Don't bother, they're here
One of the joys of seeing so much theatre in London is that sense of seeing any number of actors at the beginning of their careers and Tristram Kenton has been doing that for years now. Here’s just some of those big names as whippersnappers on the British stage:
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2020/nov/11/before-they-were-famous-stars-tristram-kenton-at-the-guardian-in-pictures
Tackling the constraints of the pandemic in its own way, Simon Annand’s fantastic new book of photos Time To Act has launched a virtual exhibition of some of the photographs which has now been extended to until Christmas. It’s an ingenious way of sharing some of the hundreds of images from the book and should surely whet the appetite for either just buying it now or putting on your list for Santa to collect soon.
The Bridge Theatre has a devised (by Nick Hytner), 3-person adaptation with Simon Russell Beale, Patsy Ferran and Eben Figueiredo
The Dominion Theatre will host a production of Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent’s musical version with Brian Conley as Scrooge with a cast and orchestra of over 50
Gemma Bodinetz takes her bow as artistic director of the Everyman and Playhouse Theatres with Patrick Barlow’s small-cast iteration with Liverpool panto regular Adam Keast at the helm
And a brand new retelling of the classic family Christmas tale, will be coming to both cinemas and select theatres nationwide from November 20th, as Scrooge looks to help save Christmas. Simon Russell Beale, Martin Freeman, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya and Andy Serkis lend their voices to the tale, whilst dance performances are led by former Royal Ballet soloist and BalletBoyz founder Michael Nunn as Scrooge, Jakub Franasowicz, Russell Maliphant, Karl Fagerlund Brekke, Mikey Boats, Grace Jabbari and Dana Fouras.
I’m loving this deep dive that the Guardian is doing into Tristram Kenton’s archive, this time taking a turn to the many David Hare productions he has been witness to. Highly recommended (the photos, not the Hare):
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2020/sep/02/plays-of-david-hare-in-pictures
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”
Outstanding Play
Fairview
The Ferryman
Lewiston/Clarkson
Usual Girls
What the Constitution Means to Me
Outstanding Musical
Be More Chill
The Hello Girls
The Prom
Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Tootsie Continue reading “Nominations for the 2019 Drama Desk Awards”
John Gassner Playwriting Award
Charly Evon Simpson, Behind the Sheet
Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, The Lifespan of a Fact
Donja R. Love, Sugar in Our Wounds
Ming Peiffer, Usual Girls
Jeremy O. Harris, Slave Play
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Reeve Carney, Hadestown
Damon Daunno, Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie
Steven Skybell, Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish) Continue reading “Nominations for 2018-2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards”
Outstanding Play
Mlima’s Tale Produced by The Public Theater. Written by Lynn Nottage
Pass Over Produced by Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3. Written by Antoinette Nwandu
Slave Play Produced by New York Theatre Workshop. Written by Jeremy O. Harris
Sugar In Our Wounds Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club. Written by Donja R. Love
What The Constitution Means To Me Produced by New York Theatre Workshop. Written by Heidi Schreck
Outstanding Musical
Be More Chill Produced by Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Marc David Levine, Marlene and Gary Cohen, 42nd.club, The Baruch Frankel Viertel Group, Alisa and Charlie Thorne, Jenny Niederhoffer, Chris Blasting/Simpson & Longthorne, Brad Blume/Gemini Theatrical, Jonathan Demar/Kim Vasquez, Ben Holtzman and Sammy Lopez, Koenigsberg/Federman/Adler, Ashlee Latimer and Jenna Ushkowitz, Jenn Maley and Cori Stolbun, Robert and Joan Rechnitz, Fred and Randi Sternfeld, YesBroadway Productions, in association with Two River Theater
Music and Lyrics by Joe Iconis, Book by Joe Tracz
Girl from the North Country Produced by The Public Theater. Book by Conor McPherson, Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan
Midnight at The Never Get Produced by The York Theatre Company by arrangement with Visceral Entertainment and Mark Cortale Productions, Nathaniel Granor, Jeff G. Peters, Daryl Roth, Megan Savage. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Mark Sonnenblick, Co-Conceived by Sam Bolen
Miss You Like Hell Produced by The Public Theater. Book and Lyrics by Quiara Alegría Hudes, Music and Lyrics by Erin McKeown
