‘Wonderful’ Zoë becomes honorary patron of Bridport Arts Centre, plus other news

30 March 2019 20:39

Zoë is now an honorary patron of Bridport Arts Centre in Dorset, where she recently opened the latest exhibition by Philip Sutton RA (as pictured below). The artist is also an honorary patron of the arts centre.

‘It was delightful to see Philip’s paintings in one room,’ Zoë remarks in Bridport’s announcement about her appointment. ‘His energy comes blazing through and it was great to visit Bridport Arts Centre. It is to be encouraged and celebrated.’

Bridport’s director, Curtis Fulcher, praises Zoe as ‘a pedigree actress and a wonderful person’. He highlights the ‘heartfelt speech’ she made when opening the exhibition, during which she spoke about her father Sam Wanamaker’s friendship with Sutton.

Philip Sutton: My Shakespeare will be on display at Bridport until 4 May.

Supporting those affected by Cyclone Idai

In the wake of Cyclone Idai, Zoë is urging everyone to donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s fundraising campaign.

The DEC, which consists of a group of UK aid charities, points out that 2.5 million people are in urgent need of help across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

A similar campaign Zoe is also backing is being led by disaster relief charity Shelterbox.

The Globe celebrates World Theatre Day

The team at Shakespeare’s Globe shared a stunning photo of the theatre in all its glory to celebrate World Theatre Day on 27 March.

Insights into the Jewish Voices event

For a detailed account of Jewish Book Week’s recent Jewish Voices event, in which Zoë took part, head over to the charity World Jewish Relief’s news pages.

Terence McKenna's portrait of Zoë

You can see the striking portrait of Zoë by Terence McKenna, which was exhibited in 2018 at London’s Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, in The Lady magazine, as well as find out how the artist likes to work.

I’ve just discovered a photo published last year in a regional newspaper of McKenna putting the finishing touches to the painting. In the accompanying interview, the artist remarks that he and his wife, Mandy, ‘have many friends in the [acting] business. I tell them I’m putting together an exhibition and what do they think? Actors are warm, generous people and they value the arts.’

Betrayal's opening night

Earlier this month, Zoë was pictured as a special guest at the opening night of Betrayal, the classic Harold Pinter play being staged at the West End theatre named after the playwright. When I saw the photo, it struck me that she was on stage in another great Pinter play, The Birthday Party, at the same theatre exactly a year ago. Time flies!

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Biography and lecture to celebrate Sam Wanamaker’s centenary in June

20 March 2019 02:21

This June will mark 100 years since the birth of Zoë’s father, Sam Wanamaker, the actor, director and founder of Shakespeare’s Globe. To celebrate the centenary, the first full-length, illustrated biography, Sam Wanamaker: A Global Performer, will be published by Oberon Books.

The biographer is Dr Diana Devlin, a friend of Sam Wanamaker who worked alongside him for many years on the project to rebuild The Globe on London's vibrant South Bank. So we can be sure that the book will offer many valuable insights into its subject’s life and career.

A synopsis makes clear what readers can expect:

Actor. Director. Activist.

Sam Wanamaker is best known as the man who spent the last twenty five years of his life reconstructing Shakespeare's Globe near its original site just south of the Thames in London. Tragically, he died four years before its Gala Opening in 1997.

Born in the USA, he began his acting career in travelling shows before moving on to Broadway. A vocal left wing activist, Wanamaker moved to the UK, fearful of being blacklisted during the McCarthy witch hunts of the early 1950s. Having crossed the Atlantic, he carved a successful and varied career as both actor and director, but continued to be outspoken on a variety of topics, including racial discrimination in the theatre.

With his staunch sense of purpose, he made as many enemies as friends: charismatic and persuasive, he was also stubborn and domineering. But it was these very qualities that made his lasting legacy, Shakespeare's Globe, a reality, despite many battles.

The hardback edition is available to pre-order now from Foyles bookshop and elsewhere.

