News round-up: Zoë watches The Jungle; Girlfriends DVD and Love Hurts in the US; new portrait – and much more!

29 June 2018 04:19

World Refugee Day performance of The Jungle

Here’s Zoë and her husband arriving at London’s Playhouse Theatre for the World Refugee Day performance of The Jungle on 20 June. They’re also pictured in Whatsonstage.com’s coverage of the event, as is Pearl Mackie, Zoe’s co-star from another recent theatrical hit, The Birthday Party.

As The Jungle’s website explains, the audience is ‘transported into the world of the Calais refugee and migrant camp, where a community forged from necessity shares unimaginable stories of hope against all odds’.

The Older Woman on Radio 4 Extra

The first series of The Older Woman (1993) is being repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra (keep an eye on the schedule, as dates and times vary). It stars Zoë alongside Martin Clunes and Toyah Willcox (whose website includes several great clippings about the show’s original broadcast).

This comedy-drama has an element of romance – with a distinctive twist. Zoë plays Miss Callaghan, who was once local journalist Roy Hitchcock’s teacher and is now the object of his affections...

Muse of Fire comes to Vimeo

You can now watch Dan Poole and Giles Terera’s stunning Shakespeare documentary Muse of Fire (2013), which features insightful interviews with Zoë and numerous other well-known actors, via Vimeo On Demand.

Two new DVDs for the US and Canada

There’s brilliant news for fans of Zoë (and British TV generally) in the US and Canada. The emotive, entertaining Girlfriends, in which Zoe stars as one of a trio of friends rocked by tragedy, is now available on Region 1 DVD, having aired on both sides of the Atlantic earlier this year. (The drama series got a UK/rest of Europe DVD release in February.)

You can also enjoy Keeping the Castle, a 2013 documentary narrated by Zoë that was released on DVD in mid-June. Some stores suggest the DVD is Region Free and others that it’s Region 1, so please get in touch if you can confirm the format. ‘Viscount Crichton, son of the sixth Earl of Erne and heir to the historic family home of Crom Castle in County Fermanagh […] faces the ever-increasing challenge of keeping a castle despite growing bills,’ explains the BBC in its summary of the programme.

Acorn TV set to stream Love Hurts

Look out for early 90s TV classic Love Hurts, starring Zoë and Adam Faith, on Acorn TV (the streaming service that showed Girlfriends in the US). Series one of the romantic drama will be available from 30 July.

To the best of my knowledge, Love Hurts hasn’t been repeated in the US for over ten years. Acorn TV subscribers, you have a real treat in store!

Portrait by Terence McKenna

The portrait of Zoë by Terence McKenna that recently appeared in a London exhibition can now be viewed online, thanks to the artist.

I’d say it really captures Zoe’s elfin qualities. What do you think?

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Zoë’s thanks for ‘wonderful birthday wishes’

16 May 2018 01:37

Zoë’s PA, Vanessa, has passed on Zoë’s thanks via Twitter for the many lovely birthday messages she's received from fans.

Here’s a selection of those that caught my eye. They’re a clear indication of the positive impact Zoë’s work – and Zoë herself – has on people all over the world.

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A very happy birthday, Zoë!

13 May 2018 02:35

I'm sure you'll want to join me in sending love and appreciation to Zoë today, 13 May. Wishing her a wonderful birthday and many happy returns!

Here she is performing 'Happy Birthday', a song from the 2015 New York production of life-affirming musical Zorba!

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Why working with Zoë is ‘such a joy’ for Annabel Scholey

29 April 2018 19:50

In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, up-and-coming actress Annabel Scholey discusses the ‘joy’ of working with Zoë on stage and TV.

‘Zoe and I became friends pretty instantly [during the 2013 West End production of Passion Play] and as a young actress I was really flattered that not only did she ask my opinion, but that she seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. She was such a mentor and a great support.’

More recently, Zoë and Scholey played two of the most formidable characters in Sky Atlantic’s epic historical drama Britannia: Queen Antedia and Amena, respectively. It’s an experience Scholey is particularly keen to repeat in the show’s second series, due to air in 2019. ‘I’d walk over coals to work together again in Britannia and that was such a joy, because if nothing else I know that she will make me laugh.’

Scholey’s enthusiastic comments here echo the interview she gave last month to The Mail on Sunday, in which she praised Zoë as one of her ‘amazing friends’ in the acting industry.

Let’s hope they have many more opportunities to work so happily together.

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Learn to fly with Zoë’s Madam Hooch in new Hogwarts Mystery app

26 April 2018 23:03

Now that the Hogwarts Mystery role-play app is available from Google Play and iTunes, Harry Potter fans around the world have the chance to enrol at the famous school for witches and wizards, where they’ll meet Zoë’s Madam Hooch herself.

If you’re as sharp-eyed as she is, you’ll first spot the formidable games mistress in the spectacular Great Hall, shortly before being ‘sorted’ into your Hogwarts house. After a spot of wand-waving, brewing potions and (of course!) a near-death experience, the time has come to attend the first years’ first flying lesson.

Hogwarts Mystery’s designers have created an engaging, impressive virtual world. I think that Madam Hooch looks almost as tough, eagle-like and spiky-haired here as Zoë does when portraying the character in the first Harry Potter film (the bird-of-prey eyes are a particularly good match). ‘Virtual’ Hooch is similarly adept at flying a broomstick, too.

Much of the dialogue in the app appears as text on screen rather than being spoken aloud (‘Do not lean too far to one side or you will surely fall to your death’ is one piece of advice from the flying instructor that Hogwarts students won’t forget in a hurry!), but you’ll hear Zoë’s distinctive voice from time to time. And look out for the invitation to discuss Hooch’s hair – well, it is rather magnificent!

My knowledge of the Harry Potter novels and films is far from encyclopaedic, but I had no trouble immersing myself in Hogwarts Mystery. So, whether you’re a self-proclaimed Potterhead or life at Hogwarts really is a mystery to you, I’d say give this new app a try and see if you can impress Madam Hooch with your flying skills.

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