Latest news with #TheYears
Spectator
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Murderous impulses: The Possession, by Annie Ernaux, reviewed
'The first thing I did after waking up was grab his cock – stiff with sleep – and hold still, as if hanging on to a branch.' The opening of Annie Ernaux's essay might suggest that the 'possession' of the title is of a husband's penis. But after our nameless protagonist leaves 'W', her husband of 18 years, it is with his new woman that she becomes obsessed – possessed with a 'primordial savagery'. She is maraboutée, or bewitched. Ernaux writes not in the heat of desire but in retrospect. The translation by Anna Moschovakis is chicly austere. Like concrete poetry, small paragraphs sit adrift on the page; the text is as unmoored as our protagonist. Ernaux won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022, and her hybrid memoir The Years has been adapted into a staggeringly powerful stage production. The Possession is a microcosmic analysis of jealousy and agony. Our heroine becomes an 'echo chamber for all pain everywhere'. She goes on a 'tortuous and relentless search' through the internet to find the lover and fantasises about committing 'crimes of passion', reflecting that one is more likely to cave into murderous impulses in the evening, much like scoffing chocolate. For the French, the only thing worse than murder is getting fat. What makes her possession possible is the ex-husband. The couple 'maintain a painful bond' as W drip-feeds her information about the 'new woman'. His reasons are especially murky when he gives her a birthday present of a bra and g-string. While she dances on the edge of insanity, she revels in the pain of feeling alive.
The Guardian
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
From Amsterdam to the West End: the avant-garde hit factory behind The Years and Oedipus
The Royal Court and Regent's Park Open Air theatre were among the victorious venues at Sunday's Olivier awards, which recognise the cream of London's Theatreland. But there was reason to celebrate in the Netherlands, too. The bold West End productions Oedipus and The Years, which picked up four awards between them, have their origins at Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA). The theatre's artistic director is Eline Arbo, who adapted and staged a version of Nobel prize-winner Annie Ernaux's The Years for an all-female cast. After its success in the Netherlands, Arbo was invited to London's Almeida theatre to direct the show with British actors. Among them was Romola Garai, who won the Olivier award for best actress in a supporting role, while Arbo was named best director. The production received rapturous reviews and has transferred to the West End where its run (which ends on 19 April) has been accompanied by regular reports of audiences fainting during its abortion scene. Garai calls Arbo a 'genius' and said that the production's power is a result of fusing several elements of theatre-making from around Europe. 'Eline is Norwegian so she comes from that tradition of Ibsen. Amsterdam has ITA's incredible tradition of physical and quite conceptual work. And England has this usually narrative-based, text tradition. I think The Years is a perfect example of how when you marry those elements together you can make really great, exciting work that feels very challenging in the best way to an audience.' Arbo, who became the sixth woman to win the best director Olivier award, said she was delighted by how British audiences had responded to The Years. 'There are talks [for ITA] to come more to England,' she said. 'For us to be able to show these productions to a British audience, and have that collaboration, is so important. It's one of our biggest missions: how to share different perspectives from different cultures. We are an international house.' Arbo said that increasingly 'politicians want to close borders' but it is vital 'to have that exchange of perspective to develop culture'. Brexit, she said, had not been a significant obstacle for her to work in the UK. When Rufus Wainwright's version of the film Opening Night flopped in the West End, the composer suggested British audiences lack 'curiosity' after Brexit and that the British press had turned on the project for being 'too European'. Opening Night was directed by the Belgian Ivo van Hove, Arbo's predecessor at ITA, who combined a 20-year tenure leading the Dutch ensemble with high-profile, often star-powered freelance productions in London. It was Van Hove who invited Britain's Robert Icke to Amsterdam to adapt and direct a new version of Sophocles' Oedipus in 2018. 'I'd written an English script that was translated – they acted and talked to each other in Dutch and to me in English,' Icke told the Guardian. 'It had the potential to be profoundly alienating but I loved it. Icke won best revival for Oedipus at the Oliviers and said in his acceptance speech that the chance to stage a new version of his adaptation at the Wyndham's theatre had been 'amazing'. After an ensemble of ITA actors performed it at the Edinburgh international festival in 2019, the London production paired Mark Strong, in the title role, with Lesley Manville as Jocasta. Manville, who won the Olivier award for best actress, said that Icke's time at ITA had 'shaped a lot' for him. 'After that production he did some reworking of Oedipus. He was very happy and comfortable working in Amsterdam … He obviously saw that it could have another life here.' Its success has left Manville 'almost wanting to text Sophocles!' she joked. Three years ago, Rebecca Frecknall was the toast of the Olivier awards as her version of Cabaret picked up seven prizes. ITA took note of the rising star director. She was invited to Amsterdam to direct a version of Strindberg's Miss Julie with the ensemble in 2024, designed by another Brit, Chloe Lamford. Earlier this month, Frecknall was announced as ITA's Ibsen Artist in Residence, a position previously held by Icke. Frecknall said that Arbo had been 'a great support in delivering my first ITA production last year' and added: 'It's going to be wonderful to have a home at this incredible theatre for the next three years and to keep working with their talented ensemble of actors.' You wouldn't be surprised if she and Arbo are back celebrating at the Oliviers before too long.
