Charles Edwards - My Fair Lady Australian tour and upcoming TV projects

Charles will play Henry Higgins in the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady, which tours to Melbourne from 12 May 2017. Tickets go on sale 10 October (thanks to @j0lande). Limited dates are on presale (thanks to @teamdenbigh).
Prior to Melbourne, he will play the role in Brisbane from 12 March 2017. In an interview with Limelight, he said that he has had an interest in playing Higgins:
"“From the moment I knew it was Julie directing, I thought this is too good not to do. And I’ve also hankered for a long time to play the role. I like acting in Shaw very much: the intellectual demands and the speed of thought, I find challenging."

My Fair Lady is playing at the Sydney Opera House until 5 November with Alex Jennings as Higgins. Click here for tickets. It's a fun production that is worth seeing (I saw it last Friday).

[slight tangent: Naomi from hellyescharlesedwards has told me that my birthday message to Charles was prescient in a way because I asked him to come to Sydney. My message is the first image in this post. According to the Limelight article he is currently in Sydney meeting the cast and production team.]

**********

Other upcoming roles for Charles are the title role in the sitcom Henry IX (British Comedy Guide), Lucian in the drama series The Halcyon (Sue Terry Voices and ITV) and David Wellsborough in series 4 of Sherlock (@Ruther2 and Spotlight).

Samuel West - CBeebies bedtime stories, Book of Disquiet, Ode to Shakespeare

On 18 December, Sam will be the guest on Ruth and Martin's Album Club. He will listen to something from 1965 for the first time (via their Twitter, @RamAlbumClub).

He has recorded five bedtime stories for CBeebies, which will be broadcast in January (his Twitter, @exitthelemming).

Sam confirmed that he will perform Garrick's Ode to Shakespeare on tour with Ex Cathedra from 22 April to 28 May, in various venues in the Midlands (the Guardian reported this in 2014).

**********
Last week, Sam went to a protest against the closure of The Cass (the Sir John Cass Art, Architecture and Design Faculty, London Metropolitan University) - see this tweet from the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) and pictures from @highburyonfoot/Caroline Russell 1|2
The NCA has tweeted their response to the UK government's Spending Review. It was written by Sam, who is the chair of the organisation.
He read from AA Gill at the Comment Awards (@ruthmastenbroek, @susiesymes1, @ayeshahazarika and @exitthelemming).
Sam tweeted a diagram (?) of stage directions from Book of Disquiet rehearsals. It will be performed 21-24 January at Montclair State University (click here for tickets) and the Southbank Centre 24-25 February.

Here is a selection of tweets about D'Apres Shakespeare (Rouen Théâtre des Arts 20 November et Le Havre, Le Volcan 21 November).

Two discoveries in tonight's gig: Debussy's Le Roi Lear and Alwyn's The Magic Island. Only 15 mins between them, but sparkling jewels both.

— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) November 20, 2015

In memory of the terrible events of a week ago, we begin tonight with Burgundy's great plea for peace from Henry V: pic.twitter.com/WIx4TKJvon

— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) November 20, 2015

In tonight's concert I have to read some Caliban. Enjoying making up an accent; Jamaican Suffolk probably closest.

— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) November 20, 2015

.@conductorleo rehearsing Walton's Hamlet this morning w/ @OperaDeRouen in a mixture of French, English & Italian. pic.twitter.com/1gC7QWv1mc

— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) November 19, 2015

So proud to have the great Sam West @exitthelemming in town for our Shakespeare concert @operaderouen on Friday #Walton #Alwyn #Berlioz

— Leo Hussain (@conductorleo) November 18, 2015

Sam recorded his contribution to the Portrayal of Disability conference (19 November) due to a scheduling conflict (rehearsals for D'Apres Shakespeare).

The Peace Brigades International website has a recap and photos from "Shakespeare and the Law" (16 November). Sam, Juliet Stevenson, Sheila Hancock and Alex Jennings performed excerpts from The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night and Henry IV.

