Openings:

Oliver - Edden 2Tom Edden has opened as Fagin in Daniel Evans’ Sheffield Crucible revival of Oliver. In the Daily Telegraph, Jane Shilling awards the production 5 stars commending Tom and the cast for their “intelligent” performances in a production that finds  “humanity..and is bracingly free of sentimentality.” Lyn Gardener agrees in The Guardian admiring the darkness that lurks beneath the cheer in this production whilst praising Tom’s “impeccable comic timing“. The Daily Mail’s Patrick Marmion raves:

Anyone who saw the original One Man Two Guvnors will recall Edden as the ancient serving man who toppled backwards downstairs. Now he takes to Dickens’s master pickpocket with lip-licking glee and proves he’s not just a one-trick waiter. It would normally have been enough that Bart’s 54-year-old musical has some of the most toe-tapping numbers ever written. But in Edden they have added comic charisma. Edden’s Fagin is an extraordinary vocal mix of Strictly Come Dancing’s Len Goodman and England’s Roy Hodgson…Bill Sikes describes Fagin as ‘an avaricious skeleton’.But Edden is much more — a delightfully demented vulture with great hooded eyes.

Oliver continues at the Sheffield Crucible until 25 Jan 2014.

Cross 42Once A Catholic has opened at The Tricycle with Molly Logan receiving brilliant notices for her touching central performance. Charles Spencer “laughed like a drain” whilst observing that, “the comedy might seem heartless were it not for the wonderful performance of Molly Logan“. Paul Taylor (Independent) concurs that “Molly Logan is excellent as the grave, victimised Mary Mooney” whilst Michael Billington (Guardian) commends the “truthful observation” and “specific gravity” she brings to her role as the hapless heroine.

Gulliford at Print RoomOver at The Print Room, “West London’s uber cool theatre” (Time Out), Geraldine Alexander has premiered Amygdala, her writing and directorial debut, in which Hermione Gulliford takes the leading role of Catherine. Time Out’s critic writes: “Amygdala contains some forceful, bone-shaking writing. Alexander (who also directs) keeps her powder dry until the final moments, and when she finally unleashes hell, it packs quite a wallop. Gulliford excels in those tense scenes.” Lyn Gardener’s review in The Guardian praises the “quality” and “detail” of Gulliford’s performance and the “needle sharp clarity” of Alexander’s writing which kept her gripped. Armygdala plays at The Print Room until the 14th December.

Autumn Theatre

Autumn Theatre Update 250913Tom Edden will be starring as Fagin in Sheffield Theatres’ production of the musical Oliver! directed by Daniel Evans at The Crucible.

Molly Logan plays the lead Mary Mooney in The Tricycle’s Once A Catholic directed by Kathy Burke. The dark comedy written by Mary O’Malley opens in November followed by a short run at Liverpool’s Royal Court in January.

Meanwhile out of London, Gavin Spokes is on tour with Headlong’s critically acclaimed 1984. Joe Sims joins the cast of Doug Lucie’s Solid Air at Theatre Royal Plymouth, directed by Mike Bradwell. Christopher Harper will play Ratty in Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s story The Wind in The Willows at The Royal and Derngate this Christmas whilst Richard Teverson will be at The Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough in The Schoolmistress. And Farshid Rokey joins Richard Wilson’s production of Love Your Soldiers at Sheffield Crucible playing the roles of Babur/Hakim.

London Openings include Richard Dempsey in Michael Grandage’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Geraldine Alexander in The Empty Quarter at The Hampstead Downstairs and Rocky Marshall in Matthew Dunster’s The Love Girl & The Innocent at Southwark Playhouse.

