Silk - Episode 3

Part three of Silk sees Alex appear as a judge:

South Bank Show: Nicholas Hytner

Last Sunday night Sky Arts showed a South Bank Show on Nicholas Hytner, the director Alex has collaborated with on many productions in the course of his career. A short scene from "Collaborator" was also shown.

For more information:

Sky Arts

BBC entertainment news

Electric Ink

The second series of this radio comedy will be repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Mondays at 9.30 am from this Monday, June 4.

Orlando Figes Platform

Alex will take part in a platform performance with Orlando Figes on 7 June at the National Theatre. There will be an interview with the historian and Alex will read from his letters with Jacqueline Defferary. For information about the performance and tickets check: NT Website Thanks to Penny and Ulrike!

Hymn

Alex will perform again with the Medici Quartet on 27 October at the Harrogate Royal Hall. They will perform Alan Bennetts Hymn. For more information and booking tickets check the Harrogate Theatres website at Harrogate Theatre

More Silk

Some more pictures from the first episode, provided by Penny!

The Conor Hawes Pictures

After Silk Alex also appeared in the first episode of the new series of Lewis. He played the reverend Conor Hawes. Some pictures from the episode:

The Alan Cowdrey Pictures

A few pictures from the first episode of the new Silk series:

The Soul of Genius

This Wednesday, 16 May, ITV shows the first episode of the new series of Lewis. The episode is called "The Soul of Genius" with Alex playing the part of the reverend Conor Hawes. The episode is shown at 8 p.m.

Alan Cowdrey

Tomorrow night, 15 May, BBC One will start showing the new series of Silk, with Alex taking the part of Alan Cowdrey. There is a page on the BBC Silk Website for the character, not much information, but there is a picture. This will be a six-part series and Alex will appear in several episodes. The first episode is shown on 15 May at 9 p.m. on BBC One. Alan Cowdrey

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Silk

The second series of "Silk" will start on BBC One on Tuesday 15 May at 9.00 pm. Alex will again take the role of Alan Cowdrey, the head of chambers. More information at the BBC website.

Collaborators in the Olivier

"Collaborators" has transferred to the Olivier, a reason for new reviews. The London Evening Standard's Fiona Mountford focusses mainly on the performance by Alex and Simon Russell Beale. She feels:

"Russell Beale is deliciously droll but it’s Jennings who steals the honours with his portrait of a touchingly conflicted and vulnerable man who slowly realises that his seeming salvation will be the thing that damns him."

Full review at: London Evening Standard

More Radio

More Alex on the radio this week. BBC Radio 4 Extra will be broadcasting "Ashenden" again, starting on Monday 23 April. For times check BBC Radio 4 Extra website.. "Erskine May" will be broadcast on Wednesday 26 April, also by BBC Radio 4 Extra. For more information check: BBC Radio 4 Extra website. Thanks to Jen!

That's Mine, This Is Yours

This Thursday 26th April, at 14.15, BBC Radio 4 will repeat Peter Souter's romantic comedy "That's Mine, This is Yours". Alex stars with Tamsin Greig.

Olivier for Collaborators

Collaborators was named best new play at the Olivier award ceremony last night. Writer John Hodge accepted the award thanking the two main actors, Alex and Simon Russell Beale. The production moves from the Cottesloe to the Olivier Theatre later this month.

Tchaikovsky in Abu Dhabi

Alex appeared in the Royal Opera House production of "Beloved Friend" by Ronald Harwood in Abu Dhabi. The production was part of the Abu Dhabi Classics festival. The production was based on the letters of Tchaikovsky and Nadezhda von Meck. Alex narrated the story with Simon Russell Beale and Harriet Walter reading out the letters. Tchaikovsky's music was performed by a Royal Opera House quintet, including a Swan Lake pas de deux, gracefully danced by Royal Ballet duo Roberta Marquez and Valeri Hristov. Baritone Vasily Ladyuk and soprano Hibla Gerzmava performed some of Tchaikovsky’s songs from Six Romances and Eugene Onegin.

For more information check: Khaleej Times Online or Emirates 24/7.

OffWestEnd Theatre Awards 2012

Alex presented a couple of awards at the Offie Awards last month.  These awards are for independent and fringe performances across London.

You can find more photos of the winners and the presenters at the OffWestEnd website.

In addition, there are video clips of the entire awards ceremony and you can see Alex present the awards for Best New Musical and Best Musical Production.

Alex Portraits

There are 5 amazing photographic portraits of Alex on Flickr. You can find them on Lewis K. Bush's photostream.  Please do have a look.
 
I don't have permission to show them here, but if by any chance the photographer is reading, please answer my flickrmail, thank you.

Dicken's in London - Woman's Hour Drama

Alex played Charles Dickens in two of the Woman's Hour Dramas last week, in the 'The Sparkler of Albion' and 'The Uncommercial Traveller'.  Hurry, as there's only a day or two to catch them on the iPlayer.

We'll Take Manhattan - BBC4

This programme will be repeated on BBC 4 on Sunday 12th February at 9pm and on the BBC HD channel on Wednesday the 15th February.

This is a drama which tells the story of David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton, of a wild week, their love affair, terrible fights with their fashion editor - and how two young people with no such intention happened to change the world of fashion forever.

Alex plays John Parsons at Vogue magazine.

Being Human on BBC America

Being Human will be broadcast on BBC America starting on February the 25th. 

Many thanks to Lori from Florida for this information.

Being Human - Episode One

Alex made an appearance in last nights episode of Being Human and here are a few screencaps for you. I hope you all like the uniform.

Note: if you click on the pictures, they will become nice and big.

Being Human - Sunday February 5th on BBC3

Casting news:  Alex will be playing the Head of a Vampire Coven in the new series of Being Human.  It starts this Sunday (5th of February) at 9pm on BBC3 and will follow shortly on the iPlayer.

Nicholas Nickleby - BBC Radio 4 Extra

Alex will be in the radio reading of Nicholas Nickleby which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on weekdays at 2pm.  It should also follow shortly on the iPlayer.

When his father dies, Nicholas Nickleby is forced by his cold-hearted uncle to seek his fortune in the world, away from his loving mother and sister. From the schoolroom cruelty of Dotheboys Hall to treading the boards with flamboyant travelling player Mr Crummles, Nicholas has some remarkable adventures – but all the while, his wicked uncle’s scheming continues. Oliver Milburn, Alex Jennings, Janine Duvitski and Alex Jennings star. Adapted by Mike Walker from Charles Dickens's novel, directed by Jeremy Mortimer and broadcast first in 1999.