Charles Edwards - Matchbox Theatre and Waste interviews

Charles, Alex Jennings and Roger Allam are in episode 1 of Michael Frayn's Matchbox Theatre, which premieres on BBC Radio 4 tomorrow (27 November).

He has been interviewed in Official London Theatre and The Stage. In the former, he discusses working at the National Theatre:

"When I started being an actor, being here at the National Theatre was always the goal. Doing All My Sons here in 2000 with Howard Davies directing was one of the biggest thrills. Getting a job at the National. The feeling never abates when you come to work here."

In the latter, he discusses Henry Trebell, the character he plays in Waste:

"He’s used to having to compartmentalise. He’ll have an intensely emotional scene that has to be kept quiet so as not to be heard outside, and then suddenly, the door will be flung open and in comes a big political figure and immediately he’s putting up a front. It’s the switch back and forth, that’s what I love."

Samuel West - The Crimson Field, Ode to Napoleon, Hamlet

Screencaps of Sam as Elliot Vincent in episode 4 of The Crimson Field. Click them for full size.


The episode is available on iPlayer for the next 14 days.

Booking for the Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival opens 12 May. On 27 September, Sam will narrate "Ode to Napoleon" by Schoenberg.
In September 2005, he mentioned that he'd narrated it "three times now -it's the hardest thing I've ever done" ("The finest recording of the year? Trust me, I'm a celebrity", The Times, 2 September 2005). Presumably one of those times was in early 1994, when he collaborated with the Hebrides Ensemble to perform an "eloquent and animated" interpretation of the work (Herald Scotland).

The Guardian's "45 Hamlets for Shakespeare's 450th birthday" features a selection of actors who have played Hamlet, including Sam, Ralph Fiennes, Simon Russell Beale, David Tennant, Ben Whishaw, Michael Sheen, Rory Kinnear, Toby Stephens, John Simm and Alex Jennings.
Sam starred in a production directed by Steven Pimlott - click here to find out more.

Yesterday, Sam tweeted some personal (and squeeworthy) news tweet 1|tweet 2

What's On Stage Award nominations

Nominees include Charles Edwards (Strange Interlude) and Richard McCabe (The Audience) for Best Supporting Actor in a Play; Hayley Atwell (The Pride) for Best Actress in a Play; Ben Whishaw (Peter and Alice and Mojo) and James McAvoy (Macbeth) for Best Actor in a Play; Claudie Blakley (Chimerica) for Best Supporting Actress in a Play and Alex Jennings (Hymn) for Best Solo Performance. Rory Kinnear received two nominations - Best Actor in a Play for Othello and Best New Play for The Herd.

Click here for the full list.
 

Film - Anna Karenina. Film - The Big Year. BBC Radio.

(A glimpse of Rosamund Pike in the The Big Year trailer; and David Tennant and Kenneth Branagh discussing radio drama. Click these screencaps for 720p full size.)

Ruth Wilson has been cast in Anna Karenina, which will be directed by Joe Wright and will begin filming this month. The film's cast includes Keira Knightley, Kelly Macdonald and Matthew Macfadyen (Screen Daily).

Jason Isaacs has been interviewed for "My Secret Life" in the Independent. His responses cover things such as fashion, musicals and children.

Rosamund Pike features briefly in The Big Year trailer, which can be viewed at Apple (via firstshowing.net).

BBC Radio

• The Life and Fate website links to pages where it will be available to download as a podcast, as well as related programs. The site's videos of David Tennant and Kenneth Branagh discussing the production and radio drama in general from can also be viewed on Youtube (via tennantnews).
• Harriet Walter stars in the Drama on 3 Glass Chair Chair Glass 
• Juliet Stevenson and Kenneth Cranham are the readers for Words and Music "Nine Lives"
• Alex Jennings reads The Boys from Brazil

Romola Garai, Ruth Wilson, BBC Radio

Romola Garai and Nicholas Burns will star in The Village Bike at the Royal Court from 24 June to 30 July.

A quote from Ruth in the Telegraph about Michael Grandage, outgoing artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse:

"'He is an agent’s worst nightmare!’ Ruth Wilson laughs. Not only does he cut them entirely out of the process by contacting their clients directly, but he also expects his actors, however famous they are, to work for a company wage."

