He strode to the podium and then began talking about walls and molecular structure. “Unlike flying or astral projection, walking through walls is a totally earth-related craft, but a lot more interesting than pot-making or driftwood lamps,“ he said matter-of-factly.
It was a repeat of three years ago when Rylance similarly confused the Tony audience when he went on stage to collect the top acting prize for his work in “Boeing-Boeing.“
“If you go into the woods, the back country, someplace past all human habitation, it is a good idea to wear orange and carry a gun,” he told the crowd in 2008.
“Or, depending on the season, carry a fishing pole, or a camera with a big lens. “It turns out that both times Rylance was quoting works by Louis Jenkins, an obscure poet from Minnesota. At the 2008 Tonys, Rylance was citing “The Back Country.
“On Sunday night, the Jenkins poem was “Walking Through a Wall. “Why did he do it? “I feel kind of sad when I win things, to be honest with you, “ he said backstage before being whisked away. “I always think you should prepare something to say.”
