Podcast appearances and mentions of Deborah Warner

Duke Special (Peter Wilson) is a singer, songwriter and composer based in Belfast, NorthernIreland. His romantic style, distinctive accent and vocals have earned him a loyal fanbaseand a string of successful albums, including Adventures in Gramophone & Songs From theDeep which went platinum.He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death and 78s.He has released 16 albums and EPs, toured all over the world, and has been involved in adiverse array of projects, including writing the music for Deborah Warner's criticallyacclaimed 2009 production of Mother Courage and Her Children at London's NationalTheatre and being commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to write aseries of original songs based on photographs for an exhibition.His live performances have a theatrical style inspired by Vaudeville and music hall, and oftenincorporate 78s played on an old-fashioned gramophone, or sound effects from a transistorradio. His new album 'Blood for Ghosts' is available now.Special thanks to Julie & John for arranging this interview.Website: https://www.dukespecial.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DukeSpecial/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the 4D Human Being podcast! This is the final episode in a short series on ‘leadership from the perspective of the theatre director'. In this episode Matt from 4D is excited to be talking with the brilliant Bruce Guthrie. Matt and Bruce discuss the process of directing a play and bringing a team together in service of a goal (and a deadline!), the flexibility needed to lead different teams producing very different work and how to encourage individuals to flourish and maximise their creative potential. Bruce is the head of HEAD OF THEATRE & FILM at the NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS in Mumbai, India and has worked extensively in the UK, USA and in Asia. Having initially trained as an actor Bruce has a wonderful perspective on being led by directors and what it takes to lead truly creative and collaborative teams. He trained at the National Theatre Studio and with Howard Davies, Sir Richard Eyre, Deborah Warner & Sam Mendes.

From My Left Foot to Harry Potter, Fleabag to Killing Eve, Fiona Shaw is an integral presence in the Irish and British screen drama of the last three decades; and in collaboration with the foremost directors of our time – from Deborah Warner to Nicholas Hytner – is universally renowned as one of the most outstanding and distinguished stage actors of her generation.  Whether in her ground-breaking performance as Shakespeare's Richard II or her unforgettable turn as Brecht's Mother Courage, as Euripides' Medea or Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, her work is experimental, provocative, and risk-taking, daring audiences to reassess what they thought they knew about theatre and the human condition. In this episode of the How To Academy Podcast, she explores her life and work with writer and broadcaster Matthew Stadlen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is Deborah Warner from Warner & Warner Law Firm. https://warnerandwarner.com/ For more information on the Better Man event, please visit: https://bettermanevent.com Please visit us at www.whatsupcasselberry.com Our Community partner: Church Together connects people together - with Christ, in Community, and for our City. Join us Sundays at 10AM. For more information please visit: www.ourchurchtogether.org The views and opinions expressed in this episode, are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of others involved in this episode.

With her new sound and light installation, Arcadia, Theatre and Opera director Deborah Warner has brought the feel of the field into The Factory – the new home for MIF. The Factory is still very much a building site open to the elements, but for one weekend only the festival is providing an opportunity for visitors, to see the new construction from the inside. And once inside the concrete shell, they will enter Arcadia, Deborah's subversive and challenging artwork to Manchester's spirit of progress. Deborah talks to Nick about the appeal of making an installation in an unfinished venue. One of Pakistan's most celebrated artists has used his MIF commission to explore his concept of Eart - his term to describe ways of thinking, being and acting creatively in real life. Under the title, A Manifesto of Possibilities, Rana presents an exhibition which interrogates new ways of living, and he makes real one of his ideas with the creation of his version of the essential corner shop. Nick Ahad pops in to the pop-up store to talk to producer Shanaz Gulzar about why ordering produce and stocking shelves is a new art frontier. The death of her father last June prompted the novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche to write a emotional essay, Notes On Grief, for the New Yorker. The essay expanded into a book earlier this year, and now courtesy of MIF it has been adapted for the stage. Nicky Byrne, Head of Clinical Services at Willow Wood Hospice and Nick Ahad attended the preview and discuss a play that meets a moment when many around the country are dealing with their own grief. Hayley Finn, aka Skyliner, has been leading what has been described as “anti-tours” around Manchester for almost a decade. Her urban tours not only seek to reveal new things about the city to its inhabitants as well as its visitors, but to empower those on her tours with a sense that a city is a place created by those who live and work within it and that they too can and should contribute to the never-ending project that is improving the city. Nick meets Hayley to discuss one of the tours she's leading for MIF, There Was A Bench Here Once. Presenter: Nick Ahad Producer: Ekene Akalawu

Tansy Davies' new piece for string orchestra and percussion, 'Monolith: I Extend My Arms' will be premiered at Snape Maltings on 26 June 2021 (a Britten Pears Arts commission). Tune in for a conversation about this piece, and about other fascinating compositions - including Tansy's operas 'Between Worlds' and 'Cave', and the horn piece 'Yoik'. Plus, some brilliant additions to our Podcast Playlist, and some further choices from Tansy: Frank Denyer, 'The Fish That Became The Sun' https://anothertimbre.bandcamp.com/album/the-fish-that-became-the-sun; and her own 'The rule is love' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOhPSzg4XyM&list=RDIOhPSzg4XyM&start_radio=1. 

