Ewan McGregor delves into Trainspotting prequel “Skagboys”
Hollywood star Ewan McGregor has revealed he is devouring Irvine
Welsh’s latest novel – which follows a younger version of his famous
Trainspotting character. Skagboys, a prequel to Welsh’s 1993 book Trainspotting, follows an
early 20s version of Mark Renton as he changes from a “daft young guy”
out for a buzz on drugs, to a total junkie.
Read more at Deadline
Ewan McGregor works on his muscles for Oz film role
From The Daily Record:
The 42-year-old Scot wanted to beef up his biceps to star in Australian crime thriller Son of a Gun.
Ewan pumps iron ahead of new film role
Pumped up Ewan McGregor goes through the pain barrier as he works out for his latest role as a big screen tough guy. The 42-year-old Scot beefed up his biceps for Australian crime thriller Son of a Gun. The Scots plays Australia’s public enemy number one, who takes on a young protege after he is sent to prison.
The actor hired personal trainer Brett Smith to get him in shape. Brett said: “He wanted the guns – the big arms – so he had to put on a bit of muscle and strength.”
Ewan tweeted his delight at his transformation, saying: “Brett, thanks for all the sessions in your gym.”
Colourful characters and goodfellas will find security is tight at a
boxing match promoted by Mick Gatto because the ringside buzz is that
actor Ewan McGregor is the special guest.
Australian heavyweight champion Lucas ''Big Daddy'' Browne has muscled into acting to play a bad dude in Son of a Gun,
the thriller McGregor is filming in Western Australia, and their
friendship led to an invitation for great the Scot to attend the match
on April 28. The cast will move to Melbourne later this month for
filming, so McGregor will take in many sights once here.
Elaine C Smith performing for St Andrew's Hospice at Airdrie's Sir John Wilson town hall
Comedian Elaine C Smith is doing a show to raise funds for Lanarkshire’s St Andrew’s Hospice.
An Audience with Elaine C Smith will be at Airdrie Town Hall on Thursday, April 18.
She said: “I am so pleased to be performing not only in Lanarkshire but
also to help raise money for St Andrew’s Hospice – a well-loved local
charity which has to raise £57,000 every week in life.
“The hospice is very close to my heart and I can’t wait to see everyone
turning out to have a great night and support an amazing cause.”
Read more at Wishaw Press
Stars to recite Sylvia Plath’s Ariel as she intended
Stars including Juliet Stevenson, Harriet Walter and Miranda
Richardson are to read aloud Sylvia Plath’s entire Ariel collection of
poems as she arranged them.
As part of the London Literature Festival, 40 actresses and poets,
including Phyllis Logan, Samantha Bond, Anna Chancellor and Siobhan
Redmond will each read a single work from the restored edition of the
manuscript found on Plath’s desk after her suicide at the age of 30 in
February 1963. Plath predicted that the collection would “make my name”.
The
Royal Festival Hall performance on May 26 will be introduced by Plath’s
daughter, Frieda Hughes, 53, who wrote a foreword to the restored
version.
Read more at London Evening Standard
Image sources: IMDB and Wooller
Doctor Faustus
Glasgow South & Eastwood Extra's review of Siobhan Redmond's Doctor Faustus is here.
Musical twist: Clare Grogan will be speaking at Ken McCluskey's event Celebrating Harry Papadopolous at Aye Write!
William McIlvanney, Denise Mina, Alasdair Gray, Janice
Galloway, Val McDermid – the list reads like a who’s who in Scottish
literature.
But the cream of the country’s writing crop have come together for
the city's eighth Aye Write! festival, which returns on April 12.
Writers from north of the border will be appearing side by side with
the likes of Sandi Toksvig, Darcey Bussell, Jeremy Vine and Tracey Thorn
during the ten day book festival.
Last year more than 40,000 people attended events at Aye Write! and with talks including I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue – the Best of Forty Years and Ian Buxton’s 101 World Whiskies selling out within weeks of going on sale.
However there is a tinge of sadness hanging over this year’s
festival. Following the news that Iain Banks is battling terminal
cancer, The Wasp Factory writer has cancelled his appearance at Aye Write!
Read more at STV
Enjoy an Evening With Elaine C Smith at Celtic Park
From Celtic News Now:
On Thursday, April 25 we welcome good friend of the club, and patron of
our Celtic Women's and Girls' Programme Elaine C. Smith to Celtic Park,
for a night of fine dining and excellent entertainment. 'An Evening
with Elaine C'.
Mountview graduate Douglas Henshall gave a masterclass to second and third year acting students on 14 March.
He talked honestly and amusingly about the realities of life after training at Mountview, including the countless letters he wrote until he got his first acting job at Citizens Theatre in Glasgow.
He went on to reveal that he missed out on a role in Trainspotting because he’d just signed a contract to work at the RSC and that even after 25 years it’s still frustrating to get turned down for a role.
Questions from students revealed his favourite and worst acting experience and advice on whether to use a native accent for a part (unless the script demonstrates the character is from a particular region, he suggests you stay true to your natural accent).
Source: Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Curran: A sci-fi gangster playing alongside Sean Connery Actor Tony Curran joins 'Morning Drive' to
discuss playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational pro-am and playing
with actor Sean Connery.
Watch the interview here
Tweets from Tony Curran: What a day, meeting Billy Murray & Darth Vader in the same afternoon,fine gents indeed
Source: Twitter
Hanging with the Stormtroopers Birmingham comic con. Let's find these Rebel Scum
Source: Twitter
Some photos with Tony Curran from official facebook fan page of actress Jaime Murray from the album @MCMExpo Comic Con 2013 are here
DEFIANCE Making of Defiance Preview: Alien Introductions
Aliens
and humans must learn to co-exist on a dramatically changed earth. Meet
the races of aliens that populate the world of Defiance. Defiance
premieres April 15, 9/8c only on Syfy.
