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jamesginortonblog · 7 years ago

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Belleville reviews

I will add other reviews as they appear, so check this post for updates.

Stage Review **** - Belleville is 100 minutes of rising suspense and edge-of-your-seat tension that has a couple of gross-out moments, a few seconds of nudity that will make women of a certain age gasp in admiration, and an awful lot going for it. The big draw is [...] James Norton, who can add his growing maturity as a stage actor to a CV that is already bulging with scorching turns on TV and film. He’s terrific. He delivers a complex, multi-layered performance that excites, shocks and disturbs. [...] .Imogen Poots is emerging as a hugely watchable stage actress. She has a moment here, with a large chef’s knife and a big toenail, that will remain with me, and you, forever. The audience was aghast.

Financial Times **** - Herzog allows the marital relationship of late-twenties Americans Abby and Zack to present itself gradually, Michael Longhurst directs with a discreet touch . [...] Imogen Poots, making a rare stage appearance, flakes convincingly as Abby; James Norton as Zack holds most of it in until his psychological dam bursts. Malachi Kirby and Faith Alabi have a brief but surprisingly important francophone coda. It makes for powerful viewing, but as I say, perhaps not the thing if what you’re after is a slice of seasonal good cheer.

Plays To See ***** - Although the writing covers various themes and angles, Michael Longhurst’s direction helps to move time along in a sophisticated and intelligent manner, meaning that the chronology of the narrative is credible and the action feels fluid and natural.Malachi Kirby and Faith Alabi are excellent in their roles as a young French couple that contrast and conflict with Abby and Zach, and their characters have many dimensions that are explored and demonstrated throughout the play. Dominating the majority of the action, Imogen Poots and James Norton visibly pour everything into the execution of their roles, and it’s due to their impeccably emotive and intense performances that the production delivers the impact that it does.

The Up Coming ***** - Those who are not fans of intense melodramatic human stories don’t need to worry. Belleville is mainly characterised by an amazing cast with absolutely flawless performances by Imogen Poots and James Norton. They are not only convincing as a couple struggling to save their relationship but they also play wonderfully as individuals. As the story progresses it’s easy to realise how destructive these two human beings are, and how much pain they inflict on each other as a result. The loss of a mother, the birth of a child and some past regrets make up the main points of conflict, giving both actors the chance to elevate Amy Herzog’s script to a mesmerising level. We can’t forget about the two supporting roles in this drama. Malachi Kirby and Faith Alabi complete the cast as the apartment’s landlord and his wife, living in the same building and clearly affected by the chaotic couple and their misadventures. Their dialogue is often in French and there is a realistic approach to the cultural differences in all the scenes the four performers have together. The set is impeccable and very intimate. The rooms are displayed in such a way that the audience is placed at the same level as the stage, so we all feel as if we are inside this apartment with these characters. The colours and the design of the different rooms are very smart, setting the tone for the climax perfectly, as the action usually occurs between the kitchen, the bathroom and the living room.

The Times **** - Michael Longhurst directs a psychological thriller dressed up as a sitcom, with the perfect Paris flat set by Tom Scutt. Doors slam, accidents happen, there are farcical vomiting scenes. The timeline seems off and yet the tension keeps ratcheting up until, despite myself, I was riveted. Why did he do that? When will he tell her the big secret? And why does he keep confiscating her phone? Imogen Poots is brilliant as Abby, mercurial and self-obsessed but not, surely, bonkers. James Norton is equally good as the erratic Zack. It’s hard to know which side we are on, especially when it becomes clear that the Parisian kitchenette has a very sharp knife. Baguette anyone? It’ll keep you guessing, that’s for sure.

Telegraph **** Riveting and troubling insights on the frailty of human relationships - What makes the evening so disquieting – and accomplished – is that we’re witness to the accumulative power of subtle nudges – each eggs the other on, wittingly and unwittingly, towards a primeval forest of fear, hurt and rage. Norton just keeps making smart career moves: Zack combines some of the vicar-next-door niceness viewers loved in Granchester with the psychotic intensity at which the actor excelled as reviled rapist Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley. This former medical student looks so dependable, in white T-shirt and jeans, flashing a sexy, toothsome smile as he nibbles healingly at Abby’s stubbed toe – the duo even make out on the sofa at one moment of rekindled ardour. He registers relatable hurt when Abby displays a viciousness straight out of the Edward Albee book of marital put-downs, yet there’s also an inscrutable gleam in his eye that suggests he shouldn’t be allowed to toy too much with that kitchen knife.

What’s On Stage **** - Norton is perfectly cast as Zack: the picture of outward masculinity and yet strangely wet behind the ears as well. Poots too seems entirely together until she’s hobbling around drunk and taking a knife to a blackened toenail. At its simplest, this is a portrait of care and the pressures that come with it. Their relationship is full of real, lived details – the tenderness and shorthand that betrays their history - under Michael Longhurst’s direction, but, with Natasha Chivers’ clever lighting and Ben and Max Ringham’s unnerving urban soundscape, he subverts the tricks and tropes of horror with real skill

The Art Desk **** - prickly and unnerving Imogen Poots and James Norton in terrific form as American expats living on the edge - Committing to the stage at a time when they could be forgiven for thinking only of the screen, James Norton and Imogen Poots are in accent-perfect, emotionally precise form as two 28-year-old married Americans inhabiting gently rundown rented digs in Belleville […] Herzog has great fun larding her text with the necessary clues, and Poots and Norton bring to this emotional cat-and-mouse game a ready physicality and ease that draw the audience in,

RadioTimes **** James Norton is brilliant as a man on the edge - Norton is utterly compelling as a man on the edge. As his lies unravel, Zack grows desperate and reveals a darker side.Poots is equally brilliant as Abby, who’s so caught up in her own unhappiness, she fails to notice her husband’s strange behaviour. Poots doesn’t waste a sentence as she flounces around the stage – angry, funny and terribly cruel by turns. Between the blazing rows are fleeting moments of tenderness and affection. All the action takes place within 24 hours in their small, messy flat and director Michael Longhurst ratchets up the tension. Pulsing, unsettling music between the scenes adds to the sense of foreboding. At times it’s hard to watch, but impossible to tear your eyes away.This is the UK debut of Belleville and the Donmar’s intimate auditorium is perfect for this claustrophobic play. At only an hour and 40 minutes with no interval, it’s short but packs a punch. There were audible gasps and whimpers from the audience when their drunken night out spirals out of control.It could be taken as an indictment of indulged, self-obsessed millennials, but it’s also a heart-wrenching, stomach-churning portrayal of a marriage in crisis.

The Independent *** - James Norton and Imogen Poots excel as fraught Americans in Paris in Amy Herzog's sharp-eared study of a young marriage that is starting to unravel. [...] For my taste, the final scenes are overly melodramatic – simplifying what had been complex – and I am not sure that the entire set-up bears much scrutiny when you ponder it afterwards. But Herzog has an excruciatingly good ear for marital strains; the acting is terrific; and Michael Longhurst paces the show absorbingly.

The Guardian *** Amy Herzog’s tale of uprooted Americans sinks into melodrama but is elevated by a central pair who reveal all the nuances of a marriage in crisis - Fortunately the acting, in Michael Longhurst’s production, is very good. Poots made an impressive West End debut earlier this year in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and once again she plays a wife slowly waking up to the truth about her husband. Physically, Poots reminds me of a young Goldie Hawn; emotionally, she has the capacity to show the accident-prone self-absorption of a certain kind of American while at same time enlisting your sympathy for her isolation. Norton, who seems to be the epitome of good-looking normality, also gradually reveals Zack’s insecurity as if peeling the layers off an onion. They make a dynamic couple and there is staunch support from Malachi Kirby as their furtively pot-smoking landlord and Faith Alabi as his watchfully censorious wife.

Evening Standard *** - In this UK premiere of Amy Herzog’s unsettling drama there’s a fizzy chemistry between the leads. James Norton and Imogen Poots play a recently wed American couple, relishing bohemian life in Paris. They’re attractive but also maddening — Norton and Poots make their marriage seem like a grenade with the pin removed. […] Director Michael Longhurst achieves an atmosphere of barely suppressed violence. Poots is excellent at probing Abby’s unhappy self-obsession, and Norton skilfully suggests two very different sides of Zack — a vanity that can be menacingly icy, and a fumbling, fidgety desperation.

London Theatre *** - It’s an anxious, edgy but perplexing play about characters dancing around the abyss of their lives and failing relationship together.It is, however, at least partially redeemed by the quietly stunning performances of James Norton and Imogen Poots, two fast-rising stage and screen actors, whose naturalistic and complicated unease with each other is palpable. Also extraordinary is Malachi Kirby, named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit in 2016, as the landlord and Faith Alabi as his partner.

TimeOut *** - Herzog and director Michael Longhurst give us a brilliantly acted but uneven psychological thriller. Norton offers a masterclass in simultaneous menace and vulnerability, a sort of millennial Willy Loman, whilst Poots is fantastic as a fraying woman gradually, agonisingly forcing herself to confront the fact that something has gone terribly awry with her life. At its best ‘Belleville’ comes close to being a perfect depiction of corrosive male narcissism. But it always backs away.

British Theatre Guide - Although it is set just before Christmas with a birth in the offing, Belleville is far, far away from the standard fare at this time of year, more likely to send audience members home in a state of shock than with a big post-panto smile on their faces.Under Michael Longhurst’s direction on a hyper-realistic set designed by Tom Scutt, Imogen Poots once again shines as moody Abby, while James Norton almost hits the same heights, although is very slightly less convincing in conveying the duality of his character’s personality.

