity Trask was a willing host for the unquiet spirit of our fave Cockney showgirl...
                               [thinking2]

Oh, and yes!  Nancy Barrett totally did deserve some kind of acting award for this particular role - Carolyn Loomis wasn't too shabby either!
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Offline Raineypark

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2003, 09:04:57 PM »
Quote from: Luciaphil on March 12, 2003, 06:16:26 PM
Pansy, at least as she was played so briefly by Kay Frye, seemed far less altruistic and far more self-involved than Barrett's Pansy. It would be easy to ascribe that to a new take on the character, but my thinking is that many of the traits Barrett's Pansy possesses are traits that Charity would like to have (lack of inhibition, freedom, self-confidence)

I suspect the most significant factor in all of this is Nancy Barrett's refusal to EVER play a character one dimensionally.  I don't know if she badgered the writers or ignored them, but she got more out of her roles than seemed to be there in the first place.

raineypark
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Offline Cassandra

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2003, 10:05:27 PM »
Quote from: dom on March 12, 2003, 04:07:20 PM
Nancy as Pansy has Daytime Emmy Award written all over it. I really think she could have been a strong contender had they been awarding them back then as they do today.

I couldn't agree with you more Dom.  I like Nancy Barrett's portrayal of Pansy Faye even more than the "real Pansy" sort to speak.  Granted, the original Pansy wasn't on long enough to really get to know her character personally, but there's just something about the way Barrett portrays her that makes her character become more alive.

Another thing I like about Nancy's Charity/Pansy is how she interacts with the other characters on the show. She's much more personal IMO, anyway, than the original Pansy was..  But again, we really didn't get to know the original too well because she was killed off so soon.

I also like how Nancy does the accent thing with Pansy!  She's such a natural at it!  I never hear her slip up at all.  It must be hard to keep that up all the time.


Cassandra[/font]
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Offline Philippe Cordier

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2003, 04:07:19 AM »
Quote from: Raineypark on March 12, 2003, 09:04:57 PM
I suspect the most significant factor in all of this is Nancy Barrett's refusal to EVER play a character one dimensionally.  I don't know if she badgered the writers or ignored them, but she got more out of her roles than seemed to be there in the first place.

Absolutely, Nancy Barrett mined everything she could from these roles and played this scene beautifully -- but the writers also deserve credit for writing the lines that I mentioned, which added depth to the character.
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Offline Gothick

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2003, 05:12:40 PM »
For what it's worth, in a 1973 fan interview, Grayson Hall said she thought Nancy Barrett was the best actress on DS, bar none.

Grayson mentioned her performances as Pansy and Letitia as something that particularly impressed her.

When I asked Nancy about Grayson, she commented upon what a wonderful cook she was!

Steve
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Offline Raineypark

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2003, 05:37:00 PM »
Quote from: Gothick on March 13, 2003, 05:12:40 PM
When I asked Nancy about Grayson, she commented upon what a wonderful cook she was!

MEEEOOOOWWW! 
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Offline jennifer

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2003, 07:37:16 PM »
i always thought she was the best female actress on the show (TD being the male)


jennifer
on another note love her shoes!
wonder where Charity found all her "pansy" clothes or did the real pansy leave them behind?
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Offline Gothick

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Re:Ms. Barrett's/Charity's/Pansy's Dramatic Lines
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2003, 09:37:13 PM »
Just to make it clear ... I don't think Nancy was making a criticism, explicit or implicit, of Grayson's acting abilities.  The two did have a lot of scenes together but Nancy doesn't really recall working with her. What she does remember is how Grayson always loved to have her over to her home for some spectacular culinary creation.

When Nancy participated in an online chat, a friend was kind enough to ask her, on my behalf, about her memories of Grayson.  She said on that occasion that although she and Grayson had very few scenes together on Dark Shadows, she would never forget Grayson's friendship or her wonderful hospitality.

She also commented that Grayson had changed her date of birth on her driver's license.  Nancy added the laughing comment:  "You have to be Grayson Hall to be able to get away with things like that!"

Steve
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