Samuel West - Uncle Vanya press round up

[updated 7 December]


(Source: Nimax Theatres. Used with permission.)
Uncle Vanya had its press night on 2 November. Pictures from the after party can be viewed at Getty and wooller.com

An ITV news story features an interview with Anna Friel and Laura Carmichael, as well as a short clip from the play.

A selection of review excerpts is below.

Bloomberg
"Samuel West gives a terrific turn as the drunken Doctor Astrov."

British Theatre Guide
"Samuel West is a particularly good Doctor Astrov, a failed arboricultural trendsetter suffering from low esteem and alcoholic excess..."

londontheatre
"the performances on display here are quite exceptional... There is terrific support from Samuel West as Doctor Astrov, obsessed by deforestation..."

Independent
"... in a subtly restrained portrayal of Astrov, the excellent Samuel West conveys the clinical clarity with which this doctor registers a confining inabilty to feel for people what he feels for trees."

Evening Standard
"West nicely conveys Astrov’s complexity. He is a mix of disillusionment and energy; he seems exhausted by the experience of being pulled in different directions..."

Telegraph
"Samuel West captures both the ecological idealism of Dr Astrov, whose concerns about deforestation seem almost spookily prophetic while also bringing a compelling coldness to the role."

Charles Edwards - Evening Standard Theatre Awards, This House, Downton Abbey, Philomena

Screencap from this clip at the KingsSpeechPlay Youtube channel. Photo by Johan Persson from This House (used with permission).
Charles is on the shortlist for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. He has been nominated for Best Actor, for his performances in The King's Speech and This House.

Most of the original cast, including Charles, will be in the Olivier transfer of This House. Previews begin 23 February and press night is 28 February.

He will be in the Downton Abbey Christmas special (ITV; thanks to @TheDoritoManiac for the heads up).

Charles discussed Downton Abbey and Diana in an interview from Filmoria. He also mentioned an upcoming project which is currently being filmed. Philomena, a film directed by Stephen Frears, stars Judi Dench and Steve Coogan.

Charles Edwards - This House reviews

[updated 22 October]


Philip Glenister as Walter Harrison and Charles Edwards as Bernard Weatherill. Photo: Johan Persson (used with permission).
Guardian
"Philip Glenister, Vincent Franklin and Andrew Frame as working-class Labour whips, Julian Wadham, Charles Edwards and Ed Hughes as their smooth-suited Tory equivalents and Christopher Godwin and Rupert Vansittart amongst the role-swapping ensemble are outstanding."

Telegraph
"Special praise must go to Philip Glenister as a truculent old bruiser of a whip with a warm heart beating somewhere beneath his tough facade, and Charles Edwards as his suave, sharply suited Tory opposite number who in the grubby world of Westminster suggests a genuine generosity of spirit."

Daily Express
"Charles Edwards is hugely enjoyable as the unrufflable Tory deputy chief whip Jack Weatherill"

Financial Times
"[James Graham's] central characters are vividly, likeably detailed, brought to life by an excellent ensemble, in which Philip Glenister as Labour’s blunt Walter Harrison and Charles Edwards as the Tories’ suave Bernard Weatherill particularly shine."

Observer
"The cast is fantastic... I particularly enjoyed the complex, rather chivalrous relationship between Walter Harrison, the Labour deputy chief whip played by Philip Glenister, and his Tory opposite number, Jack Weatherill played by Charles Edwards."

The Times (Libby Purves, "Brilliant evocation of day when power hung in the balance", 10 October)
"Julian Wadham and Charles Edwards are marvellous Tory whips — Wadham unrepentantly patrician, Edwards subtle as Bernard Weatherill, whose cross-party friendship with his opponent Harrison is genuinely affecting."

The Angle News
"Edwards was mesmerising as he subtly brought out the nuances of Weatherill, the suave, competitive but ultimately humane politician."

The Spectator
"The show’s undoubted star is Charles Edwards who plays the suave and cunning Tory whip, Jack Weatherill... he can find a laugh where neither the script, nor the situation, appear to suggest it. He’s more than a gold prospector. He’s a gold mine. Invaluable to any cast."

Samuel West - recent music and radio narration; Close the Coalhouse Door

Nicholas Lumley as Thomas in Close the Coalhouse Door (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission).

Weltethos will be available on iPlayer until 28 June (via Sam's Twitter, @exitthelemming). Some quotes from reviews:

The Classical Source
"What came across most forcefully was the intensity of the choral response – abetted by a no-less-impressive input from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Edward Gardner... along with a typically thoughtful and eloquent showing by Samuel West."