Theatre Cat **** - As you can tell, it’s all a bit Albee, and there is something bracingly merciless – in this age of compulsory compassion – about Herzog’s depiction of someone both mentally ill and shrilly entitled who systematically wrecks a life, marriage and indeed a flat. But it is also horribly entertaining. James Norton’s as clean-cut Zack takes a remarkable journey from calm doctorliness to utter dissolution, and Poots is fearless, pitch-perfect and generally mesmerising. Malachi Kirby and Faith Alabi are perfect as the neighbours: younger, saner, their hardworking immigrant decency a shaming foil to the lost-soul , self-indulgent Westerneners.

The Stage ** Superbly acted and impeccable staged production of a lurid and bloodless domestic psychological thriller - The worm in the bud of romance wriggles here, too: how well do we ever know each other, however much we believe we’re in love?Yet none of it is very original, and having reached a hysterical pitch, the action is rather abruptly cut off and abandoned. Norton and Poots execute the steps of the familiar dance of deception, double bluff and crack-up with skill and conviction – both are queasily absorbing. But they’re more than this dull-edged psychodrama deserves.

Cultural Capital - What makes this a worthwhile are the two central performances from James Norton and Imogen Poots who bring credibility to their characters and help to disguise some of the weakness of the material. Actors, of course, do far more than read the words their given, with this show being a case in point, and in large part, the audience investment created at the start of the show, comes from their ability to breathe life into Abby and Zack, encouraging your interest in what happens to them.

#james norton #belleville #imogen poots #amy herzog #michael longhurst #reviews

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londontheatre · 8 years ago

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Hamlet Andrew Scott photographed by Miles Aldridge

Olivier Award-winning director, Robert Icke’s (Mary Stuart, The Red Barn, Uncle Vanya, Oresteia, Mr Burns and 1984), ground-breaking and electrifying production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, starring BAFTA award-winner Andrew Scott (Moriarty in BBC’s Sherlock, Denial, Spectre, Design For Living and Cock) in the title role, will transfer to the Harold Pinter Theatre, following a critically acclaimed and sell-out run at the Almeida Theatre. Hamlet will run for a limited season only from 9 June to 2 September 2017 with press night on Thursday 15 June.

Hamlet is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group (Sunday In The Park With George, Buried Child, Oresteia), Sonia Friedman Productions and the Almeida Theatre (Chimerica, Ghosts, King Charles III, 1984, Oresteia), who are renowned for introducing groundbreaking, critically acclaimed transfers to the West End.

Rupert Goold, Artistic Director, Almeida Theatre said “We’re delighted that with this transfer more people will be able to experience our production of Hamlet. Robert, Andrew, and the entire Hamlet company have created an unforgettable Shakespeare which we’re looking forward to sharing even more widely over the summer in partnership with Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG.”

Robert Icke, Director (and Almeida Theatre Associate Director) said “It has been such a thrill to work with Andrew and the extraordinary company of Hamlet on this play so far, and I’m delighted we’re going to continue our work on this play in the West End this summer. I’m also extremely proud to be working with the Almeida and our producers, ATG and Sonia Friedman, to be able to present this play in a way that genuinely throws the doors open to a bigger range of audience members. In an increasingly expensive industry, I can’t tell you how brilliant it is for them to commit to having 300 tickets priced at under £30 at every single show.”

Andrew Scott, playing Hamlet, “I’m so thrilled and honoured to be playing this extraordinary role with these brilliant actors in Rob’s stunning production. We have been overwhelmed with the reaction to our interpretation of Hamlet and I’m so happy that we can share it with a larger audience. This is a play full of heart, compassion and humanity. I’m so happy that we are able to offer 300 tickets for under £30 to every performance in the West End run to allow everybody a chance to see the play.”

The confirmed cast for the transfer of Robert Icke’s production includes Marty Cruickshank (Player Queen), Jessica Brown Findlay (Ophelia), Calum Finlay (Rosencrantz), Joshua Higgott (Horatio), Daniel Rabin (Reynaldo), David Rintoul (Ghost/Player King), Andrew Scott (Hamlet) Juliet Stevenson (Gertrude), Luke Thompson (Laertes), Peter Wight (Polonius), Angus Wright (Claudius) and Matthew Wynn (Bernardo/Player 3/Priest). Further cast will be announced in due course.

Hamlet has design by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tom Gibbons, and video design by Tal Yarden. The Associate Director is Daniel Raggett. Casting is by Julia Horan.

Multi award-winning Director, Robert Icke, has adapted/directed at the Almeida Theatre Mary Stuart, Uncle Vanya, Oresteia (also West End, and for which Icke won the Critics’ Circle, Evening Standard and Olivier Award for Best Director) and the multi-award-winning 1984 with Duncan Macmillan (also West End as well as playing several UK and international tours, and a forthcoming Broadway run at the newly opened Hudson Theater).

His work as a director includes The Fever at The May Fair Hotel, Mr Burns at the Almeida, Boys and Romeo and Juliet for Headlong. He made his National Theatre debut directing The Red Barn, at the Lyttelton Theatre in October 2016 starring Mark Strong and Elizabeth Debicki.

http://ift.tt/2hOW3hN LondonTheatre1.com

#IFTTT #LondonTheatre1.com

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ivisitlondon · 8 years ago

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iVisit.... HAMLET @ Almeida Theatre

As rehearsals begin, the cast for HAMLET at the Almeida Theatre is announced. Barry Aird, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Marty Cruickshank, Calum Findlay, Joshua Higgott, Amaka Okafor, Daniel Rabin, David Rintoul, Peter Wight, Angus Wright and Matthew Wynn join the previously announced Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Juliet Stevenson and Luke Thompson in a production directed by Almeida Associate Director Robert Icke.

ghost / devil acting / madness be / not be

HAMLET is designed by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tom Gibbons, and video design by Tal Yarden. The Associate Director is Daniel Raggett. Casting is by Julia Horan.

Barry Aird’s theatre credits include Hamlet at the Barbican; Othello for Frantic Assembly; The Mousetrap and The Shawshank Redemption in the West End; Measure for Measure; Hamlet for Theatre Royal Plymouth and on tour; The Sons of York at the Finborough Theatre; What the Butler Saw at Salisbury Playhouse; Watership Down at the Lyric Hammersmith and on tour; The Taming of the Shrew at Bristol Old Vic; Speaking Like Magpies; Sejanus His Fall; Believe What You Will; Sir Thomas Moore; Othello; Henry VIII; The Merry Wives of Windsor; Camino Real; and St Erkanwald for the RSC. Television includes Berlin Station; Marcella; Close to the Enemy; Peaky Blinders; Doctor Who; Love and Marriage; Merlin; Lewis; Misfits; Survivors; Dracula; and Being Human. Film includes The Marker; City of Tiny Lights; Avengers: Age of Ultron; Dungeons and Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness; and Eleven Fifty-Nine.

Elliot Barnes-Worrell’s theatre includes Man and Superman at the National Theatre; Richard II, The Two Gentleman of Verona; and Henry IV, Part I & 2 for the RSC; The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner for Pilot Theatre at York Theatre Royal and on tour; and Loyalty at Hampstead Theatre. Television includes Jericho; Poirot and Doctor Who; and film includes Ready Player One.

Jessica Brown Findlay has previously appeared in Uncle Vanya at the Almeida and Oresteia at the Almeida and Trafalgar Studios. Her television credits include Downton Abbey, The Outcast, Jamaica Inn, Labyrinth and Black Mirror: 15 Million Merits. Her film credits include Albatross (nominated for her performance in the Best Newcomer categories at the 2012 British Independent Film Awards and the Evening Standard Film Awards), Winter’s Tale, Lullaby, The Riot Club, Victor Frankenstein, Steven and This Beautiful Fantastic.

Marty Cruickshank’s theatre includes Richard II; The Heresy of Love; Hamlet; and Love in a Wood for the RSC and A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream for the RSC and Garsington Opera; After Electra at the Tricycle Theatre; Exit the King for Theatre Royal, Bath; Early Days; A Fair Quarrel; and The World Turned Upside Down for the National Theatre; Much Ado About Nothing and Two Clouds Over Eden at the Royal Exchange; London Wall at the Finborough Theatre and in the West End; Pygmalion at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End; Summer Lightning; Habeas Corpus; Quartermaine’s Terms at the Royal & Derngate; A Delicate Balance at Nottingham Playhouse; and A Flea in Her Ear at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Television includes Babs; Line of Duty; Lewis; Spooks; Kavanagh QC; Faith in the Future; and Unnatural Pursuits. Film includes London Wall; I, Anna; and The Fool. As a writer, Marty’s credits include The Princess of Cleves for ICA; A Difficult Age for English Touring Theatre; Why Things Happen for Second Stride; and Bathing Elizabeth for Channel 4/Warner Sisters.

Calum Finlay’s theatre credits include The Ghost Train and Too Clever By Half at Manchester Royal Exchange; Dunsinane for the RSC and National Theatre of Scotland and The Merry Wives of Windsor; The Mouse and His Child; Macbeth and Jubilee for the RSC; Tartuffe at Birmingham Repertory Theatre; and The Prince of Denmark for the National Theatre. Joshua Higgott has previously appeared in Oresteia (also Trafalgar Studios) and 1984 for the Almeida Theatre and in the West End. Past theatre credits include Shakespeare in Love at the Noël Coward Theatre; The Alchemist for Liverpool Everyman; Regeneration for Royal & Derngate Theatre; Birdsong UK Tour; and Twelfth Night at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. His film credits include Darkest Hour; The Mummy; Juliet Remembered; and The Machine.

Amaka Okafor’s theatre credits includes Peter Pan at the National Theatre; I See You at the Royal Court; Hamlet at the Barbican; Mermaid for Shared Experience; Glasgow Girls for the National Theatre of Scotland, Citizens Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East; Flathampton for the Royal & Derngate; Dr Korczak's Example for the Royal Exchange and Arcola Theatre; The Bacchae for the National Theatre of Scotland; Branded and Hitting Heights at the Old Vic; and Meantime at Soho Theatre. Amaka was in the Ensemble at The Unicorn Theatre for two years.

