Drawing: Joss Stone

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Joss Stone

The 29-year-old soul-infused British songstress Joscelyn Eve Stoker, better known by her stage name Joss Stone was Burt Bacahrach’s special guest at last night’s one-off concert in London’s Royal Festival Hall. In his five-star review for the Evening Standard, Andre Paine wrote, “There may be an age difference of six decades, but the pairing of 88 year-old songwriter Burt Bacharach and a supremely soulful Joss Stone was an outstanding success. Stone’s knockout voice was tough and tender and Bacharach seemed beguiled as he played the grand piano.”

Described as a mix of R&B, reggae and blue-eyed soul, Joss has won two Brit Awards and a Grammy. She rose to fame with her 2003 debut, multi-platinum album ‘The Soul Sessions’ followed by the equally successful ‘Mind,Body & Soul’ which topped the UK charts. The album’s lead single ‘You Had Me’ was Grammy-nominated and reached the Top 10 Singles chart in 2004.

I met Joss when she arrived at the Royal Festival Hall and she a bit of fun with the sharpie signing my sketch.

Drawing: Burt Bacharach

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Burt Bacharach

I finally got to meet one of my musical heroes yesterday, the beyond legendary Burt Bacharach. Still going strong at 88, the man described as the greatest songwriter of the 20th century was performing at London’s Royal Festival Hall. After his Liverpool concert last week, one reviewer wrote, “Good performers receive a standing ovation at the end of their performance… Burt Bacharach walked ON to one.” Another said “while the master of easy listening is knocking on a bit, his music is timeless.” In collaboration with lyricist Hal David they produced some of the most memorable tunes of all time.

Burt’s distinctive music is characterised by unusual chord progressions, influenced by his jazz background, with syncopated rhythmic patterns, irregular phasing, frequent modulation and odd, changing meters – “non-symmetrical phasing,” as Burt calls it. Most pop songs follow a predictable pattern in either a 4/4 or 3/4 time, but Burt uses more complex time signatures. Frank Sinatra once joked that Burt Bacharach writes in hat sizes – seven and three-fourths.

Many moons ago, in New Zealand I sent a portrait drawing to Burt and he signed and returned it for me. This time I was determined to get my sketch signed in person. After a four hour wait at the Royal Festival Hall artists’ entrance (that’s the RFH’s fancy name for stage door), Burt finally arrived for the sound check and was happy to graph it for me.

Drawing: Alize Cornet at Wimbledon

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

alize cornet

At Wimbledon in 2014 I watched 25th seed Alizé Cornet come from a set down to beat five-time Champion and World No 1 Serena Williams, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a dramatic, rain-interrupted, third round encounter on Court One that had everything, including thunder and lightening. It was her best result at SW19 and no fluke. In fact that year the twenty-six year old Frenchwoman managed three victories over the 21 time Grand Slam winner. She was beaten in the next match by Eugenie Bouchard, but got her revenge over the Canadian earlier this year to win the Hobart International, her fifth WTA title. In 2009 she was ranked as high as No 11, but is currently at 61.

I did this sketch of Alizé or ‘Allleeezzzzzee!’ as her supporting French fans call out, after her wonderful Wimbledon win and managed to catch up with her at The Championships on Thursday after she and her doubles partner Xena Knoll won their opening match. Earlier that day she had defeated Sarah Errani to advance to the third round, so it would be fair to say she was in a buoyant mood and happily signed the drawing.

Drawing: Michael Crawford in The Phantom of the Opera

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Michael Crawford Phantom

The legendary screen and stage actor Michael Crawford has returned to the West End in the musical adaption of LP Hartley’s novel THE GO-BETWEEN. He plays the elderly Leo Colson who looks back to the summer of 1900 when, as a boy he acted as a go-between in a secret love affair.

