Trailer for new Love Hurts DVD: Tessa and Frank's first meeting

6 October 2016 17:52

Can you remember how spirited Tessa Piggott, Zoë's character in the BBC's hugely successful drama Love Hurts (1992-4), first met plumber-turned-entrepreneur Frank Carver (played by Adam Faith)?

You can relive that all-important (and amusing) encounter by watching this trailer, which has been created by Network to celebrate its release of Love Hurts: The Complete Series DVD. As the trailer shows, it certainly wasn't a case of love at first sight for the couple!

The nine-disc Region 2 DVD features every episode from all three series of the drama. Having compared it to the original DVDs (released around ten years ago), I must say it looks better – and takes up less shelf space! The inclusion of production photos is a nice touch.

Watching the new DVD has reminded me of the brilliant chemistry between the TV programme's two main characters, the wit of the dialogue and the consistently high quality of the acting.

No wonder Love Hurts made Zoë a household name and is fondly remembered more than twenty years after it was first shown.

perma-linktweet this

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

Zoë's portraits unveiled at The Shakespeareans exhibition

14 August 2016 17:49

On 12 August, The Shakespeareans: Portraits in Paint and Words exhibition opened with a private view at prestigious venue The Club at The Ivy, London. The event marked the official unveiling of the visual and textual portraits of Zoë created for the exhibition, which showcases performers well known for Shakespearean roles.

One of the guests at the private view, the writer Andrea Burton, has shared a photo on Twitter of the striking portrait of Zoë painted by Janet Lance Hughes. The painting is complemented by a written portrait of Zoë by writer and art historian Dr Laura-Jane Foley.

The Shakespeareans runs until 19 August at The Club at the Ivy.

perma-linktweet this

Zoë's husband, Gawn Grainger, joins the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company for The Entertainer

11 August 2016 16:45

Last autumn, Zoë starred in the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's double bill of Terence Rattigan plays, All On Her Own and Harlequinade, which marked the beginning of the Plays at the Garrick season in London's West End. Now Zoë's husband, Gawn Grainger, has joined the company for its final production of the season, John Osborne's The Entertainer.

Gawn is preparing to play Billy Rice, a retired music hall star, in the drama and has written a series of poetic tweets about his progress, including 'Billy smiled at me, bowed, then tap danced away.' You can see rehearsal photos of Zoë's husband and his co-stars (who include Kenneth Branagh, Greta Scacchi, Sophie McShera and others) on the theatre company's Facebook page.

In an interview with The Stage, Gawn emphasises that he 'couldn't resist' the opportunity to play Billy. He also names Zoë's late father, Sam Wanamaker, as one of his greatest influences.

The show begins previews on 20 August and runs until 12 November. Tickets are available from the theatre company's website. If you were fortunate enough to see All On Her Own and Harlequinade, you'll know that they were both brilliantly acted shows with high production values. The Entertainer will surely be a theatrical gem too.

perma-linktweet this

Zoë to star in Britannia, a major historical drama coming to Sky 1 and Amazon Prime Video in 2017

3 August 2016 18:36

Zoë's next project has now been revealed – and it's big!

She'll star in Britannia, a major historical drama series co-produced by Sky and Amazon US. The ten-part series, led by highly respected writer Jez Butterworth, focuses on the Roman Imperial Army's invasion of Celtic Britain in 43AD. The Romans aim 'to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia – a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld,' explains the series' official press release.

Zoë's character, Antedia, is a key figure in the Celtic resistance movement. Britannia will also feature David Morrissey, Kelly Reilly and Stanley Weber. Filming for this exciting series is taking place on location in Prague and Wales. Britannia is due to be shown on Sky 1 (in the UK and Ireland) and Amazon Prime Video (in the US) next year.

The news has made waves in the press on both sides of the Atlantic, with articles appearing today in major publications such as The Hollywood Reporter, Playbill, Radio Times and Variety.

perma-linktweet this