The Guardian
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘To my wife for managing my vast collection of neuroses!' – the Olivier awards' best quotes
Director Robert Icke on the unexpected effect of staging the tragedy Oedipus: We've had such a nice time – it turns out incest really brings people together! John Lithgow has an extreme reaction akin to audiences at Romola Garai's The Years as he collects the best actor award: Romola, I think I'm going to faint! Layton Williams acknowledges the, er, unusual nature of his Titanique role: I just won an Olivier for playing an iceberg! Director Eline Arbo explains why Annie Ernaux's The Years is a book for the ages: I would like to thank Annie Ernaux for reminding us all that the story of a normal woman's life can be extraordinary Presenter Celia Imrie admires the shortlist for best supporting actor: There are four nominees and I don't understand how you can choose between these four handsome hunks And the winner of that award is Elliot Levey for Giant, who praises the playwright and director: Thank you to Rosenblatt and Hytner. Which sounds like three people doesn't it? Like a firm of chartered accountants. Rosen, Blatt and Hytner. I'd use them. Thanks to all three of you! Maimuna Memon, who won best supporting actress in a musical, reflects on her stop-start embrace with presenter Corbin Bleu: Trust me to make it awkward with a kiss! Worse for wear or bodyguards? Tom Burke gives two reasons why he and co-presenter Cate Blanchett are in dark shades: Cate and I moonlight as each other's personal security – it makes a public event such as this quite complicated … The other reason is we finished doing The Seagull last night Mark Rosenblatt was among many to recognise the vital backstage role played by partners: To my wondrous wife, Amy, for managing my vast collection of neuroses Rufus Norris lists what he holds dear as he says goodbye to the National Theatre, after receiving a special award for his tenure: Empathy, collaboration, craft, rigour, equality of opportunity and love – in all its complexity
The Independent
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
John Lithgow and Lesley Manville take home acting gongs at starry Olivier Awards
All eyes were on Fiddler on the Roof at this year's Olivier Awards, the musical having equalled a record set in 2018 by Hamilton for the most nominated show in its history. Jordan Fein's acclaimed revival of the 1964 musical at Regent's Park Open Air theatre won three of its 13 nominations, losing out in the acting categories. Hosted by Beverly Knight and Billy Porter at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday (6 April), the ceremony was particularly starry this year with several A-listers, including Paapa Essiedu, Imelda Staunton and Adrien Brody, receiving nominations for their contributions to the West End. Other high-profile names, including Tom Hiddleston, Ewan McGregor, and The Crown 's Elizabeth Debicki, presented awards, with Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, Martin Freeman and Naomi Campbell also in attendance. Fresh from his Oscar win for The Brutalist, Brody – nominated for Best Actor for his role in the Donmar Theatre's The Fear of 13 – missed out on the gong, which went to John Lithgow instead for his towering turn as Roald Dahl in Giant. Garlanded with five-star reviews last year, Mark Rosenblatt's simmering debut play explores the truculent author's antisemitism. Giant also won Best New Play and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Accepting the award, Lithgow, 79, told the audience he might 'faint'. Referring to US President Donald Trump's administration, the New York-born actor said: 'It's not always easy to welcome an American into your midst, and at this particular moment, it's probably a little more complicated than usual.' Best Actress, meanwhile, went to Lesley Manville for her performance in Robert Icke 's thrilling production of Oedipus at The Old Vic. His reimagining of the Greek tragedy as a political thriller won the prize for Best Revival. First-time nominee Romola Garai triumphed in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category, in which she was nominated twice for her roles in both Giant and The Years. She won for the latter – an adaptation of French author Annie Ernaux's 2008 masterpiece, for which Eline Arbo won the directing prize. Imelda Staunton took home the award for Best Actress in a Musical thanks to her performance as a meddling matchmaker in Hello, Dolly!, which premiered on Broadway in 1964. See below for the full list of winners… Best director Eline Arbo for The Years at Almeida theatre and Harold Pinter theatre – WINNER Jordan Fein for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Nicholas Hytner for Giant at Jerwood theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre Robert Icke for Oedipus at Wyndham's theatre Best actress Heather Agyepong for Shifters at Duke of York's theatre Lesley Manville for Oedipus at Wyndham's theatre – WINNER Rosie Sheehy for Machinal at the Old Vic Meera Syal for A Tupperware of Ashes at National Theatre – Dorfman Indira Varma for Oedipus at the Old Vic Best actor Adrien Brody for The Fear of 13 at Donmar Warehouse Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors theatre Paapa Essiedu for Death of England: Delroy at @sohoplace John Lithgow for Giant at Jerwood theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre – WINNER Mark Strong for Oedipus at Wyndham's theatre Best actor in a supporting role Jorge Bosch for Kyoto at @sohoplace Tom Edden for Waiting for Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket Elliot Levey for Giant at Jerwood theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre – WINNER Ben Whishaw for Bluets at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre Best actress in a supporting role Sharon D Clarke for The Importance of Being Earnest at National Theatre – Lyttelton Romola Garai for Giant at Jerwood theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre Romola Garai for The Years at Almeida theatre and Harold Pinter theatre – WINNER Gina McKee for The Years at Almeida Theatre and Harold Pinter theatre Best new play The Fear of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino at Donmar Warehouse Giant by Mark Rosenblatt at Jerwood theatre Downstairs at Royal Court theatre – WINNER Kyoto by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson at @sohoplace Shifters by Benedict Lombe at Duke of York's theatre The Years adapted by Eline Arbo, in an English version by Stephanie Bain at Almeida theatre and Harold Pinter theatre Best new musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, music and lyrics by Darren Clark, book and lyrics by Jethro Compton at Ambassadors theatre – WINNER MJ the Musical, book by Lynn Nottage at Prince Edward theatre Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, music, lyrics and book by Dave Malloy at Donmar Warehouse Why Am I So Single?, music, lyrics and book by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss at Garrick theatre Best actor in a musical John Dagleish for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors theatre – WINNER Adam Dannheisser for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Myles Frost for MJ the Musical at Prince Edward theatre Simon Lipkin for Oliver! at Gielgud theatre Jamie Muscato for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse Best actress in a musical Chumisa Dornford-May for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse Lauren Drew for Titanique at Criterion theatre Clare Foster for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors theatre Lara Pulver for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium – WINNER Best set design Jon Bausor for set design, Toby Olié and Daisy Beattie for puppetry design and Satoshi Kuriyama for projection design for Spirited Away at London Coliseum Frankie Bradshaw for set design for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier Es Devlin for set design for Coriolanus at National Theatre – Olivier Tom Scutt for set design for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre – WINNER Best lighting design Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs for Oliver! at Gielgud theatre – WINNER Howard Hudson for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse Howard Hudson for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park theatre Aideen Malone for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Best new opera production Duke Bluebeard's Castle by English National Opera at London Coliseum Festen by the Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – WINNER L'Olimpiade by Irish National Opera and the Royal Opera at Royal Opera House The Tales of Hoffmann by the Royal Opera at Royal Opera House Outstanding achievement in opera Aigul Akhmetshina for her performance in Carmen at Royal Opera House Allan Clayton for his performance in Festen at Royal Opera House – WINNER Jung Young-doo for his direction of Lear at Barbican theatre Best family show Brainiac Live at Marylebone theatre – WINNER Maddie Moate's Very Curious Christmas at Apollo theatre The Nutcracker at Polka theatre Rough Magic at Shakespeare's Globe – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse Best new production in affiliate theatre Animal Farm at Theatre Royal Stratford East by George Orwell, adapted by Tatty Hennessy Boys on the Verge of Tears by Sam Grabiner at Soho theatre – WINNER English by Sanaz Toossi at Kiln theatre Now, I See by Lanre Malaolu at Theatre Royal Stratford East What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander at Marylebone theatre Best new dance production Assembly Hall by Kidd Pivot, Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young at Sadler's Wells – WINNER Frontiers: Choreographers of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner by the National Ballet of Canada at Sadler's Wells Theatre of Dreams by Hofesh Shechter Company at Sadler's Wells An Untitled Love by A.I.M by Kyle Abraham at Sadler's Wells Outstanding achievement in dance Sarah Chun for her performance in Three Short Ballets at Royal Opera House – Linbury theatre Tom Visser for his lighting design of Angels' Atlas as part of F rontiers: Choreographers of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner at Sadler's Wells Eva Yerbabuena for her performance in Yerbagüena at Sadler's Wells – WINNER Best theatre choreographer Matthew Bourne for Oliver! at Gielgud theatre Julia Cheng for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Hofesh Shechter for Oedipus at the Old Vic Christopher Wheeldon for MJ the Musical at Prince Edward theatre – WINNER Best costume design Hugh Durrant for Robin Hood at the London Palladium Sachiko Nakahara for Spirited Away at London Coliseum Tom Scutt