In my first ever job, at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, the company did a different play every fortnight. One of these was Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee” in which I played the rather sinister, ancient butler, Tredwell. This involved powdering my youthful hair white and painting a few wrinkles on my face with a doddery gait, taking care not to spoil the poisoned coffee which kills my employer. 60 years on I’m rather repeating myself, this time in a much superior, funnier play. I hope, with a shaven head and false whiskers, I’m a more convincingly old fellow. For tickets: https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorchard/
HAMLET https://theatreroyalWindsor.co.uk/hamlet
Hamlet 2021, Windsor
In “The Cherry Orchard,” Francesca Annis is Ranevskaya, I am Firs and tickets are at theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorcha… Last 2 weeks!
Tonight On BBC One at 22:30: It’s just Eddie Redmayne, Stephen Merchant, Motsi Mabuse, Jessie Buckley, Elton John, Charlie Puth and me on The Graham Norton Show.
Touring @visitwindsoruk with @outwith_millieanna
As Hamlet says, “The play’s the thing”. Back to work after all these idle months, I am so grateful for a chance to meet an audience again, albeit distanced from each other. Our set allows some of them either side of the actors onstage, close to the action. I’ll resist the temptation to give them a hug of relief and joy.
Looks like this Sunday’s @obsmagazine will be fun!
I chanced on a photo of the 17 year old Millie Anna outside the Theatre Royal, Martin Shaw and me in the background. It turned out Millie Anna @outwith_millieanna is an aspiring model with the @zebedeetalent agency and outspoken about Down Syndrome. I had a cousin with the same condition. Now she has shown me around Windsor, under the loving guidance of her father Jeffrey, who snapped us on our way.
The first few shows are exciting for everyone. We are now releasing excellent seats for our first week beginning 21 June, as restrictions ease. https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/hamlet
Shakespeare, me and you. HAMLET begins 21 June. https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/hamlet Photo by Daniel Teafoe
Be part of the performance with on-stage seats at a special low price. It’s as close as you can get to Elsinore. Tickets at
https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/hamlet
HAMLET stars
BEN ALLEN
FRANCESCA ANNIS
STEVEN BERKOFF
EMMANUELLA COLE
LLINOS DANIEL
ALIS WYN DAVIES
ASHLEY D GAYLE
ALISON HALSTEAD
NICK HOWARD-BROWN
JONATHAN HYDE
ASIF KHAN
LEE KNIGHT
MISSY MALEK
IAN MCKELLEN
JENNY SEAGROVE
I spun it to the largest prize on @thismorning #spintowin and announced the final performances of HAMLET at @theatrewindsor
Nothing like a hot chocolate on an autumn walk – unless it’s a cup of coffee. Touring Windsor with @outwith_millieanna Windsor, Berkshire
Touring @visitwindsoruk with @outwith_millieanna
Photo by @fredericaranda
Hamlet is over and The Cherry Orchard is in previews, with First Night this Wednesday. There are only 40 performances of Chekhov’s comic masterpiece before we finish on 13 November. https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorchard/
In “The Cherry Orchard,” Francesca Annis is Ranevskaya, I am Firs and tickets are at theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorcha… Last 2 weeks!
I’ve asked Millie Anna to introduce herself and her home town:
“I’m Millie Anna, born on 31st August 2004 in Windsor, Berkshire. I’m 17 and comfortable with an extra chromosome. One of my goals is to inspire other people with Down Syndrome to follow their dreams, you can do anything you want – sometimes you just need a little extra help to achieve it. I started my Instagram page @outwith_millieanna to have fun and show I live a normal life, going out, enjoying the theatre, dinners, holidays just like other 17 year olds. One day I’ll be an actor and everyone will see Down Syndrome is really no big deal! I love living in Windsor, it’s like a fairytale town with the Queen and her Castle. It’s a fun place to be all year round with lots to do. When people ask me where I live, it doesn’t matter where in the world they’re from they know Windsor because if they haven’t visited, they’ve read about it or seen it on TV.”
For UK only. Not yet on iPlayer, but going out this evening at 19:00 on BBC Radio 4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000x1gq
HAMLET. Beginning later this month. Tickets at https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/hamlet
Please visit the box office here: theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorcha… Photo by Jack Merriman
Tickets at https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/thecherryorchard/
