Drawing: Greta Scacchi in The Entertainer

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This is the third drawing that Greta Scacchi has signed for me. The first two were graphed when she starred in BETTE AND JOAN alongside Anita Dobson at the Arts Theatre in 2011. The Emmy-winner has returned to the West End in the last play of the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s productions at the Garrick. John Osbourne’s venomous 1957 play THE ENTERTAINER. Greta plays Phoebe, the sad wife of Sir Kenneth’s  clapped-out Vaudevillian Archie Price. The Independent’s Paul Taylor wrote in his four-star review, “Greta Scacchi vividly captures the touchiness and squally mood-swings of Archie’s weary, put-upon working class wife.” Greta was running a little late for Saturday’s matinee, but graciously stopped to sign for three of us waiting at the stage door, including this sketch of her as Phoebe and a younger portrait, which I identified when she asked me who the second person was? She smiled and signed.

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Drawing: Greta Scacchi

greta scachi001Italian-born Australian actress, Greta Scacchi is fluent in English, French, Italian and German which has been the foundation for a versatile career on both screen and stage. She won an Emmy in 1996 for her portrayal of the Russian Princess Alexandra in RASPUTIN: DARK SERVANT OF DESTINY. In May 2011 Greta appeared with Anita Dobson in the play BETTE AND JOAN at the Arts Theatre in London. She signed this sketch on Opening Night.

Drawing: Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi

Bette and Joan

Anton Burg’s Bette and Joan played the Arts Theatre in London’s West End from May till June in 2011. It starred Anita Dobson as Joan Crawford and Greta Scacchi as Bette Davis. Based on the real life legendary feud between the two stars, the play shows them at a low point in their careers when they meet on the set of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? which became a surprise hit and propelled them back to stardom.

Both Anita and Greta signed my original and kept copies of the sketch and sent me a thank you letter… so I guess they like it!