Drawing: Denis Conway, Ciaran Dowd, Farzana Dua Elahe, Niall McNamee, Shane O’Regan, Donal Finn and Niamh Bracken in Chasing Bono

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Denis Conway, Ciaran Dowd, Farzana Dua Elahe, Naill McNamee, Shane O'Regan, Donal Finn and Niamh Bracken in Chasing Bono at London's Soho Theatre

The pencil thin line between success and failure is vividly illustrated in the 90 minute play CHASING BONO, which has just completed its run at London’s Soho Theatre on Saturday.

In the 1970’s, Neil McCormack and Paul Henson, schoolmates at Mount Temple Comprehensive in Dublin shared the same ambition, to form bands and become global superstars. Paul changed his name to Bono and formed U2. Neil didn’t. The latter, the Telegraph’s esteemed chief pop and rock critic, is a successful author, radio pundit and television presenter, none of which remotely compensates for being a failed rock star. It was probably worse for his brother Ivan, who was offered a spot in Paul’s band ‘Feedback’, renamed ‘The Hype’ before becoming U2. But Neil persuaded him to stick with his group for a guaranteed shot at stardom.

CHASING BONO was written by ‘master mirth-makers’ Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (THE LIKELY LADS, PORRIDGE, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, PET and THE COMMITMENTS) and is a stage adaption of their darker 2011 film KILLING BONO, which in turn was based on Neil’s 2003 memoirs, ‘I was Bono’s Doppelgänger’.

Critic Anne Cox writing in StageReview said it was a “charming piece, packed with cracking Irish humour and good performances… part rock-fable, part whimsy and part ridiculous screwball comedy.”

The cast is lead by Niall McNamee as Neil and Shane O’Regan as Bono, with Denis Conway, Ciaran Dowd, Farzana Dua Elahe, Donal Finn and Niamh Bracken, all of kindly signed my portrait montage for me at the Soho.

Drawing: Dawn French

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Dawn French

Considered one of Britain’s national treasures; comedian, actress, writer and now pantomime Queen, Dawn French at the age of ‘oh-never-mind’ has finally become part of that other British phenomenon, the Christmas Pantomime, making her debut over the festive season in SNOW WHITE at the London Palladium. Dawn played the wicked Queen Dragonella, a hiss-boo baddie. All agreed, The VICAR OF DIBLEY star’s natural, impish comic persona lends itself perfectly to the madcap genre.

Writing about Dawn’s performance in his Telegraph review, Dominic Cavendish said, “She amazes with a fiendish tongue-twister, she bumps and grinds in an inappropriate cougar fashion, lip-synching to pop hits as she tries to hit on the young prince, and she delivers a wonderfully Dibley denouement.”

Dawn signed off after the final show last weekend on Twitter,”It’s been a blast. OH YES IT HAS!” She also signed my sketch at the stage door.

Drawing: Patsy Ferran and Matthew Needham in Summer and Smoke

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Patsy Ferran and Matthew Needham in Summer and Smoke at theDuke of York's Theatre on London's West End

The West End transfer of the Rebecca Frecknall’s remarkable Almeida Theatre’s sell-out production of Tennessee Williams’ ‘most neglected work’, SUMMER AND SMOKE continues at the Duke of York’s until Saturday.

Set in a small Mississippi town one hundred years ago it centres on Alma Winemiller, a minister’s daughter and singing teacher who cares for her ailing mother, and her moth-like attraction to John Buchanan, an angry and resentful trainee doctor. It’s a devastating fable of half-requited love, missed moments and the ways we waste what little life we have, summarised in the byline, ‘Trapped between desire and a life of obligation, Alma meets John and her world turns upside-down.’

In his Variety review, Matt Trueman wrote, “It boasts two phenomenal performances at its heart: Patsy Ferran is a quiver of anxiety as Alma; Matthew Needham’s John, a river of despair. You will them together, knowing full well they’re bound to tear each other apart. It’s agonising to watch.”

Patsy and Matthew both signed my sketch late last year at the theatre.

Drawing: Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn in True West

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Auotographed drawing of Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn in True West at the Vaudeville Theatre on London's West End

Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn are currently playing warring brothers Austin and Lee until next month in the West End revival of Sam Shephard’s ‘ferociously funny’

TRUE WEST at London’s Vaudeville Theatre. Described as a classic study of sibling rivalry, the 1980 play was a finalist for the Drama Pulitzer Prize. Austin is a clean-cut family man and Hollywood writer who has retreated to his mother’s Southern California home to finish a screenplay. He is disrupted by Lee, his older, feral brother, a petty thief and drifter, who has been wandering the Mojave Dessert for past three months.

In his Guardian review, Michael Billington points out that, “putting it crudely, Austin and Lee are both sides of a single personality – the instinctual and the intellectual aspects of the American character,” and summarises the performances, “At their best, the two actors are very good. Harington is especially convincing in the later stages as Austin unleashes his inner fury, aiming wild, drunken swings at the empty air and threatening to strangle his brother with a whipcord. Flynn also captures Lee’s initial menace as he hovers in a bullying manner over his brother and turns a golf club swing into a virtual death threat.”

