2 months ago
EXCLUSIVE: The truth that it’s not safe for Evita star Rachel Zegler to reprise her West End coup de théâtre outdoor pavilion capacity of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” for its anticipated Broadway transportation “is alarming successful what it says astir America,” says her co-star Diego Andres Rodriguez, who played Che successful head Jamie Lloyd’s celebrated revival of nan Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
Rodriguez, who appeared successful nan New York accumulation of Lloyd’s Sunset Boulevard, adds that ”it’s worrying” that nan animosity felt towards Zegler successful immoderate quarters could lead to harm if she re-enacted that 1 sizzling segment successful an unfastened space.
When nan show ran astatine nan London Palladium past summer, hundreds of passers-by would stitchery extracurricular nan landmark theatre to witnesser Zegler singing live, for free, while her capacity was beamed onto screens to nan assemblage inside.
Private information guards kept bid while Zegler sang.
Earlier this month, Lloyd Webber proclaimed successful an question and reply with USA Today that “the 1 point that perfectly cannot hap is what we did successful London connected nan balcony. We can’t do that successful New York. I mean, thing atrocious could happen,” chillingly adding, ”We person weapon laws successful London.”
Rodriguez expressed his interest during a speech pinch Deadline connected Sunday nighttime astatine the Standard Theatre Awards, hosted by Mason Alexander Park, prima of nan London accumulation of Oh, Mary!
The ceremonial was held astatine Stud House successful Hampton Court, nan backstage location of Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev, group successful ancient parklands erstwhile utilized arsenic Henry VIII’s royal hunting grounds.
Zegler, who took nan prize for Best Musical Performance (the show besides won Best Musical Production), looked forlorn erstwhile nan taxable of nan pavilion was raised. She says she’s waiting to spot whether aliases not Evita will transfer, and she’ll “see what happens then.”
I’m told officially that “nothing is confirmed” for Broadway yet.
But backmost to nan posh party. It was a fun, lively matter successful a stunning 18th period heap primitively built for nan sovereign’s Master of nan Horse. Around 50 guests attended, which made for an friendly occasion. Back successful nan time a immense impermanent database — possibly 400-500 — attended a expansive luncheon astatine nan Savoy Hotel. This was not of that size, but successful a measurement it was grander pinch liveried unit and nan very champion silverware and an Old Master hanging successful 1 of nan loos.
The beforehand doorway to Stud House leads straight to a immense assemblage hallway wherever we’re greeted by modern artworks specified arsenic 1 of Anselm Kiefer’s forgotten women of antiquity sculptures — a half-body mannequin shrouded in achromatic crinoline skirts — and a nude Sleeping Beauty encased successful a solid coffin.
Into specified a spot came thespian artists draped successful their finest including Cate Blanchett, a nominee for her capacity arsenic Arkadina successful head Thomas Ostermeier’s thrilling Barbican Theatre accumulation of Chekhov’s The Seagull.
The Oscar-winning character would for illustration to transfer The Seagull to Broadway but she’d besides invited nan opportunity of taking nan play to Schaubühne Berlin, wherever Ostermeier is creator director, and past onto “places for illustration Greece.”
But gathering nan ensemble together is tricky owed to engaged schedules, Blanchett says.
The Seagull cast included Tom Burke, Emma Corrin, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jason Watkins, Tanya Reynolds, Priyanga Burford, Paul Higgins, Zachary Hart and Paul Bazeley. They’re each still successful touch via a group chat they’ve dubbed nan “nudists colony,” Blanchett reveals.
Before I had a chance to probe further, Hayley Atwell on pinch her husband, nan musician and vocalist Ned Wolfgang Kelly, entered nan salon. I’ve known her forever and I didn’t admit her. “It’s nan hair,“ she says patting her head. “It’s each gone; you’re utilized to seeing it long.”
Winners and a fewer nominees were connected nan impermanent list, and Atwell’s sanction was connected nan winning file for Best Actress successful a Play for her Beatrice other Tom Hiddleston’s Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at nan Theatre Royal Drury Lane past year, besides directed by Jamie Lloyd.
Its Broadway transportation is already group for a 10-week engagement successful nan fall.
Atwell besides stars pinch Gerard Butler successful Empire City, which head Michael Matthews precocious changeable successful Melbourne.
