Jennifer Ehle

Audiobooks, anyone?

2012-01-14T09:11:00.003+11:00

You may all be glad to know that the audiobooks of 'A Wind in the Door' and 'A Swiftly Tilting Planet' by Madeleine L'Engle, read by Ms Ehle, are now available to purchase! Before you do you may wish to listen to the following excepts: 'A Wind in the Door' and 'A Swiftly Tilting Planet'. Both are available to purchase in full from several retailers including Random House and Amazon.

Also, there is a picture of Jennifer Ehle with the rest of the Henry IV cast here at Playbill. We have heard that she is also taking part in 'Fragments: Marilyn Monroe'; there is more information about this project here at Variety.

One Night Only

2011-12-15T01:55:00.008+11:00

We have news that Jennifer will be returning briefly to the stage! She will be starring in Tom Stoppard’s new version of Pirandello's Henry IV as part of the Red Bull Theater's Revelation Readings series. The play will also star Richard Easton, Victor Garber, Hamish Linklater, Mamie Gummer, Patrick Page, and Michael Stuhlbarg. However, it is only showing for one night - Monday January 9, at 7:30pm – and tickets appear to be selling fast so if you would like to see it you’d better get booking now.

Also, it has been suggested that Jennifer may be being considered to play a supporting role in Katherine Bigelow's new film, focusing on the US’s hunt to find Bin Laden. She has been listed under the project on IMDb and this article at collider mentions her possible involvement.

We have become aware that Press 53 have been given, by John Ehle himself, several cases of his first editions. If you would like to purchase one, or maybe several, you can find them here.

Lastly, Jennifer has two, yes two, new audio books being released on January 10th- The Wind In the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, both are part of Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet.

A Gifted Man Reviews

2011-09-25T04:59:00.014+10:00

Last night was the season premiere of A Gifted Man, which seems to have kicked off to a great start with viewing figures at 9.3 million, according to various sources. However, the show does seem to have some mixed reviews with the press, though mostly criticising the plot rather than any of the actors.

The Not So Favourable Reviews:

A CNN critic wrote that:
“If you watched only the first ten to 15 minutes of CBS’ “A Gifted Man” and then changed the channel, it’d be understandable.”

The San Francisco Chronicle says:
"The fact that the show is airing Friday night suggests CBS has its doubts about its longevity" Although I'm sure that a lot of people would disagree with this!

Another at the AV club appears to be of the opinion that it was better suited to being a film rather than a TV series.

The Good Reviews:

It seems that Jennifer has nothing but praise though with Rachel Reitsleff of Assignment X claiming that
“Ehle brings what can best be termed as a state of grace to Anna – she is warm, sincere and likable, while providing just the right dose of the ethereal to go with the character’s current condition.”

Inside Pulse says:
“Its [A Gifted Man's] greatest strength is in Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Ehle who capture the screen whenever they are together. Their scenes are endearing and humorous at times, creating two likable characters by the end of the episode.”

Lastly, The Denver Post thinks that Jennifer “has an ethereal, Streep-ish quality”

Mere Hours Away Now

2011-09-23T20:08:00.004+10:00

steely and silky, fragile and fierce

It is now only hours away from the premiere of A Gifted Man at 7 pm [she says, as she casually elbows aside time zones of two coasts, a mountain range, and a series of islands]. The anticipatory stomach butterflies here have been replaced by what I suspect are hyperactive pterodactyls.

While we wait, here is just a small sampling of some of the many reviews and videos that have led up to the event.