Today we celebrate an American female botanist who collected the flora of the great state of Maine. We'll also learn about a Michigan conservationist who is remembered as the First Lady of Michigan State Parks and Natural Areas. We’ll remember Nathaniel Hawthorne on the anniversary of his death today - and the quirky little story he wrote about a mad scientist and his experiment involving geraniums. We hear an excerpt about botanically-inspired girl’s names. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book about Organic Gardening And then we’ll wrap things up with the wonderful Nora Ephron and one of her best-loved movie quotes.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News Then and now: 7 ways garden design has evolved over the last 40 years | House Beautiful | Olivia Heath   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events May 19, 1834 Today is the birthday of the daring self-taught American botanist Catherine Furbish. Kate is remembered for her life-long work collecting, classifying, and illustrating the flora of the great state of Maine. Kate spent six decades crisscrossing her home state. Her delicate, beautiful, and simple botanical art charms gardeners still today. Kate grew up in an upper-middle-class home. She attended private school and studied drawing as a child. By the time she was thirty, she had combined her love for flowers and drawing and embarked on a goal of collecting, cataloging, and drawing all the native flora of Maine. During Kate’s lifetime, Maine was still a rugged and wild place. Her amateur eagerness to explore the forests and wildernesses of Maine put her in direct contrast to the women of her time. Her exemplary fieldwork drew respect from her male counterparts - many of whom worked at the major Universities or scientific centers across the country. In 1881, after getting a plant named for her, Kate wrote to Sereno Watson at Harvard to acknowledge the honor, saying, “Were it not for the fact that I can find no plants named for a female botanist in your manual, I should object to “Pedicularis Furbishae”... But as a new species is rarely found in New England and few plants are named for women, it pleases me.” In 1895, Kate helped found the Josselyn Botanical Society of Maine. In 1925, her friend “Joss” (Louise Coborn) described Kate as a botanist in her sixties: “I can see her as I saw her then — a little woman with uplifted head already turned gray, in animated talk, or with bowed face using her keen eyes along a forest trail, or up a mountain path. She had the sort of eyes that were made for seeing, and nothing escaped the swift circle of her glance. Her feet were as untiring as her eyes, and she could out-last many a younger woman on a cliff-side climb or river-bank scramble.” On September 16, 1978, the New Castle News out of New Castle, PA, shared an article written by Mike Finsilber with a headline that read: Exhibit Depicts Female Scientists. Here’s an excerpt: "When curator Deborah Warner suggested to her superiors at the Smithsonian Institution that she put together an exhibit documenting the accomplishments of American women in science in the 19th century, her superiors were skeptical. Women scientists in the 19th century? Would there be enough of them to fill an exhibit? They doubted it. Ms. Warner didn’t. Yesterday her display opened in the Museum of History and Technology, telling of, among others: Kate Furbish, the botanist who discovered the now-famous Furbish Lousewort. It is now famous because it is endangered and for a time threatened to block construction of the Lincoln-Dickey Dam in Maine."   May 19, 1898  Today is the birthday of the woman known as the First Lady of Michigan State Parks and Natural Areas and the “Mother” of Michigan State Parks system, Emma Genevieve Gillette, who was born in Lansing. Genevieve learned to love nature from her dad. He would take her into the woods in the spring to see arbutus flowering and the brook running. Genevieve recounted how he would kneel down by the brook and ask, “Can you hear what it is saying? It’s talking to us.” In 1920, Genevieve was the only woman to be part of the very first landscape architecture class to graduate from the Michigan Agricultural College. She ended up going to work for the great Landscape Architect Jens Jensen, known as the “Dean of Landscape Architects,” and would become a trusted mentor and lifelong friend to Genevieve. In terms of a role model, Jens was perfect for Genevieve; he was an early pioneer in the conservation movement, used art as activism, and was generally ahead of his time. Jens once famously said, “Trees are much like human beings and enjoy each other's company. Only a few love to be alone.” A contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, Jens was also a maker of public parks and spaces. Genevieve later said Jens “pestered her” to start a state park system in Michigan. Genevieve befriended the Michigan Parks Chief Peter J. Hoffmaster, who was one of her old college classmates. Her sincere alliances with state officials helped her garner support to serve as the president of the Michigan Park Association. Genevieve boosted public support and funding for more than 200,000 acres of Michigan’s state and national parks during her tenure, including the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In the mid-1960s, Genevieve was asked to serve on President Lyndon Johnson’s Committee on Recreation and Natural Beauty. It was the honor of her career.   May 19, 1864  Today is the anniversary of the death of the American novelist and short-story writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. In 1843, Nathaniel wrote a crazy short story about a mad scientist who became obsessed with removing his wife, Georgiana’s birthmark. He decides to repurpose a remedy he created to remove blotches from the leaves of his geraniums. In the end, as his wife drinks the mixture, her birthmark does indeed fade away but so does her life force, and she dies a perfect, unblemished woman.   Unearthed Words Like their mother, Honor Sparrow, dead now for twenty-some years- gone on the very day her youngest daughter, Impatiens, arrived - the sisters had all green thumbs. It was ordained, really. They had each been named after a botanical, mostly flowers, and as their mother kept producing girls, the names became slightly ridiculous. But Honor was a keen gardener and in darkest winter, calling her daughter's names reminded her that spring would come again. For months after her death, the older girls hated their names and all they recalled for them. By the time they founded the Sparrow Sisters Nursery, though, each thoroughly embraced their names as the sign they were. ― Ellen Herrick, American publishing executive and author, The Sparrow Sisters   Grow That Garden Library Organic Gardening for Everyone by Cali Kim This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is Homegrown Vegetables Made Easy - No Experience Required! In this book, Kim shows you just how easy it is to grow healthy vegetables at home - something she started doing in 2012. At the time, Kim approached her desire to garden in a very unique and compelling way: she crowdsourced it! After launching a YouTube channel under the name "CaliKim" (a nod to her California residency) and asking for help from everyday gardeners, Kim started gardening. When questions or problems popped up, Kim found support, advice, information, and connection from her viewers and subscribers. Gradually, she learned to garden, and her garden managed to survive and thrive even under the hot, harsh conditions of the California climate. Kim’s book is her way of giving back the gardening wisdom she’s accumulated. Now, almost a decade later, Kim answers more garden questions than she asks, and she’s here to help grow more gardeners through her lovely book. With Kim’s step-by-step encouragement, you’ll realize that anyone can garden and overcome any hesitations that gardening is too hard, intimidating, or time-consuming. With a busy family of her own, she shares her own inspirational story of balancing the garden's demands alongside the demands of a modern, busy California family. Kim offers friendly and practical advice that celebrates the joy of gardening. She offers her best advice on her passion for organic vegetable gardening.   This book is 160 pages of garden encouragement, wisdom, and enthusiasm from a California mom who became a passionate modern organic gardener over the past decade. You can get a copy of Organic Gardening for Everyone by Cali Kim  and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $5   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart May 19, 1941 Today is the birthday of the New York director and screenwriter Nora Ephron. Nora was the writer of many favorite movies: When Harry Met Sally (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), and You've Got Mail (1998). In You’ve Got Mail, Nora wrote one of the most iconic lines about daisies in a scene between the two main characters: Kathleen and Joe. In the movie, Kathleen Kelly looks at the vase of daisies that Joe sets on the table beside her, and she says, I love daisies. And then, Joe Fox replies: You told me. Kathleen ignores the clue in Joe’s remark. Now, had she noticed what he just said, she’d realize that he purposefully bought her the daisies because he remembered their very first meeting at her bookstore. During his visit with Annabelle and Matthew, she tells the kids about her handkerchief. (Since they didn’t know what a handkerchief was!) Kathleen tells the kids, “My mother embroidered this for me - [with] my initials and a daisy because daisies are my favorite flower.” But Kathleen misses Joe’s comment because he had just set the flowers on the table beside her. At that moment, Kathleen gets distracted by the daisies and caught up in the beauty of the flowers. She offhandedly remarks, “They’re so friendly. Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?” At this comment, Joe Fox looks to the side (because at this point he realizes she’s missed the meaning of his earlier comment), and then he simply answers her with, “I do.”   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Director Deborah Warner discusses her new production of Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes, which opens at the Teatro Real in Madrid on Monday. The staging of this multinational co-production has become significantly more difficult in the wake of Brexit and more recently she has had to adapt to the numerous challenges posed by Covid. The death was announced today at the age of 52 of Helen McCrory, whose credits included Peaky Blinders, The Queen, Harry Potter and many highly-praised stage roles including Medea and The Deep Blue Sea. Theatre critic Susannah Clapp reflects on her contribution to stage and screen. Cybercrime is a lucrative source for fraudsters; companies’ customer accounts, personal bank details, and pension funds, presenting regular targets for the digital criminals. Now it seems that the world of publishing is attracting the online scammers. Heloise Wood, Deputy News Editor of The Bookseller, shares her latest scoop. Mare of Easttown is a new HBO/Sky Atlantic series starring Kate Winslet as a small-town Pennsylvanian detective investigating a local murder as life crumbles around her. Lanre Bakare (Guardian arts and culture correspondent) and Jen Chaney (New York Magazine’s Vulture TV critic) discuss the drama with Kirsty Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Jerome Weatherald

