Drawing: Ian Rickson and Jez Butterworth

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Ian Rickson Jez Butterworth

Playwright Jez Butterworth and director Ian Rickson have formed a formidable team and are considered one of contemporary British theatre’s great collaborators. Jez’s debut play, Mojo, the black gangster comedy set in a Soho nightclub in the 1950s, premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1995, directed by Ian Rickson who became the resident artistic director from 1998 – 2006, replacing Stephen Daldry.

They have been friends and collaborators ever since, with Ian directing all of Jez’s plays. That includes the smash hit Jerusalem, that was a runaway success at the Court, on West End and Broadway.

Eighteen years later Ian directed a revival of Mojo at the Harold Pinter Theatre, featuring an all star cast, including Ben Whishaw, Daniel Mays and Rupert Grint.

I love Jez’s writing and am a huge fan of Ian’s direction. They are both very likeable chaps; always engaging and obliging.

I drew this sketch of Ian and Jez in rehearsals for Mojo, hoping to get both to sign it on press night in November 2013. I managed to get Jez, but couldn’t find Ian, so figured he’d be around through the season. Whenever our paths did cross over the next two years, I didn’t have the sketch on me.

It wasn’t until press night of his most recent play The Red Lion at the National’s Dorfman Stage last week that I had a chance. I had to politely excuse myself at the official gathering in the foyer after the performance. He was his usual friendly self, liked the sketch and happily signed it.

Sketch: Helen Mirren in Phèdre, National Theatre

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Dame Helen Mirren returned to the stage in June 2009 after a six year absence to play the title role in Jean Racine’s 1676(ish) tragedy Phèdre at London’s National Theatre.

In the absence of her royal husband Thésée King of Athens, his second wife Phèdre declares her love to Hippolyte (played by Dominic Cooper) the King’s son from a previous marriage.

Described by Michael Billington as a, “powerful and striking production,” Phèdre was directed by the National’s outgoing Director Sir Nicholas Hytner, from Ted Hughes’ gutsy free verse translation replacing Racine’s formal Alexandrine couplets on a vast, stark palace veranda stage under the hard Mediterranean sunlighitng.

On 25 June the play was filmed and broadcast live to over 70 cinemas across the UK and subsequently screened “as live” in over 280 cinemas across the world as part of the NT Live Project.

Always a great signer, Dame Helen signed and happily dedicated this black biro Phèdre portrait montage in person at the European Premiere of Brighton Rock at London’s West End Odeon in February 2011.

See my other Helen Mirren sketches:
This portrait sketch
A sketch from The Audience

Drawing: John Lithgow in The Magistrate at the National Theatre

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

I finally got the brilliant John Lithgow to sign a sketch for me.

The New York-born 69 year-old has appeared in more than 30 films, with two Oscar nominations and an equally impressive television list that includes the Emmy-award winning 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN and DEXTER.

John’s distinguished stage career has spanned over four decades on both sides of the Atlantic. His 1973 Broadway debut in David Storey’s THE CHANGING ROOM earned him the Tony and Drama Desk Awards. He won his second Tony for his portrayal of J.J Hunsecker in the Broadway adaption of the 1957 film SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS in 2002.

During the winter of 2012/13 John crossed the ditch to appear on the London stage as the title character, police magistrate Aeneas Posket in the National Theatre’s revival of Arthur Pinero’s THE MAGISTRATE. I was lucky enough to catch a saturday matinee.

The following summer he retuned to New York and the Delacorte stage in Central Park’s Public Theatre’s production of KING LEAR, where he last appeared in 1975 in the role of Laertes in HAMLET. John listed playing ‘Lear’ at the top of his bucket list..”so there’s an empty space there now.” he quipped.

When asked what he disliked most about his appearance, John replied, “I have a love/hate relationship with my height-I am 6 foot 4 inches.”

John signed this sketch depicting his stage appearances in THE MAGISTRATE and KING LEAR at the John Golden Theatre in New York where he has just finished the limited season of Edward Albee’s A DELICATE BALANCE alongside Glenn Close. He actually dedicated it ‘To Mark’,but my letter must have been under the drawing because the inscription was written on the top of it with the most important sig on the sketch.