Watch the preview here
TV Trailer: ‘Defiance’ On Syfy
Syfy
has released a new trailer for their upcoming drama series Defiance,
which is set to premiere on Syfy on Monday April 15th at 9/8c (and on
Syfy UK on Tuesday April 16th at 9pm).
Defiance is a
multi-platform project encompassing an MMO game and Syfy’s weekly TV
series, in which events in one world can and will directly affect the
other. Penned by Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon, Defiance is set in
the near future and introduces a world where humans and aliens must
learn to live together on an exotic new Earth that has been transformed
by alien terra-forming machines (For more detailed plot information on
the series see our previous report). The series is produced by Universal
Cable Productions and stars Grant Bowler, Tony Curran, Julie Benz,
Jaime Murray, Mia Kirshner and Graham Greene.
Read more at TV Wise Spoiler free review of Syfy’s Defiance – A refreshing science fiction space western
Ever
since Syfy changed its name and added WWE to its lineup, its been
looking hard and long for a cult classic scifi show to call its own.
Over the past few years, Syfy has increased its reality TV lineup and
competition shows based on public demand. We are not one of those people
who enjoy reality TV, so when we first heard about the concept behind
defiance we were excited but worried. Syfy is known for its goofy
saturday creature features and hasn’t had a hard hitting true to the
core science fiction scripted show of its own since Battlestar Galactica
finished. So word of Defiance comes along and the first thing we hear
“video game and tv series tie in”.
The idea of bringing in a
video game to some how go along with the tv series was, what many
considered, TV suicide. At a budget over over $100 million, it was a
gamble that even large networks dare touch. To put this into
prospective, Terra Nova on Fox cost $50mil for its first season and was
cancelled and this was Fox spending the money. HBO, which is a premium
pay channel, spent about $60 mil on its first season of Game Of Thrones.
Now breaking down that $100 mil, $50 goes into the TV show and the rest
into the game. The burden of the cost for the game is split between
Trion and NBC, in which Trion takes the larger burden. The fact remains
that $50 mil for Syfy and its parent company NBC Universal is a huge
gamble.
So what is the bottom line on this gamble? Was it worth
the money spent? ABSOLUTELY. And we will give you our spoiler free
review as to why.
What is Defiance?
In
the year 2046, it’s a new Earth – with new rules. Over thirty years
after various alien races arrived on Earth, the landscape is completely
altered, terraformed nearly beyond recognition. To the town of Defiance,
on what used to be St. Louis, comes the mysterious Nolan (Grant Bowler)
and his charge, Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas). As they settle into town –
overseen by the mayor, Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) and filled with
residents like the powerful Rafe McCawley (Graham Greene), enterprising
lounge owner Kenya (Mia Kirshner) and the ambitious, alien Tarrs (Tony
Curran and Jaime Murray) – events begin to unfold that threaten the
fragile peace this border town has fought for.
We were able to
screen the first 3 episodes, which included a 2 hour pilot episode. The
concept brings back memories of Firefly and the western style space
drama it brought along with it. The story feels as though you could go
on a thousand side stories with endless possibilities. Sometimes shows
get lost on that and spend too much time with ‘filler’ episodes and
don’t advance the main plot. Defiance makes the right choice of mixing
the two. While there will be an episode or two where the main story is
what you might call a ‘side plot’, it manages to still advance the main
plot by tying into the side story.
Who are the citizens of Defiance?
Joshua
Nolan (Grant Bowler) is a former lieutenant in the Earth Military
Coalition who fought in the alien conflict. Born prior to the Arks’
arrival, he saw his comfortable life turned upside down when the war
between the humans and Votans began. The conflict took its toll, and in
the aftermath of Arkfall, he found himself a wanderer in a dangerous new
world. There he was joined by Irisa, a young Irathient he raised as his
own, and who served as his lone companion in the lawless badlands.
Grant
Bowler is no stranger to the Syfy family, having appeared in Chiller’s
2011 zombie opus, Remains, as well as three other major releases: Atlas
Shrugged, The City of Guardians and The Killer Elite alongside Robert De
Niro, Clive Owen and Jason Statham. Recent credits include playing
Richard Burton to Lindsay Lohan’s Elizabeth Taylor in Lifetime’s Liz
& Dick. Bowler is no doubt beloved by genre fans for his role as
Cooter, the biker werewolf, on HBO’s monster mash-up True Blood, as well
as a turn on the sci-fi smash Lost as the mysterious Captain Gault.
An
attractive Irathient woman, Irisa is Nolan’s tacit second in command.
Smart, independent and feisty, Irisa still struggles with the weight of
her unusual upbringing. A drifter since birth, she only stays in
Defiance due to the loyalty she feels for Nolan. Nolan has encouraged
Irisa to leave behind her traumatic past. He rescued her at a young age,
and the two have been inseparable ever since.
Stephanie Leonidas
is known for her many television appearances, most recently in
Whitechapel, Eternal Law, and the BBC’s Dracula, as well as the award
winning ITV film for television Wall of Silence. Other film credits
include the lead role of Helena in David McKean’s Mirrormask, Luis
Llosa’s feature filmFeast of the Goat, Ben Sombogaart’s Crusade in
Jeans: A March through Time,Luna and Andrew Douglas’ U Want Me To Kill
Him. Stephanie has also appeared on stage in the lead role of Dani in
Marianne Elliott’s The Sugar Syndrome at the Royal Court, receiving rave
reviews. Most recently, she portrayed Adela in Gadi Roll’s House of
Bernarda Alba.
