Zoë returns to West End theatre in Constellations this summer

10 April 2021 04:02

Good news has been in short supply for all of us since early 2020, but now the stars are aligned, so to speak, for Zoë Wanamaker fans.

The Donmar Warehouse has announced that Zoë will star in its West End revival of the smash-hit play Constellations by Nick Payne (who also wrote Elegy, which Zoe performed at the Donmar in 2016). She'll be joined in this highly original two-hander, which looks at human relationships through a cosmological lens, by none other than Peter Capaldi of Doctor Who fame.

They'll play cosmologist Marianne and beekeeper Roland, whose relationship is at the heart of Constellations. In an exciting twist, three other pairs of brilliant actors (Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah; Omari Douglas and Russell Tovey; Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O'Dowd) will also bring the play to life in separate performances. They all introduce themselves in a fun little video shared by the Donmar.

As the theatre remarks, Constellations takes audiences on a 'journey through the multiverse and the infinite possibilities of a relationship'. This revival, like the original production, is directed by Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst.

Here's how the Donmar summarises the play:

'One drink. And if you never want to see me again you never have to see me again.'

A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet at a barbeque. They hit it off, or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. In the multiverse, with every possible future ahead of them, a love of honey could make all the difference.

Zoë and Peter Capaldi's performances are set to take place from 23 June to 24 July (see the performamce schedule PDF for details). As the Donmar is undergoing renovation, Constellations will be staged at another London venue, the Vaudeville Theatre, part of the Nimax Theatres group. Priority booking for Donmar members opens on 13/14 April; public booking opens on 16 April. Tickets will be available to book via Nimax Theatres.

While the news about Constellations is uplifting, I'm aware that travel restrictions (both national and international) and many other factors may make it difficult for some fans to watch the show. Even though I live in the UK, I can't be certain I'll be able to see it. I'm not aware of any plans for it to be filmed. We'll just have to see how things go and hope for the best.

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Shakespeare's Globe pays tribute to Prince Philip: 'His friendship with our founder Sam Wanamaker was integral'

10 April 2021 02:36

Shakespeare's Globe has published a fascinating, moving tribute to its Royal Patron Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who very sadly died yesterday aged 99.

Prince Philip was enthusiastically involved with The Globe project for more than 40 years. 'His friendship with our founder Sam Wanamaker was integral to building the Globe Theatre, and later, opening the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse,' the article emphasises.

Prince Philip played a significant role in relation to both theatres, which included attending high-profile events in the company of Zoë and her father. He presided over The Globe's ground-breaking ceremony in 1987 and, alongside the Queen, its majestic opening ceremony ten years later, during which Zoë became the first person to perform on the stage.

12 months before The Globe opened, Prince Philip unveiled a bust of Sam Wanamaker, who'd very sadly passed away a few years earlier. This special event is captured in the news footage below, which also features Prince Philip confidently addressing the audience, as well as Zoë describing how emotional the day was and the brilliance of the theatre.

In addition, Prince Philip took part in the opening ceremony for the indoor, Jacobean-style Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2013, again alongside Zoë in her role as The Globe's Honorary President.

For more insights and photos of Prince Philip with Sam Wanamaker and his daughter, see the full tribute on Shakespeare's Globe's blog.

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Netflix releases full Shadow and Bone trailer - it's epic!

10 April 2021 01:43

If you thought the teaser trailer was exciting, wait until you see the full trailer for Grishaverse fantasy series Shadow and Bone, which was recently unveiled by Netflix.

Zoë's character, the mysterious Baghra, was introduced to audiences last month. The new trailer offers us another glimpse of Baghra's strict methods as she teaches young Alina how to harness her newfound sun-summoning power.

'Good girl,' says Baghra when Alina puts on an impressive display of her magical abilities, adding ominously, 'Now the work begins.'

If, like me, you can't wait to watch the full series, you'll be pleased to hear that all eight episodes of Shadow and Bone will be available to stream on Netflix from 23 April. Look out for Zoë in episode three, 'The Making at the Heart of the World'.

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Agatha and Poirot: new documentary featuring Zoë coming to ITV this Easter

30 March 2021 14:56

Having played Ariadne Oliver, the delightfully eccentric crime writer and amateur sleuth, to perfection in several episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot (opposite the equally brilliant David Suchet), Zoë has undoubtedly gained some valuable insights into literary icon Christie and her much-loved creations.

Now, thanks to a feature-length ITV documentary, Agatha & Poirot: Partners in Crime, she can share her thoughts with us. As ITV remarks, 'Agatha & Poirot features an all-star cast of Christie enthusiasts and experts, including actors Zoe Wanamaker, Hugh Fraser, Amanda Abbington, Lesley Joseph, Danny John Jules and Caroline Quentin.'

What aspects of the Poirot novels and TV adaptations do you hope the documentary will cover? I'd love to hear about the enduring friendship between Ariadne and Poirot, as well as the similarities between the fictional crime writer and her creator, the Queen of Crime.

Agatha & Poirot: Partners in Crime will be one of the TV highlights over the Easter long weekend. You can catch it on 5 April at 9 pm on ITV. If you'd like to refresh your memory of Zoe's appearances in TV's Poirot before then, you can stream episodes on BritBox and Amazon Prime Video.

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First look: Zoë as Baghra in Netflix Shadow and Bone

20 March 2021 01:41

Netflix has released a short yet compelling clip from fantasy epic Shadow and Bone, featuring Zoë as Baghra, as well as a photo from the series (you can click on it for a larger version). This is the first time we've seen her in the role, and doesn't she look brilliant!

In the video, the mysterious Baghra is teaching heroine Alina Starkov (played by Jessie Mei Li) how to harness her incredible powers. 'Bring the light,' Baghra growls before striking Alina's knuckles. Ouch!

'Baghra does not mess around,' remarked Leigh Bardugo, the author of the Grishaverse novels that inspired the series, in response to the clip.

Shadow and Bone fans have greeted this introduction to Baghra with great enthusiasm. Here are a few tweets that caught my eye:

'Zoë Wanamaker as Baghra is iconic' - @alliejademann

'zoë wanamaker as baghra is the best casting in the show hands down' - @zoyasrin

'Zoe Wanamaker as Baghra, living legend plays fantasy legend' - @hannsabel

There's just over a month to wait now until we can watch all eight episodes of Shadow and Bone, with Zoë set to appear in the third, 'The Making at the Heart of the World'. You can stream the show on Netflix from 23 April.

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