On 13 June, the eve of the centenary, Dr Devlin will explore Zoë’s dad’s achievements during the Sam Wanamaker Fellowship Lecture. The event will take place in the beautiful surroundings of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse from 7:45 pm. Tickets are on sale now.

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Zoë delights the audience at Jewish Book Week grand finale

11 March 2019 22:31

Jewish Book Week 2019’s sold-out grand finale, Jewish Voices, took place at Kings Place in London on 10 March. Zoë played a key role in the event, which was billed as ‘a celebration of the power of words’ and encompassed everything from songs to speeches.

She had the audience in fits of giggles when giving the first reading of the night – Groucho Marx’s famous, witty letter to Warner Bros. about ownership of the name Casablanca – before dissolving into laughter herself! Zoe returned to the stage for an extract from Alan Bennett’s hugely successful play set in a northern grammar school, The History Boys, alongside fellow actors Henry Goodman and Janet Suzman, director Nicholas Hytner, newsreader Emily Maitlis and other well-known figures.

Such was the demand for tickets to Jewish Voices, a collaboration between the long-running festival and charity World Jewish Relief, that the event was relayed live to a second area of Kings Place to enable more literature fans to enjoy it.

Over the course of a couple of hours, Jewish Voices explored what it means to be a Jewish writer and member of the Jewish community, providing entertainment, insight and serious thought.

Everyone present is sure to have left feeling inspired.

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Zoë opens Philip Sutton RA’s My Shakespeare exhibition, plus a round-up of other news

8 March 2019 21:43

On 1 March, Zoë opened the new exhibition, My Shakespeare, by acclaimed artist and Royal Academician Philip Sutton at Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset. You can see photos from the event in the local press.

In front of specially invited guests, she spoke about her father Sam Wanamaker’s friendship with Sutton, who designed a beautiful, characteristically colourful poster to celebrate the opening of Shakespeare’s Globe in 1997.

The poster was to be the first of many vibrant images inspired by Shakespeare and his plays. Sutton has described Shakespeare’s writings as ‘magical’, and the same could certainly be said for his own works of art.

‘Joy, energy and colour, I think that's the secret,’ Zoë remarked when discussing the power of the artist’s paintings in 1997.

If you’d like to discover Philip Sutton’s work for yourself, head to Bridport before 4 May and marvel at My Shakespeare.

In other news...

- Here’s a great photo of Zoë at Maple St. Creative, a recording studio in London, where she has recently been working.

- Zoë has shown her support for International Women’s Day, as well as disaster relief charity ShelterBox, on Twitter.

She has also recently used the platform to call for abortion law reform for women in Northern Ireland.

- If you’re researching Shakespeare, you’ll be pleased to hear that a major digital resource, the Shakespeare’s Globe Archive, has just been launched.

The archive aims to help you ‘track the journey of Sam Wanamaker’s dream to reconstruct the Globe’, as well as gain a clearer understanding of the theatre as a performance space.

Highlights include an oral history by none other than Zoë herself.

- On 9 March, Shakespeare’s Globe will host Burbage and Wanamaker: A Globe Celebration. The unique event will honour the achievements of Shakespearean actor Richard Burbage (who died 400 years ago) and Zoë’s father (who was born 100 years ago), as well as give participants the opportunity to experience preparing for a performance at the theatre.

- Britannia, in which Zoë plays the unforgettable Queen Antedia, will make its eagerly anticipated return to Sky Atlantic this autumn, according to the Radio Times. Specific broadcast dates for the ten epic new episodes have yet to be announced.

With thanks to Janet for her help.

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Zoë’s TREE AID charity appeal raises an incredible £15,000

12 February 2019 21:52

Congratulations to everyone who’s donated to the BBC Radio 4 fundraising appeal for TREE AID, which Zoë presented last month. Together you’ve raised an incredible £15,000 so far to support the charity’s work helping disadvantaged communities in Africa’s drylands.

Here’s Zoë’s personal message of thanks to you all. It’s obvious how passionate she is about being a patron of TREE AID.

Anyone who’d like to contribute to the charity and further boost the appeal’s total can donate through TREE AID’s website at any time.

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