Daniel Rabin is currently appearing in Mary Stuart at the Almeida and previously appeared in 1984 for the Almeida in the West End. Other theatre includes Pericles; The Winter’s Tale; King John; Tis Pity She’s a Whore; Anthony and Cleopatra; and Holy Warriors at Shakespeare’s Globe; Oedipus for Nottingham Playhouse and the Spoleto Festival; Ignorance at Hampstead Theatre; Blue Remembered Hills at Chichester Festival Theatre; and The Bomb at the Tricycle Theatre. Television includes The Royals; Game of Thrones; Ambassadors; Our Men; Henry - Mind of a Tyrant; The Roman Mysteries; and Money Can't Buy You Love. Film includes Lilac's Laughter; Mind The Gap; and Two's Company.

David Rintoul’s theatre credits include Nell Gwynn for Shakespeare’s Globe and at the Apollo Theatre; Remembrance of Things Past; The World Turned Upside Down; The Trojan War Will Not Take Place; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and The Rivals at the National Theatre; The Roaring Girl; The White Devil; The Witch of Edmonton; The Taming of the Shrew; Breakfast with Mugabe; The American Pilot; Keepers of the Flame; Henry IV, Parts I & II; Edward III; and Island Princess at the RSC; The Speculator at the Traverse Theatre; As You Like It and Map of the Heart at Shakespeare’s Globe; The Big Fella and Anderson’s English for Out of Joint; Gaslight and Phaedra for the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh; Dirty Dancing at Aldwych Theatre; Lady Windermere’s Fan; The Winslow Boy; and Putting It Together for Chichester Festival Theatre; An Ideal Husband and Macbeth for the Old Vic; and Etta Jenks and Sergeant Ola and his Followers for the Royal Court. Television includes Game of Thrones; Muncie; Silk; Doctor Finlay; The Bible; Injustice; Private Practice; Pride and Prejudice; Taggart; The Cherry Orchard; Hornblower; Poirot; and Sweet Medicine. Film includes The Iron Lady; My Week with Marilyn; Unrelated; and The Ghost Writer. Andrew Scott will play Hamlet. Andrew most recently appeared in The Dazzle at Found111. His other theatre credits include Olivier Award-winning performances in Cock and A Girl in a Car with a Man, as well as Birdland, Dying City, Crave and Playing The Victim at the Royal Court; 50 Years on Stage, Sea Wall, Emperor and Galilean and Aristocrats at the National Theatre; Design for Living and Dublin Carol at the Old Vic; and The Vertical Hour on Broadway. His recent films include Swallows and Amazons; Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass; Spectre, Jimmy’s Hall, Victor Frankenstein, Locke, Pride (BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor). Forthcoming films include Denial, Handsome Devil. Television credits include his BAFTA winning role as Moriarty in the BBC’s Sherlock, The Hollow Crown, The Town, The Hour, John Adams and Band of Brothers. He has twice won the BBC Audio Drama award for his work on Radio.‎

Juliet Stevenson is currently sharing the role of Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I with Lia Williams in Mary Stuart at the Almeida, having previously appeared here in Duet for One. Other theatre credits include Winnie in Beckett’s Happy Days at the Young Vic; The Seagull, Private Lives, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hedda Gabler and Yerma for the National Theatre; Les Liaisons Dangereuses, As You Like It, Troilus and Cressida, Measure for Measure and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the RSC; The Heretic, Alice and Death and The Maiden (Olivier Award for Best Actress) at the Royal Court. Her film credits include Departure, Mona Lisa Smile, Bend it Like Beckham, Emma, Truly Madly Deeply and the upcoming Let Me Go. Her television credits include The Enfield Haunting, The Village, White Heat, The Accused, The Road from Coorain, The Politician’s Wife and One of Us. She was awarded a CBE in 1999 for her services to drama.

Luke Thompson previously appeared in Oresteia at the Almeida and at Trafalgar Studios. His other theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (shortlisted for the Evening Standard Outstanding Newcomer award), Blue Stockings, Julius Caesar and The Broken Heart at Shakespeare’s Globe; Tiger Country at Hampstead Theatre. Television credits include The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and In the Club. Film includes Making Noise Quietly.

Peter Wight’s theatre credits include The Red Lion; Ivanov; Sleep With Me; Murmuring Judges; The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui; Black Snow; and Waiting for Godot at the National Theatre; Trelawny of The Wells at the Donmar Warehouse; In Basildon; Otherwise Engaged; Chekhov's Women in the West End; The Spanish Tragedy; Much Ado About Nothing; Barbarians; A Clockwork Orange; and Hamlet for the RSC; Mouth to Mouth, The Seagull (also Broadway) , In The Republic of Happiness; In Basildon (also West End); Face to the Wall; and Not A Game for Boys at the Royal Court; The Caretaker for the Globe Warsaw; Edward II at the Royal Exchange Manchester; Dearly Beloved and Grace for Hampstead Theatre. Television includes Brief Encounters; I Want My Wife Back; Our Zoo; The Mimic; The Paradise; Hit and Miss; Public Enemies; Titanic; Money; Monday Monday; Boy Meets Girl; 10 Days to War; Party Animals; Dalziel and Pascoe; Persuasion; Fantabulosa!; Murder Prevention; Early Doors; Room at the Top; The Security Men; and Uncle Adolf. Film includes The Program; Mr Turner; King of Soho; Another Year; Kon-Tiki; Hard Boiled Sweets; Womb; Atonement; Hot Fuzz; Lassie; Babel; Pride and Prejudice; and Vera Drake. Angus Wright has previously appeared in Oresteia (also Trafalgar Studios), 1984 in the West End, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Almeida. Other theatre credits include The Cherry Orchard at the Young Vic; Twelfth Night & Richard III for Shakespeare’s Globe on Broadway; Privates on Parade in the West End; The Master and Margarita for Complicite; The Cat in The Hat at the National Theatre and Young Vic; Wastwater at the Royal Court; Design for Living at the Old Vic; The Merchant of Venice; Hamlet; Talk of the City; The Theban Plays; The Dybbuk; Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 for the RSC; Measure for Measure for Complicite and the National Theatre, Mrs Affleck; War Horse; Saint Joan; The Seagull; Dream Play; Stuff Happens; Three Sisters; Chips with Everything; and Mother Courage at the National Theatre. Television includes Flowers; Peep Show; Father Brown; Being Human; Breathless; Murder on the Home Front; Above Suspicion; Boudica; Cambridge Spies; The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall; The Way We Live Now; and Between the Lines. Film includes A Little Chaos; Jack Ryan; Maleficent; Closed Circuit; Private Peaceful; The Iron Lady; Affair of the Necklace; Kingdom of Heaven; RKO 281; The Bank Job; Bridget Jones’s Diary; Charlotte Gray; Cutthroat Island; First Knight; Labyrinth; and Frankenstein. Matthew Wynn’s theatre credits include Measure for Measure at the Young Vic; Henry V and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton; The Guardsman at the Albery Theatre; and Bouncers for Wakefield Theatre Royal and Hull Truck. Film includes Interview With A Hitman; Leave To Remain; and Aberdeen. Television includes Silent Witness; Spooks; Man Down; Mount Pleasant; The Real Essex Boys; 55 Degrees North; Harry & Cosh and Byker Grove.

Almeida Associate Director Robert Icke has adapted and directed Mary Stuart, Uncle Vanya, Oresteia (also West End; won the Critics' Circle and Evening Standard Awards for Best Director) and the multi-award winning 1984 with Duncan Macmillan (also West End as well as playing several UK and international tours) at the Almeida. His work as a director includes The Fever at The May Fair Hotel, Mr Burns at the Almeida, Boys and Romeo and Juliet for Headlong. He made his National Theatre debut directing The Red Barn, at the Lyttelton Theatre in October 2016.

#@AlmeidaTheatre

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cftprologue · 6 years ago

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The Chalk Garden opens in the Festival Theatre this month and we had a chat with the Lighting Designer, Natasha Chivers about her role and working on the production.

Please briefly tell us what a lighting designer does? The lighting designer watches rehearsals, looks at the set model (a mini scale version of the set) and decides, in discussion with the director and designer, what kind of lighting the show should have. They might decide for example that it should be bright and crisp, shadowy and sculptural (like film noir) or romantic and soft. These styles are created by choosing what kind of light I should use, which direction the light should come from and what colour filter should it have.

How did you become a lighting designer? I was interested in theatre as a career at A level but knew I didn't want to perform so I applied for drama school to study everything except acting and see which discipline I found most interesting. Lighting is magical so that stuck.

What’s your favourite thing about your job? I'm torn between two answers: firstly the people and secondly the fact it's never boring and I get to travel all over the world.

How do you approach lighting a production like The Chalk Garden and how closely do you work with the director and set designer? The set model is a great help as it is a replica of the real thing (a bit like a doll’s house) so I can see exactly what the designer is trying to achieve – down to the colours, textures and paint finishes. Normally there would be a meeting early on with the director and designer where we would discuss the ideas and themes of the play and the atmosphere we want to create, along with more practical thoughts on time of day, direction of sun (in a naturalistic set) and movement of the actors.

How did you come to be involved in this production in particular? My agent contacted me after Chichester got in touch to check if I was free. I worked at Sheffield Crucible quite a bit when Daniel Evans [CFT’s Artistic Director] was there, and before that when he was acting in Sunday in The Park With George in the West End, so I suspect he may have suggested me. Although I did light The House They Grew Up In in the Minerva for Festival 2017 so maybe it was because of that.... the truth is I'm not quite sure!

