Zoë discusses 'the power' of Death of a Salesman in the Radio Times

7 October 2015 21:39

BBC Radio 3's forthcoming production of Arthur Miller's famous drama, Death of a Salesman, starring Zoë as Linda Loman, is featured in the latest issue of the Radio Times (dated 10-16 October).

As the detailed article points out, Death of a Salesman reunites Zoe with David Suchet and director Howard Davies, 'the ''dream team'', whose West End staging of Miller's All My Sons in 2010 was showered in awards and hailed as a landmark in British theatre.'

It's clear that the trio love working together; Zoë describes herself as 'extremely in tune with' both her co-star and director. The play, too, has tremendous appeal: 'the drama is so brilliantly constructed, you don’t realise the power of it until you perform it,' she emphasises.

You can enjoy the power of Death of a Salesman, Miller's masterpiece, when it's broadcast this Sunday, 11 October, on Radio 3 at 9pm.

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Lovely photo of Zoë preparing for All On Her Own and Harlequinade, plus praise from Kenneth Branagh

5 October 2015 17:43

I'm delighted to have permission to share with you a lovely photo of Zoë preparing for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's productions of Rattigan's All On Her Own and Harlequinade. The picture, which shows Zoe looking into a brightly lit dressing room mirror, was taken by the very talented photographer Johan Persson.

Please click on the photo to see a larger version.

Kenneth Branagh, who will appear with Zoë in Harlequinade and is co-directing with Rob Ashford, discussed his theatre company's plans on BBC One's The Graham Norton Show, broadcast last week.

Branagh provided an intriguing description of monologue All On Her Own: it's an 'amazing, half-hour, one-woman show, which is about a dangerous woman alone at night with a bottle of whisky and a bag of secrets'. Zoe is 'fantastic' in the show, he emphasised.

His comments were very well received by members of the audience, with Graham Norton quipping that 'They're going to book that!'

Branagh also talked about Harlequinade, an 'out-and-out comedy' that affectionately pokes fun at the acting profession.

'It's nice to see Zoë Wanamaker be very funny in one and very dramatic in the other,' he concluded.

Tickets for the double bill are available. Performances will run from 24 October to 13 January at the Garrick Theatre in London's West End.

Thanks to Bonnie for her help

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Broadcast time confirmed for Death of a Salesman on BBC Radio 3

4 October 2015 19:22

The time at which Death of a Salesman, starring Zoë as Linda Loman, will air on BBC Radio 3 has now been confirmed: 9pm on 11 October.

This radio production of Arthur Miller's classic play also stars Zoë's Agatha Christie's Poirot co-star, David Suchet. It's directed by Howard Davies and runs for two hours and fifteen minutes.

Don't forget that in anticipation of Death of a Salesman's broadcast, Zoe will be interviewed alongside David Suchet on Radio 3's Free Thinking, which is due to air on 7 October at 10pm.

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News round-up: insights into Harlequinade, Death of a Salesman comes to radio, Zoë's gift to new Sylvia cast and more!

1 October 2015 18:31

Zoë attended the opening night of Mr Foote's Other Leg at Hampstead Theatre, London, early last week. Ian Kelly's play stars Zoë's Much Ado About Nothing (2007) and Battle Royal (1999) co-star, Simon Russell Beale. It takes a humorous look at the life of satirist Samuel Foote, who's described by the theatre as 'the Oscar Wilde of the 18th century'. Zoe was photographed enjoying the event, alongside fellow guests Jeremy Irons and Lesley Manville, for Hampstead Theatre, Whatsonstage.com and Wooller.com.

Zoë will soon return to the stage herself, in the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's productions of All On Her Own and Harlequinade, set to run at London's Garrick Theatre from 24 October – 13 January. The Financial Times' fascinating interview with Zoe's co-star and director, Kenneth Branagh, provides insights into the plays. As Branagh suggests, they both explore the nature of passion.

Passion for Shakespeare inspired Muse of Fire (2013), the ground-breaking documentary that includes interviews with Zoë and many other well-known actors. The 83-minute, feature-length version will be released on DVD on 6 October, as a Region 0, two-disc set.

BBC News reports that Radio 3's production of Arthur Miller's masterpiece, Death of a Salesman, which Zoë recorded earlier this year, will be broadcast on 11 October (time TBC). Part of a series of programmes celebrating the playwright's centenary, it reunites Zoë with David Suchet and director Howard Davies, who most recently worked together on another Miller classic, All My Sons (2010). The trio are pictured on the BBC's announcement about the forthcoming season of Radio 3 programmes. The Guardian has a small photo of Zoe and Suchet also taken at the Death of a Salesman recording.

In anticipation of Death of a Salesman, Zoe and David Suchet will join fellow actor Antony Sher on Radio 3's Free Thinking discussion programme, on 7 October at 10pm. They'll talk about their experiences of acting in Miller's plays.

Zoë's Cheltenham Literature Festival performance as poet Stevie Smith is also taking place soon – on 11 October, the same date as Death of a Salesman's broadcast, to be precise. Tickets are still available on the Festival's website.

The cast of Potters Bar Theatre Company's production of Sylvia, A.R. Gurney's comedy about a stray dog who threatens to derail a marriage, have had a lovely surprise from Zoë. As the theatre company tweeted this week, Zoe has gifted the original 'collar' necklace she wore during the 1996 West End production to the cast. It'll have pride of place in their show, due to be performed from 27-31 October at Hertfordshire's Tilbury Hall Theatre.

When Zoe was preparing to play Sylvia, she visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, as you can see in this lovely photo, which has recently been put online by Getty Images.

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Zoë pictured at the Royal Academy of Arts' Ai Weiwei exhibition

19 September 2015 17:27

Zoë was among the special guests at the Ai Weiwei exhibition gala preview, held at London's Royal Academy of Arts on Thursday. She was photographed there, looking very chic, for Getty Images.

The exhibition, which runs until 13 December, celebrates Ai Weiwei's tremendous influence on contemporary art and culture. His artworks are described by the RA as 'brave, provocative and visionary'.

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