Kenya is the beautiful spitfire who runs the
NeedWant, the town’s bar and brothel. Self-assured and dauntless, she
has an unwavering devotion to the town that has inexorably woven her
into many of its complicated affairs. Growing up, Kenya rebelled by
making trouble and embracing her sexuality. When Kenya arrived in
Defiance, she took up residence at the NeedWant, eventually becoming its
proprietor. She has a keen insight into the needs of others, but a
blind spot when it comes to her own emotions.
Born in Toronto,
Canada, Mia Kirshner studied Russian literature at McGill University in
Montreal while pursuing an acting career in the early 1990s. Kirshner
portrayed a young, clairvoyant dominatrix in Deny Arcand’s Love and
Human Remains before her memorable turn in Atom Egoyan’s Exotica. In
1995, Kirshner had a supporting role in the Southern coming-of-age tale,
The Grass Harp, starring Sissy Spacek and Walter Matthau. She then
played the lead opposite Vincent Perez in The Crow: City of Angels and
revealed her lighter side with a featured role in the spoof comedy Not
Another Teen Movie. In 2001, she appeared as a professional assassin in
the action-filled drama 24alongside Kiefer Sutherland.She’s known to
many for her role as Jenny in the critically acclaimed series The L
Word. She followed that with a turn in Brian De Palma’s The Black
Dahlia.
Amanda Rosewater is the Mayor of Defiance. Every day, she
uses her political wits to give this struggling town a chance for
survival. Born in New York in 2011, Amanda shouldered a great
responsibility at an early age, serving as a stand-in parent for her
sister when their mother and father died during the Pale Wars. Adrift in
a post-war world, Amanda eventually heard of a town where humans and
Votans were attempting to coexist. She traveled to Defiance and accepted
a job cleaning the mayor’s office. Despite these humble beginnings, she
so impressed then-Mayor Nicolette Riordon that, upon her retirement,
Nicky appointed Amanda to finish out her term. Now, Amanda is determined
to maintain peace in the community, an ambitious task in this deadly
new world.
With chameleon-like abilities to transform from a
bubbly blonde to a tortured brunette, actress Julie Benz won a Golden
Satellite Award for her role as beloved Rita Bennett on Showtime’s
award-winning series Dexter. Benz recurred on the CBS medical drama A
Gifted Man, and also starred in the TNT movie Ricochet. She also
appeared on ABC’s No Ordinary Family, followed by a stint on Desperate
Housewives. Throughout her career, Benz has starred in an array of cult
classics including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Roswell, as well
as the Steven Spielberg-produced alien abduction miniseriesTaken.
The
wife of Datak Tarr, one of the most powerful men in Defiance, Stahma is
beautiful and loyal, the perfect picture of a Castithan wife. Beneath
the surface, however, lies a dark side that is ready to break from the
traditional roles assigned her by her caste.
DatakTarr is the
primary figure in Defiance’s underworld, running everything from
gambling to weapons smuggling and organized crime. True to his Castithan
ways, Datak is always on the lookout for opportunities that allow him
to get his hooks into people so he can later manipulate them to his own
ends.
Tony Curran rose to fame in the BBC series
This Life. Since then, the actor has appeared in a number of major film
and television roles, including The Invisible Man, The League of
Extraordinary Gentlemen and Guillermo de Toro’s Blade II. Curran is a
graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Jaime
Murray was born in London, England and named for Lindsay Wagner’s
character in The Bionic Woman. She is best known for playing Stacie
Monroe in the BBC series Hustle and Lila Tournay in season two of the
Showtime series,Dexter. She has also had recurring roles as H.G. Wells
in Syfy’sWarehouse 13, Gaia in the Starz series Spartacus: Gods in the
Arena and Olivia Charles in The CW series Ringer.
Rafe McCawley
is Defiance’s richest and most powerful human – a mine owner whose
family has been in this territory for generations. Raised by a
tough-as-nails father, Rafe disobeyed his father’s wishes and enlisted.
After the Pale Wars, he took his wife and burgeoning family back to his
home of St. Louis, now barely recognizable due to terraforming. He longs
for the world as it was before the Votans arrived.
Graham
Greene’s screen debut was in 1983’s Running Brave, but it was his
Academy Award-nominated role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 film Dances
With Wolves that brought him stardom. This role was followed by
appearances in such films as Thunderheart, Benefit of the Doubt, and
Maverick, as well as the TV series Northern Exposure. Green also acted
alongside Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson in the 1995 film Die Hard
With a Vengeance and played a Death Row inmate in the Oscar-nominated
The Green Mile.
The Alien Races of Defiance
Indogene
The
indogenes are a technically-minded race who augment their bodies with
cybernetic implants. They value science above all else and make
excellent scientists and doctors. Since most Indogenes stayed on the
Arks in orbit, they are among the fewest in number of the Votan races on
earth.
Irathient
They are among the most common race
Votan race on earth. They are a tribal race who pride themselves on
their low tech hand-to hand combat skills and are a deeply spiritual
race.
Castithan
Catithans are an aristocratic and ethereal
race. They perceive themselves as the most important species on Earth
and have made use of their cunning intelligence and ambition to excel in
social situations. It is rumored that they dominate the leadership in
the Votanis Collective. Castithans belong to a rigid caste system that
determines tehir social status from birth.
Bottom line is,
Defiance is a must see series that could create a whole new generation
of cult following for Syfy. Checkout another preview below and dont miss
Defiance when it airs April 15th only on Syfy.