Behind the Arras
"The work is very tightly structured with each movement highlighting a different faith... Each section in turn features a spoken part, delivered with perfect timing and gravity by actor Sam West..."

5 Against 4
"Samuel West’s warm, impassioned delivery of the portions of narrative were matched with genuinely thrilling music in the orchestra..."

Sam is the reader for this week's Sunday Feature The Other Dickens (via @exitthelemming).

An excerpt from a recent review of Close the Coalhouse Door from the Oxford Times:

"The production is directed with great pace and vitality by Samuel West... The action is delivered in a free-wheeling Brechtian style, with smashing, pointedly political songs by Alex Glasgow, accompanied by the multi-instrumentalist cast, and lots of good jokes."

The play finishes its tour this week - it will be performed at the York Theatre Royal until 30 June.

A couple of reviews of Britten Films have highlighted the technicalities involved in the performance.

One Suffolk
"Conductor, Nicholas Collon, ensured that narration and music accurately kept pace with the films... Samuel West had to get it [narration of Night Mail] right first time – and did!"

Where's Runnicles
"Collon ensured they [the Aurora Orchestra] and West were well co-ordinated with the pictures, no mean feat as the films are full of gaps between music or between narrations."

Samuel West - Britten Films, Contemporary Shakespeare, Oxford Times interview

Jane Holman as Mary in Close the Coalhouse Door (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission). Screenshot from Moomin, Mymble and Little My.

Britten Films was performed at the Aldeburgh Festival on Thursday. John Harte shared a picture of Sam in rehearsal. Here are some tweets about Sam from conductor Nicholas Collon and pianist John Reid, and audience members Keely Taylor and Tam Pollard:

@nicholascollon: "extraordinary virtuoso performance from @exitthelemming this eve.No-one else cld get near that!What fun with britten's films@auroraorchestra"
@johnreidpiano (1|2): "Cor, this #aldeburghfestival concert of Britten film scores is a minefield of notes, sound-effects cuts+rests... Still, it's all worth it just to hear the line 'I have a great apprehension of poisonings' and @exitthelemming 's '30s RP.."
@keelyktss: "@exitthelemming Superb performance tonight! Very difficult stuff, well done to you, orchestra & choruses."
@wheresrunnicles: "Wonderful evening of Britten's GPO films @aldeburghmusic - live music by @nicholascollon @auroraorchestra and narration by @exitthelemming"

and a tweet from Sam about the performance:

"Thanks to all who came to @aldeburghmusic tonight; had a fine time with @nicholascollon & @auroraorchestra. That Britten's got talent."

On Friday, he gave a lecture titled "On Acting and Directing Shakespeare" at the Contemporary Shakespeare conference. Positive comments about his lecture have been shared by @contemposhake (the organisers of the conference) and catroofdance, an attendee.

The Oxford Times has an interview with Sam, in which he discusses his connections to Oxford. As a student, he read English at Lady Margaret Hall and performed at the Oxford Playhouse. He recently became a patron of the Oxford Playhouse, and Close the Coalhouse Door will be performed there 19-23 June.

He did some filming in Willesden for Mr Selfridge earlier this week (@exitthelemming).

Below is a very lovely tweet from @vornster praising Sam's narration for the app Moomin, Mymble and Little My:

"@exitthelemming Moomin app going down very well in our house. 5 yo refuses to even *try* to read it herself "I like the man reading" :)"

Money will be repeated 1 July on BBC Radio 3 (BBC Media Centre).

Samuel West - Close the Coalhouse Door, International Wimbledon Music Festival, Kreutzer vs Kreutzer, Mr Selfridge

[updated 16 November]


Chris Connel as Jackie and Jane Holman as Mary (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission).
Sam stepped in to play Jackie for the matinee and evening performances of Close the Coalhouse Door at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on Saturday. During the matinee, Chris Connel had fallen from a ladder on stage and was taken to hospital (BBC News and @loufarrant).
After a short break, the play will continue its tour: the Gala Theatre (12-16 June) where it has sold out, then the Oxford Playhouse (19-23 June).

Sam is listed as "narrator (TBC)" for a recital on 18 November with oboist Nicholas Daniel and the Britten Oboe Quartet at the International Wimbledon Music Festival. [edit, 16 November: Benedict Cumberbatch will be the narrator]

A recording of Kreutzer vs Kreutzer was broadcast on New Zealand Radio on Wednesday. Due to copyright restrictions, it is not available for streaming on demand.

