Charles Edwards - Television - Holy Flying Circus

Holy Flying Circus has been chosen by Digital Spy as one of the best shows of 2011:

"Stunning performances from Darren Boyd, Steve Punt, Charles Edwards, Rufus Jones, Phil Nichol and Tom Fisher as the comedy legends and a perfectly balanced script - it tread the line between hilariously bizarre and needlessly wacky perfectly - were a fitting tribute to the Python legend."

Charles Edwards. Theatre - Much Ado About Nothing. Theatre - Happy Days in the Art World. Television - Holy Flying Circus.

Charles is on the longlist for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in the best actor category for his portrayal of Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe. The shortlist will be announced this week.

Publicity for the Glasgow and New York performances of Happy Days in the Art World includes a review from the Scotsman, and articles from Standard Culture and the New York Times.

Several reviews of Holy Flying Circus (broadcast on BBC4 last month) have commented positively on Charles' performance as Michael Palin - some quotes are below. In other press, The Northern Echo has an interview with Charles.

Guardian
"Charles Edwards is extraordinary as Michael Palin... It's as if Palin has hopped off the travelator of time in his mid-thirties and hopped backed on again, 32 years later."

GQ
"The cast is magnificent: Charles Edwards is an uncanny Michael Palin and Green Wing's Darren Boyd almost matches John Cleese moustache-for-moustache."

pauseliveaction
"Of all the Pythons, the two captured most brilliantly are Michael Palin (I can’t praise Charlie Edwards enough) and John Cleese (Darren Boyd channelling Basil Fawlty, which is weird but works)."

Herald.ie
"Charles Edwards as Michael Palin was more Palin than Palin himself, and perfectly captured the quiet charm, self-deprecating humility and all-round nice guy-ness that caused the other Pythons to sarcastically, but always affectionately, label him The Nicest Man in the World."

Scotsman
"Charles Edwards as Michael Palin and Darren Boyd as John Cleese were superb."

Mint Magazine
"Spot on performances particularly from Charles Edwards in the central role as Michael “The Nicest Man in the World” Palin who gave the play its heart..."

Charles Edwards. Television - Holy Flying Circus. Sue Terry Voices.

The BBC Press Office has issued a press pack for Holy Flying Circus which contains an interview with Charles.

Samples of Charles' voice work can be downloaded from Sue Terry Voices.

Charles Edwards. Television - Holy Flying Circus. Theatre - Happy Days in the Art World. Theatre - The King's Speech.

Holy Flying Circus will be broadcast on BBC Four on Wednesday 19 October. Screencaps from clips released by the BBC (click thumbnails for full size):

The Pythons in Barry Atkins' Office


Palin and Cleese Arrive at the BBC


Michael Palin and Jones the Wife


Charles, Joseph Fiennes and Kim Criswell will star in Happy Days in the Art World by Elmgreen & Dragset. It will preview at Tramway in Glasgow 21-22 October and premiere at the Skirball Center in New York 1-3 November (via the Independent).

Charles will play King George VI in a touring stage production of The King's Speech. It will premiere in Guildford and tour to Nottingham, Bath, Brighton, Richmond and Newcastle from February next year (Official London Theatre). Baz Bamigboye has further comments about the production:

As he [Matthew Byam Shaw, producer] so rightly put it, Edwards is ‘utterly charming, and a complete stage actor with an extraordinary range’.
Interestingly, he played Edward VIII in a TV drama [Bertie and Elizabeth] ten years ago. I’ve seen him in several productions and he always grabs your attention.

Charles Edwards - Television - Holy Flying Circus

The BBC press office has issued a press release for Holy Flying Circus, in which Charles plays Michael Palin.

Charles Edwards - Holy Flying Circus on Australian TV

Holy Flying Circus will be broadcast on ABC1 tomorrow night (via @teamdenbigh).

Charles Edwards - Television - Holy Flying Circus

Charles will play Michael Palin in Holy Flying Circus, a one-off BBC4 drama that reimagines the Life of Brian controversy. It will be broadcast later this year (Media Guardian).