Alex is obviously so good they listed him twice! 

Being Human - Trailer

Alex will be playing Griffin in the new series of Being Human which is coming very soon to BBC Three.

Again, according to the trailer and the above publicity photo, he appears to be playing a police officer; admittedly, he does fill the uniform very well.

The trailer for the series can be found on the BBC website and on YouTube.

Dickens in London

Antony Sher, Samuel Barnett and Alex Jennings all play Dickens in a five-part adaptation of his journalistic works from February 6-10 at 10.45 on BBC Radio 4.

New Year News

Alex will have a guest role in the new series of BBC 3 series 'Being Human'; the series begins broadcasting soon.

In other news, IMDB has Alex listed as appearing in at least two new episodes of 'Silk', an episode of 'Lewis' and will be in a new film by Iain Softley called 'Trap For Cinderella'.

If you prefer the radio, Alex is reading the last five episodes of 'Cousin Bette' on Radio 4 in the 'Book At Bedtime Slot' this week and can also be caught reading 'The Old Curiosity Shop' on Radio 4 Extra or on the iPlayer.

Book at Bedtime - Cousin Bette

From Monday the 2nd of January 2012, Alex will be reading the book at bedtime on Radio 4, on weeknights at 10.45 pm.

A tale of seductive women and philandering men, of passionate affairs and spiralling debts, Cousin Bette paints a vivid portrait of Paris in the 1830s and '40s. It's a city full of temptations, in which money is king, morals are loose and the appeals of the virtuous are usually in vain. In the midst of it all sits a poor relation, Cousin Bette, like a spider in her web. Fuelled by bitterness and jealousy, she is determined to weave destruction into the lives of her extended family, the socially superior Hulots.

With her friend and accomplice, the beautiful Madame Marneffe, Bette sets out to manipulate events so that men are brought to their knees and their wives to despair, and she attains the power and prestige she seeks.
Cousin Bette was written in less than a year, in serial instalments, often only completed just before the deadline. Within its pages, Balzac conjures a kaleidoscope of characters from all walks of life, chronicles the rise of a grasping bourgeoisie and tells a gripping tale of jealousy, passion and treachery.

Many thanks to Jen.

Behind the Scenes at NT Live

The twitter feed for NT Live (@ntlive) has a few backstage pictures. None of the cast unfortunately.

The all important typewriter:

One picture from the broadcast truck midway through the play:

NT Live Collaborators Review

 
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the live performance of Collaborators a couple of weeks ago due to illness, but I was able to get a ticket to see the NT Live cinema broadcast of the show this evening.

The play is set 'in the round', but not actually in the round, the set is like two islands connected by a corridor of stage.  This means that there is one pocket of audience marooned on one side, but it's an interesting set.

It's 1938 and Bulgakov lives in a cramped Moscow apartment, so cramped they have a lodger living in the kitchen cupboard, he wants to stage his long gestated Moliere play, but it's been banned.  Then he's offered a choice by the secret police, write a celebratory play for Stalin's 60th birthday and get the play reinstated...

Bulgakov is first introduced in his vest and long johns hopping out of bed to investigate the loud knocking from his kitchen cupboard, as he approaches, Stalin leaps out and chases Bulgakov around the department.  This is of course a recurring nightmare and not reality. Also Bulgakov isn't well and his wife (the excellent Jacqueline Defferary) drags him to an overworked and slightly libidinous doctor, who eventually diagnoses nephrosclerosis, a terminal disease.  Then to make matters worse he's coerced into writing a play for Stalin's sixtieth birthday by the secret police, an avuncular, yet cruel Vladimir (Mark Addy) and his largely silent subordinate (Marcus Cunningham).  Only after a trip to the wood panelled execution room and veiled threats towards his wife, does Bulgakov reluctantly accept the commission.

He has difficulty starting the play and eventually he gets a call from someone unknown to meet him in a secret room beneath the Kremlin.  The unknown voice is, of course, that of Stalin who limps in smiling.  Simon Russell Beale makes Stalin both oddly buffoonish, yet in a heartbeat his face hardens and you can believe that he's a man capable of the utmost cruelty.  Stalin begins to dictate what he'd like Bulgakov to write: a lurid melodramatic story of his rise from humble cobbler's son to dictator. Bulgakov can't keep up with Stalin's fast pace and Stalin ushers Bulgakov to the other side of the table and begins to type the play up himself to save time. The play is interspersed with snippets of Stalin's play, which is in fact quite a clunker.

On the next occasion Stalin is late for the writing session and blames affairs of state. He's brought a pile of paperwork with him and exhorts Bulgakov to attend to it. Bulgakov capitulates and writes an innocuous comment in red pencil on the steel production report: 'make more, or else'.  At the next session he's amazed to find that production has increased by over half. Then when Bulgakov reads a report that some members of the Communist party have been conspiring to murder Stalin, his somewhat bland and inexact 'make further enquiries' has a devastating impact. There is a mounting sense of terror, there are suicides, his lodgers are snatched from the street by the secret police and Bulgakov begins to feel like an apologist for Stalin's actions and feels the corrupting influence of absolute power.

The performances are uniformly excellent and well characterised, from the small role of Sergei (Pierce Reed), the cupboard dweller, to Mark Addy's Vladimir. Sergei  is a slip of a thing, dressed in well worn work clothes and Mark Addy as Vladimir impresses.  Simon Russell Beale is of course fantastic as Stalin; he's at times funny, but then flips to being capricious and megalomaniacal.  His soft West Country burr makes him seem more cuddly than he seems.

Alex plays Bulgakov and, what many of the reviews failed to mention, he's on stage for the entire performance; he is the steady centre of the play, the character around whom everything else revolves. He's dressed in well worn clothes, that are neat, but shabby, his greatcoat is just slightly too big for him, an indication of his illness.  He's principled, kind, generous and intelligent, he wants to refuse yet his love for his wife means that he can't refuse the commission.  When he begins working with Stalin, he's afraid and wary, calling him Sir instead of Joseph, but as he relaxes, it becomes 'Joseph'. His apartment now has heating and hot running water and Bulgakov gets a sharp new pinstripe suit and his own personal driver.

Alex really has to drive the play along and he does so in an unshowy and expert way, his performance isn't selfish, his role doesn't over shadow anyone else and he's a generous enough performer to allow the lions share of the laughs to go to other characters.  John Hodge's play is very good, a small dialogue between Vladimir and his wife tells us so much about his social status and his sub-plot about the writer Grigory (an intense William Postlesthwaite) is woven with care into the play.  The direction (by Nicholas Hytner)  is superb, the play is well paced and structured. If I had one criticism, it would be that the play is so generously stuffed with ideas that the heart and emotion between Bulgakov and his wife is a little swamped.