What are you looking forward to most about working on this production? I'm looking forward to tackling the Festival Theatre space which is new to me. It's big and an unusual shape so it will be a great feeling if I can pull off something I'm proud off. I'm also looking forward to being out of London in the late spring and being surrounded by greenery.

What advice would you give to a young person interested in getting into lighting design? It's a really friendly supportive industry so get in touch with people if you need help in knowing how to move forward. Also take as much work as you can and get stuck in... Light is an elusive thing and you only really learn properly and develop a style by doing it!

The Chalk Garden runs from 25 May - 16 June in the Festival Theatre. Read more about the play here.

#lighting #theatre #Chichester Festival Theatre #careers #theatrejobs

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newyorktheater · 6 years ago

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Complete list of winners below, in red with an * (Click on titles to get more information about the show.)

Those nominees with a heart mark (♥) are ones I voted for. (I’m a voting member of the Drama Desk.)

The complete list is below:

Outstanding Play

Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater

Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop

Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons

♥ People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical

Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective

Mean Girls

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

♥ SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Revival of a Play

Angels in America

Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company

In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company

♥ Three Tall Women

Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

Carousel

♥ My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Once on This Island

Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play

Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

♥ Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

James McArdle, Angels in America

Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Play

Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop

Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

♥ Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women

Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women

Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Jelani Alladin, Frozen

Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady

Joshua Henry, Carousel

Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell

♥ Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

LaChanze, Summer

Jessie Mueller, Carousel

♥ Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

♥ Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater

Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage

Nathan Lane, Angels in America

David Morse, The Iceman Cometh

Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground

♥ Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Deirdre O’Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club

Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova

Alexander Gemignani, Carousel

Grey Henson, Mean Girls

♥ Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants

Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

♥ Lindsay Mendez, Carousel

Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island

Ashley Park, Mean Girls

Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady

Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls

Outstanding Director of a Play

Marianne Elliott, Angels in America

Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

♥ Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women

Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons

Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

*John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Jack O’Brien, Carousel

♥ Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants

Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady

The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography

Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island

Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants

Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls

♥ Justin Peck, Carousel

Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company

Outstanding Music

The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space

Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

♥ Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Lyrics

Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls

♥ Quiara Alegría Hudes/Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company

Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Tina Fey, Mean Girls

♥ Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants

Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company

Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59

Outstanding Orchestrations

Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants

Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island

Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater

Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

♥ Jonathan Tunick, Carousel

Outstanding Music in a Play

Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

♥ Justin Hicks, Mlima’s Tale, Public Theatre

Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company

Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Public Theater

Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play

♥ Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women

Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann’s Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59

Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island

♥ Santo Loquasto, Carousel

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play

Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

♥ Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King

Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Ann Roth, Three Tall Women

Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls

Clint Ramos, Once on This Island

David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

♥ Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater

Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play

♥ Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Natasha Chivers, 1984

Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre

Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women

Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical

Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59

Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones

Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island

Brian MacDevitt, Carousel

♥ Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design

David Bengali, Van Gogh’s Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century

Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants

Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls

♥ Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59

Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Tom Gibbons, 1984

♥ Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong

Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical

♥ Kai Harada, The Band’s Visit

Scott Lehrer, Carousel

Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective

Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Wig and Hair

Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King

Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater

♥ Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants

Josh Marquette, Mean Girls

Outstanding Solo Performance

♥ Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre

David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group

Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Lesli Margherita, Who’s Holiday!

Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59

The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience

Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company

Master, Foundry Theatre

Say Something Bunny!

Outstanding Fight Choreography

J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep

Steve Rankin, Carousel

♥ Unkle Dave’s Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project

Outstanding Puppet Design

Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America

♥ Michael Curry, Frozen

Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder

Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

SPECIAL AWARDS

Sean Carvajal in Jesus Hopped the A Train

Edi Gathegi

Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole and PaigeGilbert in School Girls

Juan Castano in Oedipus El Reye

To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the A Train whose last-minute entrances into the Signature production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending

Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, whose characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.

Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El Rey, A Parallelogram, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate great things to come for this talented performer.

2018 Drama Desk Winners Complete list of winners below, in red with an * (Click on titles to get more information about the show.)

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xiaoyangs-blog · 7 years ago

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Naked refresh passion? The advantages and disadvantages for naked sex

Most people are used to sleeping in pajamas at night. Even some women sleep with their underwear tied at night. Dress to sleep is not, but it is found that the naked healthier. Especially female friends, take off bras to sleep, not only to protect health, but also to increase intimacy between husband and wife.

About 10% of Americans sleep naked, a survey has found. In fact, it is not only healthy, but also improve the quality of sex.

1, make women's private parts healthier

"Women's genitals are moist all the year round," said Dr. Jennifer Landa, author of the women's sex drive. "This kind of environment speeds up mold and germs.". The naked increased ventilation privates, can greatly reduce the risk of fungal infection and other gynecological diseases.

2, help to arouse passion

The naked couple kissing more convenient, helps to release the "cuddle hormone" oxytocin, couples closer distance, let more easily arouse the passion. But experts believe that sexual nudity, in nature's garb will make sexual life fresh and mysterious disappeared, long naked easily lead to fatigue, decreased quality of life of husband and wife, it is necessary for people in fresh more time.

3, can improve sleep quality

Dr. Lisa Chivers, an expert at the National Sleep Association, said: "the bedroom has a high temperature, and a thick Pajama or quilt makes sleep sweeter.". Sleep is the body gradually cooling, naked helps the body cooling, and then improve the quality of sleep. In addition, there is no clothing bondage, relax the body, blood flow, and help improve the cold hands and feet, so that people more easily into deep sleep.

4, beauty and skin care

"Excessive sleep can interfere with the secretion of melatonin and growth hormone, a major anti-aging hormone," says Natasha Turner, a physiotherapist and author of the hormone diet. Naked, temperature slightly contribute to the release of growth hormone, and the body of the self repair. In addition, the exposed skin can absorb more nutrients, promote metabolism, beneficial sebaceous glands and sweat glands secretion, so that the skin and hair more healthy.

5, to avoid obesity

Turner said, naked let you sleep more heavily more fragrant, which helps to reduce the levels of stress hormone cortisol, can reduce the heat and hunger. If sleep is disturbed, cortisol levels rise, waking up tends to be hungry, eating more easily and eating too much food is not good for losing weight.

6, to make you more confident

The full disclosure of your body will help you learn to appreciate the beauty and make you feel sexier and more confident, dr..

The advantages and disadvantages for naked sex

Nihon University professor of social welfare, the log has pointed out that the naked to help improve sexual desire, asexual couples return to normal sex life. The Japanese water found in the process of urologists male sex problems, establish naked sleep habits, men can become more confident in life, life of husband and wife is more open, which is to promote mutual trust between the sexes, promote the relationship between husband and wife have a very good help.

But there are people who disagree on the naked, such as sexual experts think, naked to the sexual life of husband and wife more "straight to the point, at a glance, the lack of freshness and sense of mystery, go down for a long time to bring about" sexy passivation ", reduce the quality of life of husband and wife. Some adolescent males are not suitable for naked, because this young people are full of sap, and the lack of a barrier to lower body naked, often with quilt friction, penis excitability, nocturnal frequent erections, easy to sleep.

0 notes

playreviewskbgs-blog · 7 years ago

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1984 - Harry Dunn

Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s interpretation of 1984 provided the audience with an intriguing new perspective on a familiar piece of work. 1984 follows the hard life of Winston Smith, who in the story is a low ranking member of the outer party. In the story, everywhere Winston goes the inner party watches him through screens and cameras. The party lacks an actual character but is known as ‘Big Brother’. George Orwell’s first text was published in 1949 and the adaption to the play was first performed in 2013.

At the beginning of the performance, the lights begin to brighten. In a clear view is a hunched Winston scribbling on a piece of paper, flicking through his notebook fast and agitated. Winston is worrying about the past, present and future as nothing was right. Whilst Winston sits there worrying, the audience begins to feel confused as the same day seems to be repeated over and over. This leaves the audience to question the setting and time.

To ensure the audience feels tortured, directors Icke and Macmillan shock the audience through epileptic lighting, deafening sounds and disturbing video imagery. Through the use of transitions and shocking scenes, the directors manage to maintain the audience’s attention. The lighting designer Natasha Chivers and sound designer Tom Gibbons use constant loud noises and disorienting lights and flashes which makes the audience unsettled as the enter 1984.

Character relationships suffer heavily through the duration of this piece of art as they fail to meet the full potential, the uncomfortably obvious lack of chemistry between Julia and Winston reduces the emotional connection between the characters and audience viewing. It is almost as if the love story right in front of us was unbelievable. The unbelievable feelings between the two characters and reduced emotional connection between Julia and Winston makes the final torture scene almost anticlimactic. In this scene it symbolises Winston ‘giving in’ to Big Brother as he eventually betrays Julia. Due to the lack of emotions shown between the actors it takes away from the love story.

Terence Crawfords performance as O’Brian is played so powerfully intense and immaculate! As Big Brother does not have a physical appearance O’Brian occupies a blatantly obvious role of power for everyone to see. Fear and control is personified with O’Brians acting skills, the presence of authority and strength is also visibly shown to the audience. During the interrogation scene strong language and voice is played perfectly. O’Brian seems to be an approachable man in which Winston is intrigued by, a shame he was tricked.

The naivety of Winston’s neighbour Parsons is played perfectly by Paul Blackwell. This actor is completely blinded by the party and its motives and ideas. Parsons repeats the same story about his daughter throughout the show. However, his daughter is the one who turned him in to the thought police due to him apparently sleep talking the sentence “down with big brother”. Whilst Winston is imprisoned, he finds Parsons who says he is happy and proud of his daughter for doing her duty. The way they reshaped Parsons thoughts in the ministry shows the strength that Big Brother and the thought police have.