Dan Stevens - Audio - Day

From the Guardian:

"...Day, by AL Kennedy, read by Dan Stevens. 6hrs, abridged (Random House, £16.99)

Patrick Bishop gave us the facts about the unsung heroes of Britain's second world war bomber squadrons flying dangerous night missions over Germany in his bestseller, Bomber Boys. Kennedy's novel, beginning in 1944, tells the story of Alfred Day, the tail gunner on a Lancaster bomber whose relationship with his fellow crew members - especially his charismatic skipper - make up for the murderous relationship he has with his father. Five years on, sole survivor of his crew and a misfit in civvy street, he signs up as an extra in a war film on location in his old German POW camp. An explosive book, with Dan Stevens not so much reading it as giving an Oscar-winning performance. The great thing about Kennedy is her originality; not just her plot, but the way she writes. How old is he and is he married? Day's interviewer asks.

'You weren't married and had touched only yourself and then fretted about it and you were almost infinitely younger than you thought. Infinitely: a word you'd learn soon - once infinity started to drive up and breathe against you. Infinity is fond of wars, they give it a way to come in.' Not, alas, available in my library. It only accommodates unabridged texts..."

Tags: Dan+Stevens, audiobook, audio+book, Day, AL+Kennedy, Random+House, Alfred+Day

Charles Edwards

[updated 19 March 2016]


Charles as Michael Quince in Pravda

Conway Van Gelder Grant|Sue Terry Voices|IMDB|Wikipedia|Twitter

Upcoming project

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Fielding

Theatre
Waste (November 2015-March 2016), National Theatre, Henry Trebell
Richard II (July-October 2015), The Globe, Richard II
Blithe Spirit (December 2014-March 2015), North American tour, Charles Condomine
I Went to a Marvellous Party (June 2014), Cafe de Paris
Blithe Spirit (March-June 2014), Gielgud Theatre, Charles Condomine
50 Years on Stage - extract from Pravda (November 2013), National Theatre, Michael Quince
Strange Interlude (June-September 2013), National Theatre (Lyttelton), Charles Marsden
- Clarence Derwent Award
This House (September-December 2012 and February-April 2013), National Theatre (Cottesloe and Olivier), Bernard Weatherill
The King's Speech (February-May 2012), tour, King George VI
Happy Days in the Art World (October-November 2011), tour (Tramway and Skirball Center), Me
Much Ado About Nothing (May-October 2011), Globe Theatre, Benedick
Twelfth Night (January-March 2011), National Theatre, Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Wanderlust (September-October 2010), Royal Court Theatre, Stephen Moore
A Midsummer Night's Dream (February-March 2010), Rose Theatre Kingston, Oberon
The Apple Cart (July-August 2009), Theatre Royal Bath, King Magnus
The Browning Version (June-September 2009), Theatre Royal Bath and tour (Malvern Theatres, Kingston Theatre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru), Frank Hunter
Where There's a Will (February-April 2009), English Touring Theatre, Ribadier
The Devil's Disciple [reading] (May 2008), The Players, Rev. Anthony Anderson
The 39 Steps (January-July 2008), American Airlines Theatre, Cort Theatre, Richard Hannay
The 39 Steps (September-October 2007), Huntington Theatre Company, Richard Hannay
The 39 Steps (September 2006-April 2007), Criterion Theatre, Richard Hannay
The 39 Steps (August-September 2006), Tricycle Theatre, Richard Hannay
Hay Fever (April-August 2006), Theatre Royal Haymarket, Sandy Tyrrell
Much Ado About Nothing (June-August 2005), Theatre Royal Bath, Don Pedro
Private Lives (June-August 2005), Theatre Royal Bath, Victor
Twelfth Night (October-November 2004), Bristol Old Vic, Orsino
Portugal [reading] (June 2004), National Theatre, Nick
John Bull's Other Island (September-October 2003), Tricycle Theatre, Tom Broadbent
The Duchess of Malfi (January-May 2003), National Theatre, Antonio
All My Sons (July-October 2000, July-September 2001), National Theatre, George
Making Noise Quietly (January-April 2000), tour
Our Betters (August-September 1997), Chichester Festival Theatre, Fleming Harvey
The Merchant of Venice (February-March 1997), Birmingham Rep, Bassanio
The Heidi Chronicles (August-October 1996), Greenwich Theatre, Peter Patrone
Beethoven's Tenth (May-July 1996), Chichester Festival Theatre
French Without Tears (November-December 1995), Watford Theatre, Kit Neilan
The Letter (September-October 1995), Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
The Importance of Being Earnest (March-June 1995), English Touring Theatre, Algernon Moncrieff
As You Like It (September-November 1994), English Touring Theatre, Orlando
The Winslow Boy (1994), Plymouth Theatre Royal, tour, The Globe
Trios (July-August 1993), Riverside Studios
Mr Cinders (December 1992-February 1993), Kings Head Theatre
Blithe Spirit (1992), ?, Charles Condomine