I am so happy that I got to have the warm and vibrant conversation with Johamy Morales. She is the current Educational Director at Seattle Children's Theatre and my boss and mentor. Johamy has a way of welcoming you in without overloading you. My guard was all the way down during this conversation as I leaned in and just absorbed all of the amazing stories that she shared. At her core Johamy is a story teller and it makes me extremely happy to be able to share her story with all of you. As always like and follow for future content. Johamy Morales holds an MFA in acting from The Ohio State University, with a specialization in outreach and devising new work, and a BA in Theatre from San Diego State University. Johamy currently serves as the Director of Education at Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) and as a Trustee for Theatre Communication Group (TCG). Johamy has served on the theatre panel for Colorado Creative Industries, TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color, Creede Pride Committee and Theatre for Young Audiences/USA webinar series. Prior to working with SCT, Johamy served as the Education Director for Creede Repertory Theatre in Creede, Colorado and directed the Comparative Arts Department and the Junior Musical Theatre Program at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan. Johamy has worked with Arena Stage in Washington D.C. and the La Jolla Playhouse through their education programs as a teaching artist. Johamy is an alumnus of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship at Arena Stage and the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England, where she studied Contemporary & Classical works with Deborah Warner and Fiona Shaw. Johamy toured with the cast of New World Jukebox where she performed in the 2006 Grahamstown National Arts Festival, in Grahamstown, South Africa and with San Diego State University in, Carnaval de Calaveras, with performances in Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Mexico D.F. in 2004. In February of 2017, Johamy collaborated with the US State Department, the US Embassy & Consulate and several NGO’s to promote awareness of domestic and gender violence in Kolkata and Ranchi, India. As an educator, artist, and director Johamy has worked with various schools and nonprofit organizations both nationally and internationally including Hope College, Fort Lewis College, University of San Diego, Esperanza Charter School, Wexner Center, Dennos Museum, Students in Transition Empowerment Program, Traverse City Continuation School, Blackbird Arts and Columbus Refugee & Immigration Services.

by David Eldridge Jim ..... Peter Sullivan Mike ..... Sam Troughton Teenage Jim ..... Tom Glenister Teenage Mike ..... Josh Barrow Jim as a child ..... Aaron Gelkoff Mike as a child ..... Bert Davis Director ..... Sally Avens Jim and Mike are identical twins. As children they were inseparable now they barely speak. With the arrival of the pandemic and the death of both their parents they are forced to confront their relationship. Over forty years we see what drove them apart and how both nature and nurture played their part. Can they overcome their entrenched views to concentrate on what they have in common? David Eldridge is a dramatist and screenwriter from Romford. His plays have been produced on the West End and Broadway. Stage work includes, The Knot of The Heart, In Basildon and Beginning. Radio work includes Jenny Lomas and Picture Man for which he won the Prix Europa. Peter Sullivan is a TV and stage actor. He was asked to join the National Theatre by Deborah Warner and has since worked with David Hare, Trevor Nunn, Tom Stoppard, Richard Eyre and in the award winning films Conspiracy (2001), Hancock & Joan (2008), Sex Traffic (2004) and State of Play (2003).Television includes The Borgias and Poldark. He will shortly be seen in Around The World in Eighty Days. Sam Troughton is a stage and screen actor. He has appeared in Robin Hood, Chernobyl and The Hollow Crown. He has worked extensively at the RSC and in 2017 he starred at the National in David Eldridge's play Beginning. He is about to appear in the film Mank directed by David Fincher.

