Sketch: My Night WIth Reg, Apollo Theatre starring Matt Bardock, Julian Ovenden, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Lewis Reeves, Richard Cant and Jonathan Broadbent

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

My Night with Reg

In her five star review, The Evening Standard’s Fiona Mountford said “British drama doesn’t get better than this.”

Following a sell out season at London’s Donmar Warehouse, Kevin Elyot’s 1994 modern classic, My Night With Reg transferred to the Apollo Theatre for a strictly limited run in January this year.

Robert Hasties’s exquisite 20th anniversary revival will make you laugh and cry, Dominic Cavendish said, “it’s the truest, funniest and most searing play to be found anywhere on the London stage.”

Set in London in the 1980s, it follows a group of gay friends over several years, through the highs and low of their friendship amid the escalating AIDS crisis. The action takes place over three scenes in Guy’s London apartment.

The much discussed ‘Reg’ is conspicuously absent through the play, but is seemingly sleeping with all Guy’s close friends. As Cavendish puts it, he’s, “as pivotal as he is promiscuous”.

The first Act’s comedy as three university pals reunite for a house warming, gives way to emotion and tragedy as the AIDS crisis casts it shadow over the group.

Mountford described the cast as “unbeatable sextet of performances, so sublime,” referring to Matt Bardock (Benny) Julian Ovenden (John) Geoffrey Streatfeild (Daniel) Lewis Reeves (Eric), Richard Cant (Bernie) and Jonathan Broadbent (Guy).

On its premiere Reg won both Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. This production has been nominated for Best Revival in the 2015 Olivier nominations.

I left this sketch at the theatre and it was returned signed by all the cast except Julian, so I waited at the stage door to complete the set in person.

I thanked Richard as I told him of the missing ‘graph. He quipped, “there’s always one”. But it’s the one I got as Julian was more than happy to complete the sextet of sigs.

Sketch: Kim Noble in You’re Not Alone at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Kim Noble

Kim Noble has been labelled an eccentric genius. The BAFTA nominated performance artist and comedian won the 2000 Perrier Award. In his latest show You’re Not Alone, which finished at the Soho Theatre last week, he tries to get close to other people – one man’s attempts at connection, friendship and employment at B&Q, an escape from the loneliness of modern society.

Theatre critic Henry Hitchings summed up Kim’s latest show as “Noble’s approach is twisted and unpredictable… the result is a warped, ingenious and deeply uncomfortable 65 minutes.”

You’re Not Alone previewed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, receiving rave reviews and winning a total theatre Award and nominated for 2 Chortle Awards.

Veronica Lee, the Arts Desk reviewer said, “The Soho Theatre’s lawyer was in the night I saw Kim Noble’s new show, and that’s not surprise as it pushes a few boundaries – public decency and legality being just two.”

“The lighter Kim manages to derive comes from shock rather than slapstick,” said Rebecca Jones. (A Younger Theatre)

His approach to making friends is “unorthodox shading into the unethical” said Alice Jones in The Independent. He records his neighbours sex lives, poses as sexting “Sarah” as he chats up boys on Facebook, defecates in a church, becomes obsessed with Keith on the checkout at Morrison’s…

The Times simply said, “utterly compelling” and The Telegraph “one of the most hypnotically involving pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen”.

I met Kim just before his last performance at the Soho and he was genuinely overwhelmed with the sketch and said “What do I write – I don’t do much of this stuff”.

Sketch: Andy Nyman and Catherine Tate in Assassins at Menier Chocolate Factory

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Catherine Tate Andy Nyman Thirteen people have tried to kill the President of the United States. Stephen Sondheim’s ensemble musical Assassins follows nine of them. Four succeeded, including Andy Nyman’s character, Charles Guiteau – the killer of President James Garfield. Catherine Tate‘s character missed.