Links to some of Sam's tweets about filming Mr Selfridge:

• A woolly costume that was unsuitable to wear in warm weather
• His character Frank Edwards is based on Frank Wallis [edit, 11 October: based on Frank Harris, according to this Twitter conversation]
• He drove a 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1|2|3 (a picture of the car)

Close the Coalhouse Door - radio recording and press

[updated 22 May]



Screencaps from the play's trailer (click the thumbnails for full size).

This week, Close the Coalhouse Door will be performed at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

Sam has been interviewed for this week's "Big Interview" in the Yorkshire Post.

Last week, a radio version of the play was recorded at BBC Manchester. It will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 around September (Sam's Twitter, @exittthelemming). Pictures from the recording have been tweeted by Louisa Farrant (1|2|3|4), David Nellist and Sam Kenyon.

The following review excerpts refer to performances at the Lowry and the Richmond Theatre.

The Daily Post
"The cast and Samuel West’s fine direction ensure that the true stars of this highly entertaining piece are Plater’s writing, together with Glasgow’s songs."

Evening Standard
"Samuel West’s perkily Brechtian production extracts every drop of drama from the myriad mini-scenes and tips knowing winks at gags us soft southerners are unlikely to get."

whatsonstage.com
"Featuring the talents of Lee Hall - who adds additional material to Alan Plater's original play, directed with verve and passion by Samuel West - this is a play that demands to be seen."

Close the Coalhouse Door media update

Chris Connel as Jackie and Jane Holman as Mary (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission).

Close the Coalhouse Door will be performed at the Richmond Theatre next week, 9-12 May. It will then be performed at The Lowry (15-19 May).

While at The Lowry, it will be recorded for Radio 4 (comment from Haze).

A review of the production from the Guardian has called it "exuberant" and the cast has been described as "an engaging ensemble of actor-musicians." Similarly, David Williams has praised Sam's direction as "lively and gorgeously irreverent" and the versatility of the cast.

Close the Coalhouse Door pictures and press

Nicholas Lumley as Thomas (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission).

Close the Coalhouse Door has sold out at Northern Stage. Following performances at the Richmond Theatre (9-12 May), its next stop on tour is The Lowry (15-19 May).  

Northern Stage's Flickr has production shots (1|2) and rehearsal photos.

Quotes from two recent reviews of the play are below, followed by a selection of tweets.

The Times (Libby Purves, 20 April)
"Sam West's playful direction is marvellously supported by Soutra Gilmour's set: a stark gantry and a housefront revolving from bleak brick to interior."

The Sunday Times (Maxie Szalwinska, 22 April)
"The show is an amalgam of tales, badinage and folk songs... you can’t fault the ensemble of actor-musicians in Samuel West’s infectious production."

@adamdon88: "terrific show! Vibrant staging, talented cast and gr8 atmosphere amongst the throng. Top notch."
@lawrencenotrin: "So poignant,so relevant,so powerful. Go see! I couldn't sleep I was so moved."
@arabellanr: "Bloody brilliant. Well done @exitthelemming and wonderful cast."
@KateSlaterPR (1|2): "Fabulous, funny + sad all at same time + amazingly talented cast... @nellidge - it was fab - sure you will take rest of country by storm."

Close the Coalhouse Door press round up

[updated 23 April]



Paul Woodson as John (Photo: Keith Pattison. Source: Northern Stage - used with permission).

Close the Coalhouse Door will be performed at Northern Stage until 5 May. It will next be performed at the Richmond Theatre, 9-12 May.

Sam was interviewed on Night Waves earlier this week (the segment about the play starts at 33:40).
An interview with him in the April 2012 issue of Living North is now available online.

Below are some excerpts from reviews.

The Guardian
"Samuel West's lively Brechtian production glories in its ethos... Alex Glasgow's wonderful songs, inspired by Tyneside music hall, are crucial to the play's spirit."

Stephen Waddington
"The actors all combine their theatrical roles with music and song with wonderful results... If you have the chance you must go and see it. The show deserves to be a success."

Jarrow & Hebburn Gazette
"Director West’s tight and inventive direction has cast members playing musical instruments, which adds a new dimension to the show.The cast are strong in what is an essentially ensemble piece."

The Stage
"From a powerful opening, the production maintains a keen rhythm... The beautiful writing in this play strikes right to the heart."

Chronicle Live
"Spread over three acts, each is so compelling it feels like it lasts half the time... this remains a triumphant piece of theatre."

Express
"Director Samuel West has revived it with grit and sheer unrestrained joy."