A Must Read: Jennifer talks "about about ghost sex and Mr. Darcy".
Via Jace Lacob at The Daily Beast in an article titled A Gifted Man’s Leading Lady.
Why did you decide to do a weekly series now?
Jennifer Ehle: I never thought in a million years that I would do a weekly series. One of my closest friends is [creator] Susannah Grant, and I know how dedicated she is and how hard she works. I met Jonathan Demme when I’d auditioned for him for Rachel Getting Married. It hadn’t worked out, but I knew he liked me. Without Patrick being attached to this and Jonathan directing it I don’t think I would have even read it or looked at it. Then I just sort of started taking baby steps because if they’re both seeing something in this then maybe what I see is not an illusion.
Your character, Anna, seems almost saintly, but she does have flaws.
Ehle: She does have flaws. My kids don’t really know what I do. They kind of do, but it’s just always been “We help to tell stories,” and that’s what we’ve always said that we do as a family. It’s kind of hard to tell a story when you don’t know where it’s going to end so, it’s a steep learning curve. The way that I’ve adjusted it in my head to kind of make sense for me is that Anna, she is a new fresh spirit in the pilot: like in a photograph, she’s not fully developed yet. Then she begins to come into focus as we’re all discovering who she is along with the audience. It’s very important to me that she not be someone who ever wants him to just be good solely because he should be good or just for his own sake, because I know that’s not somebody that I would particularly want to watch. Her objective is to continue the work that she was doing and she was so passionate about since she finds herself here. She didn’t choose this.
I think that’s an important distinction to make.
Ehle: They are being given a sort of odd second chance. They’re not quite ready to let go of each other now that they’ve found each other, even though it’s not all roses and Champagne, one of them happens to be dead, and also they still have the same clashes personality-wise and ethics-wise that is perhaps what ended their relationship.
You were in the original pilot for HBO’s Game of Thrones, but opted not to return for the series. (The part is now played by Michelle Fairley.) Why did you ultimately decided to not stick with the show?
Ehle: Well, it was entirely personal. My daughter was seven months old when we did the pilot. It was too soon for me to be working, emotionally and bonding-wise, but I needed to do it and I was also passionate about the books. I loved the idea of telling that story. I finished the first book when I was in the hospital getting ready to have my daughter. My husband actually went out and got the second book for me. I handed the first book to the midwife and started the second one. When I went back for my six-week checkup with the midwife, she had started the second book.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: "A Gifted Man" ”let's credit a great cast. Wilson has two Tony nominations, Jennifer Ehle (as his late wife) has two Tony wins”

Mary McNamara’s review of AGM in the Los Angeles Times found a lot of weaknesses based on the first episode, and thought “With just a few tiny modifications, "A Gifted Man" could be a smart satiric comedy”.
But she does say ”Ehle is charming enough to be morally seductive”

Robert Bianco, USA TODAY, lauds the cast (“the almost absurd amount of talent involved”) but feels the show doesn’t (at least in the first episode) deliver what such a stellar lineup could. In conclusion, though, his thoughts are:
”Thanks to all the talent, what could have been an incredibly hokey Ghost Whisperer retread has much more moody potential. Wilson has the magnetism and acting chops to lead a network series, and while Ehle's Anna starts off a bit too angelic, we're promised she'll become more complex.”

The Boston Globe’s Matthew Gilbert thinks “The cast of CBS’s “A Gifted Man’’ is to die for”.
”The elegant Jennifer Ehle … {snipguesswhat} …. She’s both steely and silky, fragile and fierce.”
Overall, though, he felt the show so far failed to take advantage of the cast’s potential. Still, the article ended with optimism that future episodes might “set the characters free from endless debate over whether Anna is real or not. Let the actors find drama in more earthly concerns. I think they’re up to it.”

A New York Times article By NEIL GENZLINGER says ”It is also unclear how often we’ll be seeing Ms. Ehle (who is currently fighting for a disease-free world in the film “Contagion”) and whether she’ll ever be given anything to do other than look beatific.” [Oh, a LOT more, we hope.]

From Maureen Ryan at Aol TV in a piece titled A Terrific Cast Brings 'A Gifted Man' to Life,
”Fifteen minutes into 'A Gifted Man,' the performance of Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle and Margo Martindale had completely won me over, and of all the pilots I've screened for fall, this is the one I most want to see more of.”
and
”Jennifer Ehle, 'A Gifted Man's' female lead, has a wry, understated presence that meshes perfectly with Wilson's low-key but palpable charisma. The chemistry between the actors implies a long and complex history between their characters, and I look forward to finding out about more about their pasts.”

Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that 'Gifted Man' is hauntingly good drama, and after describing Jennifer’s character Anna in somewhat derisive terms, goes on to say:
”On first glance, Ms. Ehle's Anna seems an unlikely match for Michael -- maybe it's her maternal nature? -- but as the show moves through its briskly-paced pilot episode, it's hard to imagine an actress more suited to the role. Her warm humanity nicely balances against Mr. Wilson's cold aloofness.”

Jonathan Storm , in the Philadelphia Inquirer reviewed some new CBS offerings, including A Gifted Man.
”A Gifted Man has relatable actors, including double Tony Award-winner Jennifer Ehle as a very down-to-Earth visitor from beyond the veil.”

