Drawing: Marisa Berenson as Lady Capulet

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Marisa Berenson Lady Capulet

When Marisa Berenson signed my portrait sketch a couple of weeks ago I promised to return with a drawing of her as Lady Capulet-her role in the Kenneth Branagh Company’s ROMEO AND JULIET which is currently running at the Garrick Theatre in London.

Gracing the cover of every magazine during the seventies Marisa was one of the world’s most in-demand and highest paid models. Now, in her sixties she makes her West End debut as Juliet’s mother,not a model parent. The detached and superficial Lady Capulet’s relationship with her daughter is not a close one and Marisa’s portrayal was described by Quentin Letts as “nicely stiff appearance” in the Daily Mail.

I caught up with the very engaging Marisa at the Garrick stage door on Friday afternoon as she arrived for the evening performance and she was happy to sign this sketch for me as well.

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: 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: 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.

Drawing: Samuel James as Screaming Lord Sutch in Monster Raving Loony

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Samuel James

“Vote for insanity – you know it makes sense”.

This was the slogan for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, lead by its flamboyant founder David ‘Screaming Lord’ Sutch. The former rocker-turned serial parliamentary candidate became a British political institution. For over three decades he stood in every parliamentary election, becoming the staple of election night entertainment and a reliable eccentric political presence. Sutch’s unique contribution includes holding the record for losing all 39 elections he entered. He came within 200 votes of getting his deposit back once, which was considered a minor victory.

James Graham’s new play MONSTER RAVING LOONY premiered at The Drum Theatre Royal Plymouth in February, transferring to London’s Soho Theatre this month. It is described as the moving journey through the life and political exploits of ‘Screaming Lord Sutch’, while examining the state of the nation and Britain’s post-war identity crisis.

While the public saw the good Lord’s exuberant fun-loving ‘loony’ face with his famous manic grin, his private face was completely the opposite. Sutch suffered from depression and hung himself in 1999 at the age of 58. Many political figures paid their respects, including the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who acknowledged that elections would never be quite the same without him.

Samuel James, known for CASULTY, EASTENDERS and currently BIRDS OF A FEATHER reprises his critically acclaimed role as the loony Lord. In his Guardian review, Andrew Dickson wrote, “Samuel James offers a barnstorming performance, all strutting gait and eye-popping leer,” clad in His Lordship’s signature undertakers top hat and leopard-print jacket.

I left this sketch at the Soho for the ‘Signing Lord Samuel’ to graph, which he duly did. He gets my vote! MONSTER RAVING LOONY runs until 18 June.

Drawing: Sarah Alexander

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Sarah Alexander

English actress Sarah Alexander finished her A-levels then left home at 19 for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, turning down a place at the University of Manchester for her first professional acting job.

Sarah has specialised in comedy, appearing in a number of high profile TV shows including ARMSTRONG AND MILLER, SMITH AND JONES, COUPLING, SMACK THE PONY and WORST WEEK OF MY LIFE. She also played Dr Amanda Hunter in the hospital comedy GREEN WING.

Since 2013 Sarah has played the role of Polly Creek, the wife of Alan Davies’ title character in the BBC’s mystery crime drama JONATHAN CREEK.

Sarah’s stage credits include THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES and Lady Macbeth in ‘the Scottish play’. She returned to boards this month at the Arts Theatre in the West End in the new political satire A VIEW FROM ISLINGTON NORTH, where I met her after the opening matinee on Saturday and she signed this portrait sketch for me.

Drawing: Jenny Seagrove in Volcano

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Jenny Seagrove Volcano

In first saw popular British actress Jenny Seagrove way back in 1993 when she starred opposite Tom Conti as a “glamorous praying mantis” in Noel Coward’s PRESENT LAUGHTER at the then Globe Theatre (renamed the Gielgud a year later) in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue. Nineteen years later she appeared in the first staging of the English playwright’s ‘lost’ play VOLCANO. After a short tour it settled in for a limited season at the Vaudeville during the summer of 2012.

Over the past thirty something years Jenny’s extensive stage and small screen career has seen her appear in numerous acclaimed productions. One of her most notable roles was QC Jo Mills in the long-running BBC drama JUDGE JOHN DEED.

In VOLCANO she plays the elegant widow Adela, the subject to one man’s philandering urges alongside a smouldering volcano-the ideal metaphor as ‘bubbling emotions are about to erupt.’

Jenny is currently featuring in Alan Ayckbourne’s vintage comedy about adultery HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. I meet her on a pleasant Spring Saturday as she rode her bike to work and chained it outside the stage door. Our brief chat included some reminiscing about her Noel Coward roles as she signed this VOLCANO sketch for me.

Drawing: Dame Eileen Atkins

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Eileen Atkins

One of my favourite plays is THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE by British writer Frank Marcus. It premiered at the Bristol Old Vic in 1965 with Eileen Atkins and Beryl Reid in the lead roles. The production transferred to the West End, before its run at the Belasco Theatre in New York.where Eileen made her Broadway debut. She played the dimwitted ‘Childie’ alongside Beryl’s sadistic, gin-guzzling radio star June Buckridge and her alter ego ‘Sister George’.

Dame Eileen has been treading the boards and appearing on the big and small screen since 1953. She has won a BAFTA, Emmy and three Olivier Awards and has been nominated for four Tony’s, the first of which was for her role in SISTER GEORGE. She also created the iconic British TV series UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS.

Her films include EQUUS, THE DRESSER and GOSFORD PARK-once again all favourites of mine and she can be seen recently on the small screen in DOC MARTIN as Martin Clune’s Aunty, Dr Ruth Ellingham, another favourite of mine.

It’ s no wonder I had to draw her. This montage, which I dropped off at her London agent’s office for signing a couple of weeks ago, includes her as Childie and images from ALL THAT FALL at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2012 and her solo show ELLEN TERRY WITH EILEEN ATKINS at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe earlier this year in which she portrays over ten parts including Juliet, Beatrice and Viola.