The NT Live experience is different to a theatre experience, for one, you are are gifted with a plethora of close ups of the actors, so close you can see the tears about to spill from Yelena's eyes and mad glare that replaces the avuncular look on Stalin's face.   It's a treat to be able to see the actors in such close up and the camera positions and direction were very good. 

I hope that everyone who would like to see the play gets to see it.  I heartily recommend it and I'm hoping to see it again in the Olivier (if I can get tickets). 

NT Live Cinema Broadcast

The NT live cinema broadcast is tonight at 7 pm GMT. Is anyone else going?

To celebrate the month of December the National Theatre is having a month of giveaways and competitions and today is the turn of Collaborators: John Hodge’s darkly comic new play Collaborators broadcasts live tonight around the world with NT Live . We’re giving away digital programmes to the first ten people to tell us which Bulgakov play was staged in 1926 at The Moscow Art Theatre, and boasted Stalin as a fan?

BONUS: The first 5 people to also tell us which of Bulgakov's characters was inspired by his third wife Yelena Shilovskaya will win a pair of tickets to see the play live in the Olivier Theatre in May, 2012. Email ntcheer@nationaltheatre.org.uk with your answers. Last entries 4pm today –winners will be notified by 6pm. Good luck.

Collaborators in The Olivier

The National Theatre announced today that once the current run in the Cottesloe theatre has concluded, Collaborators will transfer to the Olivier Theatre, where it will open the 2012 Travelex £12 Tickets Season for a limited run from 30 April. 

Booking for new performances opens at 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday 23rd November.  

Time Out Review

Time Out gives the play 4 stars out of 5. Caroline McGinn says the following about the character and performances:

"...the dying liberal writer (played by a patrician Alex Jennings) is haunted by his country's devilish Master Josef Stalin (Simon Russell Beale), a papa-tyrant who claims to be his 'Number one fan'."

"...Half reality and half dream, it's a cat-and-mouse game between Jennings's mild, elegant writer and Russell Beale's cuddly but sinister tyrant. Hytner's production even opens like a Soviet 'Tom and Jerry', in which Russell Beale's plump and growling Stalin leaps out of Bulgakov's wardrobe and chases him round the room."

"...Russell Beale has a wonderful talent for portraying the banality of evil but never seems really dangerous here. But 'Collaborators' is designed to neuter him. Bulgakov evades his thick-whiskered pursuer precisely because the conflict between art and power is restaged on Bulgakov's ground: the bloodless arena of the imagination."

Full review at: Time Out

Sunday Reviews

Susannah Clapp in the Observer has the following to say about Alex's performance:

Still, the wings of the play are Alex Jennings and Simon Russell Beale.

As Bulgakov, Jennings is reed-like, glistening with anxiety: the embodiment of febrility and ill-fated aspiration.

Full review at the website: Observer




In the Telegraph's Seven Magazine Tim Walker writes: "Simon Russell Beale’s well-upholstered, bewigged Stalin has something of the air of a salt-of-the-earth northern farmer out of All Creatures Great and Small, and this contributes greatly to the sense of the surreal. There is a splendid chemistry between the old brute and Alex Jennings’s bookish, bow-tied and somewhat fey playwright."

Full review: Telegraph


Claudia Pritchard in the Independent has the following to say: "Playing cat and mouse in this gradually darkening burlesque are Simon Russell Beale as Stalin, rugged and coiffured, limping and threatening, playful and steely, and Alex Jennings, airily courageous, bohemian and correct. This star casting coupled with the 24-carat direction of Nicholas Hytner made the show a sell-out before it opened."

Full review at: Independent


Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times: "Simon Russell Beale and Alex Jennings deliver these scenes superbly. ... Jennings’s tense, waxy Bulgakov suggests his character’s appalled fascination with his tormentor and his ghastly realisation that he has been played."

Full review: Financial Times

Front Row Review

"Collaborators" was reviewed on BBC Radio 4 Front Row on 2 November. If you want to listen, the episode is available as a podcast to download on BBC Podcasts.

Thanks to Penny!

Collaborators Programme and Playtext

Both the programme and the full text of the play are now available from The National Theatre shop on the website.

See NT Shop for more information.

Evening Standard Review

Henry Hitchings praises the performances of Alex and Simon Russell Beale:

"And Nicholas Hytner's agile production is illuminated by fine performances from two of the National Theatre's stalwarts, Alex Jennings and Simon Russell Beale."

"Jennings eloquently conveys the pain of Bulgakov, whose circumstances improve as he turns into an apologist for Stalin's politics."

See: Evening Standard for the full review.

Collaborators Pictures

NT Live has posted a series of pictures from the production on Facebook:

NT Live

Fascinating pictures. So, who's going?

Collaborators: The First Reviews

The Guardian's Michael Billington has the following to say about Alex's performance:

"While I may question Hodge's arguments, his play has a nightmarish vivacity well captured in Nicholas Hytner's freewheeling production on Bob Crowley's zig-zagging traverse stage. And, if Bulgakov is seen as a reluctant victim of a brutal system, Alex Jennings memorably endows him with an extra-textual complexity. He plays him as a man ineluctably drawn into a pact with the Devil, who slowly awakens to the horrors of the bargain he has made, and who is filled with a sense of self-betrayal."

Billington gives the production three stars out of five.

Full review at: the guardian




The Daily Mail's Quentin Letts feels Simon Russell Beale's Stalin dominates the production but:

"Bulgakov is done with amiable dreaminess by Alex Jennings. Mr Jennings is always lovely to watch, even if he lacks some intensity."

Full review: Daily Mail




In the Telegraph Charles Spencer feels "this production will be best remembered for its dream-casting of Alex Jennings as the harassed, haunted Bulgakov and Simon Russell Beale as a Stalin who delights in playing cat-and-mouse games with him.

Jennings’s sweaty anxiety as Bulgakov finds himself traped by his tormentor’s devious wiles is superbly caught. Better still is Russell Beale’s Stalin, all peasant joviality, man-of the world practicality and sudden moments of unctuous flattery, until his eyes suddenly go dead and you see the cold calculating monster that lurks beneath the façade.

This is a truly tremendous double act which thrills chills and makes you laugh out loud - even though you know you shouldn’t."

He gives the production four stars out of five.