The Northern Echo
"It’s pitmatic, poetic and passionate... I won’t be surprised if it runs and runs and runs."

The Public Reviews
"The cast are to be commended for their energy, versatility and talent.Director, Samuel West, keeps the action moving. Darker moments of complete stillness starkly contrast to the slick humorous scenes, bringing their poignancy home."

Financial Times
"This new production is helped by superb casting. Under director Samuel West, the actors are thoroughly convincing in the play’s sudden shifts between pathos, lyricism and comedy. And they do justice to the fine music of Alex Glasgow and the prose of Sid Chaplin."

whatsonstage.com
"[The play is performed] as a tour de force in acting, direction, comedy and musicianship... This production really has to be seen. I mean if you really appreciate good theatre, then you have to see it."

British Theatre Guide
"Under the direction of Samuel West, the cast of nine actor/musicians are a great ensemble, as they swap from scenes at the party to historical re-enactment or perform Alex Glasgow's often wickedly funny but hard-hitting songs."

Journal Live
"The play’s three acts, with additional material written by Lee Hall, direction by Sam West and design by Soutra Gilmour, rattle along... Grab a ticket where – and if – you can."

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission)

Below are a couple of quotes from recent reviews of The King's Speech, which is booking until 21 July.

TNT Magazine
"It's impossible not to feel for Charles Edwards' excellent Bertie as he battles with the agonising stammer which made addressing the nation an embarrassing ordeal not only for him but also for those waiting to hear what he was struggling to say."

heyuguys.co.uk
"Adrian Noble's direction allows the play's central themes to flourish at a brisk pace, setting the sad and perilous state of the monarchy up against the dark and uncertain future with an exceptional central performance from Charles Edwards..."

Samuel West. Theatre - Close the Coalhouse Door. Shift Happens. Radio - Shakespeare on Radio 3.

[updated 2 April]



Photo: Topher McGrillis (used with permission). Source: Northern Stage.

Preparation for Close the Coalhouse Door has included a tour around Woodhorn given by Keith Merrin; attending talks given by Michael Chaplin, Owen Jones (a picture taken at the talk is here), Paul Younger and Ray Laidlaw; and using material from the "homework table" (Sam has identified some of the texts in the following tweets 1|2). As for music, some of the cast need to play the hammer dulcimer, Sam has had earworm courtesy of the arrangements being used in the production and drinking songs have been sung in rehearsal. In addition, the play's official site has a blog written by assistant director Rachel Oliver and some rehearsal pictures.
Chris Connel (Jackie) has mentioned Sam in an interview from the Northern Echo:

"I've never worked with Sam before, but I'm absolutely enjoying every minute. He's really thorough, but he makes it good fun as well..."

In other press, Lee Hall has written an article for the Guardian contextualising the original and current productions of the play (via @exitthelemming) and the April issue of Living North has an interview with Sam.

He is one of the speakers for Shift Happens on 5 July. Booking opens 5 April (via One and Other).

He has recorded a talk about Shakespeare which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in late April (@stanley_wells).

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech will have its first West End preview tonight.

Some recent press: broadway.com has an interview with Charles, and Official London Theatre has a Q&A with Charles and his co-stars Michael Feast and Ian McNeice.

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech closes at the Theatre Royal 17 March. It will begin previews at Wyndham's Theatre 22 March.

whatsonstage.com will have an outing to the play on 16 April. It includes a post-show Q&A.

Interview

"Charles Edwards's London", Telegraph, 14 March

Reviews

The Public Reviews
"In two fine central performances, Charles Edwards as Bertie and Jonathan Hyde as self-taught Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue are extremely capable and experienced actors at the top of their respective games, it’s a pleasure to watch the scenes between them."

Chronicle Live
"Charles Edwards gives a tour de force of a performance as `Bertie’ and he has you in his grip from the outset."

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission)

The King's Speech closes at the Richmond Theatre 10 March. Its final stop on tour is the Theatre Royal in Newcastle, where it will run 12-17 March.

Below are a couple of excerpts from recent reviews of the play.

Exeunt Magazine
"Edwards in particular is powerful and deeply touching in the role. A stammer is easy to ham on stage, but Edwards has studied his subject well and is utterly compelling. Bertie’s tic isn’t just confined to his diaphragm; Edwards uses his whole body to play out the reluctant King’s convulsive fear of public speaking. Far from portraying a simple B-b-b-bertie choking on his plosives, Edwards’ performance shows a complex, duty-conscious man whose only way to express his personality – his voice – is throttled by little checks and hesitations."

lovetheatre.net
"The excellent Charles Edwards is a frustrated, engaging and very human Bertie; his whole coiled body seems also to stammer when he struggles to get his words out, while in another, unguarded moment he displays charming, almost childlike fascination with a model plane."


