Zoë to play pioneering director Joan Littlewood in BBC One's Babs, Barbara Windsor's life story

4 November 2016 15:59

Zoë's latest TV project has been announced today by the BBC. She'll portray the radical theatre director Joan Littlewood in Babs, a special 90-minute drama about the life of national treasure Barbara Windsor, known to many as the star of EastEnders and Carry On films.

Scripted by EastEnders' former lead writer, Tony Jordan, Babs is set in the 1990s. The show finds Windsor reflecting on her life and work as she prepares to make one of her many stage appearances. According to the BBC Media Centre, the insightful biopic 'takes us on a journey of all the people and events that have shaped her career: her lonely childhood and complicated relationship with her father, her doomed marriage to Ronnie Knight, capturing the attention of Joan Littlewood and becoming the blonde bombshell in the Carry On films.'

As a young actress, Windsor joined Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, a London group that trained many performers during the 1950s and 60s at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. Littlewood was a talented but challenging figure in the theatre industry, known for breaking rules and subverting expectations, with the result that she and the future star didn't always see eye to eye. However, Windsor made a big impression on her and has called her 'a great, great, great director'.

Jaime Winstone and Samantha Spiro will play Windsor at different stages of her life. Other cast members include Leanne Best and Nick Moran as the actress' parents. Today's casting news has been reported by the Radio Times, Digital Spy, AOL and other news sources.

Filming for Babs is currently taking place in South London, which means that Zoë is working on the show alongside the previously announced historical drama Britannia.

Babs is being produced by BBC Studios in association with Red Planet Pictures and will be shown next year on BBC One, in anticipation of Windsor's 80th birthday.

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Watch All My Sons free, in honour of Howard Davies, thanks to Digital Theatre

28 October 2016 18:09

Digital Theatre has today announced that its recording of All My Sons will be free, for a limited period, in honour of the hugely successful production's late director, Howard Davies.

Arthur Miller's classic play was recorded in 2010 at London's Apollo Theatre, where the show enjoyed a sold-out run, five-star reviews and awards. Zoë stars as careworn Kate Keller, alongside David Suchet as Kate's ostensibly respectable husband, Joe. The troubled Kellers' secrets threaten to tear them apart when the former fiancée of the son they lost during World War II returns to her hometown.

To enjoy the unforgettable All My Sons free, visit Digital Theatre's website, select the rental, standard or high-definition version and enter the code HDALLMYSONS during the checkout process. The offer will be available until 11:59pm GMT this Monday, 31 October.

Watching Zoë and her fellow cast members' heart-wrenching performances in Miller's masterpiece this weekend is surely an excellent way in which to celebrate the work of Howard Davies, 'one of the greatest ever theatre directors', in the words of Digital Theatre.

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Looking back at Zoë's appearances in the late director Howard Davies' award-winning shows

26 October 2016 21:51

Howard Davies, the acclaimed director with whom Zoë worked extensively at the RSC, National Theatre and elsewhere, has sadly died at the age of 71.

From the 1970s onwards, Zoë collaborated with Davies on a number of unforgettable, highly successful productions.

Below are some highlights.

Piaf (1978-81)

This was the first time that Pam Gems' powerful dramatisation of legendary French songstress Edith Piaf's troubled life had been staged. With Davies directing, Piaf played to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and gave Zoë her US theatrical debut.

Zoë appeared in the production as Toine, feisty best friend to Jane Lapotaire's Piaf. The Times remarked that they made 'a splendidly pugnacious double act'.

The Crucible (1990)

Davies directed Zoë (who played Elizabeth Proctor) in what The Stage called a 'splendid' revival of Arthur Miller's famous allegory of McCarthyism. The production was presented in honour of the 75th birthday of its playwright.

The Independent noted that as The Crucible's community was slowly torn apart by fear and suspicion during the Salem witch trials, Zoë excelled at demonstrating 'the desiccated, disconsolate dignity of Elizabeth'.