Full review at: Telegraph

Collaborators

The first rehearsal pictures of "Collaborators" were made available by NT Live on their facebook page:

Casino Royale

BBC Radio 4 Extra this week repeats Alex reading Ian Flemings "Casino Royale". Broadcasts Monday to Friday at 2.45pm.

James Bond travels to France for a deadly engagement – attempting to bankrupt an enemy spy organisation at the baccarat table.

Goldfish Girl

This Tuesday, 11th October, Radio 4 repeats "Goldfish Girl". The play was written by Peter Souter and stars Juliet Stevenson together with Alex. Joe can remember everything about Ally, the love of his life for ten years. Ally, however, can remember nothing about Joe.

Boys From Brazil

Alex will be reading Ira Levin's "The Boys From Brazil" on BBC Radio 4 Extra this week. For the schedule see: BBC Radio 4 Extra.

Thanks to Jen!

Explorers of the Nile

Alex will be reading "Explorers of the Nile" as BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week. The readings are at 09.45 and are repeated at 00.30.

More information at: the BBC website.

Thanks to Jen!

King James Bible

Alex will be taking part in the National Theatre's readings from the King James Bible. He is in the cast of the reading of the Gospel According to John on 23 October and 6 November. For more information and tickets check the National Theatre Website.

Collaborators Dates Announced

Playbill has this information on the new production:

"Collaborators will begin performances Oct. 25 in the Cottesloe Theatre, prior to an official opening Nov. 1. It reunites the National’s artistic director Nicholas Hytner with actors Simon Russell Beale and Alex Jennings, with whom he has regularly worked, including once together in The Alchemist. In the play, based on historical fact, Beale plays Stalin and Jennings is dissident playwright Mikhail Bulgakov, who is offered a commission to write a play about Stalin to celebrate his 60th birthday.

According to press materials, the play "depicts a lethal game of cat and mouse through which the appalling compromises and humiliations inflicted on any artist by those with power are held up to scrutiny." Hodges is best known for his screenplays to films that include "Shallow Grave," "Trainspotting," "A Life Less Ordinary," "The Beach," "The Final Curtain" and "The Dark is Rising." The cast also includes Mark Addy, Sarah Annis, Marcus Cunningham, Jacqueline Defferary, Patrick Godfrey, Michael Jenn, Jess Murphy, William Postlethwaite, Pierce Reid, Nick Sampson, Maggie Service and Perri Snowdon. The production will also be broadcast to cinemas worldwide as part of National Theatre Live."

The original piece is at: Playbill


The National Theatre adds booking information:

Supporting Cast: Online booking opens on Mon 5 September
Priority Members: Online booking opens on Thu 8 September
Advance Members: Online booking opens on Mon 12 September
General Public: Online booking opens on Tue 20 September

More information at: National Theatre Collaborators

Literary Britten in Cambridge

from the Cambridge News Website:

"A recital of music and readings by Benjamin Britten and WH Auden will be taking place in Girton College Gardens, under the heading Literary Britten: A Recital. Actor Alex Jennings, tenor Andrew Kennedy and pianist Iain Burnside will help bring the words and sounds of these two greats alive in this pleasingly academic setting, before the programme is taken on a European tour. September 4, 2pm, Girton College, Cambridge. Tickets are £15 (£10 concessions). Contact (01223) 338992."

Collaborators - NT Live

The new play Alex will be in with Simon Russell Beale at the National, Collaborators, will be part of the next NT Live Season. The broadcast has been announced for 1 December 2011.

For more information check the NT Live website: Collaboratos

Stream, River, Sea

The play by Peter Souter will be broadcast again this Thursday, 4 August, at 14.15 on BBC Radio 4. It stars Alex and Juliet Stevenson.

For more information: BBC Radio 4

Margaret Tyzack

Alex has written a lovely letter to The Guardian to commemorate Margaret Tyzack. It reads:

"My friend Margaret Tyzack (obituary, 28 June) gave her final stage performance last Christmas, in Paris, at the Théâtre du Chatelet, in Robert Carsen's sumptuous production of My Fair Lady. Maggie played Mrs Higgins, and I was her son, Henry. Maggie looked resplendent in Anthony Powell's Dufy-inspired frocks, and delivered a characteristically sensitive, no-nonsense, witty, masterclass of a performance. Every Shavian line landed like a depth charge in that vast and beautiful theatre. I had worked with Maggie twice before then – in The Importance of Being Earnest and in His Girl Friday. Maggie was a magnificent actor, a magnificent person, and a true friend – loyal, supportive, generous, forthright, and a prolific sender of wonderful postcards."

The original: The Guardian

Ashenden

The radio recordings of Ashenden, Gentleman Spy will be broadcast again this week on BBC Radio 4 Extra. The five episodes will be broadcast Monday to Friday at 6am, 1am, 8pm and 1am.

Twenty Minutes

Alex is the reader for this week's episode of Twenty Minutes. The programme will be broadcast on Monday night at 20.25 on BBC Radio 3. The story is called 'A Warning to the Curious', and was written by M.R. James.

For more information check: BBC Radio 3.

Thanks to Jen!

Many Happy Returns!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

That's Mine, This Is Yours

This BBC Radio 4 play starred Alex and Tamsin Greig, and it was broadcast last week. The website gives the following description: "Sam and Juliet are divorcing. They arrange to meet to divide up their remaining possessions. In Peter Souter's romantic comedy, this proves less easy than they might have envisaged." This week it is play of the week and can be downloaded as a podcast from:

Play of the Week Podcast.

The play stays up until Friday 13 May.

Hymn

Alex will appear at the Salisbury Festival on Sunday 29 May in the production Hymn. The festival's website gives the following description of the production:

"Best known for his film scores, Fenton writes extensively for the theatre. In this
work he draws on musical references including Elgar, Delius and several well known hymns. Alex Jennings will present the role of Alan Bennett in this performance, following on from his recent appearance in Alan Bennett's play The Habit of Art at the National Theatre, where he played Benjamin Britten. The evening is completed with a performance of Ravel's String Quartet, followed by a Q&A."

The music will be performed by the Medici Quartet.

For more information see the Salisbury Festival Website.

Small Gods

"Small Gods" will be repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra from this Friday. For times of broadcasts see BBC Radio 4 Extra.

Thanks to Jen.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Alex will play the part of Caractacus Potts in a new production of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" to be broadcast on Radio 4 Extra, tomorrow Sunday 3 April.

