Drawing: David Hyde Pierce in Curtains on Broadway

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

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.

Drawings: Tom Conti and Natalie Walter in Smash; and Nina Conti in Talk To The Hand

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

I have had the great pleasure of seeing both Tom and his daughter Nina on stage at various times and venues in London. More known for his contemporary rather than classical theatre, Tom is one of the West End’s most enduring and popular actors over the past four decades.

He received the Tony and Olivier Awards for this role as a paralysed sculptor in the right-to-die play Whose Life Is It Anyway? in 1979.

In films tom won the National Board of Review Award Twice for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and Reuben, Reuben. In the latter he also received an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination.

Nina is a wonderful comedian, actress and ventriloquist who regularly headlines at London comedy venues, including the comedy store. In 2002 she won the BBC New Comedy Award. Her first full length solo show Complete and Utter Conti debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007 and went on to win the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival the following year. Her primary on stage sidekick is a depressed monkey called Monk and she has recently added ‘Granny’, a puppet she inherited from her mentor Ken Campbell on his death.

Both Tom and Nina signed their drawings at the Menier Chocolate Factory after their respective shows in 2011.

Drawing: Angela Denoke in Salomé at the Royal Opera House

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

David McVicar’s revival production of Richard Strauss’ hyper-sensuous and erotic opera shocker Salome, about Herod’s stepdaughter and biblical femme fatale. It opened at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in July 2010.

It is based on a German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. Famed for its ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ and the final scene when she declares her love to – and kisses the severed head of – John the Baptist. It shocked opera audiences from its first performance in 1905, and was actually banned in London by the Lord Chamberlain’s office until 1907.

German soprano Angela Denoke played the title role. She is a regular at all the world’s major opera companies – Berlin, London, Paris, Chicago, New York, Vienna and San Francisco, being named Singer of the Year in 1999 by the magazine ‘Openweldt’.

Drawing: Lenny Henry, Conrad Nelson and Jessica Harris in Othello at Trafalgar Studios

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Comedian Lenny Henry made his Shakespearean debut as Othello – one of the most challenging roles in dramatic literature. After opening at the West Yorkshire Playhouse it transferred to the Trafalgar Studios in London in November 2009. Lenny received widespread critical acclaim in the title role with The Daily Telegraph saying ‘This is one of the most astonishing debuts in Shakespeare…” Conrad Nelson was equally impressive, as the vile and reptilian antagonist, Iago and Jessica Harris played the Moor’s wife Desdemona.

All three signed my sketch after I saw a matinee performance in December 2009.

My other Lenny Henry sketch is here.

Drawing: Dame Judi Dench as Elizabeth I

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Dame Judi Dench is considered to be one of the greatest actresses of the post-war period, primarily through her work in theatre, including several of Shakespeare’s plays.

However, it was a Shakespearean role in a film about the Bard that won her film’s most coveted award – the Oscar (she also won the BAFTA). Playing Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1999) for only a few minutes earned her the Best Supporting Actress statue. In her acceptance speech she said “I feel for eight minutes on the screen, I should only get a little bit of him.” Her understated take on the monarch does set much of the film’s plot in motion.

Dame Judi signed my sketch through the post and sent me a nice complimentary letter.

Drawing: Sandra Bullock

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Sandra Bullock is considered to be the biggest star of modern Hollywood, replacing Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie as the highest paid actress with $56million.

Her films have grossed over 3.1billion dollars worldwide. She has the distinction of being name ‘best’ and ‘worst’ actress in the same year. Two days before winning the Academy Award for The Blind Side, Sandra collected two Razzies for All About Steve. She attended both ceremonies – a real trooper.

Sandra signed my sketch at the Gala Screening of Gravity on the second night of the BFI London Film Festival at the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square.

For her role as an emotionally charged astronaut lost in space she is being tipped to win her second Oscar, or at the very least receive a Best Actress nomination.

Drawing: Robert Lindsay as Richard III

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the best stage renditions when I saw Robert Lindsay performing the title role in Richard III at the Savoy Theatre in 1999. I drew this sketch, but it wasn’t until Robert was appearing in Onassis at the Novello eleven years later that I actually got it signed… and a cryptic quip from the Shakespearean heavyweight.

Drawing: Mark Rylance and Juliet Rylance

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Juliet Rylance and her father, Mark, graced the London stage boards at the same time in different theatres during 2010. Mark featured in David Hirson’s comedy La Bête at the Comedy Theatre, and Juliet was in The Bridge Project’s Shakespearean double bill, As You Like It / The Tempest over at the Old Vic.

Mark signed my sketch first on the 10th August 2010, and Juliet a week later.

My other Mark Rylance drawings can be found here, here and here.

Drawing: Christian Camargo and Juliet Rylance In As You Like It

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Husband and wife Christian Camargo and Juliet Rylance featured in The Tempest and As You Like It as part of the Old Vic’s Bridge Project, directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes.

Performed in repertory over a two month season in 2010, Juliet played the roles of Rosalind and Miranda, while Christian performed as Orlando and Ariel.

My dreaming depicts them as Orlando and Rosalind in As You Like It. Juliet was rewarded with an Obie Award for her role. She has recently produced a modern retelling of Chekhov’s The Seagull, written and directed by Christian. Titled Days and Nights, the film features both, plus a cast including William Hurt, Ben Whishaw, Jean Reno and Katie Holmes. It will be release later this year.

Drawing: Ron Cephas Jones and Stephen Dillane in The Tempest

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

2010 was the second year of Sam Mendes’ transatlantic Bridge Project featuring globally touring hybrid Anglo-American cast at the Old Vic Theatre. The Shakespearean comedy As You Like It ran in repertory with The Tempest. At first sight they may not appear obvious bedfellows, but both deal with exile, sibling hostility and a touching father-daughter relationship.

BAFTA and Tony winner Stephen Dillane, currently seen in the British hit TV series Game of Thrones portrayed Prospero, The Tempest’s main character and overthrown Duke of Milan turned sourcerer. American actor Ron Cephas Jones played the enigmatic half-human, half-beast Caliban – Prospero’s slave.

Time Out described his performance, “with his vulpine aspect, ascetic frame and rich, musical baritone, earns that hackneyed critical plaudit, “riveting.”

Both Stephen and Ron signed my drawings in August 2010 at the stage door.