Source: ThreeIfBySpace
Defiance - Red Carpet News TV: Tony Curran Video Interview Tony Curran is interviewed at MCM Expo by Red Carpet News TV.Watch it here
A fan had her photo take with Jaime Murray and Tony Curran, and has shared it via Twitter. Honoured to have met the Tarrs. Defiance is going to be amazing! Thanks @MsJaimeMurray and @TonyCurran69 for coming! See the photo here
LABYRINTH
Channel 4 Sets UK Premiere Date For Mini-Series ‘Labyrinth’
Channel
4 has announced that mini-series Labyrinth will receive its UK premiere
on Channel 4 on Saturday March 30th at 9pm, and will conclude the
following evening on Sunday March 31st at 9pm.
Based on the novel
by Kate Mosse and adapted by Adrian Hodge, Labyrinth tells the story of
17-year-old Alaïs Pelletier from 13th century Carcassonne and
modern-day PhD graduate Dr. Alice Tanner who, though separated by times,
experience an adventure that intertwines their lives. As their parallel
stories unfold, ancient and modern-day conspiracies are unearthed, all
of which revolve around three hidden books: The Book of Words, The Book
of Potions and The Book of Numbers. Together, these tomes hold the
secret of the true Grail, which dates back to the Ancient Egyptian era
many years before Christ. Alaïs and those closest to her must battle to
protect the secret. She soon discovers she can trust no one, least of
all her cruelly manipulative sister Oriane. Back in the present day,
Alice faces a race against time to put together the curiously familiar
pieces of a jigsaw puzzle representing her long-buried history. The
mini-series is produced by Scott Free Productions & Tandem
Communications and stars Tom Felton, Jessica Brown Findlay, Vanessa
Kirby, Tony Curran, Sebastian Stan, Katie McGrath, Emun Elliott and John Hurt.
Source: TV Wise
Ridley Scott's "Labyrinth" Fantasy Mini-Series
Sneak
Peek director Christopher Smith's new $20 million budgeted
time-shifting fantasy TV mini-series "Labyrinth", executive produced by
Ridley Scott, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by author Kate
Mosse.
Cast includes Vanessa Kirby, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katie McGrath, Tom Felton, Sebastian Stan, Emun Elliott, Tony Curran and John Hurt.
"...two
modern-day archeologists 'Alice Tanner' (Vanessa Kirby) and 'Alaïs
Pelletier du Mas' (Jessica Brown Findlay) who has livved through the
Crusades in medieval France, join together in a quest to find the 'Holy
Grail'.
"Alice volunteers at a French archaeological excavation, and
discovers the remains of two people in a cave, as well as a
labyrinth-engraved ring, which attracts the attention of unscrupulous
individuals.
"Time-shift to the year 1209, where newly married Alaïs
is living in 'Carcassonne', a stronghold of the 'Cathars' who have been
declared heretical by the Church.
"Alaïs and her father try to protect the three sacred books that reveal the secret of the Holy Grail from the 'Crusaders'..."
Source: SneakPeek
Glasgow Film Festival Club: Close Up on Casting with Kahleen Crawford and Emun Elliott
From Glasgow Features (24 Feb):
This week’s GFF event for Glasgow’s aspiring actors clearly was the
Festival Club’s debate on the topic Close Up on Casting – Industry
secrets for surviving auditions. Invited were the casting director
Kahleen Crawford who is responsible for the incredible The Angels’ Share cast, and Edinburgh born actor Emun Elliott whose face you most likely know from his roles in the BBC’s The Paradise, Game of Thrones or the Hollywood blockbuster Prometheus.
The
Film Club gives all film enthusiasts the possibility to get together
between screenings and meet with business insiders at debates and
special events on topics like casting, special effects and film
criticism. Kahleen and Emun were there to discuss their paths into
casting and acting and answer audience questions.
Robert Carlyle appearing with 'Once Upon a Time' cast and writers at Paleyfest
Once Upon a Time fans will be able to interact with Robert Carlyle as well as many other actors at the Once Upon a Time panel at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, CA March 3, 2013.
Carlyle joins his colleagues Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer
Morrison, Lana Parilla and Colin O'Donoghue as well as writers Adam
Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the masterminds behind the hugely successful
'Lost' series. As of Feb 5th 2013, Emilie de Ravin had also been
confirmed as attending the 'Once Upon a Time' Panel. Emilie portrays
'Belle', romantic interest to Carlyle's characters 'Rumplestiltskin/Mr Gold'.
More information on other panels at Paleyfest can be seen in the links below:
Billy Boyd at Wales Comic Con and Melbourne Armageddon Expo
Billy Boyd will be attending Wales Comic Con in Wrexham (Wales) on April 28, 2013, according to Boyd-oh-Boyd.
For more information, check out the official page of the event.
Read more at Boyd-oh-Boyd
Billy will also be attending Armageddon Expo in Melbourne (Australia) on October 19/20, 2013, according to Basically Billy Boyd.
For more information, check out the official page of the event.
Source: BasicallyBillyBoyd
Wed 12 Dec - British Comedy Awards are announced live on Channel Four. Twenty Twelve (narrated by David Tennant) is nominated in Best Sitcome category.
Sun 16 Dec - David Tennant attends the Midnight Fan Convention.
Sun 16 Dec - Autism-friendly screenings of Nativity 2 Danger In The Manger! in cinemas around the country (UK)
Midnight Convention
From David Tennant on Twitter:
As it is only a week until lots of visitors to the website will be meeting David Tennant at the Midnight Fan Convention, here are some tips we previously posted about how to get the best out of the experience.
David Tennant finds a shrine to Martin Freeman in our exclusive clip from
Nativity! 2.
The seasonal sequel shows the Doctor Who actor as new teacher Mr Peterson, who
has stepped into the shoes of the former Office star.
