'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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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.

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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.

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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.

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