Peace Camp, Deborah Warner in collaboration with Fiona Shaw, 2012. Soundscape composed and re-edited for broadcast by Mel Mercier. Sound design by John Del'Nero Produced by Artichoke

Brewing Actors Podcast returns with Series 2! In Episode 1, Adam Robert Lewis sits with Brian Cox; Olivier, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner! Brian has gained huge success on both sides of the Atlantic. One of Britain’s most admired actors working in film, television and stage today! Originally from Dundee, Scotland, Brian’s acting career began at the age of 14 with Dundee Rep. Since his early years of treading the boards in Rep up and down Britain, Brian has become an acting giant. Brian has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he gained recognition for his portrayal of Titus Andronicus in Deborah Warner's critically acclaimed production. It would be Cox’s Olivier Award winning performance as Detective Nelson in the Royal Court’s production of ‘Rat in the Skull’ that projected Cox’s career onto the silver screen. Cox has garnered a huge success with blockbuster hits ‘Manhunter’, ‘Braveheart’, ‘Rob Roy’, ‘The Bourne Series’, ‘X Men’ and has recently returned to television with his award winning performance as Logan Roy in HBO’s series ‘Succession’. Coaltown Coffee A multi award winning small batch specialty coffee roastery from Ammanford South Wales.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/brewingactors)

In this episode we talk about Elaine Mitchener's many projects, improvisation, music education, Jeanne Lee and much more. Elaine Mitchener is an experimental vocalist, movement artist and composer, whose work encompasses improvisation, contemporary music theatre and performance art. Born in East London to Jamaican parents, Elaine studied voice at Trinity College of Music, London and currently studies with Jacqueline Bremar. She has performed at numerous UK and European festivals, venues and galleries including Aldeburgh Music, London Contemporary Music Festival (LCMF), 56th Venice Biennale, Wysing Arts, Café Oto (London), Bluecoat (Liverpool), SAVVY Contemporary (Berlin), Purcell Room (Southbank Centre, London), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, ULTIMA Festival (Oslo), OCCUPY (St John’s Smith Square), SPILL Festival (Ipswich), La Monnaie (Brussels), Block Universe (London), White Cube (London), Whitechapel Gallery (London), Weserburg MOMA (Bremen), Wellcome Collection (London), and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (London). She has worked and performed in a wide variety of contexts with an array of leading musicians, composers, directors and visual artists including Moor Mother (Camae Ayewa), Mark Padmore, The Otolith Group, Deborah Warner, Christian Marclay, Apartment House, Steve Beresford, Pat Thomas, Irvine Arditti, Sonia Boyce, London Sinfonietta, John Butcher,Tansy Davies, George. E. Lewis, Attila Csihar, Rolf Hind, Dam Van Huynh, Lore Lixenberg, George Lewis, Alexander Hawkins, Sam Belinfante, Phil Minton, Evan Parker, Alasdair Roberts, Lucy Bailey, David Toop, Netia Jones, Matt Wright, and Jason Yarde. Elaine is co-founder of the experimental jazz quartet the Hawkins/Mitchener Quartet and a regular vocalist with the ensemble Apartment House. She created the role of Hannah/Voice singing with tenor Mark Padmore, in the opera CAVE, by composer Tansy Davies with libretto by Nick Drake, co-commissioned by the London Sinfonietta / Royal Opera House and directed by Lucy Bailey which premiered in June 2018. Her production company Elaine Mitchener Projects has researched, developed, produced and toured or staged a number of projects including Industrialising Intimacy (with choreographer Dam Van Huynh, David Toop, George Lewis); The Nude Voice (with Dam Van Huynh) commissioned for the Wellcome Collection London’s THIS IS A VOICE exhibition; ‘I back… I neck… I face… I chest’ commissioned by Sonia Boyce for her installation We Move In Her Way at London’s ICA; Of Leonardo da Vinci (with Dam Van Huynh, David Toop, Barry Lewis) for Oslo’s ULTIMA Festival; the three hour durational performance [NAMES] premiered at Ipswich’s SPILL Festival; a presentation of John Cage’s SongBooks for London’s Poetry In The City Festival; Vocal Classics of the Black Avantgarde for LCMF; and SWEET TOOTH in partnership with Bluecoat Liverpool, Stuart Hall Foundation and the International Slavery Museum. Premiered in Nov 2017, SWEET TOOTH has been described as ‘a vital black British addition to those seminal creative statements of resistance and defiance from the African Diaspora’, and was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Hear and Now programme (Dec 2017). Elaine has participated in residencies and symposiums including Aldeburgh Music (to develop SWEET TOOTH) and Fondazione Claudio Buziol, Venice (where she developed Of Leonardo Da Vinci supported by Muziektheater Transparant) and New Resonances organised by Theatrum Mundi. For more information about Elaine Mitchener please visit: http://www.elainemitchener.com/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Discover more: https://www.ancientmarinerbigread.com/reading/19 Reader Deborah Warner Opera director Recorded in Islington, London --- Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing, Beloved from pole to pole! To Mary Queen the praise be given! She sent the gentle sleep from Heaven, That slid into my soul. The silly buckets on the deck, That had so long remained, I dreamt that they were filled with dew; And when I awoke, it rained. My lips were wet, my throat was cold, My garments all were dank; Sure I had drunken in my dreams, And still my body drank. I moved, and could not feel my limbs: I was so light—almost I thought that I had died in sleep, And was a blessed ghost. --- You can find the Ancient Mariner Big Read here: https://www.ancientmarinerbigread.com/ --- Copyright: The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth. The Ancient Mariner Big Read is not for profit and cannot be sold, either as a whole or in part, without permission from The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth, UK.

