Sir Nicholas Hytner

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Sir Nicholas Hytner

Sir Nicholas Hytner insists he is a theatre director who ‘does other stuff’. He does the other stuff with equal aplomb, directing some of my favourite films, THE HISTORY BOYS, THE CRUCIBLE and THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE. His film career was born out of his working relationship with playwright Alan Bennett, nurtured at the National Theatre, after Sir Nick became Artistic Director, taking over from Trevor Nunn in April 2003.

In 1989, when Cameron MacIntosh offered him MISS SAIGON. “It just felt like a huge lark… it was gigantic at the time so I threw everything I knew at it-big, honest, brash, kind of crazy. I had no idea it would take off.” It became a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic. He was on a percentage, so at the age of 34 he never had to worry about money again and “only needed to do what I wanted to do.” During his tenure the National produced some of London’s most successful productions, including WAR HORSE, ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS and THE HISTORY BOYS. He was knighted in 2010.

He left the National in 2015 along with Nick Starr, the former Executive Director. They set up London’s newest stage venue, The Bridge Theatre – a 900-seat auditorium overlooking the Thames near Tower Bridge, where I left this drawing for him to sign, which he did and returned last week.

Drawing: Adrianne Pieczonka in Tosca

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of soprano Adrianne Pieczonka in Tosca at the Royal Opera House, London

Canadian soprano star Adrianne Pieczonka returned to London’s Covent Garden last month to play the title role in the Royal Opera’s production of Puccini’s TOSCA. This is Adrienne’s fourth appearance for the company, having debuted as Donna Anna in
Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI in 2002. She also played Floria Tosca in the 2009 film version directed by Frank Zamacona based on the San Francisco Opera production.

Adrienne was in the first of three casts for this season’s Royal Opera staging, conducted by Dan Ettinger and Placido Domingo. Describing her own vocal range as “somewhere between a lyric and a dramatic soprano,” Adrienne is able to include a wide variety of roles in her repertoire and has become internationally celebrated for her interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, Verdi and Puccini.

The German magazine ‘Der Spiegel’ wrote,” Frenetic ovations greeted Adrienne Pieczonka for her supreme performance… clear, powerful with contoured high notes and precise dramatic gestures… the star of the evening.”

I left this sketch of her at the stage door and she not only signed and returned it, but included a nice note: ‘Dear Mark – I am so impressed with your drawing! Fantastic!’… so I guess she liked it.

Drawing: Yuja Wang

Posted on January 31, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The ever popular Chinese classical pianist Yuja Wang returned to London just before Christmas to a packed, returns-only Wigmore Hall recital with violinist leoniadas Kavakos.

Starting at the age of six, Yuja rose to prominence and became an internationally recognised concert pianist by the age of 20. “For me, playing music is about transporting to another way of life, another way of being,” she said in an LA Times interview.

In 2017 she was named Musical America’s Artist of the Year. Apart from her musical skills and technique she is known for her ‘especially correct posture, elegant, nearly exemplary’ and her eye-catching attire and glamorous stage presence.

Yuja signed this drawing I left at Wigmore Hall, returning it this week.

Drawing: Michel Roux

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Chef Michel Roux

My culinary collection continues. French-born chef Michel Roux opened ‘Le Gavroche’ (the urchin) with his brother Alain in 1967. It became the first three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Britain and after its success they opened ‘The Waterside Inn’ in Bray, Berkshire in 1972. It became the first restaurant outside France to hold three Michelin stars for a period of 25 years.

As food critic Max Davidson wrote in 2002 ,”Nothing flash, just mouthful after mouthful of pure quality.” Among his many awards is the unique and prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

I always enjoy watching Michel Senior on the BBC 2’s SATURDAY KITCHEN and his various other television appearances. I sent him this drawing to sign, which he quickly did and returned it last week.

Drawing: Stanley Townsend in Glengarry Glen Ross

Posted on January 29, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The latest London revival of David Mamet’s contemporary classic double-dealing real-estate drama GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS heads into its final week at the Playhouse Theatre. Playing Shelley ‘the machine’ (more accurately ‘has-been’) Levine is distinguished Irish actor Stanley Townsend opposite Christian Slater.

Having just played an American in the Minnesota-set GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY at the Old Vic, before its transfer to the Noel Coward Theatre, Stanley was already vocally primed for the Chicago-based GLENGARRY when it opened last October.

Richard Jordan in his opinion piece for The Stage wrote, “when the Olivier nominations are announced in March I very much hope to see Stanley Townsend among the nominees… (who) gives a superb performance as Shelley Levine, the beaten-down salesman, clinging on to his job in a toxic workplace.”

Stanley signed my sketch for me a few weeks ago at the stage door after I was fortunate enough to see a Saturday matinee performance.

Drawing: Marcus Wareing

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of chef Marcus Wareing

Continuing my combination of vices-cooking shows and sketching – I’ve been on a scribbling spree over the past fortnight, sending my sketches to some of my favourite British chefs.

