Samuel West - Julius Caesar, The Ice and upcoming projects; Hamlet discussion and the They're Your Rights campaign

Sam will play Brutus in Julius Caesar at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield between 18 May and 10 June. The production will be directed by new artistic director Rob Hastie (via Baz Bamigboye's Twitter, @BazBam).
This is a return to Sheffield for Sam. He previously worked there 2005-2007, when he was artistic director of Sheffield Theatres. During his tenture, he directed The Romans in Britain, The Clean House and As You Like It; and acted in Much Ado About Nothing, A Number and Family Voices.

He narrates the audiobook of The Ice by Laline Paull (his Twitter, @exitthelemming). Paull tweeted a picture of Sam from the recording in early April. The audiobook will be released 4 May (Harper Audio/SoundCloud - this page has a clip from the audiobook).

Sam will play James Oswood in an upcoming episode of series 19 of Midsomer Murders (United Agents). It is possibly episode 5 "Death by Persuasion" - according to IMDB the character Polly also has the surname Oswood. According to IMDB the episode will be broadcast in December. Sam confirmed that the character he plays is in episode 5, "Death by Persuasion".
He previously had a guest role on the show in series 10 - he played Jeremy Thacker in "The Animal Within".

A month ago, Sam tweeted that he played a horse. Currently unknown what project the character is for.

Neigh, neigh and thrice neigh. Playing my first horse this week. Not allowed to say what in yet.

— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) March 14, 2017

**********

In early April, he narrated the Channel 4 documentary Spying on the Royals (@exitthelemming).

The British Library blog has a post about "Music and poetry from the Zweig Collection", a performance from 20 March featuring Sam as Stefan Zweig.

Sam and tenor Allan Clayton discussed Hamlet in a podcast from Glyndebourne Opera in mid March (via @exitthelemming). Sam played Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company 2001-2002; Steven Pimlott directed the production. Allan will play Hamlet in a new opera version by composer Brett Dean and librettist Matthew Jocelyn that will premiere at Glyndebourne in June.

A new headshot has been added to his profile on the United Agents website.



(The above screencaps from the They're Your Rights video are thumbnails - click them for full size)
Click here to view Sam's speech for the They're Your Rights campaign (@exitthelemming). He initially delivered the speech in February at an event by 89up and Free Word. A clip from the speech featuring Sam quoting King Lear is here.

In late March, Olivia Colman and Sam presented a Hearts for the Arts Award to Lewisham Council (@exitthelemming). The council received the award for Meet Me at the Albany, an initiative for older people to visit an arts centre.
Sam wrote the questions for the Bush Theatre charity quiz (and prepared the chocolate tasting round) - from his Twitter. He was also the quizmaster for last year's quiz.

The Mono Box

The Mono Box is a resource for actors, directors and playwrights. It was set up by actor Joan Iyiola and movement director/choreographer Polly Bennett in 2012. The organisation runs workshops and events. It also has a collection of plays that was entirely donated by industry professionals. Several donors are people I have featured on my blog over the years* - actors Hugh Bonneville, Olivia Colman, Charles Edwards, Andrew Scott, Michael Sheen, Juliet Stevenson and David Tennant; and playwrights Caryl Churchill, Lucy Prebble and Laura Wade.

* belated realisation that I've had this blog for nine years!

Samuel West - television, Hyde Park on Hudson and Trash Cuisine

(screencap sources: Mr Selfridge episode 6, Belarus Free Theatre, cinemasUGC, Smooth Radio)

Sam is currently filming Fleming, a four part drama starring Dominic Cooper as Ian Fleming. He plays Admiral John Godfrey, a source of inspiration for M (BBC Media Centre 1|2). He has shared a couple of pictures from filming on Twitter (@exitthelemming a car|a document).
Mr Selfridge will return for a second series which will be broadcast in 2014 (ITV Press Centre).

Publicity for Hyde Park on Hudson includes interviews with Sam and Olivia Colman from heyuguys, Metro, View London, Front Row, Smooth Radio, Radio Times and Huffington Post. Also, MSN has a clip from the film titled "Meet some Americans"; and the French trailer for the film has slightly different footage to the English trailer.

Rudyard Kipling's Just So stories will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, read by Sam (@exitthelemming). Excerpts from the stories were recently featured in Just So Science.
A few weeks ago, Sam and Emilia Fox starred in the Afternoon Drama Kathleen and Con.

In his role as the chairman for the National Campaign for the Arts, he has written a post for the Arts Funding Ning about Westminster Council's proposal to cut its entire arts budget and spoken to Labour Peers in the House of Lords about the NCA (@exitthelemming).

Sam, Alan Rickman and Joanna Lumley have recorded video appeals to attract crowd-funding for Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre's latest production (via @Fenella Dawnay). The deadline for donations is 7 April.
In January, he participated in Eastside Educational Trust's creative team training.
This month, Sam read from George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four at Brixton and West Norwood libraries on National Libraries Day (a picture of Sam at West Norwood is here) and attended an auction raising money for Prostate Cancer UK (via @exitthelemming; a picture from the auction is here).

Samuel West - Hyde Park on Hudson

Video sources: BFI, Premiere Scene, iTunes (these screencaps are thumbnails - click for 1080p full size)
On 16 October, Sam attended the Hyde Park on Hudson premiere at the London Film Festival. Interviews with him on the red carpet include BFI, Premiere Scene, Total Film, Getty and jorland.
Getty, PR Photos and Rex Features have pictures of Sam and co-star Bill Murray on the red carpet.