Ruth previously performed at the Donmar in A Streetcar Named Desire, and will star in the theatre's upcoming production of Anna Christie.

BBC Radio

• Hattie Morahan, Bertie Carvel and Tobias Menzies star in the Drama on 3 Serious Money by Caryl Churchill (available on iPlayer for 4 more days)
• Alex Jennings reads Twenty Minutes "A Warning to the Curious" (available on iPlayer for 5 more days)
• Andrew Scott voices James Joyce in the Book of the Week James Joyce - A Biography. Jim Norton narrates.   
• Jason Isaacs was interviewed on Loose Ends 

Television - In Love with Shakespeare, BBC Radio

Stephen Campbell Moore, John Simm and Sam West will perform speeches from Julius Caesar, Hamlet and Richard II in In Love With Shakespeare, a 30 minute program which will be broadcast on Sky Arts 28 May (via The Stage).

BBC Radio

• John Simm will be interviewed on Loose Ends
• David Morrissey will be interviewed on Front Row
• Toby Jones and Dina Lorzun star in the series 10 premiere of From Fact to Fiction
• Tamsin Greig and Alex Jennings star in the Afternoon Play That's Mine, This is Yours
• Hattie Morahan reads "The Happy Valley" by Daphne du Maurier
• Fenella Woolgar reads the Book of the Week Millions Like Us: Women's Lives in War and Peace 1939-1949
• Anna Maxwell Martin and Matthew Macfadyen are the readers for Words and Music "Self-Improvement"

Scene & Heard, BBC Radio

Patrons Hugh Bonneville and Sam West attended a performance of the Scene & Heard production Twist and Turn. Tweets:

@hughbon: "Fabulous eve with @exitthelemming & other proud patrons at http://t.co/8hJGUpU - 11 yr olds writing astonishing short plays."

@exitthelemming: "Beautiful evening at @SceneandHeardUK. Simon Scardifield played 10 parts. Countess of Wessex, @hughbon & other supporters v pleased & proud."

BBC Radio

• Claudie Blakley and Tony Haygarth are the readers for Words and Music "Idleness"
• Dan Stevens, Malcolm Sinclair and Tom Goodman-Hill star in the Drama on 3 A Thousand Kisses
• Sean Gallagher and Fenella Woolgar star in the Afternoon Play My Life Is a Series of People Saying Goodbye
• Toby Jones reads the Book of the Week Ken Campbell: The Great Caper
• Matt Smith, Tamsin Greig and Alan Bennett will be guests on The 4 O'Clock Show
• Roger Allam, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephanie Cole and John Finnemore star in series 2 of Cabin Pressure {repeat}
• Alex Jennings and Imogen Stubbs star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Garfield, Kelly Macdonald, BBC Radio

Rosamund Pike interviews from the Guardian and Baz Bamigboye's Daily Mail column about Barney's Version; and an article from the BBC with her thoughts about Made in Dagenham's relative lack of BAFTA nominations.


Rosamund's Made in Dagenham co-star Andrea Riseborough stars as Rose in Brighton Rock, which will be released in the UK 4 February. Andrea has been interviewed in the Dazed & Confused February 2011 issue (via The Fashion Spot) and the Independent. In other publicity, an excerpt about her from the Telegraph's set visit:

"'I was so passionate about Brighton Rock from the outset,' she says. 'So I decided not to do a different film and had a bit of a rejig of my schedule and swapped round. It was wonderful and it all worked out brilliantly.'
'Andrea inhabits a role completely,' Joffe [Rowan Joffe, director] observes, 'and that's quite a dangerous and difficult process – to really lose yourself in a character, especially one as dark and victimised as Rose. But as well as being a great actress, Andrea’s a solid Geordie lass who has both feet on the ground.'"

And screencaps from a newly released clip (click thumbnails for full size):



Interviews with Andrew Garfield from the Telegraph and Kelly Macdonald from the Independent.