Interview with Sarah Champion: https://talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/ep-18-interview-with-canadian-mezzo-soprano-sarah-champion/ Canadian high mezzo-soprano Sarah Champion has been acclaimed for her ‘clarity and assurance’ (Opera Magazine) and heard both on the opera stage and the concert platform in Europe and North America in repertoire spanning four-centuries. Ms. Champion’s recent engagements have included The Lover in Tansy Davies’ BETWEEN WORLDS directed by Deborah Warner for English National Opera, Dorabella COSÌ FAN TUTTE on tour with Scottish Opera, Dorotea STIFFELIO for Chelsea Opera Group, the role of Naomi in the world premiere of Phillip Hagemann’s RUTH with Pegasus Opera, Zenobia RADAMISTO at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico and Daisy in the world premiere of Stuart McCrae’s ANTHROPOCENE for Scottish Opera. Upcoming engagements include Offred Before in Poul Ruders’ THE HANDMAID’S TALE with the Danish Royal Opera. Ms. Champion has performed as a soloist and recitalist throughout North America, the UK and Europe giving performances with Florilegium, the Britten-Pears Orchestra /Antonello Manacorda, Britten-Pears Baroque Orchestra/Richard Egarr, the San Francisco Early Music Society, at the London Handel Festival, the Tage Alte Musik Regensburg, the Boston Early Music Festival, Festival Montreal Baroque, the Banff Centre and the Aldeburgh Festival. Notable engagements include recitals with the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada under Trevor Pinnock, the Little Baroque Company under Laurence Cummings and a staging of Messiaen’s song cycle Harawi directed by Tim Nelson. Other recent engagements include Female Artist LULU for English National Opera; covering Isabella L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI for Garsington Opera, the title-role XERXES, Donna Elvira DON GIOVANNI and Rosina BARBER OF SEVILLE for ENO and Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer and Schumann Spanisches Liederspiel in Istanbul. Ms. Champion studied trumpet and voice at McGill University and trained in voice at the Royal College of Music. She now studies with Nelly Miricioiu in London and is a former Britten-Pears Young Artist and a Malcolm Martineau Crear Scholar. Listen to the previous interview with British concert pianist James Lisney: https://soundcloud.com/talkingclassicalpodcast/ep-17-interview-with-james-lisney World Mental Health Day takes place every year on the 10th October. Organised by the World Federation for Mental Health, World Health Organization, and member organizations of WFMH, the day aims to promote mental health awareness and good mental health practice around the world, with this year's theme being suicide prevention. To mark World Mental Health Day, listen to Episode 11, an interview with Lucy Thraves, Editor of Classical Music Magazine, in which we discuss the importance of mental health and well-being in the classical music sector, and Harmony in Mind, the magazine's year-long mental health awareness campaign. https://soundcloud.com/talkingclassicalpodcast/episode-11 Find out more about World Mental Health Day: https://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/en/ https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day Get involved! If you'd like to get in touch about the Talking Classical Podcast, please drop a message at talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com/contact. Alternatively, do get in contact via social media. Listen to the Talking Classical Podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes and Spotify. Follow Talking Classical online. SoundCloud & Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

#NationalIndoorPlantWeek is this week!    Be sure to follow my friend, Lisa Steinkopf - the @HouseplantGuru- on twitter for a chance to win copies of her books and some houseplants. And remember, it's all week long - so Happy Indoor Plant Week. Go get yourself something new for the Indoor season which is just around the corner if you live in a colder climate.     Brevities #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of Charles V of France who died on this day in 1380. He commissioned his cook, Guillaume Tirel, to create the first cookbook. The full title of the book is an exceptionally long one. In English, it translates to:   "Hereafter follows the [recipe collection] describing the preparation of all manner of foods, as cooked by Taillevent, the cook of our noble king, and also the dressing and preparation of boiled meat, roasts, sea and freshwater fish, sauces, spices, and other suitable and necessary things as described hereafter." As the Culinary World was getting underway, it is interesting to note that during Charles V's reign, the first forks were found to be included in an inventory. And gardeners with some knowledge of mushrooms will find the death of Charles V intriguing; some historians believe that Charles V died as a result of eating the highly poisonous amanita mushrooms.     #OTD   Today is the birthday of the Scottish plantsman Robert Fortune who was born on this day in 1812. Robert Fortune's name is inextricably bound to China and to tea and the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.  For centuries, China had a monopoly on tea. They, alone, grew the plants. They made black tea and green tea, and the rest of the world had no idea how they did it. By the 1700's, the British had started enjoying exports from China: porcelain, silk, and yes, tea. But, China was not interested in goods from Britain.  The lop-sided relationship was a problem. This is where Robert Fortune enters the scene. By the early 1800's, he was a trained botanist learning at the hem of some of England's finest gardens and he gets hired to go to China by the Royal Geographic Society the RGS. At the time, China was off-limits to foreigners. So, in order to collect plants, Fortune figured out a way to blend in: he shaves his head and wears clothing like the locals, he picks up some of the Mandarin language and he learns about China more than any other westerner at the time. China is vast and Fortune stayed for three years before returning home to England.   When he returned, Fortune wrote about his time in China and he drew the attention of The British East India Company. They were serious about obtaining tea plants from China.  And, they were desperate to learn how to make tea. So, they wisely select Fortune, with his unique combination of  botanical and Chinese expertise, and they send him back to China. This time Fortune was on a much more specific mission and he knew what he needed to do to. He went to China incognito; dressed as a Mandarin. He had shaved the front of his head he basically had extensions sewn in to the hair on the back of his head so he looked like he has this amazingly long ponytail. He looked 100% the part. Then, he hired guides to do the talking for him and since there was no national language, it all flew under the radar. Once in China, Fortune immediately began visiting tea plantations. He learned the methods and ways of harvesting tea plants to make tea. He learned that green tea and black tea come from the same plant; it's just the processing method that makes them different. Thanks to the Wardian case, Fortune was able to get live plants to India. All told, Fortune managed to smuggle out 20,000 tea plants and ships them to India. He even managed to get some of the Chinese tea farmers with their tools to leave China and help set up tea production in India.  Sara Rose, one of the authors who has written a biography on Fortune, said that what Fortune accomplished was no less than the greatest single act of corporate espionage in the history of the world. Today, China is still the top tea producer with over 2.4 million tons of production. Followed by India at a little less than half and then Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam make up the next spots. So, tea being grown outside of China is a direct result of Robert Fortune and India, as the number 2 tea producer in the world (behind China) was a feat that was accomplished in a less than two centuries. And, again, it wouldn't have happened without Robert Fortune.   #OTD  1835 Charles Darwin arrived at the Galapagos islands on board a ship called the HMS Beagle. Once he's on the islands, Darwin begins to check out all of the varied and unique plants and it gets him thinking.  The experience basically shapes his theory of natural selection.     Unearthed Words "But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The sun warms my back instead of beating on my head ... The harvest has dwindled, and I have grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on." - Robert Finch, Nature Writer     Today's book recommendation: The Chinese Kitchen Garden by Wendy Kiang-Spray Back in 2018, I had the opportunity to interview Wendy and it remains one of my favorite conversations about growing and using edibles from the garden. The Chinese Kitchen Garden is half how to grow, half how to cook, and half an amazing glimpse into the wonderful Kiang-Spray Family - so that’s 150% worth of yummy, beautiful, love in one book.     As gardeners, sometimes we can get a little restless - searching for a new variety - something new to try - and when nothing strikes our fancy, we can feel unsatisfied.  Well, Wendy's introduction to Asian Vegetables is a spark and it opens the door to growing a whole new cast of edibles. What I learned from Wendy is that often the Asian vegetables she learned to grow and eat are often upgrades from the standard varieties. Now THAT's exciting.   If you are looking for something new to grow, if you’re a foodie or if you want to start a kitchen garden, The Chinese Kitchen Garden is perfect for you. And, if you want to check out my interview with Wendy over at the Still Growing podcast, just search for Episode 601 and hit play.  During that episode, Wendy read excerpts from many of my favorite parts in the book and she’ll also shares many of the Chinese vegetables — like lotus root, bitter melons, stem lettuce, day lilies, and Chinese cucumbers — and traditional recipes that will make you drool. Finally, Wendy’s book is organized by season, so handy - you’ll learn what to grow in spring and what to cook in winter.   Today's Garden Chore Make one last push to plant the trees, shrubs, and perennials that are on your list or that you find discounted at the store.  Do it now, so they can get established. And remember to water them well. Depending on where you are at, you have 3-4 weeks before the sprinkler system needs to get shut off.     Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 1978, the New Castle News out of New Castle, PA, shared an article written by Mike Finsilber with a headline that read: Exhibit depicts female scientists. "When curator Deborah Warner suggested to her superiors at the Smithsonian Institutition that she put together an exhibit documenting the accomplishments of American women in science in the 19th century, her superiors were skeptical. Women scientists in the 19th century? Would there be enough of them to fill an exhibit? They doubted it. Ms. Warner didn’t. Yesterday her display opened in the Museum of History and Technology, telling of, among others: —Kate Furbish, the botanist who discovered the now-famous Furbish Lousewort. It is now famous because it is endangered and for a time threatened to block construction of the Lincoln-Dickey Dam in Maine."     Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