Michael has kindly signed drawings for me in the past and has also accompanied the renderings with complimentary letters. I realised I hadn’t drawn him as the Phantom, the role he originated and that catapulted him into the stratosphere when Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA premiered in London in 1986. Michael was not the original choice to play the sinister figure who haunts a Parisian theatre. When Lord Webber and his wife Sarah Brightman (the original Christine) arrived early at her vocal coach’s studio. While they were waiting, they heard Michael singing a piece from Handel’s ATALANTA in another room. He subsequently auditioned for PHANTOM and was hired on the spot.

Michael’s rich baritone voice hypnotised audiences in 1,300 performances over three years in London, Broadway and Los Angeles, winning both the Olivier and Tony Awards. It set the benchmark for all who have played the masked recluse since.

I left this drawing at the Apollo last week, which he signed it for me. THE GO-BETWEEN runs until October.

Drawing: Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon and The Father

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Frank Langella

Frank Langella has won four Tony Awards. His latest was for his role as Andre in Florian Zeller’s THE FATHER this year. He played Richard Nixon, the only US President to resign the office in Peter Morgan’s FROST/NIXON at London’s Donmar Warehouse and the Gielgud before transferring to Broadway’s Bernard B Jacobs Theatre in April 2007, winning his third Tony. He reprised the role in the film version the following year, earning Oscar, Globe,SAG and BAFTA Award nominations.

I sent Frank this sketch of him in both roles while he was in THE FATHER at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre last month and he signed it with his unique abbreviated initials graph.

Drawing: Michael Brandon and Cherie Lunghi in Off The Kings Road

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Michael Brandon Cherie Lunghi

Top Hollywood publicist, manager and producer Neil Koenigsberg’s debut play, the bittersweet comedy drama OFF THE KINGS ROAD transferred to London’s Jermyn Street Theatre this month after successful runs in New York and Los Angeles. Michael Brandon plays Matt Browne, a recent widower, who takes a week’s respite in his favourite city, London, in a small hotel off the King’s Road. His stay turns into a voyage of self-discovery with a number of unplanned encounters, including a Russian prostitute and her jealous boyfriend. WestEnd Wilma described it as ‘an intelligent little gem.’

A unique part of the production is the e-appearance of Oscar winner Jeff Bridges as Matt’s LA-based psychologist Dr Kozlowski via Skype in three short segments.

Cheri Lunghi makes a delightful cameo as the nosey hotel resident and cat lover Ellen.
I left this sketch of Michael and Cheri at the theatre on the final day and it came back today signed and dedicated.

Drawing: Joseph Fiennes in Ross

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The play ROSS is Terence Rattigan’s bio-drama about English archaeologist, military genius and diplomat T. E. Lawrence. It is bookended with a framing device when Lawrence was hiding under an assumed name as ‘Aircraftman Ross’ in the Royal Air Force in 1922, before flashing back six years under a malaria-induced fever dream to his involvement as a liaison officer in the Arab Revolt against the Turks where he became known internationally as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

It premiered in 1960 at London’s Theatre Royal, Haymarket with Alec Guinness in the title role, who went on to portray Prince Feisal in the Oscar-winning David Lean epic LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Steven Spielberg’s favourite film and his inspiration to become a filmmaker.

To mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Arabian Revolt, the Chichester Festival Theatre staged a rare revival of ROSS this month, directed by Adrian Noble and featuring Joseph Fiennes, who returned to the stage after seven years to play the British hero, in what many critics called a tour de force, capturing Lawrence’s troubled spirit. Michael Billington in the Guardian wrote, “Fiennes gives an accomplished performance in an elegantly mounted production.”

I sent this sketch of J.F. as T.E. to him at the theatre for signing and he graciously did so.

Drawing: The Spoils at The Trafalgar Studios

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The Spoils

Jesse Eisenberg’s third play, THE SPOILS explores the questions of privilege and the value of family and relationships. The off-Broadway transfer to London’s Trafalgar Studios opened this month to critical acclaim. Jesse, Kunal Nayyar and Annapurna Sriram reprised their roles from the original New York production, joined by Londoners, Alfie Allen and Katie Brayben.