The hate scene which goes for around one minute and forty five seconds portrays the recurring theme of control and power as the main characters move to the centre of the stage and shout towards Big Brother whilst Winston watches. This scene possibly shows the lack of control that the characters have in their own lives resulting in rage towards the party. The directors of the play Macmillan and Icke portray this perfectly as they capture the anger of the characters which is directed towards the audience, treating us as if we are the enemy in this scene.

Towards the end of the performance the stage is completely torn apart with bright and eye watering lights, deafening white noise. Suddenly, the lights stop and Winston is there in a chair with the thought police all around him. The audience watch silently as Winston is completely and utterly destroyed at the hands of O’Brian, a loved character by Winston. A go pro type camera is used to show the viewers a shattered man. This is no doubt one of the most effective scenes in the entirety of the performance due to the blood soaked Winston crying and scared for his life. The audience is forced to watch as his face is shown through screens around the room, Winston is recorded and shattered piece by piece right in front of us, we watch whilst there is absolutely nothing we can do to help. A truly sick feeling in all our stomachs as this scene is acted.

As I came into the performance, I had little to no understanding of the act 1984. Only a light part of the play book was read. All that I had was a slight thought to myself about what the play was going to include. This performance may prove to be difficult to understand for those without understanding or those with a young age. A personal opinion would be to research the performance, text and book before viewing the play as it may be necessary for those who don’t quite have a creative mind and ideas rushing through their mind constantly.

Icke and Macmillan truly display a modern day relevance for 1984 with cameras placed around the area to help us view the act. In the end, this performance was astonishing which fits with the original piece that Orwell made. As it ends it leaves the audience with thoughts inside their mind, could the thought police be the others around us judging and could Big Brother be the social norm?

#1984 #play

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sphinxevents · 7 years ago

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Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams was subsequently performed on a National Tour in 2000. In 2001, 2002 and 2004 it had education tours and it was performed at the Charleston Festival in 2006.

WRITER: Diane Esguerra DIRECTOR: Sue Parrish DESIGNER: Annabel Lee LIGHTING: Natasha Chivers SOUND: Alistair Viles CHOREOGRAPHER: Claire Russ CAST: Sam Cox, Gabrielle Jourdan, Jane Robbins, Kim Romer, Anne White

Chelsea Theatre, 1999

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londontheatre · 7 years ago

Link

Faith Alabi, Imogen Poots, James Norton and Malachi Kirby in Belleville at The Donmar Warehouse

The Donmar Warehouse today releases rehearsal images for Belleville by Amy Herzog and directed by Michael Longhurst.

Americans Zack and Abby are bright, young and recently married. He’s a doctor combating infant disease. She’s an actress, also teaching yoga. It’s just before Christmas and they’re living the expat highlife in bohemian Belleville, Paris.

It’s all a little too perfect. Writer Amy Herzog is ‘one of the brightest new talents in the theater’ (New York Times). Her acclaimed play about a romantic dream gone sour receives its UK premiere. Michael Longhurst (Amadeus, National Theatre; Constellations, Royal Court, West End and Broadway) directs at the Donmar for the first time.

[See image gallery at http://ift.tt/1FpwFUw]

Cast includes Faith Alabi (The Rolling Stone, Orange Tree Theatre), Malachi Kirby (Rough Cuts, Royal Court), James Norton (Bug, Found 111, The Lion in Winter, Haymarket; TV includes Grantchester, War & Peace, Happy Valley; Film includes Flatliners) and Imogen Poots (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Harold Pinter Theatre).

Director Michael Longhurst Designer Tom Scutt Lighting Designer Natasha Chivers Composition and Sound Design Ben and Max Ringham

Cast: Faith Alabi, Malachi Kirby, James Norton and Imogen Poots

BELLEVILLE By Amy Herzog Thursday 7 December 2017 – Saturday 3 February 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Thursday 14 December 2017 http://ift.tt/2qcOYgy

http://ift.tt/2hSrURJ London Theatre 1

#IFTTT #London Theatre 1

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londontheatre · 7 years ago

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Ben Batt in The York Realist at the Donmar Warehouse, Photographer Craig Fleming

Artistic Director Josie Rourke and Executive Producer Kate Pakenham announce today three new productions at the Donmar Warehouse for late 2017 and through to 2018: a new play by Amy Herzog, Belleville, a revival of Peter Gill’s modern classic, The York Realist, and a new production of William Congreve’s Restoration comedy The Way of the World.

The Donmar will host the UK premiere of American playwright Amy Herzog’s acclaimed play Belleville. The production will star James Norton and Imogen Poots as New York newlyweds living in Paris, opposite Faith Alabi and Malachi Kirby. Belleville is directed by the award-winning Michael Longhurst who is making his Donmar Warehouse debut.

Donmar Associate and Sheffield Theatres Artistic Director Robert Hastie returns after his hit productions of My Night with Reg and Splendour to direct a revival of Peter Gill’s The York Realist. Revived 50 years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, The York Realist will star Ben Batt and Lesley Nicol, and will be a co-production with Sheffield Theatres.

The final production will be William Congreve’s Restoration comedy The Way of the World. James Macdonald returns to the Donmar after his acclaimed production of Arnold Wesker’s Roots, directing Linda Bassett who will play Lady Wishfort.

Donmar Associate Artist Tom Scutt will curate Donmar on Design, a week-long festival celebrating the power of design in theatre, and the designers who make it happen.

The Donmar’s free ticket scheme for those aged 25 and under, YOUNG+FREE, will continue to offer seats for performances across the new season. YOUNG+FREE is funded through the generosity of audiences via the Donmar’s PAY IT FORWARD scheme.

KLAXON tickets will also continue across the season. Starting from £10, KLAXON tickets are put on sale every Monday for performances in the following three weeks. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.

Artistic Director Josie Rourke said: “I am delighted to share with you the Donmar’s new season: a premiere of an American play, a revival of a modern classic, and one of the great Restoration comedies.”

Belleville at Donmar Warehouse

At the end of this year the Donmar will stage the UK premiere of American playwright Amy Herzog’s dazzling play Belleville. Set at Christmas in a bohemian quarter of Paris, James Norton, Imogen Poots, Faith Alabi and Malachi Kirby will all make their Donmar debuts. I am also thrilled to welcome the director Michael Longhurst to the Donmar for the first time, after his acclaimed productions of Caroline, or Change, Amadeus and Constellations.

Peter Gill’s work as a playwright has been part of the Donmar’s story for the past decade. We’re proud to be reviving his influential play, The York Realist. Donmar Associate Robert Hastie, who delighted Donmar audiences with his celebrated productions of My Night with Reg and Splendour, will direct this delicate piece about love and family ties in rural Yorkshire. He has assembled another stunning cast which includes Ben Batt, Lucy Black, Lesley Nicol, Katie West and Matthew Wilson.

Finally, we are transported back to 1700 with arguably the best comedy written in the English language: William Congreve’s Restoration comedy The Way of the World. We welcome James Macdonald back to the Donmar, after his mesmerizing production of Roots to direct this hilarious classic treat of tricks, love and money. His cast includes Linda Bassett as the brilliant and witty Lady Wishfort.

With this season the Donmar aims to bring audiences world-class artists and essential stories for our times told within the intimate setting of our Covent Garden home.

The Donmar Warehouse announces today three new productions for the late 2017/2018 period. First, American playwright Amy Herzog’s play Belleville will be given its UK premiere at the Donmar this winter. James Norton (Happy Valley, Grantchester) and Imogen Poots (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) will play newlywed New York expats living in Paris. Award-winning Michael Longhurst (Caroline, or Change, Amadeus, Constellations) will make his Donmar debut directing this twisting tale of friendship and lies.

The Donmar will then revive Peter Gill’s seminal play, The York Realist. Donmar Associate Robert Hastie (My Night with Reg, Splendour) will direct this delicate piece about first love and family ties in rural Yorkshire, in a co-production with Sheffield Theatres. Casting includes Ben Batt, Lucy Black, Lesley Nicol, Katie West and Matthew Wilson

The Way of the World at the Donmar Warehouse, Photographer Eivind Hansen

Finally in the season, the Donmar will transport audiences back to the 1700s with a revival of The Way of the World by William Congreve. James Macdonald (Roots) returns to the Donmar to direct Linda Bassett in this hilarious Restoration treat of tricks, love and money.

The Donmar’s YOUNG+FREE scheme, which provides free tickets to those aged 25 and under, will also continue throughout the season, with tickets released on the final Friday of every month. YOUNG+FREE is made possible thanks to donations from Donmar audiences via PAY IT FORWARD. These donations and the partnership support of Delta Airlines have allowed the Donmar to allocate almost 10,000 free tickets to those aged 25 and under over the past year.

Audiences can sign up to receive information about tickets on the Donmar’s website http://ift.tt/QGnINs

Executive Producer Kate Pakenham said: “Sharing our work with as broad an audience as possible remains at the heart of the Donmar’s mission, so we are delighted to be able to work with Sheffield Theatres on a co-production of The York Realist with our Associate and Sheffield’s Artistic Director Robert Hastie. Following its run at the Donmar, The York Realist will play at Sheffield Crucible 27 March – 7 April, taking our work beyond our Covent Garden home.

I am also thrilled to see KLAXON and YOUNG+FREE tickets continue to grow in popularity. I am proud that these ticket schemes ensure our venue remains accessible to new audiences, particularly young people.

YOUNG+FREE is made possible by the generosity of the public through PAY IT FORWARD. We have been delighted by our audiences’ ongoing support for PAY IT FORWARD and are excited to be working with them to prioritise young people’s access to the arts. We are also grateful to the significant support we receive from corporate partners, individual philanthropists and the Arts Council which makes the Donmar’s work possible, both on our stage and beyond.

