Irishman Ciaran Hinds has developed an impressive film, television and stage career as a versatile character actor. In January 2013 he played the role of ‘Big Daddy’ in Tennessee William’s 1955 family drama CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF alongside Scarlett Johansson at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway. He signed my sketch while featuring in Conor McPherson’s THE NIGHT ALIVE at London’s Donmar Warehouse in July 2013.
Mary-Louise Parker is no stranger to screen and stage acting awards – in 2003 she won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Supporting Actress in Angels In America. She won a Tony Award for Proof in 2001 and in 2006 another Golden Globe for Best Actress in Needs.
Proof is a 2000 play by American writer David Auburn. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play. It premiered off Broadway in May 2000, before transferring to the Walter Kerr Theater in October that year.
Mary-Louise played Catherine, the daughter of a deceased mathematical genius and Professor at the University of Chicago, who struggled with mental illness. After his death, one of his students finds his ‘proof’ for a paradigm shift involving prime numbers. Catherine has to prove her father is the author amongst fears of following in her father’s footsteps, both mathematically and mentally.
Mary-Louise signed my sketch at the European Premiere of Red 2, Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London, on the 22nd July 2013.
David Hyde Pierce is known for playing the psychiatrist Dr Niles Crane on the hit NBC sitcom Frasier, winning four Emmys for the role.
In August and September 2006, he starred as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in Curtains, staged at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA. It transferred to Broadway in March 2007 with David winning a Tony for his performance as a leading actor in a musical.
In 2010 he appeared on the West End stage in a revival of David Hirson’s play La Bête directed by Matthew Warchus, before it also moved to New York. David signed my sketch at the Harold Pinter Theatre’s stage door in London.
Actress Tara Fitzgerald has appeared in two acclaimed productions on the West End over the last few years. Her theatre pedigree includes playing Ophelia opposite Ralph Fiennes in Hamlet on Broadway in 1994-95, winning the New York Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a play.
In 2009 she featured in The Misanthrope, alongside Damien Lewis and Keira Knightley at the Comedy Theatre.
More recently she joined Anthony Sher in Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass at the Vaudeville Theatre.
Tara signed my sketch at the Comedy Theatre in December 2009 after a performance of The Misanthrope. She’s always friendly and obliging and stops for a chat after the show.
Alan Cumming has just finished performing a radical re-imagining of Macbeth, single handedly! to sell out audiences on Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre (of Theater in the American vernacular).
He won the Olivier Award, playing the maniac in Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist in 1996 and the Tony Award for his role as the MC in the Broadway production of Cabaret seven years later. Alan has also been nominated for two Emmys and two Screen Actor’s Guild Awards.
In this National Theatre of Scotland production the 11th Century ‘Thane of Cawdor’s’ murderous ambition and corrosive guilt is cleverly transferred to a chilly chamber of a mental institution where a CCTV camera captures the patient’s every move as he is habited in turn by each of the characters from ‘the Scottish play’. In two hours with no intermission he performs “one power grab, and 16 major roles,” as one reviewer put it. “Cumming’s delivery swiftly shifts characters with stunning clarity.”
Alan signed my sketch yesterday at a preview screening of his latest film Any Day Now at Piccadilly Vue Apollo Cinema in London
Kathleen Turner is the voice of the animated bunny Jessica Rabbit – Roger’s voluptuous wife. She is best remembered for the classic line “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way,” in 1988. In 2005 she played the role of Martha (I’m not bad, I just act that way) in the Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Bill Irwin played George, opposite her. Both were nominated for a Tony Award, with Bill winning the coveted prize. The production transferred to London’s Apollo Theatre the following year. Kathleen was certainly a big drawcard with sell out performances. I sent this sketch to the theatre. It was returned, signed by both, with a nice note from Bill thanking me. So I guess, I’m not bad… I just draw that way!
In 2004 ‘The Sexiest Man Alive’ according to a number of publications, including People Magazine, Australian actor and producer Hugh Jackman won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy From Oz – a jukebox musical based on the life of fellow antipodean singer/songwriter Peter Allen. After it’s world premiere in Sydney on 5 March 1998, it opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on 16 September 2003 with Hugh taking over the lead role from showman Todd McKenney and ran for a year. It also returned to Australia from August/September 2006 with a specifically designed arena production.
Hugh liked the sketch and amongst the madness and mayhem of screaming fans (mostly of the female persuasion) at the UK premiere of The Wolverine he signed it and interrupted his ‘graph to go’ speed signing to pass on complementary remarks.
Known for his versatile portrayal of antiheroes and vulnerable characters, two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman took on the challenging role of ‘Shylock’ in Peter Hall’s production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in London’s West End. After a 13 week run at the Phoenix Theatre, mixed reviews and packed houses, the production transferred to The 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in December 1989, where it played till March the following year after 19 previews and 84 performances.
Dustin continued his role as the Jewish money lender with his thirst for revenge and ‘a pound of flesh’
Dustin was nominated for both a Tony and the Drama Desk Award. He signed my sketch at the theatre in New York in February 1990.
When Richard Griffiths passed away earlier this year, Daniel Radcliffe lead the tributes:
“Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career. In August 2000, before official production had even began on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursley’s, which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease. Seven years later, we embarked on Equus together. It was my first time doing a play, but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humour made it a joy. Any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever by his presence. I am proud to say I knew him.”
Peter Shaffer’s Equus is a favourite of mine, both on screen and stage. A revival, directed by Thea Sharrock opened at the Gielgud Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in February 2007 and subsequently transferred to the Broadhurst Theater on Broadway, running until February 2009. Daniel received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play.
I did a quick ‘montage’ sketch of Daniel as Alan Strang, the boy who blinds a number of horse with a hoof pick and Richard’s Martin Dysart, a child psychiatrist trying to understand the cause of the boys actions, while wrestling with his own sense of purpose.
In the mayhem that surrounds Daniel I risked damage at this year’s Olivier Theatre Awards at the Royal Opera House to get it signed. Daniel’s signature is always his full name, so that combined with haste to sign as many as possible means the final ‘graph can vary in quality. However, he did take the time to dedicate it to me and seemed genuinely touched by the drawing.
I had also drawn another sketch of just Daniel with Richard behind him, so dropped it into the rehearsal room where Daniel was preparing for The Cripple of Inishmaan (currently in previews at the Noël Coward Theatre). I also enclosed a flyer for him to sign, which he did and sent it back. As you can see, the more ‘relaxed’ ‘graph is a model of legibility.
One Man, Two Guvnors opened at London’s National Theatre in 2011. Written by Richard Bean and directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner it is a British adaption of The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni (1743) and set in 1963 Brighton.
It transferred to the Adelphi Theatre in November 2011, where James Corden, Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper signed my sketch. After closing in February 2012, it premiered on Broadway’s Great White Way at the Music Box Theatre until September.
The play was nominated for seven Tony Awards, with James winning for Best Actor.
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