He incurs the wrath of devoted colleague Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton) when he
stumbles across his "private cupboard", filled with photos and
memoirs of predecessor Mr Maddens (Freeman).
After entering the school into a national Song For Christmas competition, Mr
Peterson finds himself in his own version of the Nativity as he and his
heavily pregnant wife – played by Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page – embark
on a long road trip with the kids.
Pam Ferris returns as no-nonsense headmistress Mrs Bevan and Jason Watkins is
back as the rival school leader Gordon Shakespeare.
Now that the issue is no longer on sale, scans of David Tennant's interview in The Big Issue have been posted onto Tumblr
Source: DToT
The Big Issue website has now posted David Tennant's interview. Read it here
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Extras DVD
David Tennant's sketch is on the Extras Complete Collection DVD, which includes a photo of him on on the cover. The DVD is available from Amazon
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The Spies of Warsaw
The first episode of The Spies of Warsaw will be broadcast on 11th January 2013 at 8.20pm in Poland. (It will be dubbed into Polish.) As we previously posted, the drama will be broadcast on 6th and 13th February in the US and the UK broadcast (on the station BBC Four) will be sometime in January. More information here
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Broadchurch
Broadchurch has finished filming and is now in post-production, with an expected broadcast in Spring 2013. More information can be found here.
Shakespeare Uncovered: PBS Premiere on January 25
In a unique series of six films debuting on PBS Friday, January 25 at
9 p.m. (check local listings), Shakespeare Uncovered will combine
history, biography, iconic performances, new analysis, and the personal
passions of its celebrated hosts – Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, Trevor Nunn, Joely Richardson, and David Tennant – to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.
Produced by Richard Denton
for Blakeway Productions & THIRTEEN for WNET in association with
the BBC and Shakespeare’s Globe, each episode explores and reveals the
extraordinary world and works of William Shakespeare
and the still-potent impact they have today. The films combine
interviews with actors, directors and scholars, along with visits to key
locations, clips from some of the most-celebrated film and television
adaptations, and illustrative excerpts from the plays staged specially
for the series at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Behind every Shakespeare play there is a story: for instance, how he
and his company dismantled their theater and rowed it across the river
Thames when their landlord cancelled their lease – then staged Henry V
for the first time. There are echoes of the playwright’s life -- who
named his twins Hamnet (a boy, who died at age 11) and Judith -- in
plays like Twelfth Night, where the plot turns on the adventures of
separated twins; and Hamlet, where the drama begins with the grief of a
son who has lost his father. The series shows Shakespeare as an
impresario who, four centuries ago, defined early the tenets of show
business – drawing on historical sources, stealing and adapting ideas,
bringing back popular characters, writing prequels, and developing
dramatic ideas from the politics of the day.
Each program’s host has
deep personal experience with Shakespeare’s work and relates not only
the stories of the plays themselves, but also the stories of how they
came to be written, how they have been performed, and how they have
survived over 400 years.
The six episodes will air as follows: Friday, January 25, 2013
- Shakespeare Uncovered: Macbeth with Ethan Hawke 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
- Shakespeare Uncovered: The Comedies with Joely Richardson 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Friday, February 1, 2013
- Shakespeare Uncovered: Richard II with Derek Jacobi 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
- Shakespeare Uncovered: Henry IV & Henry V with Jeremy Irons 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Friday, February 8, 2013
- Shakespeare Uncovered: Hamlet with David Tennant 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
An acclaimed Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s hit production (also a recent Great Performances production), David Tennant meets fellow actors who’ve tackled this most iconic of roles, including superstar Jude Law,
and compares notes on the role’s titanic challenges. Tennant digs deep
into the text about the doomed Danish Prince alongside the actors Simon Russell Beale and Ben Whishaw.
With them he works to plumb the deeper meanings of the play and the
reason it is widely considered the greatest of Shakespeare’s canon. The
historical sources and religious wars, existential questions of the
meaning of life and death, the idea that ghosts exist and may speak –
all these and a searing personal drama, too – comprise this Everest of a
play. Tennant also finds that many actors who have played Hamlet share
an experience that is deeply and profoundly personal. This is also,
perhaps, the reason audiences feel the play touches them more than any
other before or since.
Greenock-born actor Richard Wilson paid a visit to the new Beacon Arts Centre while he was back in his home town last week.
He
met Elliott McKelvie, chairman of Greenock Arts Guild and Julie Ellen,
chief executive officer and artistic director of The Beacon.
Elliott
said: “Richard was very impressed by the facilities within the Beacon,
particularly the intimacy of the theatre spaces and the size of the
stage and backstage areas.”
The Beacon, at Greenock’s Waterfront,
will open within the next few weeks with the first performances in the
theatres being in early 2013.
Richard Wilson was in Greenock to officially open the South West Library at Barr’s Cottage following improvement work there.
Richard Wilson's secrets from the stage and screen
One of the nation's favourite actors revealed a
fascinating insight into his life and career at a special In
Conversation event at Sheffield Hallam University on Wednesday evening
(17 October).
As part of the Off the Shelf festival of words, Sheffield's
long-running literary event, the One Foot in the Grave and Merlin star
talked candidly about his career as an actor and his more recent work as
an associate director at Sheffield Theatres since 2009.
On 1 November a new play which he has directed, Straight, opens at
the Crucible Studio. Straight is based on the American film Humpday, and
tells the story of two best friends, Lewis and Waldorf, who make a
decision to take part in a film that makes them question their
friendship in a whole new light.
On the subject of directing, which Richard began doing after taking
improvisation classes, he said: "I'm always looking for new writing.
Rather than take a Shakespeare play and twist it to be about, say,
Northern Ireland, why not just write a play about the subject?"