After the very special experience of opening up our Dryden Street home for Rosalie Craig and Michelle Terry’s Becoming earlier this year, we are delighted to continue this with the Donmar on Design festival. Curated by our Associate Tom Scutt, the week-long festival will be both an opportunity for audiences to have insight into the design process and for young people to meet and be inspired by world-class theatre designers.”

CURRENT SEASON Currently at the Donmar is Yaël Farber’s production of David Harrower’s haunting Knives in Hens. Running until 7 October, Knives in Hens stars Christian Cook, Judith Roddy and Matt Ryan.

Following this, Donmar Associate Director and newly announced Artistic Director of the Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah, returns to the Donmar to direct Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea, in a new version by Elinor Cook. BAFTA nominated Nikki Amuka-Bird will lead the cast as Ellida from 12 October.

In November, Donmar Associate Artist Tom Scutt (Belleville, The Lady From the Sea, Elegy, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Weir) will curate Donmar on Design, a week-long festival at the Donmar’s Dryden Street home celebrating the power of design in theatre. The festival will feature a Designers’ Open Studio, free panel discussions with some of the UK’s leading theatre-makers including Es Devlin, Lizzie Clachan, Anna Fleischle, former Donmar Resident Design Assistant Rosie Elnile, Chloe Lamford, Peter McKintosh, Tom Piper and Rosanna Vize, and careers workshops for design students alongside a schools programme for designers of the future.

Speaking about Donmar on Design, Tom Scutt said: “I’ve been looking to find a way to bring designers and audiences together in celebration for a long while. Donmar on Design is intended to bring our audiences closer to the role of Designer, to give three dimensions to the people that create the worlds we see on our stages and to shed light on what can be one of the most mysterious, shape-shifting roles in the creative process.

The festival will also offer workshops and guidance to students and recent design graduates as well as providing a forum for more experienced designers to come together and discuss the issues that inform our work. Through Donmar on Design we hope to create a stronger sense of community and provide an opportunity for designers of every experience to engage, connect and discover more about how each of us goes through our process.”

Members Priority Booking for the new Donmar Warehouse season: Steel level from 10am and Copper level from noon on Tuesday 10 October Friends from 10am on Thursday 12 October

Public Booking for the new Donmar Warehouse season: From 10am on Tuesday 17 October For further information, please contact: James Travis-Lever and Tess Shennan at Jo Allan PR [email protected] | [email protected] |020 7520 9392

BELLEVILLE By Amy Herzog Thursday 7 December 2017 – Saturday 3 February 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Thursday 14 December 2017 Director Michael Longhurst Designer Tom Scutt Lighting Designer Natasha Chivers Composition and Sound Design Ben and Max Ringham

Cast: Faith Alabi, Malachi Kirby, James Norton and Imogen Poots

It’s all a little too perfect.

Writer Amy Herzog is ‘one of the brightest new talents in the theater’ (New York Times). Her acclaimed play about a romantic dream gone sour receives its UK premiere. Michael Longhurst (Amadeus, National Theatre; Constellations, Royal Court, West End and Broadway) directs at the Donmar for the first time.

Amy Herzog (Writer) plays include After the Revolution (Williamstown Theater Festival; Playwrights Horizons; Lilly Award), 4000 Miles (Lincoln Center; Obie Award for the Best New American Play, Pulitzer Prize Finalist), The Great God Pan (Playwrights Horizons), and Belleville (Yale Rep; New York Theatre Workshop; Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Finalist; Drama Desk Nomination). Amy is a recipient of the Whiting Writers Award, the Benjamin H. Danks Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Helen Merrill, the Joan and Joseph Cullman Award for Extraordinary Creativity, and the New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award. She is a Usual Suspect at NYTW and an alumna of Youngblood, Play Group at Ars Nova, and the SoHo Rep Writer/Director Lab. She has taught playwriting at Bryn Mawr and Yale. MFA, Yale School of Drama.

Michael Longhurst (Director) is an award-winning stage director. He directed the production of Peter Schaffer’s Amadeus at the National Theatre which ran until March 2017 and received exceptional reviews when it opened in November 2016 in the Olivier. His Royal Court production of Nick Payne’s Constellations starring Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins and Rafe Spall transferred to the West End, winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Play 2012 and receiving four Olivier Award nominations. Constellations opened on Broadway in January 2015, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson. He also directed Academy Award-nominee Jake Gyllenhaal in his American stage debut at the Roundabout Theatre, New York in Nick Payne’s If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet. He has developed and directed new plays across the UK including Adam Brace’s Stovepipe; a promenade co-production with the National Theatre, which featured in the Sunday Times ‘Best Theatre of the Decade’ list. Michael is also a recipient of the Jerwood Directors Award at the Young Vic (Dirty Butterfly) and a Fringe First (Guardians). He trained in directing at Mountview after reading Philosophy at Nottingham University. Michael is currently an Associate Director for Nuffield Theatre. In 2015, the Evening Standard named Michael as one of the 1000 most influential Londoners.

Faith Alabi (Amina) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Belleville. Theatre credits include Trouble in Mind (Print Room Notting Hill), Funeral Flowers (Royal Court Theatre), The Rolling Stone (Orange Tree Theatre) and Eclipsed (Gate Theatre). Faith has appeared on television in Cold Feet, Grantchester, Drifters, Chewing Gum and Agatha Raisin, and on film in My Song. Radio credits include Girls for BBC Radio 4.

Malachi Kirby (Alioune) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Belleville. Theatre credits include Rough Cuts (Royal Court Theatre), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Theatre Royal Northampton), Wild Child (Royal Court Theatre), The Realness (Young Vic Theatre), Mogadishu (Royal Exchange, Manchester and Lyric Hammersmith), Dunsinane (Royal Shakespeare Company), Wish You Were Here (Oval House Theatre), Fall Out/The Life of a Teenager (National Theatre Studios), High Life (Hampstead Theatre), The Working Girl (Theatre 503), Beyond The Obvious (Stratford Circus). Malachi’s film credits include Kajaki, Fallen, Dough, The Last Showing, Gone Too Far, My Brother The Devil and Offender. Television credits include Black Mirror, Roots, Jekyll & Hyde, Doctor Who, Vodka Diaries, Lawless, Way To Go, My Murder, Doctor XIII, The Garden, The Bill, Casualty and Silent Witness.

James Norton (Zack) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Belleville. Previous theatre credits include Bug (Found 111), The Lion in Winter (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Journey’s End (Duke of York’s Theatre and UK Tour), That Face (Sheffield Crucible), Posh (The Royal Court) and Cymbeline (Cambridge Arts Theatre). James’s television credits include McMafia, To Walk Invisible, Black Mirror, War and Peace, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Life in Squares, Grantchester, Happy Valley, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actor, Death Comes to Pemberley, Our Story, By Any Means, Restless, Doctor Who, Blandings and Inspector George Gently. James has appeared on film in Flatliners, Hampstead, Northmen: A Viking Saga, Belle, Bonobo, Angelica, Turner, Thicker Than Water, Rush, Cheerful Weather For A Wedding and An Education.

Imogen Poots (Abby) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Belleville. Theatre credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Harold Pinter Theatre). Imogen’s extensive film credits include I Kill Giants, Mobile Homes, Sweet Virginia, Connor4real, Green Room, Frank & Lola, A Country Called Home, She’d Funny That Way, Knight of Cups, That Awkward Moment, Jimi: All Is By My Side, The Look of Love, A Long Way Down, Filth, Greetings From Tim Buckley, Comes A Bright Day, A Late Quartet, Fright Night, Jane Eyre, Centurion, Solitary Man, Cracks, Me and Orson Welles, Wish, 28 Weeks Later and V for Vendetta. Imogen’s credits for television include Roadies, Christopher and His Kind, A Bouquet of Barbed Wire and Miss Austen Regrets.

THE YORK REALIST By Peter Gill Thursday 8 February – Saturday 24 March 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Tuesday 13 February 2018 Director Robert Hastie Designer Peter McKintosh Lighting Designer Paul Pyant Sound Designer Emma Laxton Composer Richard Taylor

Cast includes Ben Batt, Lucy Black, Lesley Nicol, Katie West and Matthew Wilson.

‘I live here. I live here. You can’t see that, though. You can’t see it. This is where I live. Here.’

A cottage, 1960s Yorkshire. The York Mystery plays are in rehearsal. Farmhand George strains against his roots as a new world opens up to him.

Peter Gill’s influential play about two young men in love is a touching reflection on the rival forces of family, class and longing.

Donmar Associate Robert Hastie returns for this timely revival from one of our greatest living playwrights, following his previous productions My Night with Reg and Splendour. Ben Batt also returns to the Donmar following Making Noise Quietly alongside Lesley Nicol, who returns to the London stage and makes her Donmar debut.

A Donmar Warehouse and Sheffield Theatres co-production.

Peter Gill (Writer) is a hugely influential and radical figure in British theatre; he is a renowned playwright and one of the most important directors of the last thirty years. Previous Donmar credits include Versailles, 2014 (writer and director), Making Noise Quietly, 2012 (director), Small Change, 2009 (writer) and Days of Wine and Roses, 2005 (director). Peter has directed over eighty productions in the UK, Europe and North America, and held a variety of established positions within the industry, including the post of Associate Director at the National Theatre (1980 – 1997) and Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company (1964/1965 & 1970/1972).