All My Sons (2010)

When Zoë performed another masterpiece by Arthur Miller, Davies was again the director. Zoë appeared on stage with David Suchet as the troubled Kellers, whose beloved eldest son is thought to have been killed during the Second World War.

For the Telegraph, Davies' revival of All My Sons was 'a stunning production of a modern classic'. The show's run was extended, and it was showered with awards. Davies won the 2010 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Director (for All My Sons and another acclaimed production, The White Guard). Zoë was named Best Actress in a Play at the Whatsonstage.com Awards, while Suchet received the Best Actor award.

The production was filmed and is available to watch online via Digital Theatre.

The Cherry Orchard (2011)

Davies' production of Chekhov's tragic play saw Zoë portray Russian aristocrat Ranyevskaya, who can't – or won't – acknowledge the danger in which she finds herself.

Both Zoë and the director took part in a short video about acting in The Cherry Orchard, as well as the advantages and challenges of Chekhov's work. Davies noted that 'you have to be forensic in the way that you approach plays and characters'.

The production was broadcast live in cinemas around the world as part of the 2011 National Theatre Live season.

For images from The Cherry Orchard and some of Davies' other National Theatre productions, see the NT's photographic tribute.

Death of a Salesman (2015)

When Zoë worked again with Davies and Suchet on another Miller classic, Death of a Salesman, the Radio Times called the trio 'the ''dream team''' in light of their previous success.

Davies directed the compelling play for BBC Radio 3, marking Miller's centenary. Zoë portrayed Linda Loman, loyal wife to disenchanted Willy (played by Suchet).

Discussing the production in the Radio Times, Zoë remarked that 'It's such a joy to be working again with David and Howard, both of whom I'm extremely in tune with.'

Fantastic Portrait in Celebration of Friendship

In the early 1990s, Zoë was photographed with Davies as part of a series of portraits by talented photographer Jillian Edelstein. The aim was to celebrate friendship.

The stunning black-and-white photo appeared in a magazine feature, alongside Zoë's comments about working with the director.

'He enjoys subtlety and seems to see the same tiny details that give me a tightrope of thought,' she emphasised.

Thanks to Karoline for the link to the National Theatre’s photos.

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'I was never ever late for class': Zoë's drama school memories featured in special book, Royal Central

25 October 2016 19:46

If you've ever wondered what drama school was like for Zoë as an aspiring actress, now's your chance to find out!

Her memories of being a student at London's Central School of Speech & Drama feature in Royal Central: A Collection of Memories, a new book celebrating the renowned institution's 110th anniversary.

'I was never ever late for class,' Zoë emphasises in the book. 'Three years at drama school gave me a grounding but then the real work began – the learning curve of actually working.'

Her comments suggest that Zoë was a dedicated student. Having completed her studies in 1970, she made her professional debut in the Manchester's 69 Theatre Company's staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream – and has since gone from strength to strength.

Many other well-known figures who studied at Central – including Judi Dench, Philip Glenister and Michael Grandage – have also contributed to the book. It was compiled by another former Central student, Ian Closier-Hawkins, and launched on 18 October.

Royal Central is described by the drama school as 'an intimate and fascinating collection of memories'.

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Ball-Trap on the Côte Sauvage available from the BBC for first time

6 October 2016 21:46

Andrew Davies' Ball-Trap on the Côte Sauvage (1989), in which Zoë plays a holidaymaker trying to put her family's troubles behind her, is now available to download from the BBC Store. The quirky tale of Brits abroad has been released to celebrate its acclaimed writer's 80th birthday, alongside many of Davies' other original programmes.

This is the first time that Ball-Trap, which also stars Michael Kitchen, Miranda Richardson and Jack Shepherd, has been available to buy in any format. Last shown on TV in 2003, it's full of humour and tension.

For a taster, check out the Andrew Davies: Originals trailer below.

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