'Skylight' makes revival on Broadway

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Two actors you're usually used to seeing on the big screen heading to Broadway, with Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy starring in the revival of "Skylight," a 20-year-old play that's getting a fresh, relevant look in contemporary New York.

Two old lovers come together under a skylight, and we observe how they interact after many years apart.

"For me, I'm always a romantic, I fall for the romance of it," Mulligan said. "The grief and the loss and the so many different things that people have come to my dressing room after and said, "Oh this really resonated with me because this happened to me in my life."

We learn that Edward was married at the time of their affair and left when his wife found out about their six-year liaison.

In the years since, Mulligan's character, Kyra, has become a teacher in the British equivalent of the projects.

Kyra lives simply, while Nighy plays a guy who owns a string of restaurants, part of the so-called 1 percent of rich people.

Even though "Skylight" was first produced decades ago, this Broadway revival has a special relevance today.

"It perfectly integrates into a story about two people trying to have some kind of relationship, a broader message about our general situation and it does it beautifully," Nighy said.

Both Nighy and Mulligan can make more money in movies, but like so many British actors, their first love remains on stage.

"I love Broadway audiences," Mulligan said. "I think they're so engaged the moment the play starts, I really love that. I like feeling them there, so I get very excited about working on Broadway.

"The theater is harder, generally speaking," Nighy said. "But the rewards are proportionate."

There is also a third role in this play, and the businessman's son is played by Matthew Beard. He appears at the beginning and end, but for the most part, "Skylight" is a chance to see two great stars at the top of their game. And it's a limited run, set to exit the Great White Way on June 21.