Robert Hastie (Director) is Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse and the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres. For the Donmar he directed My Night with Reg, which transferred to the West End’s Apollo Theatre and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival, conceived and directed My Mark with writer Michelle Terry, a project dramatising interviews with primary school children across the country and coinciding with the 2015 and 2017 General Elections, and directed Splendour by Abi Morgan. As Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, his credits include Julius Caesar (UK Theatre Awards nomination for Best Director), Of Kith and Kin, and the forthcoming The Wizard of Oz. His other theatre credits include Henry V at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Theatr Clwyd, A Breakfast of Eels by Robert Holman at the Print Room; Carthage by Chris Thompson and Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun by John McGrath at the Finborough Theatre; and The Hotel Plays by Tennessee Williams for Defibrillator at the Holborn Grange Hotel. As Associate Director for Sixty-Six Books, which opened the new Bush Theatre, Hastie directed the world premieres of In the Land of Uz by Neil LaBute, The Middle Man by Anthony Weigh, David and Goliath by Andrew Motion, Snow in Sheffield by Helen Mort and A Lost Expression by Luke Kennard. He was nominated for the Emerging Talent Award at the 2014 Evening Standard Awards.

Ben Batt (George) returns to the Donmar Warehouse following his role in Making Noise Quietly. Theatre credits include Woyzeck (The Old Vic), A Streetcar Named Desire, As You Like It (Royal Exchange, Manchester), and The Funfair (HOME, Manchester). Ben’s recent television credits include Prey, Barbarians Rising, From Darkness, The Go-Between, The Village (Series 2), From There to Here, Scott & Bailey, Prisoners Wives, Death in Paradise, and he will soon be seen in the BBC’s In The Dark. Film credits include The Windmill, Slapper and Me, Despite The Falling Snow, Coach, Electricity and A Running Jump. Lucy Black (Barbara) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Lucy’s theatre include Strife (Chichester Festival Theatre), 3 Winters, Children of the Sun (National Theatre), Drawing the Line (Hampstead Theatre), A Taste of Honey (Edinburgh Lyceum), The Only True History Of Lizzie Fynn (Southwark Playhouse), Epsom Downs (Salisbury Playhouse), Cause Celebre (Old Vic), The Misanthrope, A Tender Player, How The Other Half Loves and Seed Of The Bauhinia (Bristol Old Vic), The Three Sisters and Mary Barton (The Royal Exchange, Manchester), Antony And Cleopatra, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Titus Andronicus and Three Sisters (Tobacco Factory), One Minute (Bush Theatre), The Blind Bird and The Lesson (Gate Theatre). Television credits include The Durrells, The Level, Casualty, Jericho, Call the Midwife, Granchester, Eastenders, Vera, Doctors, Holby City, The Bill, Waterloo Road, Wire In The Blood, The Royal, Bombshell and Murder In Mind.

Lesley Nicol (Mother) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Further theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Palace Theatre), MAMMA MIA! (Prince Edward Theatre), Our House (Cambridge Theatre) and East is East (Royal Court), for which Lesley also reprised her role in the BAFTA 1999 Best British Film adaptation of the play. Lesley is well known on television for her role of Beryl Patmore in Downton Abbey. Further television credits include The Catch, Shameless, Blackadder, Dinnerladies, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Inspector George Gently.

Katie West (Doreen) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Theatre credits include Uncle Vanya, Chamaco (HOME, Manchester), Lela & Co (The Royal Court), Carmen Disruption (Almeida Theatre), Hamlet, Blind-Sided, Blithe Spirit (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Macbeth (Manchester International Festival/Park Avenue Armory, New York), The Thrill of Love (New Vic Theatre), A Taste of Honey (Sheffield Crucible), 65 Miles (Hull Truck Theatre), Vote of Confidence (Theatre 503), Punk Rock (Hammersmith Lyric/Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Sense (Southwark Playhouse). Television credits include Inspector George Gently, Doctors, Without You and United. Katie has also appeared on film in Peterloo directed by Mike Leigh and Cinderella directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Matthew Wilson (Arthur) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Theatre credits include Snack Family Robinson (Rose Theatre Kingston), The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (New Vic Theatre), The God’s Weep and Othello (RSC), Home (Theatre Royal Bath), Psychogeography (Southwark Playhouse), Enemies (Almeida Theatre), The Romans in Britain (Sheffield Crucible), Fair (Finborough Theatre), and Rampage Season: There (Royal Court). His numerous TV credits include Broken, Call the Midwife, Unforgotten, Vera, Poldark, Arthur & George, Endeavour, Sherlock, and Mr Selfridge. For film his credits include Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Inbetweeners.

THE WAY OF THE WORLD By William Congreve Thursday 29 March – Saturday 26 May 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Thursday 5 April 2018 Director James Macdonald Designer Anna Fleischle Lighting Designer Peter Mumford Sound Designer and Composer Max Pappenheim

Cast includes Linda Bassett

Family, money, mesire: the rules of the game, the way of the world.

Lady Wishfort’s sprawling, dysfunctional family are riven by desire – there’s everything to lose and six thousand pounds to gain. Congreve’s glorious ensemble of characters battle it out in this exposing, satirical comedy where everyone needs to win just to get by.

Following their collaboration on the mesmerising Roots in 2013, James Macdonald returns to the Donmar to direct Linda Bassett in the role of Lady Wishfort.

James Macdonald (Director) previously directed the acclaimed production of Roots by Arnold Wesker at the Donmar Warehouse. He was Associate Director of the Royal Court from 1992 to 2007 during which time he directed Drunk Enough to Say I Love You (also Public Theater, New York), Dying City (also Lincoln Center, New York), Fewer Emergencies, Lucky Dog, Blood, Blasted and 4.48 Psychosis, and more recently Cock, Love and Information and Circle Mirror Transformation (Royal Court in Haggerston). His other directing credits include The Arrest of Ai Wei Wei, And No More Shall We Part (Hampstead Theatre), King Lear, The Book of Grace, Top Girls (Broadway/MTC), A Delicate Balance, Judgment Day, The Triumph of Love (Almeida), Dido, Queen of Carthage, The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, Exiles (National Theatre) and Glengarry Glen Ross in the West End.

Linda Bassett (Lady Wishfort) has previously performed at the Donmar in Roots and Phaedra. Throughout her prolific career she has performed at the National Theatre, Royal Court and RSC. Her television credits include Call the Midwife, The Life & Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Lark Rise to Candleford and Grandma’s House. She is best known for her roles in feature films East is East, The Reader, Calendar Girls, The Hours and Effie.

DONMAR WAREHOUSE: LISTINGS Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9LX http://ift.tt/QGnINs

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londontheatre · 7 years ago

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I couldn’t help, sitting in the auditorium waiting for Driving Miss Daisy to begin, but think of the iconic theme tune to the 1989 motion picture. It’s just so memorable. This production from Theatre Royal Bath sees Dame Siân Phillips take on the role of Daisy Werthan and Derek Griffiths play Hoke Colburn – these are parts previously played by the likes of Jessica Tandy and Dame Angela Lansbury, and Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones respectively. Completing the trio is Daisy’s son Boolie (I never tire of saying that I just love American names), played brilliantly by Teddy Kempner.

I suppose it is a good thing that there is, as the play’s writer Alfred Uhry points out in a note in the show’s programme, that “half of the audience seeing the play” have no personal experience of “how deep the chasm was between the races” in the period when the play is set. But in this thirtieth anniversary year of the original off-Broadway production, the play still has much relevance. Okay, so it’s no longer the case that non-white people can no longer use certain public conveniences in the United States (a point of contention in the play), but it is clear from the recent Black Lives Matter that there is still race-based injustice going on.

The set is very light and airy, very bright but devoid of colour shades, as though suggesting things are black and white in more ways than one. At first, I thought Dame Siân’s Miss Daisy could have been a tad angrier in the early scenes, as she didn’t seem as indignant as the dialogue suggests, especially with regard to maintaining her independence into retirement. But the temperature steadily increases, and her approach is, upon reflection, dramatically better than being explosive right at the start and then leaving little, if any, room for the character to develop.

The costumes are excellent and suitably seem the sort of attire the characters would have worn, whether the play’s action is in 1948, 1973, or somewhere in between. A long car journey alone justifies the show’s title, and proves surprisingly compelling through a combination of simple but effective staging and hugely talented acting.

It’s a play that has stood the test of time, and remains a thoroughly compulsive study into racial and class divisions. It’s a very personal story too, and I had some sympathy for Miss Daisy in her uncompromising commitment to her principles. They even provide a source of amusement on occasion. The action slows up noticeably in the second half, though given the age progression of all the characters as the play races through the years, it all fits well enough.

Being based in London, I’m not really in a position to verify for certain whether the accents in this production are authentically Atlantan, though I think the Southern American drawls could have been more pronounced. This is more than outweighed by the comedy value in the conversations between Miss Daisy and Hoke. The play has a dry sense of humour for the most part, but there are some excellent punchlines. The ending, as ever, is heartwarming and poignant, and it’s done well here, without melodrama. The accompanying music was mercifully sparing, too, as the production rightly puts its trust in its actors to deliver all of the required emotions demanded by the final scene.

Some suspension of disbelief is required to appreciate the ‘car’ as an on-stage car. But I am grateful that this production, which could theoretically run for just over an hour and a half straight through, retains an interval. It actually adds to the level of intrigue. I knew what was to happen in the second half, as did many others in the audience on opening night, but still wanted to discover how this production would portray proceedings. That such a familiar tale came across as so fresh and vibrant is a testament to the high quality of this production. A deeply moving show.

Review by Chris Omaweng

This brand new production of Pulitzer Prize, Academy and Tony Award winning playwright Alfred Uhry’s acclaimed comedy drama, marking 30 years since the play first premiered, is at Richmond Theatre Mon 11th – Sat 16th September, 2017. From its landmark off-Broadway production in 1987 to the remarkable success of the 1989 film version, which was the winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Driving Miss Daisy has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Press invitations for review are extended for the opening night performance on Monday 11 Sep at 7.30pm

Starring Dame Siân Phillips as Daisy and Derek Griffiths as Hoke with direction by Richard Beecham. When elderly widow Daisy Werthan crashes her car one day in 1948, her son hires her a chauffeur, an African-American named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke’s relationship gets off to a rocky start, but as times change across a 25 year backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, a profound and life-altering friendship blossoms in this acclaimed comedy drama.