It was a pleasure to record a podcast with world-leading British tenor Toby Spence (@toby-spence) on his fiftieth birthday. Enjoy this special interview, in which we discuss: his early musical training and influences, formative years at English National Opera, starring as Captain Vere in Deborah Warner's recent production of Britten's opera Billy Budd at the Royal Opera House, the challenges of being a performer, identity as a singer, and his desert island items. Special thanks to: Natasha Worsley for very kindly arranging this interview and Toby for coming especially to meet me and record on his birthday! Originally published on 28 May 2019. Interview recorded on 22 May 2019 at Askonas Holt, London. An honours graduate and choral scholar from New College, Oxford, Toby Spence studied at the Opera School of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society 2011 Singer of the Year award. In concert Toby has sung with the Cleveland Orchestra under von Dohnanyi, Berliner Philharmoniker and the Wiener Philharmoniker under Rattle; San Francisco Symphony under Tilson Thomas; the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Pappano; Rotterdam Philharmonic under Gergiev; LSO under Davis; London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nézet-Séguin; Los Angeles Philharmonic under Dudamel; Bayerischer Rundfunk under Gardiner and at the Osterfestspiele Salzburg and Edinburgh International Festival under Norrington and Mackerras. Recent appearances include The Seasons with the Philharmonie de Paris, Bruckner F minor Mass with the Sinfonieorchester Basel; The Creation with the Houston Symphony Orchestra; Messiah, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Mumbai and Missa Solemnis with the LSO under Tilson Thomas. Recent opera engagements include Ghandi Satyagraha at English National Opera; Captain Vere Billy Budd for Teatro Real and Opera di Roma; Anatol Vanessa for Frankfurt Opera; Don Ottavio at the Liceu Barcelona; Eisenstein Die Fledermaus and Antonio The Tempest for the Metropolitan Opera; Don Ottavio and Tito for the Wiener Staatsoper; Essex Gloriana and Tamino Die Zauberflöte for the Royal Opera House, where his previous roles have also included Ferdinand The Tempest, David Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Count Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Ramiro and Tom Rakewell; Tamino, Candide, Paris La Belle Hélène, Lensky and Faust for English National Opera; Madwoman Curlew River for the Edinburgh Festival; Tito, Tamino and Henry Morosus Die Schweigsame Frau for the Bayerische Staatsoper; and Tom Rakewell and David Die Meistersinger at Opéra de Paris. Engagements in the 2018-19 season include Dvorak Stabat Mater with Houston Symphony Orchestra; Britten War Requiem with Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Szymanowski’s 3rd Symphony for the Gulbenkian Foundation and Orff’s Carmina Burana in Shanghai and Beijing with Long Yu and Aida Garifullina for Deutsche Grammophon’s 120’s anniversary. Opera engagements include Captain Vere Billy Budd for the Royal Opera House and a staged version of Britten Les Illuminations for Teatro Real Madrid. Subscribe to the Talking Classical Podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes and Spotify. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

On this weeks show we spoke to singer songwriter, musician and artist Duke Special. We chat about his latest album Look Out Machines which was described by Q magazine as “Sumptuous, symphonic pop anthem, courtesy of dreadlocked Irishman who sounds like The Flaming Lips crossed with Rufus Wainwright”. We speak about his musical inspirations, his new album, his eclectic work [which is as diverse as writing the theme tune for the Irish Sesame Street to writing the music for and appearing in Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at London’s National Theatre] and his candid take on new music. What's the Craic is a weekly Irish radio show that broadcasts on Brighton's Radio Reverb on 97.2FM, DAB and online at radioreverb.com. You can hear it live Mondays at 8pm or catch the repeat on Tuesdays at 3pm or Saturdays at 1am GMT. You can follow us on Twitter at @whatsthecraicrr or on facebook.com/whatsthecraicrr for up to date news on whats coming up on the show and to get in touch with us. #Brighton #Hove #Sussex #Irish #podcast #music #NorthernIreland #DukeSpecial

I catch up with the eclectic musician Duke Special ahead of his Brighton leg of his UK and Ireland tour to celebrate the release of his new studio album. That album Look Out Machines was described by Q magazine as “Sumptuous, symphonic pop anthem, courtesy of dreadlocked Irishman who sounds like The Flaming Lips crossed with Rufus Wainwright”. We speak about his musical inspirations, his new album, his eclectic work [which is as diverse as writing the theme tune for the Irish Sesame Street to writing the music for and appearing in Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at London’s National Theatre] and his candid take on new music.