Both Kit and Johnny kindly signed my drawing at the stage door prior to Christmas, and not a golf club in sight.

Drawing: Johnetta Eula’Mae Ackles in A Very Very Very Dark Matter

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Johnetta Eula'Mae Ackles in A Very Very Very Dark Matter at London's Bridge Theatre

Johnetta Eula’Mae Ackles is a very cool name and a very, very cool American actress, who made her professional stage debut late last year in Martin McDonagh’s A VERY VERY VERY DARK MATTER at London’s Bridge Theatre.

The minute Johnetta played a captive Congolese, one-legged pygmy, who is forced to live inside a 3 foot box in the creepy Copenhagen attic of the author Hans Christian Andersen, supplying him with all his stories. Her name is Mbute, but he calls her Marjory.

It’s a “wildly inventive dismantling of the great Danish storyteller,” wrote the Guardian’s Michael Billington in his four-star review. He highlighted two extraordinary performances in particular, one by Jim Broadbent as Andersen and the other by Johnetta, who he called “remarkable… she combines the pathos of the exploited with the wiliness of a time-travelling powerhouse driven by the urge to protect her people.”

I met Johnetta after a Saturday matinee prior to Christmas, where she signed this sketch. The production completed its run last weekend.

Christmas Chicanery

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Lost Claus Cartoon Christmas Note Cartoon

Christmas Chicanery

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Christmas Jumpers, Brexiteer Lemmings jumping off a cliff Tidings of discomfort and joy, CLAUS, 2nd Referendum dum dum dum

Drawing: Jack Whitehall

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of comedian Jack Whitehall

English comedian, actor, TV presenter and writer Jack Whitehall hosted this year’s British Fashion Awards for the sixth time in London last night. The thirty year-old British award-winner was joined by Sudanese-British model, designer and activist Alex Wek at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall event.

Crowned the ‘King of Comedy’ three years in a row by the British Comedy Awards, Jack has become a dab hand at presenting, having also hosted several Royal Variety Performances and returning to the O2 Arena in February to present the UK’s biggest night in music, the Brit Awards, after three sold-out stand-up show’s at the same venue earlier in the year. He’s also been chosen to present next year’s Brits. Jack recently caused a stir when it was announced he would play the first ‘openly gay character’ in a Disney film in the iconic company’s upcoming feature, JUNGLE CRUISE.

He walked the red carpet last night where I managed to nab him to finally sign this sketch I had been carrying around for awhile after narrowly missing him on a couple of occasions.

Drawing: Olivia Colman as Queen Anne in The Favourite

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Olivia Colman as Queen Anne in The Favourite

British actress Olivia Colman is one of the early favourites to win the Best Actress Oscar at the pinnacle of the awards season early next year for her ‘royally bonkers’ portrayal of Queen Anne in the restoration black comedy THE FAVOURITE. She has started well, winning the best actress categories at the British Independent Film Award (her fourth) on Sunday, and at the Venice International Film Festival in August.

Directed by Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos, the film centres on the close relationship between Queen Anne, the last Stuart to occupy the British throne and her friend Lady Sarah Churchill, (Rachel Weisz) which comes under threat with the arrival of Sarah’s cousin Abigail Hill, (Emma Stone) resulting in a bitter rivalry to become the Queen’s favourite. In his five- star review for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers writes, “Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and the mighty Olivia Colman turn a period piece into a caustic comeuppance comedy with fangs and claws… THE FAVOURITE belongs to its three fierce, profanely funny female trio.”

They collected a Special Jury Prize for their ‘kinky palace triangle’ ensemble performance at the recent Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York. Olivia is no stranger to winning awards, nor for that matter, playing British queens. She is currently Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s historical drama web television series THE CROWN and during her career has won three BAFTAs, a Golden Globe and received two Emmy nominations, accolades which are likely to be added to over the coming months.

Olivia signed my ‘Queen Anne’ sketch at the Gala Screening of THE FAVOURITE at the BFI London Film Festival at the pop-up Embankment Cinema in October.

Drawing: Sophia Loren

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of actress Sophia Loren

When Italian screen icon Sophia Loren was presented with an Honorary Academy Award in 1991 she was described as ‘one of the world cinema’s treasures’. She is the only living person on the American Film Institute’s list of the top 25 Female American Screen Legends.

Beginning her acting career in 1950 at the age of 16, Sophia has become a ‘true goddess of the silver screen.’ She won the Best Actress Oscar in 1961 for her role as Cesira in Vittorio De Sica’s TWO WOMEN, the first in that category for a foreign language performance. She also received the BAFTA and Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for the same role and was nominated for her second Oscar three years later in MARRIAGE ITALIAN STYLE. Sophia has also won a record six Donatellos from the Academy of Italian Cinema, a Grammy and a handful of Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.

Rarely giving interviews or making public appearances these days, Sophia visited London last month to make her West End debut at the Aldwych Theatre in AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH SOPHIA LOREN with Jonathan Ross for one night only. I left this quick portrait sketch at the stage door and was very pleased when it was returned via International courier last week, signed and dedicated.