BBC Radio

• Alex Jennings stars in the Afternoon Play My Year Off {repeat}
• Laura Pyper and Yasmin Paige read the Book at Bedtime The Meeting Point
• Hattie Morahan and Blake Ritson are the readers for With Great Pleasure (readings chosen by Zoe Ball)

Carey Mulligan, Andrea Riseborough. Ruth Wilson - Television - Luther. BBC Radio.

A picture of Carey Mulligan taken by Shot by Shooter.

Ruth Wilson has received a Satellite nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television for Luther (via Momentary Bursts of Enthusiasm).

A short interview with Andrea Riseborough from the Guardian.

BBC Radio

• Readers for Readings from the King James Bible, which will be broadcast 9 January on Radio 4 include Samuel West, Rory Kinnear, Hugh Bonneville, Toby Stephens, and Dan Stevens
• Toby Jones and Niamh Cusack star in episode 2 of The Phone, "All Night Cafe"
• Tim McInnerny and Fenella Woolgar star in the Afternoon Play Wodehouse in Hollywood {repeat}
• Tim McInnerny and Alex Jennings star in the Afternoon Play How To Be An Internee With No Previous Experience

British Independent Film Awards, Merlin UK, La Soiree, BBC Radio.

MAC Cosmetics has issued a press release regarding sponsorship of the British Independent Film Awards, which will take place on 5 December. Andrea Riseborough (nominee for Best Actress) and Ruth Wilson will have their make up for the event applied by MAC artists.

Hugh Bonneville, a patron of the medical aid agency Merlin, recently went to Liberia as part of the Times Christmas Appeal. He has written an article in the Times about his trip. 

Guests at the Christmas soiree at La Soiree included Hayley Atwell, Benedict Cumberbatch and Steven Berkoff.

Rosamund Pike interview from the LA Times in which she discusses Barney's Version and Made in Dagenham.

Andrea Riseborough and Hayley Atwell have been profiled in an article from Indie Wire, "On the Rise: 15 Actresses We Expect Great Things From".

BBC Radio

• Alex Jennings and Julian Rhind-Tutt star in the Afternoon Play The People's Princess {repeat}
• Roger Allam, Elliot Cowan and Elizabeth McGovern star in the Drama on 3 Gilead
• Simon Russell Beale reads De Profundis by Oscar Wilde {repeat}

Ruth Wilson - Television - Small Island. Rosamund Pike - Film - Barney's Version. Andrea Riseborough - Film - Brighton Rock. BBC Radio.

Ruth Wilson attended the International Emmy Awards on 22 November (via Momentary Bursts of Enthusiasm). Winners included Small Island (TV movie/mini-series) and Helena Bonham Carter (Enid; Best Performance by an Actress). Pictures: the Telegraph, Rex Features, Getty (press room and arrivals) and WireImage.

Screencaps of Rosamund Pike from the Barney's Version trailer (click thumbnails for full size):



Interviews with Andrea Riseborough from askmen.com and Movieline, and screencaps of her from the Brighton Rock trailer (click thumbnails for full size):



BBC Radio

• Sam West reads the Oscar Wilde poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" {repeat}
• Juliet Stevenson and David Haig star in the Afternoon Play The End of the Alphabet {repeat}
• Bill Nighy stars in A Charles Paris Mystery: Murder in the Title
• Harry Lloyd reads the Afternoon Reading story "Window Washer"
• Tom Goodman-Hill, Derek Jacobi and Harriet Walter star in the Classic Serial I, Claudius 
• Ricky Gervais will be interviewed on Front Row
• John Sessions and Alex Jennings star in series 2 of Electric Ink

Rebecca Hall, Ruth Wilson, Laura Wade. British Academy Television Awards. BBC Radio.

