News round-up: Shakespeare, The Entertainer, Broadway and more

3 October 2016 20:28

There's been no shortage of exciting news about Zoë's career in recent weeks – here's a summary in case you've missed anything.

Discussing Shakespeare with Zoë

As part of an interview with the Evening Standard, writer and art historian Dr Laura-Jane Foley talks enthusiastically about having met Zoë in preparation for August's The Shakespeareans exhibition.

Foley, who co-organised the exhibition and created a pen portrait of Zoë especially for it, comments that '[Zoë's] father used to row to work across the Avon when they were in Stratford. She described this idyllic, beautiful, charming, enchanting childhood and in a sense you think, ''No wonder she's an actor. How romantic''.'

Behind the scenes at Much Ado About Nothing

For more insights into Zoë's interest in Shakespeare's plays, you can download the new National Theatre Shakespeare app. The free app, designed for iPhones and iPads, looks in detail at all of the National's main-house Shakespearean productions to date – including the acclaimed 2007 version of Much Ado About Nothing, in which Zoë starred as Beatrice opposite Simon Russell Beale's Benedick. (The video below features some highlights from the show.)

Much Ado's archive material includes cast interviews, clips, photos and more. Whether you saw the production or are new to it, you're sure to find the app's content absolutely fascinating.

Exploring Zoë's Broadway roles

Another theatre resource that's well worth exploring is the Playbill Vault's collection of theatre programmes, photos and other material related to Zoë's Broadway roles (as well as some of her stage work in the UK). Browsing the collection is an ideal way to find out more about such stunning shows as 1998's Electra, which earned Zoë a Tony Award nomination.

Rare screening of The Eagle Has Landed

This summer, Royal Holloway's Media Arts department organised an event to celebrate archive TV programmes. Those shown at the event included darkly comic The Eagle Has Landed (1973), which features one of Zoë's earliest appearances on screen. Photos from the screening were shared on Twitter; among them are a couple of rare images of Zoë playing hippy Alice.

The Entertainer press night

During a break from filming historical drama Britannia, Zoë attended the opening night performance, on 30 August, of The Entertainer. Her husband, Gawn Grainger, stars as music hall veteran Billy Rice in the show in London's West End. The couple are pictured enjoying the after-party, which was held at the National Café in the National Gallery, on the Daily Mail and Getty Images websites.

The revival of John Osborne's powerful play is the final production in the current Plays at the Garrick season, led by The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. Zoë is certainly no stranger to the company, having starred in All On Her Own/Harlequinade earlier in the season. The Entertainer theatre programme includes photos of Zoë and her husband in its celebration of the company's members.

Tickets are available for The Entertainer, which runs until 12 November at the Garrick Theatre. What's more, the 27 October performance will be broadcast live in cinemas around the world.

Letter to the Guardian: rainforest protection

Zoë is among the signatories of a letter published in the Guardian that raises awareness of the threat posed to areas of Amazonian rainforest by dam-building plans.

Joanna Lumley, Vanessa Redgrave, Mark Rylance, Greta Scacchi (who's starring alongside Zoë's husband in The Entertainer) and many other well-known individuals also gave their support to the letter.

perma-linktweet this