TV Review: Peaky Blinders Series 4
TV Review: Peaky Blinders Series 3
Book review: The Half – Simon Annand
The Half – Photographs of Actors Preparing for the Stage by Simon Annand
Just a quickie for this book as The Half – Photographs of Actors Preparing for the Stage by Simon Annand was released in 2008. But with an imminent new exhibition of these photos and a bargainous copy of the book popping up on Ebay, I thought I’d take the plunge.
And I’m glad I did as it is a proper work of art in its own right. Annand has been photographing actors for over 25 years and as such, has a veritable treasure trove of shots to share with us, resulting from the trusting relationships he has built up with so many, from the new kids on the block to veritable dames. Continue reading “Book review: The Half – Simon Annand”
Review: Pinter Four, Harold Pinter Theatre
Pinter Four serves up something of a difficult double bill at the Harold Pinter Theatre, but Bríd Brennan and Janie Dee are there to help us through the dark times
“Rationality went down the drain donkey’s years ago and hasn’t been seen since”
Thing about blogging is you can’t hide from the past, or your past opinions, so the fact that the first time I saw Harold Pinter’s Moonlight was one of the most torturous hours I’d spent in a theatre up until then is no secret. So the fact that it was included along with Night School in the double bill that makes up Pinter Four gave me significant – Pinteresque even… pause.
But that was seven years ago, people change, as do tastes, and the luxury casting of the Pinter at the Pinter season made it an attractive enough proposition to revisit. And am I a now Moonlight convert? Not exactly, but it did prove a less painful experience, even if it does still maintain a power to elongate time which is exacerbated by its coolly distant demeanour. Continue reading “Review: Pinter Four, Harold Pinter Theatre”
TV Review: Unforgotten Series 3
The third series of Chris Lang’s Unforgotten is another corker, and not just because of Nicola Walker, honest!
“We’ve all done things of which we are ashamed”
The cold cases of Unforgotten have rightly proved a success for their alternative tale on crime drama, putting a real focus on the victims rather than the crimes, a neat corrective to the sometimes exploitative gaze that can characterise this genre. And this third series maintained that strong record (quick review of episodes 1 and 2 here)
A measure of the regard in which Unforgotten is held is the sheer quality of its cast. With James Fleet, Alex Jennings, Kevin McNally and Neil Morrissey as its lead quartet, it added Sasha Behar, Emma Fielding, Indra Ové and Amanda Root as their partners, and then threw in Siobhan Redmond and Sara Stewart as exes as well. Continue reading “TV Review: Unforgotten Series 3”
TV Review: Unforgotten Series 3 Episodes 1+2
The third series of Unforgotten starts and once again, Nicola Walker fails to disappoint
“Who buries a body in the central reservation of the M1”
They’re back! Nicola Walker’s DCI Stuart and Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DS Khan sit at the heart of Chris Lang’s cold case thriller Unforgotten and for the previous two series, have been extremely impressive. Carving out a niche in the crowded police procedural TV market is enough of a job but doing it this well is noteworthy.
So it is little surprise that they have returned for a third series and though the format might be creaking ever so slightly as the same model is recycled once again, there’s enough here to point out the differences between so many of the other programmes who long to be recommissioned and respected this much. Continue reading “TV Review: Unforgotten Series 3 Episodes 1+2”
2018 Laurence Olivier Awards nominations
An interesting set of nominations have been announced for the 2018 Laurence Olivier Awards. Perhaps predictably, the headline grabbers are Hamilton with their record 13 nominations, and The Ferryman which received 8. I’m pleased to see Follies and Angels in America represent a strong showing for the National with 10 and 6 respectively, and also lovely to see Everybody’s Talking About Jamie close behind with 5. Beyond delighted for The Revlon Girl too, my play of the year.
Naturally, not everything can get nominated and for me, it was most disappointing to see Barber Shop Chronicles miss out on any recognition. And with Hamilton crowding out the musicals categories, there was sadly no room for The Grinning Man, Romantics Anonymous and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (although I’m unsure of the Menier’s eligibility with regards to SOLT). And I think Victoria Hamilton (Albion). Philip Quast (Follies) and Louis Maskell and Julian Bleach (The Grinning Man) are entitled to be a bit miffed.
