Organization: Arizona State University
Date: Tuesday, 29 Sep 1992 10:41:17 MST
From: <IDSWB@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps
Subject: Re: DOOL: Mary Beth Evans Interview

>Sorry if this is a repost.  I tried posting it a couple of weeks ago but
>I think we've been suffering from Black Hole syndrome.  Then again, maybe
>we weren't.  Oh well, here it is anyway....
>
Kix, thanks for the repost or whatever.  If it was posted before, my
server sure didn't pick it up.  Thanks, I'm sure I'll enjoy this.

>From the Aussie mag -- Inside Soap.  Thanks to Kumara for hanging onto
>a copy.
>
Thanks Kumara.

>Reprinted without permission of course
>
Why of course.
>
>MARY BETH EVANS -- THE FULL STORY
>
>Shock waves rocked the soap world when DOOL's Kayla was axed.  In
>her first Australian interview Mary Beth spoke to INSIDE SOAP about
>leaving the show which has been part of her life for six years
>
Got that right.  We were not just rocked, we were shattered.
>
>By Gabriel Wilder
>
>   Mary Beth sounds happy.  Her reign as soap's most popular female
>character may have come to an abrupt and somewhat untimely end,
>yet she speaks as though a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.

Wonder if it could have been the mistreatment she had been putting up
with from TPTB at Dool that caused the weight?

>   Initially, Mary Beth had mixed feelings about the show's decision
>not to renew her contract, although she had been unhappy with storylines
>(yet to air in Australia) that saw Kayla and her sister Kimberley (Patsy
>Pease) fight for the affections of Shane (Charles Shaughnessy).  Stephen
>Nichols had expressed interest in returning as Patch, and Mary Beth was
>looking forward to a reunion of the supercouple.  Sadly, the writers
>decided otherwise, leaving Mary Beth out in the cold.

I'm happy they used the word sadly.  I wonder if the writer of this article
was a DOOL fan when MaryBeth and Steve were on?  I really think that DOOL
missed out when they decided against having Stephen return and create a
great storyline for the both of them.  But, I think everyone on this net
agree with me on that fact.  Too bad the writers couldn't see things our
way and instead decided to keep the farce of Bo and Carly.

>   "People really loved Patch and Kayla, and they loved Shane and Kimberley,
>so it was very difficult," she explains, "and the show wasn't really commited
>to it, anyway.  Everytime Shane and Kayla kissed, they would always have
>Kimberley in the background crying - it was just never going to happen.
>They had the opportunity to bring Stephen back - he wanted to come back! -
>but they didn't know what to write.  I can't imagine that!"  she finishes
>a little sarcastically, referring to the literary gymnastics the writers
>performed to accommodate Deidre Hall upon her return to the show.  The end
>result was a storyline which had one character returning from the dead, and
>two men who thought they were the same person!

  Isn't it amazing that they could find something to write for Roman and
  Marlena yet, couldn't find anything to write about Steve and Kayla.
  After all, Roman and Marlena were written out years and years ago.
  Steve was written out maybe a year ago and he was never actually
  pronounced dead (i.e.; the switching of the coffins at the time
  of burial).  Doesn't it make sense that it would be easier to
  write in Steve than Roman/Marlena?  It does to me.

>   Even though Mary Beth admits that if the writers had been commited to the
>idea of Kayla and Shane as a couple, it could have been a success, she says
>she and Richard Briggs would have liked to see Kayla and Marcus become
>romantically involved.

I believe that this is another subject that has been covered extensively on
the net.  DOOL would never have a inter racial couple on the show.  Remember
the program Generations?  It left the air.  I thought it was an excellent
program which covered a lot of subjects that other soaps, let alone regular
programs would not touch.  I found it refreshing and it was only on 1/2 hour.

>   "Yeah, we wanted to try that.  But they didn't seem to want to commit to
>the interracial issue.  He's a wonderful actor and he doesn't get a chance
>to do what he should.  And Kayla of all people was perfect because she sees
>no colour or no handicap - no anything.  She's a person that just sees people
>for who they are and I think the Marcus story would have been great."

Isn't is sad when people don't see people for who they are?  Again, we are
all in agreement about the chemistry between Kayla and Marcus.  It's really
sad that they're willing to take chances on some things yet, not on other
things that have already shown potential.

Touching scene between Mary Beth and her daughter deleted.

>   Was Mary Beth fond of Kayla?
>   "Oh yes.  I think she's a strong person who believes in values and the good
>in people.  But she wasn't a little goody two shoes.  I liked her a lot and I
>think when you're on a soap for a long time, the two people, yourself and the
>character, sort of merge somewhere in the middle."

This is what most of the characters on DOOL lack.  Staci has appeared to find
that emergence with Issy-B in the last few weeks and it shows in the change of
quality in acting that has occurred.  I don't believe that either Bo or Carly
have found that, or possibly don't even know how to find that quality that
each of their characters are gravely missing.  There are a few others: sCarrie
for an example.

>   What was so special about Patch and Kayla?
>   "Boy, that's tough," she says, thinking for a moment.  "I think we trusted
>each other and we really cared about each other in real life.  And I think
>Patch is a very sensitive person.  Few rough and gruff guys like that show
>fears and emotion like he did.  And I think the audience loved that bad boy/
>good girl thing, so all those elements together made them so popular."

I also think that they went back to basics...trust, honesty, and a great
love between the two of them.  It was portrayed believably and sweetly.

>   "I really liked Gideon, the Civil War story - that's one of my
>favourites," she says.  "I love that whole period.  And I liked the deaf
>storyline a lot, too," she says, describing it as "a challenge".

Ah, when she found the diary in the old chest in the old house.  Yup, I
agree here.  This story was magic.

>   Busy attending auditions, which she describes as "absolute torture", Mary
>Beth is enjoying her freedom, and doesn't have any specific plans for the
>future.

Sounds like those auditions are as much fun as going on job interviews.
Imagine doing that every couple of months.  Argg, I think I'll pass.

>   "My kids are two and four-and-a-half, and I've been working since they
>were born, so it's really nice just to be home and be with them.  I'm really
>enjoying it."
>--
I think most working mothers can appreciate how Mary Beth feels about this.
It is a good feeling to spend some time with your kids.  I believe she said
she was planning on a whole summer.  Ah, if only it were possible financially.
>
>Kix

Thanks again Kix.  I'm really happy you posted this article for our enjoyment.

A starving, ready to go to lunch Quince

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