for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park theatre – WINNER Best sound design Nick Lidster for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre – WINNER Christopher Shutt for Oedipus at the Old Vic Thijs van Vuure for The Years at Almeida theatre and Harold Pinter theatre Koichi Yamamoto for Spirited Away at London Coliseum Outstanding musical contribution Mark Aspinall for musical supervision and additional orchestrations for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Darren Clark for music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements and Mark Aspinall for musical direction, music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors theatre – WINNER Dave Malloy for orchestrations and Nicholas Skilbeck for musical supervision for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse Asaf Zohar for compositions and Gavin Sutherland for dance arrangements and orchestration for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier Best actress in a supporting role in a musical Liv Andrusier for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada at Dominion theatre Beverley Klein for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse – WINNER Best musical revival Fiddler on the Roof, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein at Regent's Park Open Air theatre – WINNER Hello, Dolly!, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart at the London Palladium Oliver!, book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, new material and revisions by Cameron Mackintosh at Gielgud theatre Starlight Express, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe at Troubadour Wembley Park theatre Best actor in a supporting role in a musical Andy Nyman for Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium Raphael Papo for Fiddler on the Roof at Regent's Park Open Air theatre Layton Williams for Titanique at Criterion theatre – WINNER Tom Xander for Mean Girls at Savoy theatre Best new entertainment or comedy play Ballet Shoes adapted by Kendall Feaver at National Theatre – Olivier Inside No 9 Stage/Fright by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith at Wyndham's theatre Spirited Away adapted by John Caird and co-adapted by Maoko Imai at London Coliseum Titanique by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli at Criterion theatre Best revival The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at National Theatre – Lyttelton Machinal by Sophie Treadwell at the Old Vic
The Independent
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Adrien Brody and Cate Blanchett among stars attending Olivier Awards
Adrien Brody, Cate Blanchett and John Lithgow were among a host of stars walking the 'green carpet' ahead of the Olivier Awards in London on Sunday. The annual event, which celebrates theatrical productions, is being co-hosted by British singer Beverley Knight and Pose star Billy Porter at the Royal Albert Hall. Nominated in the best actor category is Hollywood star Brody, who won his second Oscar earlier this year for immigration story The Brutalist. Brody, who made his debut West End performance in The Fear Of 13, about a man on death row for a crime he did not commit, is up against Conclave actor Lithgow for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in Giant, and The Morning Show actor Billy Crudup in conman thriller Harry Clarke. They will face competition from I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu for his role in Death Of England: Delroy, about a black working class man confronting his relationship with Britain, and movie and TV star Mark Strong for Greek tragedy Oedipus. Lithgow, 79, was asked how he feels about playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in a new Harry Potter TV series. He joked he had 'never heard' of JK Rowling's headmaster of Hogwarts. Lithgow told the PA news agency: 'For the moment, I'm concentrating on one giant then I move on to another.' The theatre awards are taking place amid discussions about dynamic pricing, which has seen soaring ticket prices on the West End. Strong told PA: 'This dynamic pricing is obviously a new thing, and what worries me about it is that it will prevent young people coming to the theatre. 'It will prevent people who can't afford it from coming to the theatre. And the theatre should be for everyone.' At the Oliviers, musical Fiddler On The Roof scored the most nominations with 13 nods, including best musical revival. Kyoto, about the 1997 climate protocol of the same name, love story Shifters, Giant, about children's author Dahl grappling with whether to make a public apology, and Annie Ernaux memoir The Years are both tied for most nominated play with five nods each. Meanwhile, British stars Lesley Manville and Indira Varma are up for the best actress award for playing the same role of Jocasta in different productions of Oedipus. Also nominated is Joy actress Heather Agyepong in Shifters, Chernobyl's Rosie Sheehy in Machinal, about a woman who was executed for her husband's death, and comedian Meera Syal for family drama A Tupperware Of Ashes. Other stars nominated include Dame Imelda Staunton, known for Harry Potter, who is up for best actress in a musical for her performance in Hello, Dolly!, and Paddington star Ben Whishaw for best supporting actor in Bluets. Emma actress Romola Garai will also compete against herself for supporting actress in Giant and The Years.