Listings: Driving Miss Daisy starring Dame Siân Phillips and Derek Griffiths. By Alfred Uhry Directed by Richard Beecham, Designed by Simon Kenny, Lighting design by Natasha Chivers, Sound design by Jon Nicholls. Produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions.

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londontheatre · 7 years ago

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Dame Siân Phillips and Derek Griffiths star in Driving Miss Daisy

This brand new production of Pulitzer Prize, Academy and Tony Award winning playwright Alfred Uhry’s acclaimed comedy drama, marking 30 years since the play first premiered, comes to Richmond Theatre Monday 11th to Saturday 16th September, 2017. From its landmark off-Broadway production in 1987 to the remarkable success of the 1989 film version, which was the winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Driving Miss Daisy has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Press invitations for review are extended for the opening night performance on Monday 11 Sep at 7.30pm

Starring Dame Siân Phillips as Daisy and Derek Griffiths as Hoke with direction by Richard Beecham. When elderly widow Daisy Werthan crashes her car one day in 1948, her son hires her a chauffeur, an African-American named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke’s relationship gets off to a rocky start, but as times change across a 25-year backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, a profound and life-altering friendship blossoms in this acclaimed comedy drama.

Dame Siân Phillips has enjoyed a dazzling career which spans more than seven decades – from her multi award-winning performance in I, Claudius to the epic film Dune, from a Tony nominated performance of Marlene on Broadway to Cabaret in the West End.

RSC actor and legendary presenter, Derek Griffiths’ numerous West End credits include the original production of Beauty and the Beast in which he originated the role of Lumière and the Child Catcher in the West End run of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.

Alfred Uhry is one of the few writers to have earned Academy, Tony and Pulitzer Prize awards as a playwright and screenwriter. Having based the story of Driving Miss Daisy on his own family history, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1988. His adaptation of the screenplay went on to win an Oscar in 1989.

Driving Miss Daisy starring Dame Siân Phillips and Derek Griffiths. By Alfred Uhry Directed by Richard Beecham, Designed by Simon Kenny, Lighting design by Natasha Chivers, Sound design by Jon Nicholls. Produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions.

Driving Miss Daisy Richmond Theatre Monday 11th to Saturday 16th September 2017

Theatre Royal Brighton Monday 18th September to Saturday 23rd September 2017

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londontheatre · 8 years ago

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The company of NYDC in Tarantiseismic. Photo by Tony Nandi

This is a dramatic show performed on the Sadler’s Wells stage by the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC). There are thirty nine dancers between the ages of 15 and 22, most of them 17 and 18, from a variety of dance backgrounds, from disperate parts of the country, brought together to create work as an ensemble. Nearly all of the dancers are on stage all of the time.

There’s a lovely introductory film in which the artistic consequences of this ambitious enterprise is described by the dancers. Although they may have been daunted by the talent of their new peers at first, ultimately this made them aspire for more in their work.

Damien Jalet is the Guest Artistic Director of NYDC for 2017. He was inspired, when creating the choreography for Tarantiseismic, by Tarantism, a form of hysteria occurring in southern Italy between 14th to the 18th centuries, when men and women were being seized by a wild compulsion to dance for hours, sometimes days on end. Mr Jalet has combined this concept with the seismic force of an earthquake to suggest unpredictability. He’s created controlled frenzy on stage, performed by his dancers with immaculate emphasis, and precision.

The show builds with two of the most stirring sections at the end. The penultimate section is a warm, camp fire type dance around a drummer and his drum kit who changes what has been largely music of dissonance up until then into an affecting rhythm of regularity. The finale is a suitably moving end to an enjoyable evening.

There’s a first class creative team working on the show to create illusion and effect including Jay Barry Matthews, Natasha Chivers and Jim Hogan.

This is an enjoyable show exhibiting young dance talent of the future in an imaginative and appealing showcase.

Review by Marian Kennedy

Tarantiseismic is a new commission that sees Jalet present a unique piece of theatre which addresses themes of melancholia, ritual, control and abandon. Jalet’s revered choreographic style combined with the young dancers’ energy and talent is set to produce a mesmerising experience that shifts the consciousness of the audience.

This year’s diverse cohort of 39 young dancers comprises 29 new members, selected through NYDC Experience Workshops held in towns and cities all over the country. The dancers are mentored during three intensive residencies over the year, in order to create, rehearse and develop the new piece. Throughout the dancers’ time with NYDC they are given a unique insight into the dance profession, gaining skills and techniques that open up career possibilities.

LISTINGS INFORMATION National Youth Dance Company / Damien Jalet Tarantiseismic Sadler’s Wells, EC1R 4TN

Confirmed 2017 UK national tour dates: Sunday 25 June: Peninsula Arts, Plymouth University Saturday 1 July: Dance City, Newcastle Saturday 8 July: The Curve, Leicester Friday 14 July: Birmingham Hippodrome, as part of UDance 2017 Sunday 16 July: Latitude Festival Tuesday 18 July: Jerwood Dance House, Dance East, Ipswich Thursday 20 July: Middleton Hall, Hull

Confirmed NYDC Experience Workshops for 2017-18 intake: Sunday 21 May: Hymers College, Hull Saturday 27 May: DanceXchange, Birmingham Sunday 28 May: Swindon Dance, Swindon Monday 29 May: AMATA – Falmouth University, Falmouth Tuesday 30 May: Sadler’s Wells, London Wednesday 31 May: The Point, Eastleigh Thursday 1 June: DanceEast, Ipswich Friday 2 June: Marina Studios, Brighton Sunday 4 June: Northern Ballet, Leeds Sunday 4 June: Déda, Derby Saturday 10 June: The Dance House, Manchester Sunday 11 June: MDI, Liverpool Sunday 25 June: The House, Plymouth Sunday 2 July: Dance City, Newcastle Saturday 8 July: The Curve, Leicester

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Hamlet Andrew Scott photographed by Miles Aldridge

ghost / devil acting / madness be / not be

HAMLET is designed by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tom Gibbons, and video design by Tal Yarden. The Associate Director is Daniel Raggett. Casting is by Julia Horan.

Joshua Higgott has previously appeared in Oresteia (also Trafalgar Studios) and 1984 for the Almeida Theatre and in the West End. Past theatre credits include Shakespeare in Love at the Noël Coward Theatre; The Alchemist for Liverpool Everyman; Regeneration for Royal & Derngate Theatre; Birdsong UK Tour; and Twelfth Night at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. His film credits include Darkest Hour; The Mummy; Juliet Remembered; and The Machine.

Amaka Okafor’s theatre credits includes Peter Pan at the National Theatre; I See You at the RoyalC ourt; Hamlet at the Barbican; Mermaid for Shared Experience; Glasgow Girls for the National Theatre of Scotland, Citizens Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East; Flathampton for the Royal & Derngate; Dr Korczak’s Example for the Royal Exchange and Arcola Theatre; The Bacchae for the National Theatre of Scotland; Branded and Hitting Heights at the Old Vic; and Meantime at Soho Theatre. Amaka was in the Ensemble at The Unicorn Theatre for two years.

Andrew Scott will play Hamlet. Andrew most recently appeared in The Dazzle at Found111. His other theatre credits include Olivier Award-winning performances in Cock and A Girl in a Car with a Man, as well as Birdland, Dying City, Crave and Playing The Victim at the Royal Court; 50 Years on Stage, Sea Wall, Emperor and Galilean and Aristocrats at the National Theatre; Design for Living and Dublin Carol at the Old Vic; and The Vertical Hour on Broadway. His recent films include Swallows and Amazons; Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass; Spectre, Jimmy’s Hall, Victor Frankenstein, Locke, Pride (BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor).

Angus Wright has previously appeared in Oresteia (also Trafalgar Studios), 1984 in the West End, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Almeida. Other theatre credits include The Cherry Orchard at the Young Vic; Twelfth Night & Richard III for Shakespeare’s Globe on Broadway; Privates on Parade in the West End; The Master and Margarita for Complicite; The Cat in The Hat at the National Theatre and Young Vic; Wastwater at the Royal Court; Design for Living at the Old Vic; The Merchant of Venice; Hamlet; Talk of the City; The Theban Plays; The Dybbuk; Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 for the RSC; Measure for Measure for Complicite and the National Theatre, Mrs Affleck; War Horse; Saint Joan; The Seagull; Dream Play; Stuff Happens; Three Sisters; Chips with Everything; and Mother Courage at the National Theatre.

Matthew Wynn’s theatre credits include Measure for Measure at the Young Vic; Henry V and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton; The Guardsman at the Albery Theatre; and Bouncers for Wakefield Theatre Royal and Hull Truck. Film includes Interview With A Hitman; Leave To Remain; and Aberdeen. Television includes Silent Witness; Spooks; Man Down; Mount Pleasant; The Real Essex Boys; 55 Degrees North; Harry & Cosh and Byker Grove.

ALMEIDA LISTINGS INFORMATION Friday 17 February – Saturday 8 April 2017 HAMLET by William Shakespeare directed by Robert Icke Press night: Tuesday 28 February 2017, 7pm Address Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, London, N1 1TA Box Office Online almeida.co.uk Phone 020 7359 4404 (10am – 7pm Monday – Saturday) In person 10am – 7pm, Monday – Saturday Midweek matinees on Wednesday at 1.30pm from 11 March Saturday matinees at 1.30pm from 11 March Website almeida.co.uk

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