Sketch: Sofie Gråbøl in the James Plays, The National Theatre

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

BAFTA award winning Danish actress Sofie Gråbøl joined the ensemble cast of 20 to star as Queen Margaret of Denmark, the wife of James III in her first stage role in English.

James I, II and III are three new plays about the 15th century Scottish Kings by acclaimed playwright Rona Munro. They debuted at last years Edinburgh International Festival before transferring to London’s National Theatre. Critics were full of praise for Sofie’s performance.

Henry Hutchings said in The Telegraph, “she lit up the final part of the trilogy… with a commanding and witty portrayal of the King’s wife.”

Sofie signed my sketch at the BFI in London where she took part in a Q&A after the screening of the first episode of British TV series Fortitude.

Drawing: Andrew Rothney, Jamie Sives and James McArdle in The James Plays

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The James Plays – James I, James II are a thrilling trilogy of history plays by award-winning Rona Munro. They previewed at this year’s Edinburgh Festival before a limited run in repertory at The National Theatre in London, finishing on the 29th October.

James McArdle (James I) Andrew Rothney (James II) and Jamie Sives (James III) play the lead roles, bringing to life three generations of Stewart Kings who ruled Scotland in the tumultuous 15th Century.

The Daily Telegraph gave the production 5 stars, calling them, “astonishing… could be the finest history plays ever penned.”

Drawing: Gemma Chan in Yellow Face at The National Theatre

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

This mischievous comedy was performed in The Shed at the National Theatre last month featuring Gemma Chan in its ensemble cast. Written by Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang, it starts with his key role in the US Actors Equity Association protests against the casting of Jonathan Pryce as the Eurasian engineer in the Broadway version of Miss Saigon.

Many Asian-Americans and others regarded this as an example of “yellow face” casting – a caucasian actor applying make-up to portray a character of Asian descent.

Its a ‘mockumentary’ about an Asian-American playwright who, after protesting the casting of Price, accidentally casts a white actor as the Asian lead in his own play Face Value believing him to be of mixed race. He discovers that he is 100% white and tries to cover up to protect his reputation as an Asian-American role model.

It is notable that the National Theatre’s Artistic Director, Nicholas Hytner was the director of Miss Saigon. He amusingly programmed Yellow Face to run in the exact month Saigon returned to the West End. Oxford educated Gemma hailed her breakthrough in “colour-blind casting” when she won her first classical role in theatre, playing the war goddess Athena in Our Ajax at the Southwark Playhouse in 2013. The Sherlock and Jack Ryan actress still believes that actors of East Asian descent still don’t get opportunities white actors do. “I have to fight hard to get parts that don’t have something to do with China,” she said in a recent interview.

Drawing: Kate O’Flynn and Lesley Sharp in A Taste of Honey at The National Theatre

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

A Taste of Honey just completed its season on the Lyttelton stage at the National Theatre. It was the first play by the late British dramatist Shelagh Delaney, written when she was eighteen.

Acclaimed as her ‘Kitchen singk’ masterpiece, it became one of the great defining and taboo breaking plays of the 1950s. Set in a grimy Salford housing estate, it focuses on a teenager who is abandoned by her fly by night mother, impregnated by a black sailor and looked after by a gay art student.

“Lesley Sharp and Kate O’Flynn brilliantly bring out the abrasive music hall double act quality in the funny, painful slanging matches between Helen the tarty, irresponsible mother, who lives hand to mouth off fancy men, and Jo, the oddball daughter who is both older and younger than her years because of this maternal neglect,” wrote critic Paul Taylor.

Drawings: Sam Mendes

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The 29 July 2011 was the press night for Sam Mendes’ Shakespearean production of Richard III at the Old Vic, in featuring Kevin Spacey in the title role. It was also the beginning of a frustrating quest. I drew a quick ink portrait of the accomplished director, hoping to have it signed. But, alas, to misquote the Bard “Now was the start of Winter’s discontent”.

I have carried that piece of artwork with me for the past 2 and a half years to opening nights, closing nights, award nights, premiere nights, nights lurking around stage doors during rehearsals, and days stalking filming of the latest Bond around various London locations. All part of my strategy to secure Sam’s siggy on my sketch. But, to no avail. I lacked the Mendes touch.