Richard's early career was as a research scientist, and he made the
leap to acting at the age of 27, when he moved to London to audition at
RADA.
Richard told the audience at the event how lucky he was to get a job
as an actor in a version of the TV series, Dr Finlay's Casebook, after
completing his course. He said: "I finished RADA on the Friday, and had a
television job on the Monday! I was very lucky in that regard."
Richard’s advice for students looking to embark on a theatre career
was to simply go for it, but he also offered a word of caution, saying
that acting can be a very unfair profession.
Richard was In Conversation with Sheffield Hallam's director of
communications, John Palmer. The event was held at the University as
part of the Off the Shelf festival of words. For more information about
other events as part of the festival please visit www.welcometosheffield.co.uk/visit/off-the-shelf. Other events are taking place at Sheffield Hallam University, visit www.shu.ac.uk/events for more information.
Wilson plays Straight down the middle
Since being appointed associate director of Sheffield Theatres,
Richard Wilson has brought a succession of new or contemporary plays to
the Crucible Studio and the latest is Straight.
The comedy by DC Moore is receiving its première in Sheffield and then will transfer to the Bush Theatre in London.
It
is based on an American indie film called Humpday in which two college
mates agree to a drunken dare that they will, shall we say, get intimate
before the cameras in an adult movie.
“Daniel {Evans, Sheffield
Theatres artistic director} commissioned David to write a play about
sexuality and he had seen the film and thought it would fit the bill and
bought the rights.
“I think it’s a better play than the film,”
says the director. “It’s funnier, for one thing. It’s interesting in so
much as it’s almost farcical at times but when it gets to the nitty
gritty it becomes quite serious.”
The play is a lot about
relationships, not only male friendships but male-female. One of the
men, Lewis, is married, while the other Waldorf has a casual girlfriend,
Steph, who is making the film.
“When Waldorf turns up after seven
years, Lewis asks him where he is staying and his friend says, ‘Here,
at your place,’ because years ago when circumstances were different he
promised him that if he needed a place to live he could always come to
him. It shows that things can come back to haunt you.”
Once again
Richard Wilson finds himself directing a young cast. “That’s because
most new plays are written by young people. But I don’t mind that, in
fact I like it because older actors can be a little set in their ways,”
he observes. “And, of course, it’s exciting when you are discovering new
talent.”
As an actor Wilson can currently be seen in the fifth
series of Merlin on BBC1, although he only finished on it two weeks ago.
“I had to give Merlin two days of this production and go off and do
some filming,” he says. “That was agreed beforehand. Merlin has been
very handy because it subsidises the other work I do. It’s tough for
older actors finding roles and even tougher for older actresses.”
Most of the One Foot in the Grave actor’s other work is directing – next up a play by Richard Bean, Smack Family
Robinson, at the Rose Theatre, Kingston – although he is soon off to do
a week of lunchtime theatre in Glasgow. He’s appearing with old friend
Bill Paterson in something called Astonishing Archie in a programme
called A Play, A Pie and A Pint. Sounds the perfect combination. Straight starts previewing next Thursday, November 1.
Source: Sheffield Telegraph
Actor to perform library ceremony
Veteran actor Richard Wilson will launch the next chapter in the history of his childhood local library.
Wilson, best known for playing Victor Meldrew in the popular BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave, will perform the official opening ceremony for the renovated South West Library, Barr’s Cottage, Greenock on the afternoon of Thursday, 22 November.
John Rushton, Library Operations Team Leader with Inverclyde Libraries, said: “We're delighted Richard has found time in his busy schedule to perform the opening of our recently refurbished branch as this was his local library when he was growing up in Greenock. Free refreshments will be available and we hope people will come along to meet Richard and take a look at the new facilities on offer.”
The library had a £300,000 six-month refurbishment. Work included a new roof and double-glazing; complete redecoration with new bookshelves, counter and furniture.
There is now a state-of-the-art learning zone with interactive whiteboard; more public access computers with free wi-fi; a bright comfortable children's area; young adult area with study space; a coffee machine and comfortable seating. An induction loop is also provided for the benefit of people with hearing difficulties.
Source: Inverclyde Now
Public appearances Hollow Earth
(US release 30 October) Signings:
30 October - 7.00pm The Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL 60077
31 October - 7.00pm Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, IL 60540
2 November - 7.00pm Alverno College Wehr Hall, Milwaukee, WI 53234
3 November - 6.00pm The Red Balloon Bookshop, MN 55105
24 November - 4.00pm Just Fabulous, Palm Springs, CA92262
Source: John Barrowman (official site)
Review of Hollow Earth at Star Tribune
Attack of the Show
As G4 finalizes plans
for a channel makeover in 2013, the young male-skewing network will
conclude the runs of its two signature series, Attack of the Show and
X-Play. Both long-running shows will wrap up production at the end of
this year.
Attack of the Show and X-Play will continue to roll out new
episodes through December. Leading up to their finales, a rotating
lineup of guest co-hosts will join Attack of the Show hosts Candace
Bailey and Sara Underwood, including John Barrowman, Michael Ian Black,
Josh Myers, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel and Horatio Sanz. Various stars are
also expected to join X-Play hosts Morgan Webb and Blair Herter on their
show.
Read more at TV Guide
John Barrowman's official site has a full schedule of John's appearances in November
Richard Wilson teams with Bill Paterson in Glasgow lunchtime theatre Oran Mor’s award-winning A Play, A Pie and A Pint lunchtime
theatre programme has been one of Scottish theatre’s greatest success
stories of recent years since it first opened in 2004. Now it has
attracted two of its biggest stars to date, Scottish actors Richard
Wilson and Bill Paterson - and this time Paterson is doing the writing
as well.