This is Ian Fleming's classic tale of a car saved from the scrapyard, which takes the Potts family on a magical adventure. Also stars Imogen Stubbs, and it was directed by Charlotte Riches from BBC Drama, Manchester.

The play will be broadcast at 9am, 4pm and 5am and will then be available on the iPlayer.

BBC Radio 4 Extra is the newly relaunched BBC Radio 7.

Thanks to Jen!

Silk

Alex will appear in an episode of the BBC series "Silk" this Tuesday. He plays the part of Alan Cowdrey QC in this final episode. Silk will be shown on Tuesday 29 March on BBC One at 21.00.

Thanks to Penny!

More Offies

A few more pictures of the Offies are on their own website: OffWestEnd.

Words and Music

Alex will be a reader on Words and Music on two consecutive Sundays on BBC Radio 3. The programmes are called Fire and Ice and were inspired by Robert Frost's poem. The first programme, Fire, starts 23.00 on Sunday 6 March, the second programme, Ice, starts 22.30 on Sunday 13 March.

Thanks to Jennifer.

Offies

Alex was one of the presenters at the Offies, the award ceremony for London fringe theatre productions. The ceremony took place on 27 February at Wilton's Music Hall. Mark Shenton writes about the event in The Stage.

At the awards Alex commented on the Oscars, which took place the same evening. “I certainly wouldn’t say no to one,” he said to Tim Walker of The Telegraph.

Pictures of the event can be found at londonist.

Dickens' London

Alex is one of four actors to portray Charles Dickens at different stages of his life in a series of short plays bases on his journalistic essays on BBC Radio 4. The other actors are Antony Sher, Samuel Barnett and Hugo Docking, the plays are written by Michael Eaton and the series is called "Dicken's London". The plays will be broadcast at the end of they year.

See: The Stage News

Nocturne

Alex continues his collaboration with Lucy Parham on the Chopin programme Nocturne this year. Two dates have been announced:

6 May - Loughborough
20 May - Bury St. Edmunds

Harriet Walter is the other actor for these two performances.

For more information check Lucy Parhams Website.

Dinner

Alex attended a formal dinner last night, and is pictured here with the host: Zimbio

And a second picture, with Alfie Boe joining in: the wire

Alex performed at Buckingham Palace with the Medici Quartet for supporters of the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts.

Collaborators

Playbill adds a title to the new NT play, to open in the Cottesloe in October:

Playbill

Back to the NT

Some news from Whatsonstage:

"Finally, John Hodge’s stage debut will be directed by Nicholas Hytner and will open in October. Another offering that doesn’t yet have a title, the play centres on an imaginary encounter between Joseph Stalin and the playwright Mikhail Bulgakov, with Alex Jennings playing Bulgakov opposite Whatsonstage.com Award nominee Simon Russell Beale as Stalin. Hodge’s screenwriting credits include Shallow Grave and A Life Less Ordinary as well as Trainspotting."

My Year Off

Another chance to hear Robert McCrum's searingly honest account of his devastating stroke at the age of 42, "My Year Off". With Alex Jennings and Madeline Potter. BBC Radio 4, Wednesday 26 January 2.15-3.00pm, and for a week after on BBC iPlayer.

Thanks to Jen!

Ashenden

There is a small piece from the elusive Ashenden series up on YouTube now:

With Harrington on the train

My Fair Lady on Facebook

The Théâtre du Châtelet has created a facebook page for the production of "My Fair Lady". They've put up some very nice pictures. See:
Facebook

People's Princess

Broadcast this Thursday, 9 December at 14.15, BBC Radio 4:

Facing financial ruin, George, Prince of Wales was obliged to marry his first cousin Princess Caroline of Brunswick. But if he had been expecting a docile partner with whom he could maintain appearances, George had seriously underestimated his wife-to-be.

George IV ...... Alex Jennings
Caroline of Brunswick ...... Rebecca Saire
Henry Brougham ...... Julian Rhind Tutt
Lord Sidmouth ...... Chris McHallem
Lord Liverpool ...... Richard Howard
Sir Robert Gifford ...... Mark Lambert
Lady Jersey ...... Jill Cardo
Mr Majoucci ...... Nial Cusack

Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan, written by Shelagh Stephenson.

My Fair Lady - Chatelet

The website of the Chatelet Theatre in Paris has a short video on the new production, which includes some snippets of rehearsal footage. Some dancing going on here...

Théâtre Châtelet de Paris

Electric Ink

This Friday a new series of "Electric Ink" starts on BBC Radio 4. The comedy drama was writeen by Alistair Beaton and Tom Mitchelson with Alex playing the role of Oliver. Journalists attempt to cover major news stories at the same time as grappling with the demands of working in a multi-platform environment, watching circulation figures plummet and the recession causing half the workforce to be laid off. First episode to be broadcast 3 December from 11.30-12.00.

For more information: BBC Radio 4

An Ideal Husband

BBC Radio 7 will broadcast Oscar Wilde's "An Ideal Husband" tomorrow, Saturday 27 November at 12.30 pm and 1 am. When Sir Robert and Lady Gertrude Chiltern give a party, an unwelcome guest makes an equally unwelcome request to her host. If it is not met, she will reveal an unsavoury secret from his past. Alex stars along with Janet McTeer, Emma Field, Geoffrey Palmer and Sarah Kestelman.

The Making of ...

This Saturday Channel 4 will show a documentary on "The Habit of Art" in the series "The Making of...". The programme will be shown at 7.55 pm, and will focus on Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner.

Strange Meeting - Remembrance Sunday

Alex can be heard this Remembrance Sunday in Peter Wolf's Play "Strange Meeting". It was inspired by Wilfred Owen's First World War poem, and dramatises events leading up to Owen's death on the eve of the Armistice. Alex plays the Captain and Paul Rhys is Wilfred Owen. Sunday at 10.15am and 9.15pm on BBC Radio 7.

Evening Standard Longlist

Alex is on the longlist for this year’s Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his performance in "The Habit of Art". The longlist will become a shortlist on 21 November with the winners being announced at a ceremony on 28 November.

The complete longlist for best actor:
Roger Allam – Henry IV Parts One and Two (Shakespeare’s Globe)
Bertie Carvel – Rope (Almeida Theatre)
Benedict Cumberbatch – After The Dance (National Theatre)
Martin Freeman – Clybourne Park (Royal Court)
Alex Jennings – The Habit Of Art (National Theatre)
Rory Kinnear – Measure For Measure (Almeida Theatre) and Hamlet (National Theatre)
Adrian Lester – Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Novello Theatre)
Alfred Molina – Red (Donmar Warehouse)
Jonathan Pryce – The Caretaker (Trafalgar Studios)
Simon Russell Beale – London Assurance (National Theatre) and Deathtrap (Nöel Coward Theatre)
Adrian Scarborough – After The Dance (National Theatre)
David Suchet – All My Sons (Apollo Theatre)

Whitechapel II

ITV is showing the second series of Whitechapel at the moment, with Alex resuming the part of Commander Anderson. The second episode will be shown on Monday 18 October at 9 p.m.

