Drawing: Nigel Havers in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The quintessential English charmer, Nigel Havers is 62, and returns to a role he played at 26 in Oscar Wilde’s classic farce The Importance of Being Earnest at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London. Wilde’s masterpiece has some additional material added by Simon Brett as a framing device to enable older actors to play younger roles.

Nigel originally player Algernon Moncrieff in Peter Hall’s 1982 production at the National alongside Martin Jarvis, who also reprises his role as Jack Worthing.

The latest re-imagining revolves around The Bunbury Company of Players, an amateur troupe of veteran thesps performing a dress rehearsal. In one of the added lines, someone suggests that the ageing roué is not really an actor, Nigel’s character quips, “that’s true of so many who make a living at it.” And he has made a good fist of it over a 30 year career playing smoothies, gentlemen and cads, in such films as A Passage to India, Empire of the Sun and Chariots of Fire, plus a string of small screen roles – his latest being the charismatic con-artist Lewis Archer in Corrie.

Nigel is always on the go. On the number of occasions our paths have crossed he has definitely taken the fast lane. But, he always has time to sign. Just as well he has a swift siggy to complement his famous charm.

Drawing: Neil Morrissey and Caroline Quentin in Relative Values at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Neil Morrissey reunited with his men Behaving Badly co-star Caroline Quentin for the first time since the series ended 16 years ago.

He took over from Rory Bremner as the butler Crestwell in Noël Coward’s Relative Values revival for the final month of its run at the Harold Pinter theatre in London.

Caroline was already playing Moxie, a senior maid in the play about the clash between English aristocracy and Hollywood. It’s the same theatre Neil made his stage debut in Kay Mellor’s A Passionate Woman in 1988. I caught up with both of them last week at the Pinter Stage door where they were more than happy to sign the sketch.

Drawing: Patricia Hodge in Relative Values at Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

“I always wanted to perform, but I was terribly nervous, which creates a barrier between you and the audience” British actress Patricia Hodge said of when she first tread the boards at the Bush Theatre in the mid-seventies. She obviously broke that barrier at the small, intimate theatre and went on to a stellar stage and screen career.

Best known to TV viewers as Phyllida (Trant) Erskine-Brown, the “Portia of our Chambers” in John Mortimer’s Rumpole of the Bailey, who usually sided with Rumpole, eventually becoming a QC and then a judge. She also featured in BBCs Miranda from 2009-2013.

After earlier nominations, she eventually won the Olivier Award in 2000 for Best Supporting Actress in Money.

Patricia is currently at the Harold Pinter Theatre in Noel Coward’s Relative Values directed by Trevor Nunn until this weekend (21 June). She signed my sketch after last night’s performance.

Drawing: Mojo, starring Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint, Daniel Mays, Ben Whishaw, Colin Morgan and Tom Rhys Harries

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The first major revival of Jez Butterworth’s Olivier award-winning black comedy Mojo is currently in previews at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London. The original production directed by Ian Rickson opened at the Royal Court Theatre in July 1995 prior to a sell out West End run in 1996.

Two of Britain’s great theatre collaborators, Jez and Ian reunite for this staging after their hit sensation Jerusalem and the critically acclaimed The River in recent years. A subsequent film adaption featuring Harold Pinter himself, was directed by Jez in 1997.

Set against the fledgling rock’n’roll scene of 1950’s Soho, the savagely funny play delves into the sleazy underworld and power games of London’s most infamous district. It features a stellar ensemble cast, Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint (making his stage debut), Daniel Mays, Ben Whishaw, Colin Morgan and Tom Rhys Harries. The first performance was on Saturday evening (26 October) which I was lucky enough to get a £10 ticket for (standing in the balcony). I returned on Monday with my sketch which all the cast signed at the stage door. Mojo opens 13 November and will run to 25 January 2014.