Drawing: Scott Davies and Nadim Naaman in the Phantom of the Opera

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Scott Davies Nadim Naaman

Scott Davies currently plays the standby Phantom and Nadim Naaman his rival, Viscount Raoul de Chagny in Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End. They form two sides of the love triangle to win the heart of breakout new soprano Christine Daae.

Scott, who alternates the title role with Principal Phantom Ben Forster, is no stranger to the iconic part and Her Majesty’s having played the lead Phantom from December 1999 to July 2000. He returned as the standby in 2009 when David Shannon was the lead followed by John Owen-Jones. Scott also played the Phantom in the UK tour.

PHANTOM is Nadim’s favourite musical. Like Scott, he is no stranger to the production,
spending two years (2010-2012) with the show including first cover for Raoul. He made his West End debut as Rolf in THE SOUND OF MUSIC after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 2007, returning to PHANTOM and the role of Raoul in July 2015.
An accomplished singer-songwriter Nadim’s second album ‘Sides’ is being released this month, containing 9 originals and 9 covers with some stellar West End guests including Eva Noblezada, Celinde Schoenmaker and Jeremy Secomb.

Both Scott and Nadim signed this at Her Majesty’s stage door.

Drawing: Ken Loach

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Ken Loach

British director Ken Loach joined an elite club this month winning the Palm d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival with his powerful welfare state polemic film I, DANIEL BLAKE. Only eight other directors have twice won the prestigious top honour in its 69 year old history, including Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Haneke, Luc and Pierre Durdenne.
His previous win was with the war drama THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY in 2006.

I, DANIEL BLAKE follows the growing humiliation of a 59 year old Geordie joiner who struggles with the British benefits system after an attack leaves him unable to work.

The 79 year-old filmmaker said he had finished with directing, but became so infuriated by the plight of the poor under the current Conservative government that he came out of retirement to make this film addressing the human cost of their policies.

“Punishing the poor is no accident, it’s part of David Cameron’s project”, he said.
Ken turned down an OBE in 1997, stating, “It’s not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it.”

I have met Ken a few times at the British Film Institute and the week after his Cannes win he was speaking at the premiere of VERSUS, a documentary about history and life. I drew this sketch on the day and hoped to get him to sign it in person at the Curzon Cinema in Soho, but couldn’t make it in the end, so sent it to his production company instead.

Drawing: Meera Syal in Romeo and Juliet

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Meera Syal

In another life when I trod the boards, I once played Peter in the Bard’s classic romantic tragedy ROMEO AND JULIET. Not a major character, but the one charged with adding comic relief to the sad tale – the story of my life.

Peter was the loyal servant of Juliet’s Nurse, a major character who acts as a go-between for Romeo and Juliet and is the only person besides Friar Laurence to know of the star-crossed lovers’ wedding. I say this as a feeble intro and my loose connection to the Nurse, a major role in Shakespeare’s archetypal love story.

Meera Syal plays the Nurse in the Kenneth Branngh Company’s latest revival at the Garrick Theatre in London. The comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist, producer and actress is probably best known for her portrayal as one of Britain’s most loveable Indian personalities, Sanjeev’s grandmother Ummi in THE KUMARS AT NUMBER 42.

Meera signed this sketch for me as she arrived for Saturday’s matinee.

Drawing: Bjorn Borg

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Bjorn Borg

With the French Open at Roland Garros just completed and Wimbledon later this month it’s an appropriate time to pay homage to one of the true icons of tennis, Sweden’s Bjorn Borg, considered by many to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. The first male player to win eleven Grand Slam titles, Bjorn held the number one spot for a total of 109 weeks between 1974–81, winning six French titles and five consecutive Wimbledon crowns.

His distinctive playing style with powerful ground strokes on both forehand and his highly unorthodox double handed backhand and his unique appearance was one of the reasons for the sports rise in popularity in the 1970’s. Because of his calm demeanour on court he was nick-named ‘Ice- Borg’.

Winning the French and Wimbledon titles in the same year is considered the toughest to achieve and almost impossible in the modern era. Only Bjorn, Rod Laver, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer have achieved the ‘Channel Slam’ but the cool Swede is the only player to have done it three times.