The brainchild of David MacLennan, the Wildcat and 7: 84 Theatre
veteran, the season has encouraged a host of new writers as well as
allowing established names such as Rab C . Nesbitt creator Ian Pattison
and Scottish makar Liz Lochhead to try new directions. But it has also
had some starry casts, including Robbie Coltrane, David Hayman, Elaine
C. Smith, Taggart’s Blythe Duff, and most recently EastEnders’ Gary Beadle.
Now the Law and Order and Sea of Souls star Paterson will join forces with Tutti Frutti, One Foot In The Grave and Merlin star Wilson on stage together for the first time in Paterson’s play, Astonishing Archie, which opens on November 19th for one week only.
And MacLennan admits he couldn’t be happier at attracting two such
star names, after dates were switched to allow the pair to perform
together.
“I can’t begin to tell you how delighted I am to have Bill and
Richard appearing together in the current season, “ he says. “ Bill and I
worked together on "The Cheviot, The Stag and The Black, Black Oil", so
we go back a long way. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when he
agreed to do it.
“But to get Richard on board as well…well, it’s simply terrific. And I
have no doubt audiences will be queuing round the block to see the two
of them take to the stage together. Frankly, I can’t believe I’m getting
two stars for the price of one!”
Astonishing Archie is Patersons’ first play for the stage.
“The play focuses on two brothers, one born before the second World War
and the other after who are arranging the funeral of a friend, and looks
at their differing attitude to life,” says Paterson, who was recently
seen on stage at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe in euthanasia drama, And No More Shall We Part.
In fact it was during the play’s Edinburgh run that Paterson and
Wilson bumped into each other and Paterson suggested to Wilson they
should do something together. “Richard and myself are the right ages for
the parts and it’s something we can relate to,” he says. “So we’re
looking forward to it.”
While the show is bound to attract plenty of attention, MacLennan hopes it won’t be the last he sees of the two stars.
“Bill is welcome back anytime. While Richard has a reputation as a
director of great note these days. In fact he probably directs more than
he acts now. And hopefully he will enjoy the experience so much when
he’s up, that he’ll look to come back and direct a show for A Play, A
Pie, and A Pint, which would be great.” Astonishing Archie, Oran Mor, Nov 19-24.
Source: STV
More Richard Wilson project news ...
Straight
Sheffield Theatres’ Studio season continues with the world première
of Straight from Thursday 1 – Saturday November 24, a razor sharp new
comedy by award-winning British writer DC Moore.
A blisteringly funny romp about male friendship and
sexuality, Straight catches up with two regular thirtysomething friends
from university. Freewheeling Waldorf and family
man Lewis haven’t seen each other in ten years when their worlds
spectacularly collide and they make a bet that will take their
friendship to a whole new level. Philip McGinley (Hobson’s Choice) and
Henry Pettigrew (Beautiful Burnout, Black Watch) play the old friends,
alongside Jenny Rainsford as Steph and Sheffield-born actress Jessica
Ransom as Morgan. Directing this new production is Sheffield Theatres’
Associate Director Richard Wilson, who returns to Sheffield following
his critically-acclaimed productions of Lungs and The Pride in 2011.
Completing
the Creative Team alongside Richard Wilson is Designer James Cotterill,
who reunites with Richard having worked with him on The Pride, Lighting
Designer Johanna Town, Composer Michael Bruce and Casting Director
Robert Sterne.
A Sheffield Theatres and Bush Theatre
co-production, Straight is based on the motion picture Humpday, written
& directed by Lynn Shelton and will transfer to the Bush Theatre
after its Sheffield run (Tuesday 27 November - Saturday December 22).
Source: Epworth Bells
Lennoxlove Book Festival Sunday 4 November Festival Marquee 8.00PM /
£13, £11(C) Richard Wilson
Immortalised as Victor Meldrew, dour and devious as Eddie Clockerty,
manager of The Majestics in Tutti Frutti, and drily witty as Gaius,
guardian of Merlin, Richard has enjoyed an extraordinary acting career.
And behind the casts of characters is a man of huge experience: a
research scientist who retrained as an actor, a National Serviceman and a
one-time supporter of Greenock Morton. In a unique event, Richard comes
to Lennoxlove to talk about his life and career and the films, plays
and books that have inspired, amused and fascinated him.
hiatus | a conversation with Richard Wilson
‘Off the Shelf’ Festival of Words, Sheffield
From Merlin Locations:
Our beloved Richard Wilson was the guest for a conversation with John Palmer, as part of the ‘Off the Shelf’ Festival of Words in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on 17 October. The event took place at the Pennine Theatre at the Sheffield Hallam University, and was attended by a large contingent of happy people who’d obviously been fans of Richard for years. And also by me!
Read more (very detailed report, with photos) at Merlin Locations
Increasing its chances to be seen beyond the territories of its co-production companies, The Spies of Warsaw – starring David Tennant – is to be offered on the international TV market at MIPCOM 2012 next month. BBC Worldwide are launching this and a number of other titles on the market including Top of the Lake, staring Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) and written and directed by Jane Campion (The Piano), The Paradise featuring former Doctor Who guest star Sarah Lancashire (Partners in Crime), and A Young Doctors Notebook, starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and John Hamm (Mad Men).