How do you feel about these nominations? And what do you think should have been nominated instead?
fosterIAN awards 2017
| Winner | Runner-up | Other nominees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Actress in a Play | Hattie Morahan/ Kate O'Flynn/ Adelle Leonce, Anatomy of a Suicide | Victoria Hamilton, Albion | Shirley Henderson, Girl From the North Country Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie Justine Mitchell, Beginning Mimi Ndiweni, The Convert Connie Walker, Trestle |
| Best Actor in a Play | Ken Nwosu, An Octoroon | Andrew Scott, Hamlet | Andrew Garfield, Angels in America Gary Lilburn, Trestle Ian McKellen, King Lear Cyril Nri, Barber Shop Chronicles Sam Troughton, Beginning |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Play | Bríd Brennan, The Ferryman | Kate Kennedy, Twelfth Night (Royal Exchange) | Sheila Atim, Girl From the North Country Laura Carmichael, Apologia Romola Garai, Queen Anne Lashana Lynch, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun) Kate O'Flynn, The Glass Menagerie |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Play | Fisayo Akinade, Barber Shop Chronicles | Brian J Smith, The Glass Menagerie | Philip Arditti, Oslo Gershwn Eustache Jnr, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun) Fra Fee, The Ferryman Patrice Naiambana, Barber Shop Chronicles Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Angels in America |
| Best Actress in a Musical | Janie Dee, Follies AND Josefina Gabrielle, A Little Night Music AND Josie Walker, Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Amie Giselle-Ward, Little Women | Sharon D Clarke, Caroline or Change Kelly Price, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ T'Shan Williams, The Life |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Giles Terera, Hamilton | Scott Hunter/Andy Coxon, Yank! A WWII Love Story | John McCrea, Everybody's Talking About Jamie Philip Quast, Follies Michael Rouse, Superhero Jamael Westman, Hamilton |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Musical | Tracie Bennett, Follies | Rachel John, Hamilton | Christine Allado, Hamilton Julie Atherton, The Grinning Man Sharon D Clarke, The Life Joanna Riding, Romantics Anonymous Lucie Shorthouse, Everybody's Talking About Jamie |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Musical | Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton | Mark Anderson, The Grinning Man | Fred Haig, Follies Cornell S John, The Life Chris Kiely, Yank! A WWII Love Story Gareth Snook, Romantics Anonymous Obioma Ugoala, Hamilton |
The 2017 fosterIAN award winners
Best Actress in a Play
Hattie Morahan/Kate O’Flynn/Adelle Leonce, Anatomy of a Suicide
Best Actress in a Musical
Janie Dee, Follies AND Josefina Gabrielle, A Little Night Music AND Josie Walker, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Best Actor in a Play
Ken Nwosu, An Octoroon
Best Actor in a Musical
Giles Terera, Hamilton
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Bríd Brennan, The Ferryman
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Tracie Bennett, Follies
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Fisayo Akinade, Barber Shop Chronicles
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
And my top 10 plays of the year:
1. The Revlon Girl, Park
2. A Little Night Music, Watermill
3. Barber Shop Chronicles, National
4. Hamilton, Victoria Palace
5. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Crucible/Apollo
6. An Octoroon, Orange Tree
7. Follies, National Theatre
8. Romantics Anonymous, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
9. Hamlet, Almeida
10. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾, Menier Chocolate Factory
.
2017 Best Supporting Actress in a Play + in a Musical
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Bríd Brennan, The Ferryman
Thinking about this most well-received of plays, it is the role of Aunt Maggie Faraway who lingers most in my mind, the elegiac beauty of her speeches an elegant way of folding in traditions of Irish storytelling and emphasising the deep bonds of family. Breathtaking work from Brennan.
Honourable mention: Kate Kennedy, Twelfth Night (Royal Exchange)
When done well, Olivia is one of my favourite Shakespearean roles and the statuesque Kennedy didn’t disappoint with a highly-sexed take on the character which embraced all the physical potential of her height.
Sheila Atim, Girl From the North Country
Laura Carmichael, Apologia
Romola Garai, Queen Anne
Lashana Lynch, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun)
Kate O’Flynn, The Glass Menagerie
8-10
Susan Brown, Angels in America; Jessica Brown Findlay, Hamlet; Denise Gough, Angels in America
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Tracie Bennett, Follies
All I have to say is ‘I’m Still Here’. I’M STILL HERE!
Honourable mention: Rachel John, Hamilton
Only the tiniest of margins separated these two and it’s only really the fact that she’s not Renée Elise Goldsberry that held John back from the title.
Christine Allado, Hamilton
Julie Atherton, The Grinning Man
Sharon D Clarke, The Life
Joanna Riding, Romantics Anonymous
Lucie Shorthouse, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
8-10
Nicola Hughes, Caroline or Change ; Cathy Read, Little Women; Sharon Sexton, Bat Out of Hell