Zoë tells the Telegraph why acting is about taking risks: 'If it's frightening, if it scares you, it's tempting'

7 March 2015 19:20

In a fascinating interview published today by the Telegraph, Zoë reveals what draws her to take risks and embrace the unexpected in her career. 'If it's frightening, if it scares you, it's tempting,' she emphasises. 'I have always chosen things that have not been...a given.'

This is absolutely true of her current project, reprising the role of mid-twentieth-century poet Stevie Smith at London's Hampstead Theatre (previews began yesterday), following a successful run at Chichester Festival 2014. As the Telegraph remarks, Zoe's performance in Stevie - a play set entirely in the poet's Palmers Green front room - has been 'praised for transforming what could have been a reticent evening into something ferocious and dangerous'. It is fierce, not cosy.

Zoë clearly admires Stevie Smith greatly and wants to do justice to her legacy in the play. 'I feel she wants to be remembered. She was such a strong personality, tenacious, full of literature.' As the Telegraph points out, Zoe is continually researching Stevie Smith's life and work, continually learning new things about it.

Incidentally, Hampstead Theatre has a series of helpful resources about Stevie, which are likely to be of interest to any fans going to watch the play. It is being staged until 18 April. Tickets are currently available - and selling quickly!

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Stevie begins tonight! Zoë returns to Hampstead Theatre after 21 years

6 March 2015 14:36

This evening Zoë makes her highly anticipated return to Hampstead Theatre, playing the title role in Stevie, twenty-one years after she first performed there, starring in black comedy Dead Funny (which was highlighted by the theatre on Twitter yesterday).

Stevie enjoyed great acclaim when staged as part of Chichester Festival 2014, with the Guardian remarking that 'Zoë Wanamaker is so perfectly cast in Hugh Whitemore's play about the life and work of the poet Stevie Smith that you don't feel so much that she's acting as simply channelling the mid-20th century poet and novelist.'

Anyone who watched Stevie at Chichester will know what a wonderful, warm-hearted play it is. Let's wish Zoë and everyone else involved with the show great success in its new home at Hampstead.

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Zoë tells the Guardian why playing Stevie Smith is 'such a joy'

2 March 2015 18:50

In an insightful interview published today by the Guardian, Zoë reflects on playing Palmers Green poet Stevie Smith, who she describes as 'a true original'. Zoe adds, modestly: 'She was much more articulate than I am, much more witty, but she has a self-deprecation that I can relate to. I feel she speaks for me a lot of the time. She wants to be heard, and we all want to be heard.'

With this in mind, Zoë aims to ensure that Stevie Smith's beautiful, highly individual poetry is 'heard, really heard' and appreciated by theatregoers at Hugh Whitemore's play, Stevie. Following its acclaimed run as part of Chichester Festival 2014, the production transfers on Friday to London's Hampstead Theatre.

Zoe is clearly very happy to be reprising the role of the quirky poet: Stevie is 'such a joy', she concludes.

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Photos of Zoë in rehearsal for Stevie

25 February 2015 23:58

With just over a week to go now before Stevie begins its run, Hampstead Theatre has released a series of great rehearsal photos for the production, in which Zoe stars as quirky poet Stevie Smith.

Tickets are available for Stevie, which is returning to the stage following its acclaimed run during last year's Chichester Festival. It will be performed at Hampstead Theatre from 6 March to 18 April.

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Photos: Zoë on This Morning and at The Nether press night

25 February 2015 15:32

Zoë is pictured with presenter Ruth Langsford on TV show This Morning's Facebook page. The photo was taken on Monday, when Zoe was invited to appear on the programme and discuss her role in Mr Selfridge and more. Her interview is now available to watch online.

On Monday evening Zoe and her husband, Gawn Grainger, attended the press night for thriller The Nether at London's Duke of York's Theatre (the West End venue for Passion Play, the black comedy in which Zoe starred a couple of years ago). The couple were photographed arriving for the event.

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