The BBC’s commercial arm will also be hosting the stars of Ripper Street, who will be appearing in Cannes to promote the series. MIPCOM- held annually in Cannes – is a worldwide content provider for
creating, co-producing, and buying, selling, financing and distributing
entertainment across all platforms. This year’s event runs from the 8th – 11th October 2012. The Spies of Warsaw – an adaptation of Alan Furst’s novel by
the legendary writing duo of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais – a
co-production between the UK’s BBC Four, BBC America, ARTE France and
Poland’s TVP 1 (where the drama was filmed) is rumoured to be airing on BBC Four during the Christmas period. Source: Kasterborous More information at David Tennant on Twitter
Broadchurch location report
A number of famous faces have been seen in North Somerset as filming for
a new drama featuring Doctor Who star David Tenant goes out on
location. Crews have been in the Clevedon and Portishead during the past weeks
filming for a new eight part drama series, Broadchurch, for ITV1. The star studded cast includes David Tennant, Olivia Colman,
Andrew Buchan, Jodie Whittaker, Vicky McClure, Pauline Quirke, Will
Mellor, Arthur Darvill and Carolyn Pickles. Scottish-born David Tennant, aged 41, is best known for his work
in theatre, as the 10th incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who and in
the title role in the TV serial Casanova (2005). Olivia Colman is a BAFTA nominated English comedy actress who
received critical acclaim for her breakthrough performance in the 2011
film Tyrannosaur. Most of the other players have all had considerable big and
small screen success especially Pauline Quirke of Birds of a Feather
fame. Broadchurch is inspired by the series The Killing and written by Chris Chibnall, creator of Law and Order: UK and Doctor Who. It explores what happens to a small community in Dorset when it
suddenly becomes the focus of a police investigation following the
mysterious and tragic death of 11-year-old Danny Latimer (Oskar
McNamara). Working under the glare of the media spotlight David Tennant will
play a gritty detective who investigates crimes which other policeman
have been unable to solve. As DI Alec Hardy, an out of town, newly promoted police detective
he takes the job local girl DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) believes
should have been hers. The sadness of losing a child consumes the family, Beth and Mark
Latimer (Andrew Buchan and Jodie Whittaker) and their 15-year-old
daughter Chloe (Charlotte Beaumont) and Beth's mum Liz (Susan Brown) as
they attempt to cope with their grief, everyday normal life and the
abruptness of the unwarranted attention heaped upon them. Mr Chibnall said: "Broadchurch focuses on a small British community which finds itself at the eye of a storm. "In the wake of one boy's death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion." In the past week the crew has been filming at St Andrew's Church at Wains Hill, Clevedon as well as Strode Road. Hill Road has been used to represent Broadchurch High Street where a number of exterior scenes have been shot. The former Seeley's Newsagent in Hill Road is also being adapted,
both inside and out, to turn it into the offices of local newspaper,
The Broadchurch Echo - which sadly is only yards from the former
Clevedon Mercury base at Albert Road. A number of scenes will also be shot in the West End area of the town, around Marshall's Field and Clevedon Pill. Two private houses in St Andrews Drive and Lavington Close will
be used to represent the homes of some of the characters and St Andrew's
Church will represent the Broadchurch parish church. The drama is being filmed in and around the Bristol area until the end of November. It will be broadcast on ITV during early 2013. Read more at Clevedon People More information at David Tennant on Twitter
A Puckish send-off for a free spirit of the arts world
Actor
David Tennant stepped in to fulfil the dying dream of Brunswick Arts PR
Helen Scott Lidgett and read a Shakespeare soliloquy at her
memorial at Central St Martins. Comedian Arabella Weir, an old friend of
Scott Lidgett, who died aged 63, said the tribute was a bone of
contention. “One thing we argued about was what was going to be
read at her memorial. She said, ‘You’re going to read Puck’s soliloquy
because you’re a professional actress’, and I said, ‘I’m absolutely
not’.” In the event, Weir persuaded Tennant to speak from Shakespeare’s
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other tributes were led by Scott Lidgett’s
former business partner, ex-PM’s wife Sarah Brown, artists Antony
Gormley and Grayson Perry, Royal Academy chief executive Charles
Saumarez Smith and ex-V&A boss Mark Jones.
Sir John Tusa, who
runs the University of the Arts, where Scott Lidgett was a governor,
summed up her working process as “good business deserved good friendship
deserved good parties”. A scholarship for a future fine arts student is
being established in her name.
Daughter Holly acknowledged her
maverick spirit. When she was to be expelled from school, her mother
said: “Some of the most successful people have been expelled at least
once.”
VirginMedia have posted the full trailer for David Tennant's forthcoming movie Nativity 2 Danger In The Manger. The trailer can be viewed here Source: David Tennant on Twitter
GQ Best-dressed man of 2013
David Tennant has been nominated in the GQ Magazine 2013 Best Dressed Man poll. Voting is at this link. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Our Boys Press Night and after party
On Wednesday evening, David Tennant attended the Press Night of Our Boys. There are photos of David arriving on Tumblr, WireImage and Getty Some photos from Zimbio of David Tennant and Matt Smith attending the Press Night of Our Boys have been added to Tumblr There are articles (with photos) in both the Evening Standard and on the What's On Stage website about both David Tennant and Matt Smith attending the Press Night of Our Boys. Daily Mail has an article (with photos) of David Tennant and Matt Smith together at Our Boys Press Night Dan Wooler has added more photos of David Tennant at Our Boys Press Night (including some of David with Matt Smith) Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Doctor Who in the US
Links to download David Tennant's interview on the BBC America programme Doctor Who In The US have been added to Tumblr. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Diary dates
Wed 10 Oct - Nativity 2 writer Debbie Isitt appearance at CRE, Manchester including showing clips of the movie.
Fri 12 Oct - BAFTA Pirates day including a screening of The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists movie in Belfast.
Fri 12 Oct - New Doctor Who book is published with contributions from fans and celebrities to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Sat 13 Oct - Episode 5 of Comedy World Cup is broadcast at 7pm on Channel Four.
Sun 14 Oct - A panel on Twenty Twelve at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
