VOA标准英语2012--Woman Masquerades as 19th Century Dublin Man in 'Albert Nobbs'

Woman Masquerades as 19th Century Dublin Man in 'Albert Nobbs'

It's the morning routine in the kitchen of Morrison's Hotel, a fine Dublin establishment where slender, ruddy-faced Albert Nobbs has worked for almost two decades.
But that "kind little man" has a secret: he is a she, masquerading as a man in order to find work in the tough Irish economy of the 1800's. Glenn Close first played "Albert Nobbs" in the 1982 stage adaptation of a short story by Irish author George Moore.
It's the morning routine in the kitchen of Morrison's Hotel, a fine Dublin establishment where slender, ruddy-faced Albert Nobbs has worked for almost two decades.
But that "kind little man" has a secret: he is a she, masquerading as a man in order to find work in the tough Irish economy of the 1800's. Glenn Close first played "Albert Nobbs" in the 1982 stage adaptation of a short story by Irish author George Moore.
"It was, first of all, a very affecting character to play - very difficult, very challenging, very satisfying," confides¹ Close. " Also, I was amazed at how powerful the story was and how it affected² the audience."
Close won an Obie Award for that off-Broadway performance and then spent almost 30 years trying to get backing for a film version.
"I didn't go into their offices looking like Albert Nobbs, so it's very hard for people, especially Hollywood people, to think of me in that character," notes Close. "Also, you can say that there's humor, but it's hard for them to get it. A lot of the humor is totally in attitude and performance. It was a very tricky³, different kind of story. Anything that far 'out of the box' makes people nervous because it's away from any sort of formula.
"Albert took on her disguise totally as a survival tactic," she adds, "because she was abused and had no name, no money, no job. Then, having gone through that deeply traumatic experience, she chooses to be invisible in a profession where you're supposed to be invisible."
Albert's life changes when she meets another woman in the same predicament: a house painter named Hubert, played by Janet McTeer:
HUBERT: "You're a woman."
ALBERT: "You won't tell on me."
HUBERT: "What's your name?"
ALBERT: "Albert."
HUBERT: "Your real name."
ALBERT: "Albert."
Albert Nobbs is directed by Rodrigo Garcia. The Colombian-born filmmaker, whose father is the author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, believes the film, while true to its period, explores themes that are relevant today.
"I was interested in it because of those things that you do to fit in. It doesn't have to be 19th century, you don't have to be a woman. Sometimes we choose a version of us that will take us further and be more acceptable or popular," explains Garcia.
Albert Nobbs was shot on location in Ireland. The cast includes stage and screen veterans Brenda Fricker and Brendan Gleeson along with rising young star Mia Wasikowska.

1 confides   

v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的第三人称单数 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）

参考例句：

• Now Butterfly confides to Pinkerton that she has secretly embraced Christianity. 蝴蝶向平克顿吐露，她已暗地里信奉了基督教。 来自辞典例句
• He also confides, in great secrecy, that his own heart still bleeds over Natalie. 他还极秘密地透露，他自己内心里还在为那塔丽感到痛苦。 来自辞典例句

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。