First back was Marcus Wareing, described as an ‘ambassador for British cooking.’ Since starting his cuisine career at the age of 18, he won his first Michelin star at 26, one of only a handful to do so at such a young age. Marcus and his wife Jane operate three London restaurants, opening the double-Michelin star winning ‘Marcus Wareing at the Beckley’ in Balgravia (now known simply as ‘Marcus’) in 2008, adding ‘The Gilbert Scott’ at the St Pancreas Renaissance Hotel and ‘Tredwells’ in Seven Dials in the West End.

He lists his main value as “excellence without pretence”. Apart from his Michelin stars, Marcus has accumulated a number of accolades, including Tatler Restauranter of the year, GQ Chef of the Year, Catey and Acorn Awards. In 2014 he replaced Michel Roux Jr as a judge and mentor on the TV series MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS (UK).

I mailed this drawing to Marcus at ‘Marcus’, which he signed and returned within a couple of days.

Drawing: Ivan Vasiliev in Spartacus

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Ivan Vasiliev in Spartacus with the Bolshoi Ballet

When ballet critics described the eighteen-year-old Russian dancing prodigy Ivan Vasiliev as the next Nureyev and Baryshnikov, he replied “I am not the next Nureyev or the next Baryshnikov, I am the original Ivan Vasiliev.”

Four years later, in 2010, the ‘rocket man’ – dubbed because of his aerial brilliance and explosive leaps – returned to London’s Covent Garden with the Bolshoi’s production of SPARTACUS and continued to wow audiences and critics alike.

Mark Monahan, in his Telegraph review wrote, Ivan “leaves you unable entirely to believe what you saw… Vasiliev is the reason to see this ballet, queue overnight for return tickets: this boy from Vladivostok is a fully-formed superstar and he will blow your mind.” Now 29, the ‘boy who can fly’ is part of the Mikhailovsky Theatre troupe, after a stint as Principle with the American Ballet Theatre in 2012-13.

He returned to London last week to perform for the English National Ballet in LE JEUNE HOMME ET LA MORT at the London Coliseum where he signed my drawing.

Drawing: Rory Kinnear in Young Marx

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Rory Kinnear in Young Marx at The Bridge Theatre in London

Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr both left the National Theatre in 2015 and have established London’s first commercial playhouse in 80 years, the brand spanking new £12.5 million, 900 seat auditorium Bridge Theatre next to the City Hall on prime South Bank real estate, under the shadow of Tower Bridge. It opened last October with the new comedy, YOUNG MARX, written by Richard Bean and Clive Colman, reuniting the team behind one of the NT’s biggest smash hits ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS.

Directed by Sir Nicholas, it featured Rory Kinnear in the title role, as the renowned revolutionary and author of ‘Das Kapital’ who, as a 32-year-old German Jew is living in penurious exile in Soho’s Dean Street with his wife and children. It attempts to synthesise the the spirits of Karl and Groucho, demystifying Marx as ‘broke, restless and horny… a frothing combination of intellectual brilliance, invective, satiric wit and child-like emotional illiteracy’… and a bit of a piss-artist who aims to have a pint in every pub in Tottenham Court Road.

Paul Taylor in his four-star review for the Independent wrote, “Rory Kinnear is on glorious form here-believably both as a high-powered intellectual and a greasy-maned emotional disaster area.” Rory signed my drawing for me after I left it at the stage door before the show ended last week.

Drawing: Julian Clary in Dick Whittington

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Julian Clary in Dick Whittington at the London Palladium

Putting Julian Clary in a show with the word ‘dick’ in it is like the preverbal kid in a sweet shop. He headlined London Palladium’s festive season’s hit panto, DICK WITTINGTON.

“The star of the gig is Julian Clary,” wrote Paul Vale in his review for The Stage, “playing the Spirit of the Bells, Clary is sheer pantomime gold, coasting through the plot with feigned indifference and his legendary lethal and camp delivery.” The Telegraph’s Claire Allfree added, “Clary once again reigns utterly supreme with a parade of exquisitely, outlandish outfits and extremely smutty gags.”

It finished last weekend, so I joined a sizeable gathering of fans waiting at the stage door for the final Saturday matinee for the arrival of Julian and the all-star cast. “This looks clever,” he said as he signed my drawing.

Drawing: Michael Jibson in Hamilton

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Michael Jibson in Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre on London's West End

The smash-hit Broadway musical HAMILTON has rolled into London Town and it’s the hottest ticket in the West End. Lin Manual Miranda’s hip hop retelling of the rags to riches story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton has moved into the Victoria Palace Theatre for the long haul.

One of the audience favourites is Michael Jibson in his scene-stealing turn as an exasperated King George III – a pantomime baddie with his show-stopping ‘You’ll be Back.’ Michael’s one of the UK’s most versatile stage and screen actors from his Olivier nominated role in OUR HOUSE at the the Cambridge Theatre in 2002 to the factory foreman in the film version of LES MISERABLES. I meet Michael after last Saturday’s matinee where he signed my drawing.