On Film:

On Film 240813Lisa Palfrey joins director Matthew Warchus for Pride shooting in London and Wales from September and depicting a gay and lesbian group in the 80s who find solidarity with the striking miners. Ken Bones joins the cast of Exodus, Ridley Scott’s latest feature with 20th Century Fox with Christian Bale portraying Moses. Having wrapped on the recent Mike Leigh feature, Tom Edden starts shooting Cinderella in September with Ken Branagh directing whilst Colm Gormley films the next Ken Loach feature Jimmy’s Hall. Just wrapped are Max Fowler on Tokarev opposite Nick Cage and Robert Hands on Eliza Graves. Watch out for Jay Simpson who will be appearing in Rush, the hotly anticipated new Ron Howard movie set in the intirguing world of Formula 1 and Vincenzo Nicoli who is in in the next Paul Greengrass feature Captain Phillips both on general release very shortly.

Summer Theatre Blog:

Tom Edden in A Little Hotel On The SideTom Edden returns to stage in his first role since playing Alfie in One Man 2 Guvnors (NT,West End, Broadway: Tony, Critics Circle Noms, Drama Desk Winner). He opens at Theatre Royal Bath in Feydeay farce A Little Hotel on the Side with Lindsay Posner directing. Richard Dempsey joins the Michael Grandage Company for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the next in a hugley popular season of plays currently resident at the Noel Coward Theatre. Plans have been announced for a revival and New York transfer of the Tricyle’s Red Velvet with Natasha Gordon reprising her role as Connie whilst Gavin Spokes joins Headlong Theatre’s exciting adaptaion of 1984 which Robert Icke directs. Stephen Wilson, meanwhile, continues at The National shifting focus to Joe Hill Gibbin’s revival of Marlowe’s Edward II.

Openings include Shawshank Redemption in Edinburgh with Vincenzo Nicoli, Too Clever By Half at The Royal Exchange with Nitin Kundra, as well as Molly Logan in Blue Stockings and Jess Murphy in The Lightning Child both at The Globe. Amy Cudden continues her successful run in The National’s One Man 2 Guvnors (Haymarket) as do Geraldine Alexander in Strange Interlude (Lyttleton) and Scott Karim in Othello (Olivier).

Screen Update:

Film:

 

Cosima Shaw in Papadopoulos & Sons
Cosima Shaw in
Papadopoulos & Sons

Tom Edden is currently filming with Mike Leigh on his Untitled 13 project
and then goes on to work with Kenneth Brannagh in his live action movie
version of Cinderella. Confirmed cast include Cate Blanchett. Max Fowler,
meanwhile shoots his debut US feature Tokarev, an action thriller in which
he is cast opposite Nicolas Cage and shoots through July in Alabama with
Paco Cabarez directing. Fast & Furious 6 has also opened in both London & LA with Benjamin Davies in the role of Adolfson. Also on current general release in UK is the ‘sleeper’ hit indie film Papadopoulus & Sons in which Cosima Shaw plays Sophie.

Television:

Broadchurch DVDRoyal Welsh College graduate Chris Gordon starts filming the last ever Poirot, Dead Man’s Folly with Tom Vaughan directing.  Filming takes place in London and Cornwall through June.  Richard Dempsey and Joseph May film guest roles this month on NBC/Carnival’s reimagining of Dracula whilst Jay Simpson shoots Talking to the Dead a 2 part drama for Sky directed by China Moo Young. Catch up to with Broadchuch, ITV’s hugely successful crime drama which is released on DVD this week featuring new client Joe Sims as suspect Nigel Carter.

One Man 2 Guvnors : West End

After his award winning turn on Broadway, Tom Edden returns to the West End for 8 weeks only reprising his role as Alfie. This will be the last chance to see Tom’s amazing comedy performance which won him The Drama Desk Award along with Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations in New York this summer. Gavin Spokes is also in the West End cast and takes over the lead role of Francis in January. Starting rehearsals to join the new company is Amy Cudden who will be playing the leading role of Rachel/Roscoe Crabbe also from January.

Tom Edden: On Broadway

Tom Edden reprises his role as Alfie in The National Theatre’s New York transfer of One Man 2 Guvnors. After a highly successful opening Tom lands The Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor as well as an Outer Critics Circle Nomination.