Film and TV
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Fielding
Arthur & George (2015)(TV), Alfred 'Woodie' Wood
Ripper Street series 3, episode 6, "The Incontrovertible Truth"(2014)(TV), Lord Montacute
Trying Again (2014)(TV), Ian
A Young Doctor's Notebook series 2 episodes 2-4 (2013)(TV), The Colonel
Downton Abbey series 4 episodes 1-4 (2013)(TV), Michael Gregson
Philomena (2013), David
Diana (2013), Patrick Jephson
Playhouse Presents "Stage Door Johnnies" (2013)(TV)
Downton Abbey series 3 episodes 7-9 (2012)(TV), Michael Gregson
Holy Flying Circus (2011)(TV), Michael Palin
Waking the Dead series 9 episodes 1-2 "Harbinger" (2011)(TV), Donald Rees
Midsomer Murders "Blood Wedding" (2008)(TV), Ned Fitzroy
Mistresses series 1 episodes 5-6 (2008)(TV), Paul Malloy
The All Together (2007), Marcus Craigie-Halkett
The Shell Seekers (2006)(TV), Noel
Batman Begins (2005), Wayne Enterprises Executive
Colditz (2005)(TV), Ellways, MI9 Officer
Monarch of the Glen series 4 episode 4 (2002)(TV), David Fraser
Bertie and Elizabeth (2002)(TV), David - Edward VIII
Murder Rooms (2001)(TV), Arthur Conan Doyle
Relative Values (2000), Phillip Bateman-Tobias
Longitude (2000)(TV), Lt. Seward
Mansfield Park (1999), Yates
An Ideal Husband (1999), Jack in stage production of The Importance of Being Earnest
Yellow Fever (1998)
Coming Home episode 1 (1998)(TV), Rupert
In Your Dreams (1997)(TV), Waiter
Loved Up (1995) (TV), Nigel Bennet
Rumpole of the Bailey "Rumpole and the Family Pride" (1992)(TV), Police Officer

Radio
Words and Music "Northern Lights: The North Pole" (December 2015), BBC Radio 3
Matchbox Theatre (November-December 2015), BBC Radio 4, various
Double Acts episode 1 "A Flock of Tigers" (October 2015), BBC Radio 4, Edmund
Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully series 2 (October-November 2014), BBC Radio 4, Field Commander Uljabaan
Words and Music "Strauss' Library" (June 2014), BBC Radio 3
Silk: The Clerks' Room "Bethany" (April 2014), BBC Radio 4, Mr Lewis
Imo and Ben (June 2013), BBC Radio 3, Lord Harewood
Mrs Updike (February 2013), BBC Radio 3, John Updike
Dracula (October 2012), BBC Radio 4, Dr Seward
Betrayal (July 2012), BBC Radio 4, Robert
Publish and Be Damn'd: The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson (June 2012), BBC Radio 4, Ponsonby/Melbourne
Sea Change (January 2012), BBC Radio 4, Harold Nicolson
Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities (April 2011), BBC Radio 4, Doleful
Different Planes (February 2004), BBC Radio 4, Jack Wyman
Our Betters (February 1998), BBC Radio 4, Fleming Harvey

Training
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduated 1992
- Do I Hear A Waltz? (June-July 1992), Barbican Theatre, Mr McIlhenny
National Youth Music Theatre 1988-1990

Other
The Mono Box

Charles Edwards - screencaps from Holy Flying Circus

Click these thumbnails for full size images.

Charles Edwards - showreel, Trying Again and Blithe Spirit

Screencaps from Trying Again. Click them for full size. (video source)
Charles has uploaded his showreel on Vimeo (via hellyescharlesedwards). It contains clips from Downton Abbey, Philomena, A Young Doctor's Notebook, Holy Flying Circus and Trying Again.

The British Comedy Guide has an interview with Charles about Trying Again.

More Blithe Spirit reviews:

Playbill
"Charles Edwards is particularly fine as the husband who has to cope not only with a tough new wife, but also with trying to dispose of the ghost of his flighty former wife..."

everymanarts
"Charles Edwards as Charles Condomine hits just the right note as the bewildered husband..."

Theatre Watcher
"[Charles Edwards and Janie Dee] are continually engaging and drag you completely into the story."