Andrew Scott Archives - North West End UK

Present Laughter – National Theatre Live: The Old Vic

19Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Present Laughter – National Theatre Live: The Old Vic

Filmed live during its sell-out run at The Old Vic in 2018, director Matthew Warchus’ multi-award winning production of Noël Coward‘s provocative 1943 comedy delightfully returns to the big screen, as it depicts a few days in the life of the successful and self-obsessed light comedy actor Garry Essendine (Andrew Scott) as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa. Amid a series of events bordering on farce and with the support of a knowing valet Fred (Joshua Hill) and a housekeeper Miss Erikson (Liza Sadovy), he has to placate both his long-suffering secretary Monica (Sophie Thompson) and his wife Liz (Indira Varma) who form part of his inner circle along with Morris (Abdul Salis) and Helen (Suzie Toase), whilst in this updated gender swap version, also fighting off the a...

Vanya – National Theatre Live – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The latest offering from National Theatre Live screened this evening at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, and whilst ‘Vanya’ featured an acting performance from Andrew Scott that garnered deserved plaudits during its West End run last year, I found the overall production something to be admired rather than loved. Scott, director Sam Yates and designer Rosanna Vize share equal billing as co-creators alongside writer Simon Stephens, who relocates Chekhov’s tragicomedy to a 20th-century Irish farm, preserving the plaintive sadness of the 1897 original story whilst seeking to shed new light onto the characters through Scott’s inventive interpretation. He plays everyone, differentiating men and women, young and old, with subtle changes of vocal register and body language. His performance is w...

Three Kings – Old Vic In Camera

The Old Vic celebrated 200 years of theatre in 2018 and even though its doors are closed to live performance, they have taken their expertise in producing high quality theatrical productions and transported this grandfather of London theatre into the digital age. In a striped back production due to many of the staff being furloughed, the Old Vic have taken on their second live screening, following on from the success of ‘Lungs’. Written by Stephen Beresford, who began his career as an actor and then found quick success as a writer penning such films as ‘Pride’ and ‘Tolkien’ and for the stage, ‘The Last Of The Haussmans’. ‘Three Kings’ was written for Andrew Scott who performs this dialogue alone on the stage at the Old Vic, and if you have been fortunate enough to have seen ...