The Testament Of Mary, Colm Tóibín's Man Booker-nominated novella, has now been adapted for the theatre - starring Fiona Shaw and directed by Deborah Warner. Fiona Shaw joins Razia to discuss the effort and concentration required for a 100-minute monologue, and the way the production mixes religious and secular aspects. Award winning revenge thriller Blue Ruin tells the story of an American man, Dwight Evans, who is seeking to kill his parents killers. As events unfold Evans, played by Macon Blair, undergoes a transformation from traumatised homeless drop-out to novice assassin. Mark Eccleston reviews. Novelist Edward St Aubyn talks about his new book Lost For Words, a satirical look at the world of literary prizes. And a new BBC and theatre production of Under Milk Wood to mark the centenary of Dylan Thomas' birth which includes contributions from Charlotte Church, Tom Jones and Michael Sheen. Razia Iqbal - Presenter Nicola Holloway - producer Image Credit: Hugo Glendinning.

Christopher Cook was in conversation with Philip Reed, Britten specialist plus Deborah Warner, director. Performance by Charles Johnston covering the baritone roles in the production, accompanied by ENO Music Staff member, Murray Hipkin on piano.

In this episode, I have the honor of chatting with producer/development executive/digital media guru/filmmaker Josh Feldman. What happens when someone is equally passionate about both technology and storytelling? You get 2-time Streamys winner Josh Feldman. Josh's credits include: "Halo 4, Forward Unto Dawn," "Electric City," "Larry Crowne," and "Koreatown." His work on the web series "Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn," was viewed over 50 million times. We talk about everything from shooting on 16mm film at Ithaca College to working with Tom Hanks to bringing the Master Chief to a live action format. JOSH FELDMAN'S BIO Josh Feldman has consistently been at the intersection of storytelling and technology. Most recently, he served as Executive Producer on HALO 4: FORWARD UNTO DAWN, helping to package and manage creative development on a five-part live-action digital series for Microsoft and 343 Industries. FORWARD UNTO DAWN represents the most ambitious live-action incarnation of the hugely popular Halo franchise. Josh creatively managed a custom-designed pre-release viral campaign. To-date, FORWARD UNTO DAWN has amassed over 50 million views. Prior to his association with Microsoft, Josh spent five years at Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s film/TV company, Playtone. Josh worked in a variety of development and production capacities for the company's diverse slate of films, HBO miniseries and on-going series. Josh formed the first digital media strategy for Playtone, resulting in original YouTube content from Tom Hanks, a 16 episode talk show parody in partnership with Lexus, and ELECTRIC CITY, a 20 episode animated series in partnership with Reliance Entertainment and Yahoo. Josh developed and co-wrote ELECTRIC CITY with Tom Hanks. In addition, Josh project-managed and co-wrote a companion digital graphic novel and episode viewer app for iOS and Android devices. During his time at Playtone, Josh worked as a production executive on LARRY CROWNE, written and directed by Tom Hanks, starring Hanks, Julia Roberts and Bryan Cranston. He was also involved in the design and construction of a new state-of-the art editorial facility for the companies' projects. Previously, Josh worked in several positions at DreamWorks SKG including marketing of live-action and animated films. Upon the conversion to an all CGI infrastructure, Josh segued to feature animation production for DreamWorks Animation. Beginning his career in live theater, Josh spent three seasons in audio/media design for the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City. Josh worked on dozens of theatrical productions, including the multi-venue, multi-format THE ANGEL PROJECT for director Deborah Warner. Josh wrote and directed the short film KOREATOWN, which won the 2010 audience award at the DancesWithFilms Festival in Los Angeles. He has written and performed live storytelling monologues at an assortment of venues, including the annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Josh has taught classes, written about digital media for The Hollywood Reporter, spoken on industry panels and sits on the advisory board of RX Laughter, a non-profit organization which studies and utilizes humor and media to treat seriously ill patients. He has master’s degree in writing from USC. Josh is currently working on a new, confidential intellectual property for Microsoft Studios.

  Please join Diana each week to explore and illuminate the process of self-discovery, which is a lifelong journey. Each of us is called to go within and gain a deeper understanding of who we are, to examine what we believe and to awaken the desire to actualize our potential. Sometimes emotional pain, illness or difficulty with relationships provides the motivation to change. Sometimes we needed to face our demons or simply to move towards the center of our longing, which lead us to a place of peace and wisdom. Trans-personal Psychology is the psychology of human development. It is a holistic approach to the whole person. It seeks a balanced development of the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, social, and creative aspects of one's life. Diana Rinkoff, will guide you on a journey to self discovery. She will provide you with a guide to alternative healing therapies, various psychological approaches, diverse social and cultural practices, wisdom practices, such as meditation, and various spiritual teachings and traditions. Each discussion will offer you new information along with the thoughts and opinions of leaders in the chosen field so that you may discover for yourself what is right for you.

Christopher Cook is joined by director Deborah Warner and designer Tom Pye. With musical performance from Jonathan Stoughton and Martin Fitzpatrick.

Why this play now? Why this cast? How did Deborah Warner begin this project?

Images, articles, interviews and points for discussion

During her visit to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the Abbey Theatre's production of Ibsen's "John Gabriel Borkman", Fiona Shaw discusses taking on one point of this lesser-known play's unromantic triangle and links her work with co-stars Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan back to their membership in the Royal Shakespeare Company 25 years ago. She also talks about having to get a degree in philosophy before she was allowed to enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; her quick leap from RADA to the stage of the National Theatre in "The Rivals" -- and why she stayed too long; the unique confluence of talents that came together at the RSC during her time there; her ongoing collaboration with director Deborah Warner and the uproars that accompanied their productions of Beckett's "Footfalls" and Shakespeare's "Richard II"; why she spent a lot of time as "Hedda Gabler" rearranging the furniture; how she finds modern equivalencies in the great tragedies like "Medea" and "Electra"; her first encounter with Chekhov, doing "The Seagull" under the director Peter Stein, and how the rehearsal process at Stein's Italian home influenced the production; how she and Warner were permitted to do Beckett's "Happy Days" after being "banned for life" from Beckett's work 13 years prior; how she approached T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land" as a theatrical text; and the great fun she had throwing off her tragedian's mantle to appear in "London Assurance" with Simon Russell Beale. Original air date - February 9, 2011.