The film's official site has a video featurette about Bill Murray's preparation for playing Roosevelt, interviews with Sam and Olivia Colman, and a discussion featuring members of the cast and crew.

Clips from the film can be viewed at Trailer Addict.




Video sources: Trailer Addict and iTunes (click for full size)
A selection of review excerpts is below.

The Hollywood News
"Olivia Colman shines as the Queen. Samuel West is also likable and sympathetic as the king..."

Flick Filosopher
"Everything in Hyde Park concerning the royals — portrayed with grace, aplomb, and resolute humanity by the wonderful Samuel West and the goddesslike Olivia Colman — is fantastic."

Film School Rejects
"[the royals are] played quite adorably and with amazing chemistry by Samuel West and Olivia Colman..."

Samuel West - Hyde Park on Hudson, Facade, Track to Track, Nocturne

Screencap from the Hyde Park on Hudson trailer. More caps from the trailer are here.

Hyde Park on Hudson will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September (TIFF press 24 July, "Galas and Special Presentations" via the Guardian).

Ben Hur will be repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra from today.

Will Corder's website has pictures from the performance of Facade at the Ryedale festival.

A tweet from Sam about the Track to Track concert (15 July):

Tonight doing Graham Fitkin QEH gig with lots of kids making lots of noiseand me narrating TWO pieces about railways #extrainspotterheaven
— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) July 15, 2012

@barbi001 and @sarahblake respectively described the concert as "marvellous" and "brilliant."
The concert has been recorded for BBC Radio 3 (comment from diaryofadizzygirl).

He was invited to the BBC Radio 4 musical showcase But First This (13 July). Click here for a tweet from him about the performance; and an article from the Telegraph has a plot-related quote from him (via @suzyklein).

Lucy Parham's website has been updated with two clips from Nocturne, featuring readings from Sam and Harriet Walter.

Radio - Betrayal

The Saturday Drama Betrayal will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 14 July. It stars Charles Edwards (Robert), Andrew Scott (Jerry), Olivia Colman (Emma) and Gerard McDermott (the waiter).

Samuel West - Hyde Park on Hudson trailer screencaps

A trailer for Hyde Park on Hudson is now available to view at Yahoo Movies (via @SimplerDave).

Click the thumbnails below to view full sized screencaps.

Radio - Betrayal

Charles Edwards, Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman have been recording a radio adaptation of Betrayal by Harold Pinter (Charles' Twitter, @cedwardsactor).

Samuel West. First Story. Hay Fever after party.

The First Story blog has a post about the "Stories to make you laugh or cry" fundraiser which was held earlier this week. Sam performed a soliloquy from Hamlet at the event.

He attended the Hay Fever after party last week. The play's cast includes Jeremy Northam and Olivia Colman (wooller.com). Olivia has worked with Sam - she plays Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in Hyde Park on Hudson.

Samuel West - Film - Hyde Park on Hudson

Hyde Park on Hudson will have a US release on 7 December 2012 (via The Film Stage).

Samuel West. Television - Voices in the Garden. Film - Hyde Park on Hudson.

[updated 11 February 2012]

A "hive mind" tweet from Sam regarding the classical duologues workshop he will teach at the Actors Centre tomorrow:

"Hive mind: any good two-handed scenes in classic plays (pre - 1914) for two women, playing ages 30s-40s and 50s-60s?"

Sam has confirmed that he will play George VI in Hyde Park on Hudson. Some tweets from him about the film:

21 July
"@DaWNd58 Yup. The inbreeding's tough, but the stammer's a d-doddle."
19 July
"On way to rehearse for Hyde Park on Hudson, a movie with Bill Murray and Laura Linney. He's playing Roosevelt, she his cousin, me George VI. Also Olivia Colman as the Queen and Olivia Williams as Eleanor; directed by Roger Michell, screenplay Richard Nelson. Top stuff; v excited. (Wish my turn as B-bertie wasn't QUITE so close to C. Firth's brilliant Oscar-winning one, but not complaining. Ten weeks' work from today.)"

Voices in the Garden, a 1993 television drama in which Sam plays Mark, will be screened at the BFI Mediatheque next month (via Brit Movie).

Welcome to the Punch, Anna Christie, BBC Radio

The film Welcome to the Punch has begun filming. It stars Andrea Riseborough, James McAvoy, Mark Strong and David Morrissey (Empire Online).

Pictures from rehearsals for Anna Christie can be viewed on the Donmar Warehouse and Daily Mail websites. Also, the Evening Standard has an interview with Ruth Wilson (via Ruth Wilson - The Placeholder Blog).

BBC Radio

• Toby Stephens and Olivia Colman are the readers for Words and Music "Obsession"
• Lesley Sharp and Lizzy Watts star in the Afternoon Play Welcome to the Wasteland {repeat}

Ben Whishaw, Bill Nighy. Film - Captain America. Television - Rev. Film - Spiderman prequel. BBC Radio.

• Lovely pictures of Ben Whishaw and Bill Nighy from Shot By Shooter and the Telegraph, respectively ben|bill
  
  
• Dominic Cooper will play Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger (via the Examiner) [link]
  
  
• Hugh Bonneville will guest star in episode 4 of Rev, a sitcom starring Tom Hollander and Olivia Colman [link]
  
  
• Andrew Garfield has been cast as Peter Parker in the Spiderman prequel [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• David Hyde Pierce and Christopher Nolan will be interviewed on Front Row david|christopher
• Anthony Flanagan and Guy Henry star in the Saturday Play Going to Ground [link]