For more information check: ITV Whitechapel

Words of the Blitz

Alex is one of the actors appearing in "Words of the Blitz" on ITV1 tonight, reading diaries and letters written during the Blitz. Alex will be reading from George Orwell's diary.

The programme will be broadcast on 8 September at 10.35 pm on ITV1.


ITV Press Centre

White Chameleon

The Saturday play to be broadcast on the 24th of July on Radio 4 at 2.30pm is written by Christopher Hampton and is a witty and sad memory play set in Alexandria in the years up to and during the Suez invasion. (Edit: iplayer link available until Saturday 31st here.)

It is about his father, played by Alex, in Egypt working for Cable and Wireless, his mother, also from a Cable and Wireless family, and Ibrahim, the Egyptian servant who has been running the house for 20 years and who helps 10-year-old Chris, the future playwright, make up dramas for homework.

A Guardian article that touches on the recording of this play and the parlous state of radio drama budgets can be found here.

Narrator ... Christopher Hampton

Father ... Alex Jennings
Ibrahim ... Mido Hamada
Mother ... Amanda Root
Chris ... Harvey O'Neil
Guard/Fouad/Basso/Stockman/Shoes-shine man/Egyptian boy ... Ayman Hamdouchi
Albert ... David Annen
Edward ... Harrison Charles
Paul ... Harry Manton
Schoolboy ... Josef Lindsay

Egyptian singers:
Tony Kandel
Yazid Eid
Robert Hannouch

Pianist: Michael Webborn

Director: Polly Thomas
Producer: Ann Scott
A Greenpoint production for BBC Radio 4.

In other radio news, you can listen to "Speaking for Themselves" The letters of Winston and Clementine Churchill, on Radio 7 at 9.00pm every night this week and then for a week on the iPlayer.

The Idiot

BBC radio 7 will broadcast the adaptation of "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoyesky. The novel is dramatised in four parts and will be broadcast Tuesday to Friday at 10am and 3am. The adaptation also stars Paul Rhys, Roger Allam, Lia Williams, David Swift and Stephen Moore and it was first heard in 2002.

The broadcast can be heard for seven days after initial broadcast on the BBC IPlayer.

Scarlet on Black

The radio drama "Scarlet on Black" will be rerun on BBC Radio 7 this Sunday at 02.30, 13.00 and Monday at 01.00. As usual the play will be available for seven days after the broadcast on the BBC IPlayer. Alex stars with David Calder, Peter Jeffrey, Charles Kay, and Natasha Pyne. The play was written by Roger Danes and was originally broadcast in 1992.

Thanks to Penny!

Happy Birthday,

Alex. He turns 53 today.

Stratford Upon Avon Fringe

Alex will be taking part int the Rudolph Kempe Centenary Memorial Concert at the Stratford Upon Avon Fringe Festival on Sunday 13 June at 7,30 Alex will be reading a biographical narrative devised by Cordula Kempe together with Jeffery Dench.

For tickets and more information check the festival website: Stratford Fringe

An Actor's Life for Me

Alex is to take part in a midsummer musical gala at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School on 20 June. The musical, "An Actor's Life for me will be hosted by Jeremy Irons, and will include songs written about the theatre by by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Noël Coward, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and many more. The cast will consist of final year students. Others taking part will be Samantha Bond, Tim Pigott-Smith, Joanna Riding, Greta Scacchi, members of the Cast of The Archers, though the announcement does say "subject to availability" for all actors.

For more informationBristol Old Vic Theatre School

In Conversation at the Lyttelton Theatre

Last Friday Alex talked to Al Senter in the series "In Conversation With..." at the Lyttelton Theatre. The conversation took place in the set of "The Habit of Art", with a small tea table placed just in front where the men had their tea. The talk started with Al Senter asking most of the questions, but later on the audience got to ask their own. I took notes and will try to give an idea of the various topics that came up.

Alex was recently heard reading the part of Oliver Lacon in the new BBC radio adaptations of the Smiley books. This brought him back to the start of his career, because his first television appearance was as PC Hall in "Smiley's People". He had to turn a body over and be sick. The job did give him the chance to work with Alec Guinness. "He taught me what a mark is", according to Alex. His appearance in the tv series was short, but he later met Alec Guinness again and had lunch with him a couple of times.

Alex is a contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and has already written some ten pieces. He says he got involved in this in an "anoraky way". He got in touch with them, pointing out certain omissions in the dictionary, for example Kenneth More and Kay Kendall, and he was then asked to be a contributor. "You have to be dead to be in it". He has written pieces on, for example, Kay Kendall, Maurice Denham and Michael Bryant, and he will write on Ian Richardson, Elizabeth Spriggs and Paul Scofield.

Alex went to the theatre more often in the past, when he was at school, university and drama school, than he does now, and he used to go to see particular performers rather than directors. He doesn't prefer a specific type of acting but "a raft of different approaches". Favourites were Ralph Richardson, who "dazzled and intrigued", Cyril Cusack, Paul Scofield in anything, John Wood and Angela Lansbury in "Gypsy".

The creation of "The Habit of Art" was an odd process, it went from a rehearsal room to a rehearsal room. It was a little like rehearsing in front of an audience, which was quite relaxing. Alex does feel that rehearsing is a private process, which should not be seen by the audience. He finds the presence of cameras for a programme like the South Bank Show quite unsettling. There was some talk of installing a viewing gallery in one of the rehearsal rooms at the National Theatre, but that idea horrifies him. There was such a gallery in the Archers studio when he worked there a couple of years ago, but there is a curtain there now. "It's our business", he says.

Alex is passionate about Britten and his music, and he wanted to be in a play by Alan Bennett. He is always happy to get the laughs, though they don't always happen at the same moment. "Prince Charles loved it, he was laughing when other people weren't."Alex had another actor in mind as a model for Henry, but he won't say who. There was some debate during rehearsals about Britten and that sometimes got heated. Alex about Britten: "He sat on the edge of the bath, but didn't get in". If something had happened with the boys that would have come out by now. The boys had all enjoyed working with Britten, and were hurt to be turned away when their voices broke and they were no longer useful for the music. Alex now feels "slightly fed up with playing real people". He thought he played a sympathetic Charles, but not everybody agreed. He feels the same about Britten.