Prior to this, I had met Sam on a few occasions. He was always very friendly and happy to sign an autograph. It wasn’t his fault I couldn’t get the sketch signed, I just kept missing him, as I’m sure he would have done so had our paths crossed. Ironically my saviour was another Shakespearean king. This time, Lear, which starts preview on Tuesday (14 January 2014) at the National with Simon Russell Beale. I had succumbed to leaving the sketch with a suitable note and a return envelope at the theatre. It was Saturday afternoon, a cursory glance as I pass the stage door to go into the National’s foyer (which was brimming with matinee audiences). I found a spot, sat down, wrote the note, put it with the sketches and the envelope together inside a bigger envelope and closed it up. Looked up, and there was the man himself walking straight past me. Dilemma! Do I just give him the envelope, or do I rip it open and get it signed in person? Silly question.

Sam is a big cricket fan. In fact, he was an accomplished player in his day, representing Cambridge University. So in cricketing terms, I trapped him in front of the wickets… I mean, the lift. My delivery wasn’t flash. “Saaaaaaaaaam!” He turned, saw me furiously ripping open envelopes and tearing paper out. The connection was made when he recognised himself in my drawing, which he was more than happy to sign as I burbled on about my two and half year quest, that had come to a successful conclusion.

As I had his attention and the lift hadn’t arrived I politely asked him if he wouldn’t mind signing another one – a pencil sketch – while I fumbled through my bag to find it and he was more than obliging. Now, on a cold January day, was the Winter of my content. Plus, I saved a stamp.

Drawing: Cillian Murphy in Misterman at The National Theatre

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

After a year and a half trying, I finally managed to get Cillian Murphy (pronounced Kil-ian, not Sil-ian as a fellow collector warned me – an error I and many others have made) to sign a sketch for me. He is a fiercely private person who shirks celebrity status. The Cork-born, former law student and rock musician is also known for his distinctive eyes and chameleonic performances in diverse roles.

In 2011 Cillian performed in the monodrama Misterman, written and directed by Enda Walsh. After playing to packed audiences and rave reviews in Ireland and New York, it transferred to the Lyttleton stage at the National Theatre in London n 2012.

Misterman is a physically demanding one man performance on a vast set. Cillian plays Thomas Magill – a crazed small town preacher who has fled the town and is holed up in an unused depot in the countryside, existing on Fanta and Jammie Dodgers. The unhinged evangelist has made a row of crosses out of flattened Fanta and surrounded himself with several ancient tape recorders, out of which come several disturbing voices that tell a fractured story of a single day’s events. Cillian won the Irish Theatre Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance.

In April 2012 I left a sketch at the National Theatre for Cillian to sign after him a couple of times at the stage door. Subsequently I was in the wrong place at the right time at a couple of premieres Cillian attended. So, I redrew another sketch and sent it to his London agent. Come 26 October 2013 nothing had materialised. On that evening he was due to introduce the film that inspired him at the BFI in London as part of their Screen Epiphanies series. The film was Jerry Schatzberg’s Scarecrow, with Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. It won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. Maybe no coincidence he plays the DC comics super villain Dr Jonathan Crane – alias ‘The Scarecrow’ in the last two Batman films.

The same collector who gave me pronunciation advice also said Cillian turned up three hours earlier last time. 8.45pm minus 3 hours = 5.45pm. I made my was to the BFI on London’s Southbank at 4pm and ensconced myself in a corner and waited. At 8.15pm he arrived through the front and quickly headed for the Green Room. Only a phone call halted his progress… and a handful of ‘graphers. He was happy to sign and dedicate the fourth sketch before he slipped into the safety of the Green Room – well worth the wait.

Drawing: Catherine Tate

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Comedian and writer Catherine Tate appeared in Season’s Greetings at the National Theatre at the end of 2010 and early 2011.

It’s the Alan and Ayckbourn’s 1980 black comedy about a dysfunctional family Christmas. Tate’s character is always flapping about the house and constantly decorating the Christmas Tree.

I remember one time filming Catherine signing at the National Theatre stage door and she said I should have asked her permission, which was a first. However, I apologised but said it was good to see talent taking the time to sign for fans. It was all very convivial, but I decided to leave my Season’s Greeting’s sketch for her to sign and post back, instead of another in-person encounter. That was December 2010. I received it the following October! But better Tate than never.