• Interviews with Rebecca Hall (via Momentary Bursts of Enthusiasm) and Ruth Wilson from the Guardian rebecca|ruth
  
  
• Laura Wade interview from the Sheffield Telegraph about Alice [link]
  
  
• British Academy Television Awards
• Selected winners: Julie Walters (leading actress, Mo), Matthew Macfadyen (leading actor, Criminal Justice), and Rebecca Hall (supporting actress, Red Riding 1974). The Thick of It received three awards - female performance in a comedy role (Rebecca Front), male performance in a comedy role (Peter Capaldi), and situation comedy.
• Pictures 1|2|3|4|5|6
• Article from Instyle [link]
• Videos from BAFTA, including a red carpet interview with Ruth Wilson, and an interview with the cast and crew of The Thick of It [link]
• Press release from MAC. Their artists did make up for Romola Garai, Ashley Jensen, and Ruth Wilson. [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• Roger Allam and Alex Jennings star in The Idiot (via the AJ Diaries) [link]
• Stephen Mangan reads The Dream Travellers for Big Toe Books [link]
• Juliet Stevenson was interviewed on Loose Ends [link]
  

Samuel West - Equity elections. Film - Decoy Bride. Ruth Wilson - Theatre - A Streetcar Named Desire. Hayley Atwell. Theatre - The Pride. BBC Radio.

• Sam West is a candidate in the Equity 2010 elections (via The Stage) [link]
  
  
• David Tennant and Kelly Macdonald will star in the romantic comedy Decoy Bride [link]
  
  
• Pictures: Ruth Wilson behind-the-scenes of A Streetcar Named Desire and Hayley Atwell's headshot has been updated on her United Agents page ruth|hayley
  
  
• Andrea Riseborough will receive a Theatre World Award for The Pride [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• The late Corin Redgrave stars in the Drama on 3 Krapp's Last Tape {repeat} [link]
• John Gordon Sinclair and Sharon Horgan star in the Afternoon Play The Recordist [link]
• David Calder and Alex Jennings star in Scarlet on Black {repeat} [link]
• Rupert Graves and Michael Gambon star in the Drama on 3 Embers, directed by Stephen Rea {repeat} [link]
• Claudie Blakley and Lizzy Watts star in the Afternoon Play Cinders [link]
• Simon Russell Beale will be a guest on Feedback [link]

Samuel West - Narration - Nocturne. Lucy Prebble - Theatre - Enron. Hayley Atwell - Film - Captain America. Ruth Wilson - Television - Luther. BBC Radio.

• Sam West and Harriet Walter are the readers for Nocturne: The Romantic Life of Frederic Chopin with pianist Lucy Parham at the following performances (via Lucy Parham):
  11 July, Theatre Royal Winchester [link]
  18 July, Wigmore Hall [link]
  21 July, Petworth Festival [link]
  29 July, Harrogate Festival [link]
  
  
• Enron (Broadway)
• Lucy Prebble interview [link]
• Article from Playbill about the Broadway opening night [link]
• Broadway opening night video from broadway.com [link]
  
  
• Captain America: The First Avenger begins filming 28 June. The film stars Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell and Sebastian Stan. (via MTV) [link]
  
  
• Luther
• Scans of an article from the Radio Times about the show from Momentary Bursts of Enthusiasm [link]
• Screencaps of Ruth Wilson from the trailer:
  
  
  
• BBC Radio
• Gemma Arterton will be interviewed on Woman's Hour [link]
• Peter Hall will be interviewed on Start the Week [link]
• Derek Riddell, Amelia Bullmore and Tom Goodman-Hill star in the Drama on 3 And So Say All of Us... (via Tom's Twitter, @tomgoodmanh) [link]
• Julian Rhind-Tutt and Sarah Alexander are the readers for Words and Music "May Day" [link]
• The cast of Alexander includes Geraldine James, Michael Maloney, Alex Jennings and Julian Rhind-Tutt {repeat} [link]

Lucy Prebble - Theatre - Enron. Laura Wade - Theatre - Vibrant Festival. Ruth Wilson - Television - Luther. Television - The Prisoner. Hayley Atwell - Radio - The Leopard. BBC Radio.

• Enron
• Lucy Prebble interview from entrepreneur.com [link]
• Article by Lucy Prebble from broadway.com [link]
  
  
• The short plays Extra Ordinary and People by Laura Wade will premiere at the Finborough Theatre Vibrant Festival (via broadway.com) [link]
  
  
• Luther will be broadcast in the week 1-7 May on BBC1. A trailer is here.
  
