Drawing: Tim Pigott-Smith in King Charles III

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Mike Barlett’s audacious new play King Charles III had its World Premiere at London’s Almeida Theatre in April this year (2014). It transferred to the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End last week.

Helmed by Almeida’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold, it featured veteran actor Tim Pigott-Smith as Prince Charles who ascends the throne after his mother dies. The play centres on the pressures and purposes of the monarchy today.

It’s the first major play written in blank verse that the West End has seen for a very long time. The playwright wrote in iambic pentameter (the meter used by the Bard when writing verse, having ten syllables in each line – five pairs of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables) because he wanted the play to be a Shakespearean drama; a family epic in five acts, complete with a ghost and a comic subplot.

The smash hit received glowing reviews. The Telegraph states, “attendance is compulsory”. Michael Billington said “Tim Pigott-Smith gives the performance of his distinguished career”. Its original three month booking has been extended already.

Drawing: Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan in Skylight at Wyndham’s Theatre

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Opening night of the West End revival of David Hare’s Olivier Award winning drama Skylight received standing ovation and a galaxy of five star reviews. Directed by the extraordinary Stephen Daldry, it features the equally extraordinary Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan making her West End debut. Bill appeared in the original National Theatre production’s West End transfer in 1997. Completing the cast is Matthew Beard, making his stage debut having appeared opposite Carey in the 2009 film An Education.

The story: On a bitterly cold London night, school teacher Kyra Hollis receives an unexpected visit from her former lover, Tom Sergeant, a successful and charismatic restauranteur whose wife has recently died. As the evening progresses, the two attempt to rekindle their once passionate relationship only find themselves locked in a dangerous battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires.

Skylight runs until 23 August at the Wyndham’s Theatre with a National Theatre live broadcast on 17 July.

Drawing: Dervla Kirwan

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Irish actress Dervla Kirwan’s breakthrough came with her role as Assumpta Fitzgerald in the BBC drama Ballykissangel, winning a National Television Award in 1996. She is currently in the West End transfer of Conor McPherson’s The Weir, following a sell-out run at the Donmar last year.

She signed this quick 4B pencil portrait at last week’s press night (Tuesday 21 January 2014) at the Wyndham’s Theatre.

Drawing: Montserrat Lombard in Barking in Essex at Wyndham’s Theatre

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Montserrat Lombard is “an interesting name,” I said, when she signed it on my sketch. “It’s Spanish,” the English-born actress replied.

Montserrat – a Caribbean island with a once dormant volcano erupting, forcing two thirds of its population to flee; or a multi-peaked mountain near Barcelona? Probably the latter. Close. In fact, her Spanish father named her after the Barcelonian opera legend Montserrat Cabellé.

Lombad – from Lombardy, the region in Northern Italy. Her mother is Italian, so she’s half Spanish, half Italian. She’s also best known as policewoman Sharon ‘Shaz’ Granger in the BBC Drama series Ashes to Ashes, plus roles in a variety of television shows and films such as St Trinians 2 and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

In September this year, Montserrat made her professional stage debut in the World Premiere of the crime caper Barking in Essex at Wyndham’s Theatre in London. She plays Allegra Tennyson (an equally interesting name) a lawyer trying to sort out the Packer family, a dysfunctional Essex brood played by Lee Evans, Sheila Hancock and her Ashes to Ashes co-star, Keeley Hawes. The black comedy runs until 4 January 2014.

Drawing: Relatively Speaking at Wyndham’s Theatre

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The first London revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s classic comedy Relatively Speaking concludes its three month West End run at Wyndham’s Theatre this month.

The Theatre Royal Bath production, directed by Lindsay Posner stars Felicity Kendal, Jonathan Coy, Kara Tointon and Max Bennett.

Described by the Guardian as “two hours of continuous laughter,” this beautifully crafted and charmingly English play was Ayckbourn’s first great West End success, opening at the Duke of York’s in 1967. Its theme of middle class marital misery and the mistaken identity gag became his speciality.

Greg (Bennett) and Ginny (Tointon) only met a month ago, but he has made up his mind that she’s the one for him. She tells him that she’s off for a weekend at her parents. He finds a scribbled address and decides to surprise her and ask her father for his daughter’s hand.

Sheila (Kendal) and Philip (Coy) are enjoying a peaceful Sunday morning breakfast interrupted by the two visitors. The only thing – they’re not Ginny’s parents…

All four cast members are a delight, on and off the stage. They happily signed my sketch after Friday night’s performance.

Drawing Miss Daisy – James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave and Boyd Gaines

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Mark Winter / Chicane

After a sellout season on Broadway, Driving Miss Daisy transferred to Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End with the original cast – Vanessa Regrave, James Earl Jones and Boyd Gaines. It was the latter and 4 time Tony Award winner whose ‘graph was the simplest to get. Boyd left via the stage door, happily signed the sketch, made polite conversation and then went on his merry way.

James Earl Jones is a excellent signer, but not at the stage door. Once ensconced in his dressing room his son appears at the stage door and says, “Is there anyone here waiting for James Earl Jones’ autograph?” All nod. Then he proceeds to collect all the material with instructions and takes it in for his father to sign. Depending on the amount of items, he returns shortly thereafter to hand back the ‘graphed memorabilia to their respective owners.

Vanessa Redgrave made use of the many doors of the Wyndham’s Theatre. If you’re lucky enough to catch her, and depending on how she feels you may get an autograph or a polite refusal followed by a variety of reasons. I remember having a very nice conversation with her before she wandered off to her waiting car without signing. The sketch was actually signed at the Coriolanus premiere at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair some months later. It was a bitterly cold evening and everyone thought she would just do press an then quickly go in. That certainly looked like the plan when she arrived. But, she then deviated across to where I was standing behind the barriers, opposite the drop off area. She saw my sketch and was very impressed with it, taking some time to sign and dedicate it between her conversation covering a multiplicity of subjects, much to the annoyance of the other ‘graphers. She then thanked me and walked off to the waiting paps… much to the extreme annoyance of the other ‘graphers. Quotation: “You and your bloody drawings,” one said. Yes, indeed. My bloody drawing with 3 very nice dedicated signatures on it.