Jesse’s breakthrough performance as Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film THE SOCIAL NETWORK saw him nominated for a Golden Globe, the BAFTA and an Academy Award. Kunal is best known as Raj Koothrappali in the CBS hit BIG BANG THEORY. Last year Forbes listed him as the third highest paid TV actor. Alfie plays Theon Greyjoy in the hugely popular GAME OF THRONES and Katie won the Oliver Award for her betrayal of Carole King in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL. Brooklyn-based Annapurna was recently seen as host Nicky Tomalin in the sci-fi podcast THE MESSAGE which reached Number 1 on the iTunes Charts.

Jesse signed a sketch for me during rehearsals. This is another drawing of all five cast members, who all arrived at once on Saturday prior to the matinee. It was a bit like London buses, none for a while then five arrived at once, but they kindly took their turn to sign it for me.

Drawing: Bec Hill

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Bec Hill

“I used to think an ocean of soda existed, but it was just a Fanta sea.” Just one of Bec Hill’s zillion one-liners in her show ELLIPSIS, which was a sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe and at London’s Soho Theatre last year.

The pint-sized Australian born, London based dynamo founded the PUN-RUN with her writing partner Gavin J. Innes, the UK’s only pun-based comedy night. It’s an evening of good old fashioned wordplay that takes place bi-monthly at The Phoenix in London’s Cavendish Square.

“My brother and his friends spend all their time floating out to sea. Well, boys will be buoys.” Another one-liner.

The Scotsman called her “exuberant, daft and inventive.” She calls herself “Comedian. Presenter. Dork.” on her website.

Bec’s cult following in Oz, UK and Ireland is due to her award-winning solo shows, Twitter presence and YouTube videos, including delightful low tech animation. She also hosts Sky’s DC FANCAST and is seen on CBBC’s MY DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK. Bec won a golden toilet seat for the nation’s favourite toilet joke.” For Christmas last year I got given Sudoku toilet paper. It’s useless. You can only fill it with number ones and number twos.”

She returned to the Soho this month with her latest show CAUGHT ON TAPE and signed my sketch, incorporating a toon from her DINOSAUR vid. She decided to sign with a black sharpie, although obviously she had a few colours to choose from.

Drawing: Chris Lemmon in A Twist Of Lemmon

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Chris Lemmon

I often use the word favourite. That’s because many of the people I draw are favourites or appear in favourite productions. In the words of Julie Andrews, ‘these are a few of my favourite things’, which is easier than saying ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.

Jack Lemmon was a favourite. Well, he still is. They continue to ‘live’ and the Hollywood legend’s only son, Chris has made sure of that with his autobiographical play, A TWIST OF LEMMON, celebrating his famous father. It’s based on his 2006 book ‘A Twist of Lemmon: A Tribute To My Father.’ The forward is written by Kevin Spacey, who credits Jack with his pursuit of acting. He would say, people who do well in this business have an obligation to send the elevator back down to help lift people starting out on the ground floor.”

Obviously Chris has more than a passing resemblance to his dad with the familiar impish grin and other Lemmonesque mannerisms. It’s hard to believe it’s Chris and not Jack onstage,” wrote Jordan Young in the LA Examiner.

He bought his solo show to the St James Theatre in London this month. It’s two hours of stories and anecdotes, a mixture of impersonating his father and being himself, punctuated by jazz standards. “How do you follow in the footsteps of a giant?” he asks the audience as he talks about what it was like to grow up with an internationally loved celebrity and how that impacted on a normal father-son relationship and his own aspirations under the weight of his father’s Oscar-winning heritage.

Described as beautiful, complex and poignant. It’s a touching tribute of a multifaceted yet troubled actor. In her review for British Theatre.Com, Helena Payne wrote, “Lemmon Jr brims with a boundless energy, his story telling is on point. He beautifully portrays Jack as he realises the joy of performing and making people laugh.”

Chris signed this drawing for me at the theatre and wrote me a nice note.

Chris Lemmon Note