Alex does a lot of readings and audiobooks. He reads the books beforehand, but he is not a fast reader and doesn't always manage to finish the book on time. He was once almost caught out when, after the first day of a four day reading, it turned out that the four characters he had been playing were in fact one character, and he didn't know. He knows this kind of thing happens to other actors too. Alex usually casts the books in his mind so he can attach another actor's face and voice to a character. He has just finished recording a series of children's books, The Edge Chronicles, where he gave the different kinds of creatures different regional accents. He likes to do radio and is sometimes disappointed to find other actors take the parts he has done for radio into film. That happened, for example, with Graham Greene's "THe End of the Affair", which he recorded with Emma Fielding and which he was particularly happy with. Ralph Fiennes played the part in the film.

Alex will be appearing in "Candide" in Japan in August, and then in a new production of "My Fair Lady" in Paris in December. Both will be directed by Robert Carson. Margaret Tyzack will play Higgins' mother in Paris, with Nicholas le Prevost playing Pickering. The piece will be performed in English. Emma Thompson has written the screenplay for a film version, but Alex doesn't consider playing Higgins in that one a real possibility.

He likes to play both comedy and straight plays, and he enjoys getting the laughs. He has no cause to complain about the way his career has turned out so far, though at the moment he has some nostalgia for the ages 35 to 45. He gets to play more fathers now, often to pretty daughters as in Cranford. A few years ago he decided to try to get more work in television, to get some bigger parts. He very much enjoyed being in Cranford. There was a cake day every week during the shooting, with cakes spread out on a big table in the reverend Hutton's church. Julia McKenzie made the best merengues.

He would like to do more audiobooks, more Dickens, but the market seems saturated. Everything seems to be available now. He enjoys doing unabridged readings. "So you can do all the parts". There will be more Woman's Hour drama, the next Dickens will probably be "A Tale of Two Cities". Alex: "I have asked if Dickens can play the part of Sydney Carton".

The question if "The Habit of Art" gives a truthful insight into the presence of the writer in the theatre and the rehearsal process, leads Alex to say that "Alan is completely open and unprecious about his writing". Alex goes into Alan Bennett mode, when asked to illuminate on the text he goes "Ooh, I don't know". He seems well able to impersonate Bennett, but says he will not play him. Working with David Hare on "stuff Happens" meant changes to the script every day, whith an author who was much better informed than the actors. For Speer, David Edgar and Gitta Sereny were both present, and Sereny had know Speer. But Alex continues: "I'd like to have done more new work than I've done, I've done mainly dead writers". And about the actors in relation to the authors: "We have to be adaptable, we're just here to serve", with a little smile.

Comedians he grew up with were Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howerd. The comedy he loved, however, was that of Hollywood's Golden Age, the screwball comedies made by Cary Grant and William Powell, who "got to be suave and wear tuxedos". The greatest influence was the film "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines", bits of which he used throughout his career. "His Girl Friday" was a dream to do for Alex, playing the Cary Grant character. "I'd love to work with Zoe (Wanamaker) again", he says.

Part of his career was determined by the need to pay the mortgage. He has had to turn down parts with theatres that could not afford to pay very much. "There were some fairly rocky moments" (financially). With his partner Lesley he has raised two children. His partner also works, "my career was enabled by her", he says. The present financial crisis isn't doing actors much good. There are fewer parts in film and tv, and actors get paid less for the work than they did ten years ago.

He did some directing at university, but now he has "no desire whatsoever to direct".

The most challenging and satisfying part he has played was Hamlet. He thought he'd left it too late, but he did get to play it. He was very much on the same wavelength as director Matthew Warchus, so it worked very well. It took him a long time to let go of the part and he didn't see the play again until Simon Russell Beale played the role. Even then he had trouble hearing some lines, wondering why he didn't say that line like that.

He loves working at the National Theatre, also because he doesn't live too far away. Another favourite theatre is Stratford, partly because of the way he got to develop his career there. He loved playing Higgins at the huge stage of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. He also likes the huge stage at the Coliseum. His partner said of this: "Finally, darling, you've found the right theatre for you".

As for future plans and parts he would like to play. He has given up on MacBeth, but he would love to have a go at Sweeney Todd. He is aware of the limitations of his voice, but he will try the part with his singing teacher.

After the session in the Lyttelton Alex signed autographs in the foyer of the theatre. There was quite a queue, but he took time to talk to all people interested.

More Nocturne

The Chopin reading Nocturne can be heard at St George's Bristol on 22 June as well as the Kew Festival on June 25. The readings are part of a series of performances by pianist Lucy Parham, featuring different actors. For a full list of performances see Lucy Parham's website.

For tickets to the Bristol performance see St George's Bristol.

Thanks to Jen!

Alexander

The dramatisation of the life of Alexander the Great will be broadcast again on BBC Radio 7 this week. Alex stars with Barry Foster, Brian Cox, Geraldine James, Simon Ward, Sam Crane and Geraldine Fitzgerald. The drama will be broadcast Monday to Friday at 10 am and 3 pm, and will conclude the following Monday. Episodes can be heard for a week after the broadcast on the BBC IPlayer.

In Conversation With ....

Alex Jennings this Friday, 30 April, at the Lyttelton Theatre, 3 pm. Some tickets still available from the National Theatre. So who's going?

Nocturne

Alex is due to appear at the Kew Music Festival on 25 June in a reading called "The Romantic Life of Frédéric Chopin". Lucy Parham will play the piano, reading by Alex Jennings and Juliet Stevenson, from letters and diaries. The reading will take place at the Musical Museum and will start at 19.30 hrs.

For more information and for tickets check the Kew Music Festival website.

Candide and My Fair Lady

After "The Habit of Art" finishes in London, Alex is off to Japan for a series of performances of "Candide" in Tokyo and Kobe in July and August.

In December Alex will resume the role of Professor Higgins in a new production of "My Fair Lady" at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

Whitechapel II

Alex will appear in the second series of Whitechapel, an ITV production. It is not yet known when the series will be broadcast.

Finishing the Hat

This Sunday Alex and Carolyn Pickles are the readers on BBC Radio 3's "Words and Music". This week's theme is painting and artists. The programme will be broadcast on Sunday 18 April at 22.20.