  
• Transcript of The Prisoner BFI Q&A from The Life of Wylie [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• Stanley Townsend, Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston star in The Leopard [link]
• Alex Jennings and Carolyn Pickles are the readers for Words and Music "Finishing the Hat" (via the AJ Diaries) [link]
• Toby Stephens will be interviewed on Front Row [link]

Lucy Prebble - Theatre - Enron - Broadway. Samuel West - Theatre - Enron. Television - Women in Love. Andrea Riseborough - The Pride. Radio - EM Forster short stories. Radio - Goldfinger. BBC Radio.

• Lucy is in the April 2010 issue of Vogue (US) [link]
  
  
• A picture from Sam's appearance on the Andrew Marr Show - he was promoting Enron [link]
  
  
• Rory Kinnear, Rachael Stirling and Joseph Mawle have joined Rosamund Pike in the BBC4 adaptation of Women in Love [link]
  
  
• Andrea Riseborough has received a Lucille Lortel nomination (featured actress) for The Pride [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• Kenneth Branagh, Jodhi May and Tom Hiddleston star in the Drama on 3 Cyrano de Bergerac [link]
• Dan Stevens, Ruth Wilson and Andrew Sachs are the readers for the Afternoon Reading EM Forster Short Stories [link]
• The Complete Smiley continues with the Classic Serial Smiley's People, starring Simon Russell Beale (as George Smiley) and Alex Jennings [link]
• Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Ian McKellen, Tom Hollander, Lisa Dillon and Tim Pigott-Smith star in the Saturday Play Goldfinger [link]

Theatre - Olivier awards. Television - Spooks. Television - Money. Samuel West - Radio - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. BBC Radio.

• People who will be attending the Oliviers include Hayley Atwell, Rory Kinnear, Tim Pigott-Smith, Tom Stoppard, Sam West, Ruth Wilson, Rosamund Pike and Rupert Friend [link] 
• Simon Russell Beale will be in the next series of Spooks (via C19) [link]
• Hattie Morahan will play Martina Twain in the BBC2 adaptation of Money by Martin Amis, starring Nick Frost and Vincent Kartheiser [link]
• BBC Radio
• Sam West is in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" [link]
• Timothy Spall, Zoe Tapper and Geoffrey Streatfeild star in the Saturday Play Playing With Trains [link]
• Alex Jennings and Toby Stephens star in the Afternoon Play No Place Like Home [link]
• Martin Jarvis performs Jeeves Live [link]
• Christopher Eccleston and Olivia Hallinan are the readers for Words and Music "Intimate Letters" [link]
• Rory Kinnear and Lydia Leonard star in the Drama on 3 Arms and the Man [link]

Theatre - The Pride. Lucy Prebble. Theatre - The Real Thing. Samuel West - Radio - Bomber. Dan Stevens - Audio - War Horse. BBC Radio.

• Andrea Riseborough, Ben Whishaw and Hugh Dancy were on the Leonard Lopate Show discussing The Pride (via mcctheater) [link]
• Lucy Prebble profile from the Telegraph [link]
• Toby Stephens, Hattie Morahan and Fenella Woolgar will star in The Real Thing at the Old Vic, 21 April-5 June 2010 (previews from 10 April) [link]
• Bomber and War Horse are featured in this article from the Guardian. Here are excerpts:
  

  "...I came across this classic [Bomber] and can report that it's just as riveting second time round...
  ...ever since I heard him read AL Kennedy's Day, I have become a loyal follower of Dan Stevens, he of the chameleon voice that makes you laugh or cry at a stroke. No need to ask what Stevens reading this heart-rending story [War Horse] did to me..."

• BBC Radio
• Andrew Scott and Dave Fishley star in The Wire Look Closer [link]
• Lorcan Cranitch and Alex Jennings star in the Afternoon Play Shakespeare's Vortigern and Rowena (via the AJ Diaries) [link]
• Timothy Spall and Cheryl Campbell star in Jagged Prayer [link]
• Damian Lewis narrates Agent Zig Zag [link]