During her visit to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the Abbey Theatre's production of Ibsen's "John Gabriel Borkman", Fiona Shaw discusses taking on one point of this lesser-known play's unromantic triangle and links her work with co-stars Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan back to their membership in the Royal Shakespeare Company 25 years ago. She also talks about having to get a degree in philosophy before she was allowed to enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; her quick leap from RADA to the stage of the National Theatre in "The Rivals" -- and why she stayed too long; the unique confluence of talents that came together at the RSC during her time there; her ongoing collaboration with director Deborah Warner and the uproars that accompanied their productions of Beckett's "Footfalls" and Shakespeare's "Richard II"; why she spent a lot of time as "Hedda Gabler" rearranging the furniture; how she finds modern equivalencies in the great tragedies like "Medea" and "Electra"; her first encounter with Chekhov, doing "The Seagull" under the director Peter Stein, and how the rehearsal process at Stein's Italian home influenced the production; how she and Warner were permitted to do Beckett's "Happy Days" after being "banned for life" from Beckett's work 13 years prior; how she approached T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land" as a theatrical text; and the great fun she had throwing off her tragedian's mantle to appear in "London Assurance" with Simon Russell Beale. Original air date - February 9, 2011.

Douglas Hodge, who appears as Albin in the current Broadway revival of the musical "La Cage aux Folles", explains what appealed to him about the story and character, which he did not know, when he was first approached to play it at London's Menier Chocolate Factory, and how the show has changed around him as it progressed from that small venue to a West End house to Broadway, notably the impact of his "trois Georges": Philip Quast, Denis Lawson and Kelsey Grammer. He also discusses his earliest days with England's National Youth Theatre; his first failed attempts to enter drama school and his successful efforts just a year later; why he left the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts before completing their program; his early work in regional theatres -- as well as his early London roles as "Coriolanus" for director Deborah Warner at the Almeida and Edmund opposite Anthony Hopkins in "King Lear" at the National; how he found himself acting opposite Harold Pinter in the noted playwright's "No Man's Land" and the professional relationship and personal friendship that led to him appearing in and directing numerous Pinter plays; how as a noted Pinter interpreter he suddenly became a musical comedy star in a "Guys and Dolls" revival opposite Jane Krakowski; and what it was like to play "Titus Andronicus" at London's Globe Theatre -- including how many people fainted from the gore at every show. Original air date - June 9, 2010.

Douglas Hodge, who appears as Albin in the current Broadway revival of the musical “La Cage aux Folles” (for which he won the Tony Award in 2010 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), explains what appealed to him about the story and character, which he did not know, when he was first approached to play it at London's Menier Chocolate Factory, and how the show has changed around him as it progressed from that small venue to a West End house to Broadway, notably the impact of his "trois Georges": Philip Quast, Denis Lawson and Kelsey Grammer. He also discusses his earliest days with England's National Youth Theatre; his first failed attempts to enter drama school and his successful efforts just a year later; why he left the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts before completing their program; his early work in regional theatres -- as well as his early London roles as Coriolanus for director Deborah Warner at the Almeida and Edmund opposite Anthony Hopkins in “King Lear” at the National; how he found himself acting opposite Harold Pinter in the noted playwright's “No Man's Land” and the professional relationship and personal friendship that led to him appearing in and directing numerous Pinter plays; how as a noted Pinter interpreter he suddenly became a musical comedy star in a “Guys and Dolls” revival opposite Jane Krakowski; and what it was like to play Titus Andronicus at London's Globe Theatre -- including how many people fainted from the gore at every show.

Douglas Hodge, who appears as Albin in the current Broadway revival of the musical "La Cage aux Folles", explains what appealed to him about the story and character, which he did not know, when he was first approached to play it at London's Menier Chocolate Factory, and how the show has changed around him as it progressed from that small venue to a West End house to Broadway, notably the impact of his "trois Georges": Philip Quast, Denis Lawson and Kelsey Grammer. He also discusses his earliest days with England's National Youth Theatre; his first failed attempts to enter drama school and his successful efforts just a year later; why he left the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts before completing their program; his early work in regional theatres -- as well as his early London roles as "Coriolanus" for director Deborah Warner at the Almeida and Edmund opposite Anthony Hopkins in "King Lear" at the National; how he found himself acting opposite Harold Pinter in the noted playwright's "No Man's Land" and the professional relationship and personal friendship that led to him appearing in and directing numerous Pinter plays; how as a noted Pinter interpreter he suddenly became a musical comedy star in a "Guys and Dolls" revival opposite Jane Krakowski; and what it was like to play "Titus Andronicus" at London's Globe Theatre -- including how many people fainted from the gore at every show. Original air date - June 9, 2010.

Broadway: Braham in The Philanthropist opposite Matthew Broderick, Iachimo in Cymbeline directed by Mark Lamos, Jason in Deborah Warner’s Tony nominated Medea (also London’s West End and BAM). New York includes: Four Benches by Ethan Coen, Parlour Song by Jez Butterworth. London includes: Silva Vaccaro in the RNT’s Baby Doll (Best Actor at the Barclays Theatre Awards), the title role in Coriolanus at Shakespeare’s Globe, productions at the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Co. Regional: Doubt at Pasadena Playhouse. UK TV includes: Ricky Gervais’ Emmy-winning “Extras;” the BAFTA winning programs “A Dance to the Music of Time” and Peter Kosminsky’s “The Government Inspector; the title role in “Mosley;” Dennis Potter’s “Old Lizard;” and Eddie Izzard’s “Cows.” US TV includes: ABC’s “Six Degrees” and “Empire,” NBC’s “Inconceivable,” Showtime’s “Out of the Ashes.” Films include: First Knight, True Blue, Honest, The One and Only, and Miramax’s Brideshead Revisited