Pictures from Home, Shadow and Bone, and The Cleaner give us so much to enjoy!

15 March 2023 16:37

Zoë is wowing audiences on Broadway, will soon be seen by millions on Netflix, and is one of Ben Barnes' favourite people.

As you can tell from the headline, this is an incredibly exciting time for Zoë Wanamaker fans around the world. In fact, it's brought me out of a lengthy website-related hibernation.

I don't like to talk about myself on here much; the site is about Zoë's wonderful work, not boring old me. But it's worth mentioning that the reason I took a step back is because I was experiencing quite a lot of pain (in mind and body) for various non-website-related reasons, plus there were some site-related technical problems. The fact I can’t travel to the US to watch Zoë give an amazing performance on Broadway is also painful.

But there's so much happening at the moment, and I'm full of enthusiasm and keen to bring you the latest news about it all. So let's dive in...

Pictures from Home dazzles on Broadway

In this lovely little video, Zoë offers insights into her role in Pictures from Home, the beautiful Broadway production delighting audiences at Studio 54 theatre in New York. I also love the videos below celebrating some of her previous career highlights.

Written by Sharr White and directed by Bartlett Sher, Pictures from Home is based on the 1992 photo memoir of the same name by Larry Sultan, an American photographer. During the 1980s and early 90s, Sultan photographed and interviewed his parents for the book. The New York Times points out that he did so 'in the belief, as he readily admitted, that by learning more about them, and especially his father, he would resolve unanswered questions about himself'.

At the time of writing, the Pictures from Home trailer has already been viewed a staggering 67,000 times on YouTube.

Zoë plays Sultan's mum, Jean; Nathan Lane plays his father, Irving; Danny Burstein takes on the role of Larry. So you have a three-hander; an intimate memory play set in the parents' California living room. It encompasses humour and drama and runs for 105 minutes straight without an interval.

Here's a (rather compelling) taster...

The show's glittering opening night took place on 9 February and looks like it was thoroughly enjoyable.

If you keep an eye on Pictures from Home's Instagram stories, you’ll see the cast regularly receiving standing ovations. The show clearly packs an emotional punch. In the words of one audience member, Lisa Goldenberg Corn, writing on Instagram: 'I had so many thoughts while watching this play last night I am going to have to post about it. Was reaching right inside me.' Reviewers are calling Zoë's performance 'superb' and 'heartfelt'.

Broadway World has some excellent Pictures from Home production photos, as well as photos of none other than Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi meeting the cast. The cast were photographed for the New York Times recently, and the artist John Knaus drew fantastic portraits of them in character.

Pictures from Home is booking until 30 April 2023, and the fab new video below has been produced to encourage theatregoers not to miss their chance to see this brilliant show. You can buy tickets via the show's website.

Huge thanks to Zoë for her help.

Shadow and Bone makes an epic return!

From 16 March on Netflix, you'll be able to journey back to the Grishaverse for season two of epic fantasy drama Shadow and Bone.

In the trailer, Zoë's Baghra gives her former pupil, Alina (played by Jessie Mei Li), crucial advice about how to defeat The Darkling (Ben Barnes). Everything is at stake.

And if you need a season one re-cap, Netflix has got you covered.

Barnes recently took part in a Shadow and Bone Q&A on Reddit. Asked about working with Zoë, he said very endearingly that he 'love[s] her to the moon'.

Guest role in The Cleaner season two

We also have a start date – and trailer! – for the second season of witty black comedy The Cleaner. Catch it on 24 March (9:30 pm, BBC One).

As reported last autumn, Zoë is part of a brilliant line-up of guest stars who each appear in one episode alongside crime scene cleaner Wicky (played by Greg Davies).

It's not clear yet how far into the run Zoë's episode will be, so we'll just have to pay attention to The Cleaner's TV schedule.

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