He also holds the record for the winning the most consecutive sets – 41– at The French Open and in 1978 and 1980 won the title without dropping a set, an achievement he repeated when winning his first Wimbledon in 1976.

He is one of the reasons why I started following tennis and I just missed meeting him at last year’s Wimbledon. I was waiting in the ticket line and he was waiting for his car on the other side By the time I got in and made my way to the Members entrance he had gone, so I sent my sketch to him at his company in Stockholm and it was returned with interest, as they say in tennis circles,msigned and dedicated. Very cool. I just found out it’s Bjorn’s 60th birthday today… even cooler!

Drawing: Francis Ford Coppola

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Francis Ford Coppola

Few would argue that Francis Ford Coppola is one of the greatest film directors to ever walk the earth.

His body of work includes the cinematic classics THE GODFATHER and THE GODFATHER II, APOCALYPSE NOW, PATTON and THE CONVERSATION.

He is one of only six people to win the Oscar for Producer, Director and Writer and is included in the elite group to win the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or twice. Sight and Sound Magazine ranked him #4 in the list of the greatest movie directors of all time.

I sent this sketch to Francis at his winery in California’s Sonoma County and was over the moon when it returned yesterday, signed and dedicated.

Drawing: Miranda Raison as Anne Boleyn… twice

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Miranda Raison Anne Boleyn

In 2010 English actress Miranda Raison played Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s notorious second wife at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. In fact she played her twice in the same season in different productions. Once in the world premiere of Howard Benton’s play, simply entitled ANNE BOLEYN and again in the Bard’s HENRY VIII.

Keeping with the ‘two’ theme, I drew her twice as Anne from the former production and posted the first sketch on this blog in November 2013. Both sketches depict the opening scene when the ghost of Anne Boleyn addresses the audience, carrying a bloodied bag containing her severed head and a copy of Tyndale’s bible. The previous sketch is a full-bodied version. This is the close-up and has more ‘energy’ in the rendering.

Since her beheading for treason Anne became a heroine and key figure in the political and religious upheaval of the English Reformation inspiring numerous cultural works since.

The reason for two similar sketches is simples. I often do a number of variations, some subtle, then select one for signing and sometimes giving the ‘victim’ one of the others. In this case I had dropped off the close-up drawing at the Globe for Miranda to sign and must have forgotten about it. Sometimes I do this just in case I don’t get an ‘in-person’ sig. As you can see I got both, with a nice little note on the flyer with the one mailed back to me.

So this is a second, similar drawing of Miranda in the same role and the Raisons (sorry)
for it.

Anne Boleyn Flyer

Drawing: Nina Sosanya, Take 2

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Nina Sosanya

Nina Sosanya quickly signed a portrait sketch I drew of her after the final televised performance of James Graham’s THE VOTE on Election night in May 2015. She actually apologised for the hasty sig as she literally signed on the run to catch the cast (which numbered over 50) bus for the final night function.

Nina’s a familiar face on the small screen, appearing in such shows as HUSTLE, VERA, LEWIS, JONATHAN CREEK, DR WHO, SILENT WITNESS and was a regular on the comedy-drama series TEACHERS. She was also part of the all-star cast in the Christmas-themed romantic comedy movie LOVE ACTUALLY.

I decided to try again and redrew the same portrait, adding Nina in character as one the assistants at the fictional polling station and got my opportunity to get a graph and dedication in less chaotic circumstances last month, when Nina returned to the Donmar in Nick Payne’s ELEGY. And here it is.

Nina’s appreciation society Sosanyatoriam will be pleased.

Drawing: Natasha J. Barnes in Funny Girl

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Natasha J Barnes

“She may have gone out an understudy, but she came back a star”.

Julian Marsh’s famous declaration to Peggy Sawyer in 42nd STREET sums up Natasha J Barnes’ fairytale rise since taking over the lead role of Fanny Brice in the West End transfer of FUNNY GIRL by his month at the Savoy Theatre due to Sheridan Smith’s recent sabbatical due to health issues. It’s also a line a few London critics have been using in their praise of her performance.

Natasha is no novice to the stage, appearing in AMERICAN IDOL, CHESS and SPRING AWAKENING and was Sheridan’s understudy in the Menier Chocolate Factory run before the West End transfer.

