Tag Archives: Autograph

Drawing: Kenneth Cranham and Claire Skinner in The Father

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Kenneth Cranham Claire Skinner The Father

‘The most acclaimed new play of the decade’, The Father has just transferred to London’s Wyndham’s Theatre for a limited 8-week run after it’s UK tour. Receiving an unprecedented nine 5-star reviews from all of the British major newspaper critics and winner of France’s highest theatrical honour, the 2014 Moliere Award for Best Play, this Theatre Royal Bath and Tricycle Theatre production is based on Christopher Hampton’s ‘crisp and witty’ adaption of French playwright Florian Zeller’s savagely honest study of dementia. Tony and Olivier Award nominees Kenneth Cranham as the titular character Andre and Claire Skinner as his daughter Anne lead the superb cast. The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish wrote,”One of the most absorbing and distressing portraits of dementia I’ve ever seen.” The writer wants the audience to ‘get lost in a mental labyrinth’, not to simply be a witness of the effects of Alzheimer’s, but to actually feel the confusion and the devastating realisation and loss of what is slipping away. In many reviews it was reported that the final scene has most of the audience sobbing and some having to be helped from the auditorium.

The stage doors of both the Wyndham’s and Noel Coward Theatre’s open out onto a small shared alleyway. Photograph 51 with Nicole Kidman is currently running at the later, attracting a large crowd for it’s A-list star, which means The Father cast can be a little difficult to find emerging at the same time, especially on a Saturday night. Howeve, I managed to locate both Kenneth and Claire to sign my sketch.

Drawing: Terry Gilliam

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terry gilliam

“One of the most multifaceted visionary talents alive,” is how the London Literature Festival organisers described one of the most, if not the most multifaceted visionary talents alive, the one and only Terrance Vance Gilliam, who appeared for the one-off  Inside The Head Of Terry Gilliam evening at the Royal Festival Hall this week. The man, who apparently has the nickname ‘Captain Chaos’ and first found fame as a member of the surreal cult comedy troupe Monty Python before creating 12 memorable feature films has also been labelled ‘half genius, half madman.’ Jeff Bridges, who has appeared in several of Terry’s films has described him as “an ‘ancient child’…’child’ because he has retained the optimism, playfullness and bewilderment of a kid and ‘ancient’ because there is a timeless, wizard vibe about him.”

I did this quick portrait of Terry, but it’s a bit daunting giving a fellow artist a drawing, especially one of his stature. Anyway I do have one thing in common, we are both the same height, physically that is. He once said he used to have this reoccurring dream that he was flying – not a high flyer, but darting about, close to the ground, ‘below the radar’ as he put it. I know all about keeping low. When he eventually exited through the stage door, or as The Royal Festival Hall people call it, the ‘Artist’s Entrance’, there were a few loyal disciples left to greet him. When I showed him my sketch, he asked “Did you do that?” A number of possible answers in anticipation of a number of possible responses flashed through my head, so I simply, almost apologitically said “guilty”…I mean, “yes.” To which he said, ” I look pretty good, thank you,” and duely signed it.

Drawing: Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd

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helena bc

I drew this minimal fine line sketch of Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs Lovett in Tim Burton’s film version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for the 2007 Premiere,but never got it signed. Subsequently, Helena has signed another drawing I did, but this one has, for reasons that became clear yesterday, always stayed in my folder over the years.

I headed to the opening of this year’s BFI London Film Festival yesterday afternoon at the Odeon in Leicester Square, where Suffragette was screening, with Helena attending along with Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan. I hadn’t intended ‘bothering’ Helena again, but the red carpet was invaded by the ‘Sisters Uncut’ action group, protesting against the government cuts in the service for domestic violence victims, which blocked the middle of the  red carpet. Helena had just arrived, so while the various authorities tried to sort out the interruption, she was kept down at the drop-off point and had more time to sign. I then remembered the Sweeney sketch was still on my personage…obviously a sign to sign and she did and in a variation I didn’t have in my collection-‘HBCr.’ When asked about the protest, Helena said, “Perfect…if you feel strong enough about something and there’s an injustice you can speak out and try to get something changed, “…an apt synopsis of the film really.