Now she’s shooting Treasure Island for Colin Callender’s Playground Entertainment pinch David Oyelowo and Jack Huston. “It’s each men, and I play Bess, a domiciled that’s not successful Robert Louis Stevenson’s book,” she says.
I stroll complete to my aged friend Stephen Fry, who is engaged preparing to sprout a spy play for Fox called The Interrogator, a story Deadline broke backmost successful February.
Fry disclosed that he wrote nan show’s aviator book 11 years agone and it’s been bobbing astir ever since. Until now. The bid will beryllium changeable successful Madrid, Spain opinionated successful for nan U.S. Fry will play a erstwhile MI6 operative who uses his accomplishment group to “gain, not nan truth, but accusation that will lead maine to nan truth that will prevent” a horrific incident.
“It’s been astir for 11 years but it’s only conscionable now travel together, but very quickly,” Fry says.
The actor, writer presenter and shaper had planned to transportation pinch nan National Theatre’s revival of The Importance of Being Earnest. “The thought was that I’d return my Lady Bracknell, nan 1 I did erstwhile it moved into nan West End, to Broadway,” but now it will scoot complete location adjacent twelvemonth instead.
Both Fry and Blanchett were awarded honorary prizes successful Lord Lebedev’s gift.
The prized busts were handing retired successful a break during a splendid dinner. The paper had delights specified arsenic lightly smoked salmon tartare pinch jasmine caviar successful a smoked dashi broth, miso aubergine, and aged beef fillet pinch a truffle pick tartlet.
The judging panel, connected which I sit, chose James Graham’s astonishing drama Punch, featuring an unbelievably brilliant performance by David Shield, arsenic Best Play.
I laughed erstwhile nan playwright revealed that he has been moving arsenic a advisor on Saturday Night Live UK. The very mention of nan title made maine chuckle, which was overseas considering no grin passed my miserable lips whilst watching nan darn show complete nan weekend; others enjoyed acold much than I did. I will opportunity that it was remiss of maine not to person acknowledged that nan 1 and only capacity that I liked, a lot, was that of Jack Shep’s comic awkward Di image of Princess Diana successful a past supper sketch.
Graham says they learned a batch from Saturday’s premiere and “there’s been a batch to discuss,” and that it’s a mobility of stamping a “British identity” connected nan show and bringing distant our earthy humor. And I wish them each well. I’m being polite.
Graham’s Dear England football miniseries play will play connected nan BBC during nan World Cup. Can’t hold to spot it. Shields portrays midfielder Jordan Henderson successful nan show that stars Joseph Fiennes arsenic England’s men’s squad manager.
The character besides has a domiciled portraying New Yorker writer John Hersey, who wrote astir John F. Kennedy’s bravery successful World War II, successful nan eight-part Netflix miniseries Kennedy, starring Michael Fassbender and Laura Donnelly arsenic Joe and Rose Kennedy.
Seated to my correct astatine nan communal banquet array Sunday was 23-year-old Grace Oddie-James, without uncertainty a star-in-the-making who made an contiguous belief successful Simon Stone’s adjustment of The Lady from nan Sea at nan Bridge Theatre past fall. My chap play awards judges and I voted to bestow nan Emerging Talent trophy to Oddie-James, who acts and writes.
The Oxford University postgraduate will subordinate a accumulation of As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe that’s being co-directed by Charlie Josephine (he’s besides playing Orlando) and Sean Holmes. Lola Shalam will prima arsenic Rosalind and Oddie-James has been picked to play Celia. The accumulation runs August 14-October 25.
Audiences packed retired London’s Almeida Theatre during nan tally of Ava Pickett’s fascinating debut play 1536 directed by Lyndsey Turner, exploring nan effect of Anne Boleyn’s impending execution successful 1536 connected a trio of mundane English women. It’s being filmed arsenic a play series, and opening May 2 nan play directed by Turner transfers to nan Ambassadors Theatre for a three-month season. We decided that Pickett was our victor successful nan hotly contested Emerging Talent award.
I wandered astir nan crushed level pinch its conservatory, comfy reception rooms and endless passages lined pinch creation and candles and I could perceive vocalist Ava Joe and guitarist Will Jones mounting up to serenade us. What a splendid measurement to walk an evening astatine an awards ceremonial that made up its ain rules.
And nary reddish carpet.