Rags Parkland Sings The Songs Of The Future Produced by Ars Nova. Written by Andrew R. Butler Continue reading “Nominations for 2019 Lucille Lortel Awards”
| Winner | Runner-up | Other nominees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Actress in a Play | Leah Harvey, Clare Perkins & Vinette Robinson, Emilia | Sarah Gordy, Jellyfish | Patsy Ferran, Summer and Smoke Marieke Heebink, Oedipus Elinor Lawless, To Have To Shoot Irishmen Carey Mulligan, Girls and Boys Sarah Niles, Leave Taking |
| Best Actor in a Play | Kyle Soller, The Inheritance | Hans Kesting, Oedipus | Paapa Essiedu, The Convert Ben Batt, The York Realist Ian Bonar, Jellyfish Richard Harrington, Home I'm Darling Shubnam Saraf, An Adventure |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Play | Cecilia Noble, Nine Night | Martha Plimpton, Sweat | Adjoa Andoh, Leave Taking Eva Feiler, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Watermill) Penny Layden, Jellyfish Lashana Lynch, ear for eye Charity Wakefield, Emilia |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Play | Paul Hilton, The Inheritance | Forbes Masson, Summer and Smoke | Louis Bernard, Much Ado About Nothing (Antic Disposition) Demetri Goritsas, ear for eye Wil Johnson, Leave Taking Nicky Priest, Jellyfish Sam Troughton, Stories |
| Best Actress in a Musical | Rosalie Craig, Company | Kaisa Hammarlund, Fun Home | Bonnie Langford, 42nd Street Eva Noblezada, Hadestown Caroline O'Connor, The Rink Gemma Sutton, The Rink Adrienne Warren, Tina the Musical |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Steven Miller, Sunshine on Leith | Andrew Finnigan, Drip | Paul-James Corrigan, Sunshine on Leith Arinzé Kene, Misty Michael Mather, Mythic Leon Scott, Midnight Zubin Varla, Fun Home |
| Best Supporting Actress in a Musical | Patti LuPone, Company | Amber Gray, Hadestown | Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Caroline or Change Vivien Carter, Sweet Charity (Watermill) Genevieve McCarthy, Mythic Hilary McLean, Sunshine on Leith Seyi Omooba, Christina Modestou & Renée Lamb, Little Shop of Horrors |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Musical | Jonathan Bailey, Company | Patrick Page & André de Shields, Hadestown | Alex Cardall, Sweet Charity (Watermill) Alex James Ellison, The Secret Garden Albion Richard Fleeshman, Company Matt Willis, Little Shop of Horrors |
Best Actress in a Play
Leah Harvey, Clare Perkins, Vinette Robinson, Emilia
For the second year running, this award goes three ways as apparently I’m a sucker for a women-heavy production (who knew!). But there’s something more here, it wasn’t just about how Harvey, Perkins and Robinson shared the role of the title character in Emilia, its how they supported each other through it as well, reinforcing the play’s cry for the necessity of solidarity. Everyman? Every-Emilia!
Honourable mention: Sarah Gordy, Jellyfish
A deeply empathetic performance from Gordy underscored the undersung importance of this production – her searingly honest Kelly opened the eyes and touched the hearts of surely everyone who saw Jellyfish.
Patsy Ferran, Summer and Smoke
Marieke Heebink, Oedipus
Elinor Lawless, To Have To Shoot Irishmen
Carey Mulligan, Girls and Boys
Sarah Niles, Leave Taking
8-10
Sophie Okonedo, Antony and Cleopatra; Lia Williams, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; Ria Zmitrowicz, Dance Nation
Best Actress in a Musical
Rosalie Craig, Company
Crowding us with love, forcing us to care…Craig’s initial casting as Bobbie garnered all sorts of headlines but once Marianne Elliott’s production opened, that attention was more than justified by a sterling turn from this most versatile of actors (don’t forget she’d only just finished a run in The Ferryman). A strikingly contemporary figure, she both integrated Bobbie better into the ensemble than ever before and made her stand out at just the right moments, ie making sure she got hers from Andy!
Honourable mention: Kaisa Hammarlund, Fun Home
Given some of the things that transferred into the West End, especially now the Ambassador’s has been freed up, it’s a travesty that Fun Home didn’t get to further its journey (for now at least), especially since it was anchored by a finely nuanced performance from the excellent Hammarlund. A small saving grace is that she’s now free to lead the cast of Violet in the New Year.
Bonnie Langford, 42nd Street
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Caroline O’Connor, The Rink
Gemma Sutton, The Rink
Adrienne Warren, Tina the Musical
8-10
Jocasta Almgill, Sunshine on Leith; Jemima Rooper, Little Shop of Horrors; Rebecca Trehearn, Sweet Charity (Nottingham Playhouse)/Gemma Sutton, Sweet Charity (Watermill)