Drawing: Barbara Feldon as Agent 9

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barabara feldon 99

“They wanted to call her ‘Agent 100′, but ’99’ seemed like a girls number,” said American character actress Barbara Feldon about her famous role as the  smart sidekick to ‘Agent 86’, ironically called Maxwell Smart played by Don Adams in the hit 60’s TV comedy Get Smart. Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, it was a parody on the James Bond films and the Cold War politics of the time. Barbara’s character spent most of the show’s episodes trying to stop the dimwitted Smart from doing something stupid. Twice nominated for an Emmy, Barbara’s intelligent portrayal of ‘99′, always having the right answer, went against the trend in that era.…and is why I naturally had a boyhood crush on her.

I was watching a rerun of Get Smart a while back, deciding to draw this sketch and send it to Barbara at her apartment in the Upper East Side of Manhatten in New York. In next to no time it arrived back signed and dedicated, a great memento to add to my nostalgia.

Drawing: Sylvia Milo in The Other Mozart

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Sylvia Milo

Wolfgang Armadeus Mozart had a sister who was equally brilliant-a prodigy keyboard virtuoso and composer named Maria Anna, called Marianne or by her nickname Nannerl. They would tour Europe together as the ‘wunderkinder’. However history seemed to forget her, until Polish award-winning actress,playwright and producer…oh,and violinist, non resident in New York, Sylvia Milo wrote and performed her solo play, The Other Mozart about the forgotten sibbling. the new york times described it as ‘strikingly beautiful.’ After a successful off-Broadway run, Sylvia bought it to the St James Theatre in London for a short season last month. “I am writing to you with an erection on my head and i am very much afraid of burning my hair,” she wrote to Wolfgang about her large ‘erected’ hairdo for the Mozart family portrait. Sylvia replecates the hairstyle and an even larger dress that covers the entire stage as she plays the lost genius.

Sylvia signed my sketch and was delivered through my mailbox with a large wet liquid patch on the envelope-like a seal that smelt of some berry juice. unfortunately it didn’t stop there and stained the sketch, so Sylvia’s won’t have to worry about burn in hair with a watermark absorbed into her forehead.

Drawing: Amber Topaz in Storm in a D Cup

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Amber Topaz

Christened Michelle Louise Andrew`-‘Sheli’ to family and friends, Amber Topaz is known by many labels such as the ‘Burlesque Supernova’ and the ‘Original Yorkshire Tease’. Blessed with a natural singing voice, she studied at the London Studio Centre before appearing in a number of West End musicals, including Les Miserables. But the inconsistency of work lead her to develop new opportunities with her songwriting and comedy skills.

While modelling, a photograper, who incidently gave her the stagename, suggested trying burlesque to utilize all her talents. She learnt by ‘osmosis’ she said and for a laugh auditioned for the Whoopee Club in front of a live audience at the infamous Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club in 2005. She was an instant hit and immediately signed up with their agents. GQ magazine described her as “an explosion of charisma and stage presence unmatched. Between music and songs. Comedy and seduction.” Recently she starred in Miss Nightengale – A Burlesque Musical, playing Maggie, a northern lass who becomes a burlesque dancer in war-torn 1940’s London.

Amber was at the Leicester Square Theatre last week, performing her show Storm In a D Cup so I popped along with the intention of leaving this sketch at the stagedoor for her to sign.  But as good fortune would have it she was doing a photo-shoot outside the theatre which is on a busy corridor between the Square and China Town – home of the good fortune cookie. Needless to say it attracted a… shall we say… person of the perverted persuasion, who lingered back and forth. Added to that I turn up with a drawing, stalking for it to be ‘graphed. This turned out to be a welcome relief for both Amber and her photographer who even took a pic of us together with the drawing.