Ciaran Brown has written about meeting Charles after a Nottingham performance of the play at his website Ciaran Meets the Stars.

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The Richmond and Twickenham Times has an interview with Charles about The King's Speech, which will be performed at the Richmond Theatre 5-10 March.

The West Sussex County Times had the following to say about Charles' performance in the play:

"The fact that the always exceptional Charles Edwards is so woefully unknown should change henceforth thanks to his outstanding performance as Bertie, an often amusing, sometimes heartbreaking, constantly engaging king in the making, a man of rare high morals and decency."

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

Following its final performance in Brighton at the Theatre Royal tomorrow (3 March), The King's Speech will be performed at the Richmond Theatre 5-10 March. Below is a selection of quotes from some recent reviews of the play.

This is Dorset
"Charles Edwards is perfect casting as the shy and misunderstood king in waiting."

Financial Times
"Charles Edwards as Bertie once more confirms his skill at showing the human face of patrician figures."

Reviews Gate
"George VI (Bertie) is beautifully done by Charles Edwards. And it’s not just the stuttering either: he gets the affronted class insecurity and the feeling of hopeless failure splendidly. He’s an entirely sympathetic character."

Littlehampton Gazette
"Edwards is fantastic at conveying the stuffy, stiff upper-lip persona of the king, which is gradually thawed by Logue’s laid-back approach, while Hyde’s performance shows genuine warmth, ensuring the audience can’t help but love Logue."

The Latest
"Charles Edwards, Jonathan Hyde and Emma Fielding are truly outstanding."

The Argus
"Charles Edwards is quite magnificent in his portrayal of a man who would not be king but rises, growling and stammering, to his birthright, growing in stature with every scene."

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech press round up

Photo: Perou (used with permission)

The King's Speech was performed in Bath this week. Its next stop on tour is Brighton, where it will run at the Theatre Royal 27 February - 3 March.

Below are some links to recent press coverage.

Article

Charles wrote an article about his perfect Surrey weekend for Surrey Life.

Reviews

The Observer
"Charles Edwards could not be bettered as George VI; he is withheld, restrained, so that each of his difficulties seems reluctantly shared with the audience. At times his stammer is no more than a pulse beating in his cheek; at others, you see the tension in his clenched fists and fixed eyes."

This is Bath
"The core of the play is the relationship between Logue and the new king, brilliantly played by Charles Edwards"

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech will have its West End debut at Wyndham's Theatre. Previews begin 22 March, press night is 27 March, and it is booking until 21 July (The Corner Shop PR).

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech press round up

[updated 16 February]



Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech will be performed at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham until 18 February. It will then be performed in Bath, 20-25 February.

Article
Jasper Rees, "Stuttering its way to the West End; Bertie is b-b-back, this time in a stage play. Jasper Rees talks to the writer and lead actors of The King's Speech", The Sunday Times, 29 January

Reviews

Nottingham Arts Blog
"Charles Edwards excels... he manages to convey the complexity of the condition which varies in severity depending the situation."

This is Nottinghan
"George VI (Bertie) is beautifully done by Charles Edwards. It's not just the stuttering: he gets the affronted class insecurity and the feeling of hopeless failure splendidly."

Evening Standard
"Charles Edwards is superb as the King, suggesting his humanity even as he conveys his mix of irascibility and diffidence."

Guardian
"[Edwards] gives an even sharper account of the duke's unpredictable temper and emotional isolation. Edwards, who has been edging towards stardom for several seasons, has now unequivocally arrived."

Telegraph
"The splendid Charles Edwards has been on the cusp of stardom for some time and his funny, touching, deeply felt performance as the stammering King should propel him into the top rank of British actors.He captures beautifully the mixture of stiff formality and raw vulnerability in the character of Bertie."

The Independent
"Edwards, in a touching and often very funny portrayal, suggests a quicker and more highly-strung spirit flailing in the intolerable net of his speech difficulties."

Surrey Life
"Charles Edwards plays the role with sensitive conviction and adopts a stammer that is painful to witness but never slips into self pity. His flashes of temper, prompted by his inner frustration, give us glimpses of his inner strength and determination."

The Times (Libby Purves, 14 February)
"Charles Edwards is terrific, using light-tenor jerkiness to convey the painful awkward inhibition of the royal predicament."