Not one of Sondheim’s most popular works, Assassins is experimental and dark in what critic Henry Hitchings called “mixing elements of slapstick and documentary”. Its London revival has just completed its Christmas season run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, directed by Jamie Lloyd, described as “irresistibly potent… that exudes the very opposite of festive cheer.”

“Catherine Tate is cruelly funny… and Andy Nyman has an electric intensity as the delusional Charles Guiteau, not least when squirming on the end of an executioner’s rope,” Hitchings said. Catherine played Sarah Jane Moore, the unhinged, ditsy, multiple divorcee who shot a nearby taxi driver instead of President Gerald Ford.

Both Catherine and Andy kindly signed my sketch on the final day.

Sketch: Glynis Barber in Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Glynis Barber

British actress Glynis Barber, best known for her small screen roles in hit eighties come series Dempsey and Makepeace, Blake’s 7, Eastenders and Emerdale. She’s currently on the West End stage playing Genie Klein (Carole King’s Mum) in the London production of the Broadway hit Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at the Aldwych Theatre.

Carole’s album Tapestry has sold more than 25 million copies and the musical focuses on her route to success between the ages of 16 and 29, as part of the hit songwriting team with husband Gerry Goffin.

Glynis is a lifelong fan of Carole King. She doesn’t sing, but loves the fact that she will get to hear Carole King music all year. Initially booking till 13 June, the show has extended its run due to popular demand until February next year. It has also just been nominated for 8 Olivier Awards.

Sketch: Katie Brayben in Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Katie Brayben

West End’s newest leading lady, Katie Brayben, has just been nominated for an Olivier Award for her role as the legendary singer songwriter Carole King in Beautiful – the Carole King Musical.

Katie’s nod for Best Actress in a Musical is one of eight for the show, “I am absolutely over the moon,” she told Digital Spy.

Katie doesn’t read reviews, so in case she’s reading this, I won’t spoil it for her, other than to say her Olivier nomination would have the unanimous support of all the critics.

One of the most successful songwriters in pop music history, Carole King’s life story has been transformed into a hit Broadway musical, with 7 Tony nominations, winning Best Leading Actress for Jessie Mueller.

Carole was one of Katie’s idols and actually appeared at the curtain call on the press night. When Katie was signing my sketch at the stage door after Saturday’s matinee, I asked her if she knew Carole would be there and she said, “no, if I had known, I wouldn’t have been able to do it!”

Sketch: Carly Bawden in Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Carly Bawden

The delightful Carly Bawden has just finished playing a failed murderer in the London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s 1990 ensemble cabaret Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Set in a fairground shooting gallery, the musical follows the assassination attempts – successful and otherwise – of 9 presidents of the United States.

Carly plays Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who had President Gerald Ford in her sights before the gun failed to fire. WhatsOnStage called her character, “the wacko follower of cultist psychopath Charles Manson.” Critics were unanimous in praise of her performance, one calling it, “irrepressible”.

After the 26 year old shone in daring shows Pippin (also at the Menier) and in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Gielgud, Carly’s star turn was her acclaimed leading role in the Kneehigh Theatre’s Christmas production of My Fair Lady at the Sheffield Crucible in 2012.

Under the headline ‘The Lady is a Champ’, Sarah Cockburn called Carly “impressive” on the Culture Vulture site, The Telegraph said, “remarkable” and Variety simply said, “An Ideal Eliza”

I was hoping to get this “Squeaky” sketch signed by Carly. Having missed her earlier, I waited outside the theatre after the final performance on Saturday evening. However, the customary end of the season celebrations were taking place in the font of house Menier cafe. Not wanting to interrupt proceedings, but keen to catch my last train, my best shot was to ask someone to get it to her.

The very kind and helpful Gerry (a staff member) appeared at the side door and designated smoking area. He happily took my sketch in and got Carly to sign it, she then came out to thank me in person.

