In the last year, the graceful and vigorous J. Smith-Cameron has added a family drama (The Memory of Water), a suspense thriller (Night Must Fall), and a stylistic comedy (Tartuffe) to her resume. Now, in David Lindsay-Abaire's rambunctious new comedy, Fuddy Meers, at the Manhattan Theatre Club, she's doing all three in one pop, playing an amnesiac struggling to reclaim her identity.
"I've never had an assignment like this - it's like my character has no subtext," says Smith-Cameron.
As the play unfolds, so do Claire's memory and personality. And the Obie-winning actress is glad she's part of an A-list ensemble that includes Patrick Breen, Mark McKinney, and Robert Stanton. "[The play is] impossible to navigate, and they're great in a clutch situation," she says. "In a climactic moment you might get a gasp or you might get a huge laugh or you might get horrified stillness. It's very exciting and it makes you really hang on for dear life and listen to each other."
The actress has been busy onscreen too, with a role in Pyrite, a Mother's Day special for Lifetime, and a cameo part in her boyfriend Kenneth Lonergan's (This is Our Youth) first movie directorial stint, You Can Count on Me. Indeed, for great performances, yes, you can.
--Diane Snyder