Hancock and Joan - The Reviews

Robert Hanks in the Independent was not impressed by the play but he was impressed by Alex's performance: "Ken Stott and Alex Jennings played Hancock and Le Mesurier, neither of them looking remotely the part, but both managing at times to evoke them quite beautifully. I especially liked Jennings's impression of that self-depreciating wave of the hand Le Mesurier did: such a distinctive gesture, but so hard to pin down, a matter of angle and speed that you could never measure."

David Belcher in The Herald was less impressed by Alex: "John Le Mesurier was the good old boy whom Joan married but didn't truly fall for, unluckily for him. Unluckily for us, Alex Jennings didn't get very far beyond providing a pallid impersonation of the languid Dad's Army star, an innate gentleman who chose not to kick up a bally fuss about having his heart broken by his best pal's theft of his wife because he simply loved them both, don't you know."

Goldfish Girl

This Wednesday, 2 April, Alex appears with Juliet Stevenson in the play "Goldfish Girl" on BBC Radio 4. The Publicity Department gives the following synpsis:

"What if you couldn't remember a single minute of the 10 years you'd spent with the love of your life? Goldfish Girl, by Peter Souter, is a romantic and tender play. A husband slowly leads his amnesiac wife, who is lying in a hospital bed recovering from a brain injury, through the story of their passionate love affair and on to the terrible and tragic reason that they are no longer together.

The journey he takes her on, day after day, is to help her recover – but he knows that recovery will inevitably lead to his ultimate rejection."

Whitechapel

According to the IMDb Alex is working on a three-part thriller for ITV called "Whitechapel". He plays the part of Commander Anderson, other parts are played by Rupert Penry-Jones, Philip Davis, Johnny Harris, Steve Pemberton. The release date says 2008, other websites say it is part of ITV's autumn schedule. The series is about a modern day Jack the Ripper.

Candide Trailer

The ENO have posted a Candide trailer on their weblog. You can find it at the: ENO weblog. The trailer gives a sense of the production.

The ENO have also set up a website for the production. There is an image gallery with images from earlier productions and there is a competition to win tickets to the opening night.

Candide website.

Failure Is Not an Option

Tonight Alex plays the role of Vincent, the Commons Whip, in the BBC serial "10 Days to War".

Hancock and Joan

Alex plays the role of John Le Mesurier in a BBC4 drama on the relationship between Joan Le Mesurier and Tony Hancock. It's an episode in the series "The Curse of Comedy" called "Hancock and Joan". Broadcast date is Wednesday March 26, Ken Stott plays Hancock, Maxine Peake plays Joan. More information on:

BBC 4

Memory

Last Sunday 2 March Alex was one of the readers in the BBC Radio 3 broadcast "Memory", one in the "Words & Music" series. He reads works by D.H. Lawrence, Seamus Heaney, Billy Collins, Kenneth Grahame. Ted Hughes, Patrick Kavanagh and Philip Larkin.

The programme is available on the website for 7 days after the broadcast at Listen Again.

Rapunzel

BBC Northern Ireland has created a mini-site for the fairy tale 'Rapunzel', which was broadcast last January. It has this nice picture of Alex in his role as "smoothie" Roger Bateman.

The website: BBC Northern Ireland

10 Days to War

Alex will appear in an episode of a new series of short dramas to be broadcast on BBC2 over the next couple of weeks. The series starts on Monday 10 March, Alex appears in episode 7, "Failure Is Not an Option", on Tuesday March 18. The series deals with the run-up to the war in Iraq.

More information on:BBC website

Blinded By the Sun

From Saturday 8 March Alex stars with Harriet Walter in a new radio version in 4 parts of an award-winning play about scientific fraud by Stephen Poliakoff on BBC 4 at 14.30.

For more information check the BBC Press Release

Still Life

Owen from London went to see the reading of "Still Life" at the National Theatre in which Alex played/read Alec last January. His personal review is at:

Plastic Bag

Cranford - Behind the Scenes

A picture of Alex waiting to start his scene is at:

Judi Dench fansite

Cranford - Last episode

Penny has provided some more pictures, thanks again!

Alex Plays Voltaire

Alex will make his operatic debut this summer in English National Opera’s new version of Candide which runs at the London Coliseum for 13 performances only from 23June 2008.

For more information and tickets, check the ENO website.

Back

Well, I´m back from a long working holiday in the far south, and over the next few days I will try and add some old and new news to the blog. If you have more, let me know!