Drawing: Sir Tom Courtenay in The Dresser

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Tom Courtenay

There’s maybe a dozen actors that I truly admire, some dead at the moment. But very much alive is Tom Courtenay…correction, Sir Tom Courtenay. He was knighted by the Queen in 2001. On a much earlier visit  to the Palace (1965 to be precise) at a reception for Doctor Zhivago in which a not-yet-knighted Tom played Pasha Antipov, Her Majesty apparently noticed his shyness and was said to have remarked,”Look at him…and to think he’s just lead a revolution.” My favourite film and play in which the shy-yet -to -be sir starred is Ray Harwood’s The Dresser. There’s a ‘Sir’ in it, but Tom didn’t play him. He played Norman, an ageing actor’s personal assistant who struggles to keep ‘Sir’s’ life together.  He  played Norman right from the start. The 1980 stage version transferred from Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre to the Queen’s Theatre in London’s West End before moving to Broadway the following year and earning Tom a Tony Award nom. Two years later the film , directed by Peter Yates was released, earning five Academy Award nominations, including one for Tom and for Albert Finney as ‘Sir’. They were both also nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, with Tom picking up the later. Despite his cinematic accolades, Tom prefers his first passion-the stage, which he has excelled in equal measure.  One of his solo performances is in Pretending To Be Me, based on the letters and writing of poet Philip Larkin. I drew this sketch of the now-Sir Tom and was planning to ask him to sign it at the British Film Institute earlier this month. He was doing a Q&A after the screening of his latest film 45 Years with Charlotte Rampling in which both won acting Silver Bears at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. I didn’t however, so I posted it to him and he kindly sent it back adding a compliment.

Drawing: Toni Collette

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toni collette

This is a surrogate sketch for the one I really wanted Toni Collette to sign. I had originally drawn her in her role as Jennifer when she returned to Broadway, after a 14 year absence last spring in Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses. I knew Toni was an accomplished Australian actress, nominated for every award imaginable (and winner of a few), but only just found out she’s an equally accomplished musician and lead singer in the band The Finish. Unfortunately in my usual haste, my antiquated filing and protection system in my even more antiquated bag assigned the original sketch to a piece of  amateur origami…similar to the Royal Mail sometimes when delivering returned goodies through my small mail slot. ( and strangely as I type this the art of postal paper-folding has just been practiced through the said slot). Suffice to say it was not in a fit state for sig-nifying. The suggogate was quickly sketched in time to catch Toni at the Miss You Already Premiere in London last week,where she not only signed, but dedicated it for me.Second sketch, first-rate star!

 

Drawing: Drew Barrymore

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drew barrymore

And now for a bit of functional grammar. I apologise in advance, but I just had to state the obvious. ‘Drew’ is the simple past tense of ‘draw’. It’s also a noun and a verb.I have connected both. I drew Drew-a short sentence that contains a subject and a doing word. Drew Barrymore was the noun and I did the verb thing.  Drew also drew her autograph on my drawing which I drew of Drew. In drawing the line is a key element-the agent of direction, I’ve heard it called. Drew comes from a long and distinguished line of Hollywood stage and screen illuminati, from Lionel, Ethel,John. John again, this time Jr to Drew and beyond. That’s a lot of DNA to draw on, starting with her breakthrough BAFTA-nominated role as Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s ET: The Extra-Terrestial to her most recent film Miss You Already, which had it’s Premiere in London this month. She also writes, directs and produces-it’s in the blood. Along the way she’s picked up her fair share of recognition, including the Golden Globe and SAG Awards for playing ‘Little Edie’ in the TV movie Grey Garden in 2009.

I drew this drawing based on a younger Drew, which I felt was more representational of her well-known facial features. When you see her in the flesh at the Prem, she still has those features. She said “Oh” and smiled then signed.  Some collectors were not happy with her ‘scribble signature’, preferring a fuller name, but I like the distinctive shape. It’s  a quick, simple, initialisation,  forming a decorative ‘heart’  monogram. Drew can certainly draw!

Drawing: Natalie Clein

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Natalie Clein

The cello is a member of the violin family…a very big member of the violin family. Although not the biggest, it is the instrument that is the reason for celebrated classical cellist Natalie Clein”s  biggest pet hate, “When I take my cello on a plane, people always ask why I don’t play the flute.” The Brit Award winner isn’t a flautist, she plays one of the biggest members of the violin family and plays it exceptionally well…’mesmerisingly’ and ‘passionately’ well according to The Times. The said cello is a ‘Simpson’ Guadagnini, made in 1777 by the ‘Leonardo Da Vinci  of cello-makers, JB Guadagnini. “I own a small part of it along with 20 other people. It’s like a child, you never really own it, you’re it’s guardian for a while.” she said in a Guardian interview. Speaking of a child, Natalie’s daughter was born last year, so now the large amount of travel makes it more interesting on planes, ‘baby in the front,cello on the back.’

I drew this sketch and left it at the Cadogan Hall in London, where Natalie was performing her latest recording, Saint-Saens: Cello Concerto No 1 with the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra earlier this year.