Initially she faced disgruntled ticket holders who had paid to see Sheridan play the role immortalised by Barbara Streisand in the 1964 Broadway production and subsequent film.

“I’ve certainly never seen a more beautiful performer than Sheridan,” said Natasha, “but I have real faith in the audience and I honestly feel that no matter how disappointed people might feel that they booked to see her and got me they will find a way of enjoying the show. They’ve got two hours of me so I’m going to do the best that I can do.”
And do her best she certainly did, receiving a standing ovation. She stunned the critics and judging by social media, using the old show biz cliche, ‘a star is born.’

“The 25 year-old isn’t just a serviceable stand-in, she’s a sensation in her own right, every bit as good as Sheridan Smith” wrote The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish. “She has a radiant charisma and twinkling mischief that’s irresistible.”

The added piquancy is that her whirlwind story is akin to that being played out on stage, the bio-drama of the early 20th century American vaudeville star Fanny Brice.
Celia Walden, also in The Telegraph said “with her heart-shaped face, impish smile and little curvy body could pass as Smith’s sister.”

When I was drawing this sketch I thought she had more than a passing resemblance to Imelda Staunton who some critics have likened her both physically and performance wise.

I joined a supportive crowd at the stage door after Saturday’s matinee where mutual appreciation flowed. Natasha seemed genuinely overwhelmed with the adoration and was more than happy to sign my sketch.

Drawing: Michael Socha and Tamla Kari in This Is Living

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Michael Socha Tamla Kari

Liam Borrett’s award-winning debut play THIS IS LIVING is a poignant study of what it means to say goodbye. I was lucky enough to say hello to the very affable Michael Socha last week as he retuned to the stage for the first time in eight years. After a sold-out run at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival the play has transferred to the Trafalgar Studios in the West End. Michael who appropriately plays Michael is joined by Tamla Kari as his wife Alice on a waterlogged stage which mirrors the lake in which she has drowned 12 hours earlier. The couple spend two hours on the bleak, soggy environment delivering one of the unmissable productions of the year. The conversations between Michael and the ‘unquietly deceased’ Alice explore the grieving process that manages to both break your heart and fill it with joy simultaneously.

Both Actors are best known for their screen work. Michael as the bully Harvey in the hit film THIS IS ENGLAND and its subsequent spin off TV series and the E4 drama THE ALIENS, and Tamla as Constance Bonacieux in the swashbuckling THE MUSKETEERS and in both THE INBETWEENER films. Both Michael and Tamla appear in the supernatural drama BEING HUMAN.

Michael signed my drawing but I wasn’t able to wait for Tamla on my first visit, so on Saturday I returned to the stage door to complete the task. I had previously met Tamla when she was appearing in VERSAILLES at the Donmar Warehouse a couple of years ago and she signed a sketch for me then. After the matinee Michael popped out to get his sushi and was his usual friendly self, chatting with fans when he not only noticed me but remembered me from the week earlier. I must get rid of the ‘stalker’ tag sharpied on my forehead. He wasn’t sure if Tamla was coming out, so kindly took the sketch to her and retuned with it signed. Top notch actor and even better bloke.
THIS IS LIVING.

Drawing: Jenny Seagrove in A Daughter’s a Daughter

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Jenny Seagrove A daughters daughter

This was the other sketch Jenny Seagrove signed for me a couple of weeks ago as she arrived at the Theatre Royal Haymarket where she is currently appearing in Alan Ayckbourn’s HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES.

It’s from Agatha Christie’s mother-daughter drama A DAUGHTER’S A DAUGHTER, which had its West End debut at the Trafalgar Studios in December 2009. It was penned under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, which Agatha Christie used for a series of six romantic novels between 1930 – 1956. It is very different to her other stage work and is considered a more personal play than anything else.

Jenny played Ann, a widow, whose only daughter Sarah (played by Honeysuckle Weeks – not a name you could forget) returns home after the Second World War. Resentment and jealously rages as gradually their relationship corrodes. I drew a quick biro sketch of Jenny and Honeysuckle, which they both signed for me in early 2010, at the end of the run. This is a more detailed study of Jenny in her role and a superimposed portrait with my trusty 4B pencil.