Words and Music

Smiley's People

BBC Radio 4 will broadcast the dramatization of "Smiley's People" starring Simon Russell Beale. Alex plays the part of Oliver Lacon. The adaptation starts on April 11 at 15.00. Episodes can be heard for a week after the broadcast on the iPlayer. This is the third part of the Karla trilogy. Alex also appeared in the first book, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy".

Smiley's People

Thanks to Jennifer!

No Place Like Home

Alex will appear on the afternoon play "No Place Like Home" on Friday 26 March from
2.15 to 3.00pm BBC RADIO 4. He starts with Toby Stephens in this play written by Robert Rigby and Nick Russell-Pavier.

From the BBC website: "Jonathan confronts intruder Steve with his legally owned shotgun. A violent struggle ensues and the gun goes off, shattering a window. Steve grabs the gun and gains control. A neighbour reports hearing gunfire and a full-scale, armed police siege unfolds. A bizarre and precarious relationship develops between Steve, Jonathan and the authorities."

The cast also includes Victoria Carling, Ben Crowe, Jonathan Oliver and Zoe King.

Thanks again to Penny!

NT Live Trailer

The National Theatre have a trailer for NT Live up on their website now, announcing the broadcast on 22 april.

See: NT Live

Thanks to Penny! And thanks also to Penny for looking after the diaries while I was off to the ice again!

On Expenses - Pictures

On Expenses is available until Tuesday 2nd March on the iPlayer.

I've grabbed a few pictures from it below. Alex played the Head of the Fees Office Andrew Walker; a man who won't look through his glasses if he can possibly look over them.




The trailer for the show can be found on Youtube here.

On Expenses - Preview

There were a few clips of 'On Expenses' shown during the interview this morning, on BBC Breakfast, with Heather Brooke and Anna Maxwell Martin.

The video of the interview can be found here.

Front Row

Front Row on BBC radio 4 on Friday evening had a short discussion about 'On Expenses'. There is a short audio clip of the production at the start of the programme.

You can listen to this edition of Front Row here until Friday the 26th.

Vortigern and Rowena

It's 1796 and a young antiquarian claims to have discovered a lost play by Shakespeare. He takes the play to Richard Sheridan, who agrees to produce it. By the second act, the audience are gleefully aware the play is a fake...

Vortigern and Rowena will be broadcast on Wednesday the 3rd March at 2.15pm on Radio 4.

Lorcan Cranitch plays Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Alex Jennings plays John Philip Kemble and Rufus Wright plays William Henry Ireland. The play was written by Melissa Murray.

On Expenses

On Expenses, which has been renamed from Bringing Down The House, will be broadcast on BBC 4 at 9pm on Tuesday the 23rd February.

The 60 minute drama is a humorous take on the recent furore over MP's expenses. Alex plays the head of the Fees Office, Andrew Walker; other actors include: Brian Cox, Anna Maxwell Martin and Neil Pearson. The drama was written by Tony Saint.

The BBC Press Pack can be found here.

An Ideal Husband

There's another chance to hear the radio production of 'An Ideal Husband' this Sunday 14th at 8pm on Radio 3. It will be available on the iPlayer for one week after transmission.

Thanks to Jen.

Edit: iPlayer link (available until 21st February).

In Conversation With Alex Jennings

Alex will be talking about his career and current role in a platform at the National Theatre, chaired by Al Senter, on the 30th April 2010 at 3pm. Tickets are available here.

This platform was originally scheduled for December 2009, but was canceled due to Alex's unavailability.

Goldfish Girl

The beautiful short play "Goldfish Girl" will be broadcast again this Friday on BBC Radio 7 at 11.15 and 21.15 and will then be available on the IPlayer for seven weeks. Alex stars with Juliet Stevenson.

Thanks to Jen!

Broadway?

The Mail Online reports that "The Habit of Art" might transfer to Broadway in the spring of 2011, if possible with the current cast. Read the full report at:
Mail Online

Thanks to the other Lori, now also from Florida....

Personal Reviews

Two of our "regulars" went to see Alex at the end of November, beginning of December and both have written a review. So thanks to Lori and Penny for the following:

29 November matinee

The play is very good, with plenty of funny lines and superb performances from everyone. Frances de la Tour was marvellous as the stage manager; getting laughs from terse repetitions of 'Go on!' to simply a look. She's fantastic in the play, if underused during the second act.

Richard Griffiths Auden/Fitz is the main role of the play and he's very good as a slightly irascible, forgetful Fitz and is just as good as the punctuality obsessed, forgetful Auden, who is inclined to pee in the basin.

Adrian Scarborough's Donald is a bit sensitive, a bit neurotic and makes an unforgettable second act entrance! His Humphrey Carpenter is a competent fellow, at first alarmed by Auden mistaking him for a rent boy, but then calming down to interview the poet.

Alex's Henry is a confident, proficient actor, with hints of a slightly seedy youth. He's occasionally exasperated by Fitz and like Frances de la Tour can get a laugh with just a sharp look, discontented sigh or reluctance to shake hands goodbye with a just returned from the lavatory Auden. His Britten is reserved and anxious. Britten's desire for Auden's appreciation of 'Death in Venice' is a bit childlike, but eloquent and passionate.

The balance of rehearsal room and play is perfect, we see enough of the rehearsal to engage with the actors and the learn about the play and then we see what would be the heart of 'Caliban's Day', the meeting between Auden and Britten. All the actors are equally fantastic and seem to relish their roles.

Penny



Alan Bennett's The Habit of Art is a frame-story, a play about rehearsing – and making -- a play. In it, then, Alex plays Henry, an actor who takes two parts in the rehearsal of the play-within-the-play, the major role of Benjamin Britten and the role of Auden's servant Mr Boyle. Of these three parts, none is entirely what he might seem to be.

Alex, of course, delineates each character beautifully – watch the way in which body language alone can convey a shift from Benjamin Britten to Henry – and Act II is in some ways his act. He's onstage all of Act I, but often wandering around the margins or simply watching from the side; that act belongs more to Richard Griffiths as the actor Fitz who plays W.H. Auden. The play is structured around the withholding of Henry and Britten, because the character(s) Alex plays reveal themselves behind their masks in Act II, but I confess I wanted him to have more to do earlier on!

It's an interesting, overstuffed play, full of wit and sharpness as well as a few melancholic touches. Frances de la Tour, Adrian Scarborough, and Richard Griffiths are wonderful in the piece. But Alex is a real anchor for the complications of the work – Henry and Benjamin Britten need an actor of his theatrical weight-- and he does a marvelous, perfectly pitched job.

Lori