Sketch: Sarah Kendall in Touchdown at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

sarah kendall

Sarah Kendall is a London based Australian comic who became the first comedienne in almost a decade in 2009 to be nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award (presented to the best shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, now called the Eddies)

She is one of the most acclaimed stand ups in the industry and has played sets around the globe, including the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and at LA’s Hollywood Improv Club.

The Observer called her, “thoughtful, intelligent, subtle, enlightening and …really funny.”

In its review The Guardian said Sarah, “takes comedy to serious places” for her latest show Touchdown, which has just completed its run at the Soho Theatre, where Sarah signed my sketch.

Sketch: Tiff Stevenson in Optimist at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

tiff stevenson

Stand-up comedian, actor and writer Tiff Stevenson’s latest show OPTIMIST was performed at last years Edinburgh Fringe. Reviewing it, GiggleBeats Hilary Wardle said,”Tiffany Stevenson looks rather angelic with her blonde hair and shimmering blue-green dress, but the minute she opens her mouth you realise she’s just the opposite. She’s a brash, complex, unhinged demon woman and she knows it”.

Tiff hit the Fringe circuit in 2006 with the lead role in the Eric Bogosian play TALK RADIO and has continued at Edinburgh with solo shows, including UNCOMFORTABLY NUMB, CAVEWOMAN, DICTATORS and ALONG CAME A SPIDER, playing to packed houses and rave reviews. She actually began her career in entertainment onscreen in THE OFFICE and in the indie feature SPINNING CANDYFLOSS and even appeared in Dizzie Rascal’s DIRTEE CASH vid. Her other TV credits include NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS, ONLY JOKING, CELEBRITY DEAL OR NO DEAL and SHOW ME THE FUNNY, performing in the live final at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

Tiff signed this sketch at the Soho Theatre after performing OPTIMIST, which she is currently touring with dates listed on her website.

Sketch: Lydia Wilson, Oliver Chris, Richard Goulding and Tafline Steen in King Charles III

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The smash hit play, King Charles III, Mike Barlett’s mock Shakespearean play about a constitutional crisis when Charles succeeds his mother after her death. Time called it a “future history play”.

Directed by Rupert Goold, the pitch perfect production premiered at London’s Almeida Theatre on 10 April 2014, before transferring to Wyndham’s in the West End for a short sell out run late last year.

“It won’t blow the palace sky high. But it’s theatrical dynamite, nonetheless,” said Caroline McGinn in Time Out.

Lydia Wilson’s manipulating Duchess of Cambridge with a touch of Lady Macbeth puts pressure on Oliver Chris’s uncanny William to intervene in his father’s refusal to uphold Parliament’s decisions. Richard Goulding’s likeable and restless Harry falls in love with the liberating but ultimately unstable Jess, a punky republican art student played by Tafline Steen.

Sketch: Nancy Carroll, Oliver Chris, Patrick Marber, Rachel Redford, Rufus Sewell in Closer

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Closer – Patrick Marber’s study about the brutality of modern relationships, gets its first major revival at London’s Donmar Warehouse and has already sold out.

When it premiered at the National Theatre in London in 1997 and the Music Box Theatre on Broadway in 1999, Closer won Olivier, Evening Standard and New York Drama Critics Circle Awards and was nominated for a Tony for Best Play.

Directed by David Leveaux, it stars Rufus Sewell, Nancy Carroll, Oliver Chris and Rachel Redford as the quartet caught up in “an agonised sexual and emotional square dance,” according to The Telegraph.

The Donmar website sums the play as: “Dan rescues Alice. Anna photographs Dan. Larry meets Anna online. Alice rescues Larry. This is London at the end of the twentieth century, where lives collide and fates change in an instant.”

According to the Evening Standard, Marber writes perceptively about our obsession with appearances, the perils of honesty and the damage we can do to others in the name of love. Holly Williams in the Independent summarises it as “hook ups, fuck ups and break ups”.

The cast all signed my sketch after Saturday’s matinée, Closer runs until 24 April 2015