Fiona’s blog at Tumblr has a mission statement that reads: “This blog posts just about anything related to the new CBS show A Gifted Man”. [Check it out for the great selection of pictures so far.]

ODG has her own musical theme! >Walt Belcher of The Tampa Tribune wrote of “Anna’s Theme” and how it came about.
There was a scene in the pilot of "A Gifted Man" in which actor Patrick Wilson plays a piano in his character's loft apartment. He picks out a few notes that become a recurring melody linked to the ghost of his dead ex-wife Anna.

Actress Jennifer Ehle, who plays the departed woman, says the piano wasn't part of the script.
"When we went to shoot the scene, I don't think anybody expected that to happen," she says. "Patrick just sat down and started to play, and it was so gorgeous that it became a big part of the scene."
…
They brought in a composer/arranger and created "Anna's Theme."
[This article also reveals that AGM was originally intended to be filmed in LA, but relocated to NY to accommodate the actors, for which we Jennifer Ehle fans should be very grateful!]

Danielle Turchiano of LA TV Insider Examiner reviewed AGM’s initial episode and remarked ”We are not usually one for medical dramas, but A Gifted Man has the potential to be so much more than “just” that.”
She also noted:
”Michael’s ex is dead, having been hit by a car just a few days prior, and she is reaching out to him from beyond so that he can go to her own medical clinic and access her files so her employees aren’t overwhelmed. Or so she says. With a slight twinkle in her eye, Ehle promises that this tale will be about much more than just logistics, and though she is acting like just another somewhat lost soul in his life, it is really she who is going to help him.”

On September 16th The Jane Austen Film Club Blog declared Jennifer Ehle- Actor of the Week and provided convincing proof.

It's probably best that I stop here or it will be a posting to rival the outrageous size of two ago. This has been just a sampling and I hope you can find and enjoy all the others I left out.

A Gifted Man - 'Pilot' Behind the Scenes, includes comments from Jennifer.

A brief peek; don’t look away too quickly.

Oh, yeah, those other things

Contagion was number one in box office receipts in its debut weekend and continues to rank high in subsequent weeks. I saw it and recommend it. Jennifer owns the screen whenever she's on!

The Ides of March (coming out October 7th) trailer. Concentrate and you’ll glimpse Jennifer at 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00

September 23rd is not far away!

2011-09-15T01:27:00.003+10:00

A Gifted Man: video clip with commentary from Jennifer Ehle and Patrick Wilson.

Enjoy!

Viewing the Reviews: A lotta love for our girl, a little bit of buzz, and stealing a movie

2011-09-13T16:27:00.005+10:00

CONTAGION
“Somewhere in the world, the wrong bat met up with the wrong pig.”

Coming up from a triple shift in the data mines, covered with a coating of google dust, I’m offering you hours of reading pleasure, assuming you follow all the quinks (meaning quotable links).

The reviews are mixed, but mostly positive and none that really panned it outright. Lack of emotion over-all was a problem often cited, along with the multiple plotlines not adequately developed. Best of all (and even in reviews that found fault otherwise), there’s a great deal of love and praise for our girl and no bad when one considers the least conclusion is ‘credible’.

Blogger note: Take it as read that each time she’s tagged as British or English, I refrained from inserting ‘sic’ and that there is foot-stomping in North Carolina, New York, many other parts of the U.S., and certainly a tiny section of Illinois, as we whine, “Can’t we at least claim our half?”

Claudia Wallis at The Columbia University Record shares Ian Lipkin talking about his role as technical adviser on the film Contagion.
“We also had two actors—Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle—spend some time at my lab. They were playing officers at the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service, so we showed them how to use some of the lab equipment and we gave them little diplomas at the end of their tour of duty with us.” [I think we saw one of these on Twitter]

More from Dr. Ian Lipkin via Gerri Miller at Mother Nature Network:
”… training actors Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle to convincingly play epidemiologists. Ehle was a particularly good student. ‘We went over pronunciation of terms and what they mean — it wasn't just a question of learning the lines. She also became quite adept at using equipment,’ “

Michael Ordoña at SFGate wrote that Jennifer Ehle’s role in Contagion was expanded, and this:
“The remarkably beautiful Ehle reads as warm, vivacious and possessed of a powerful intellectual curiosity. So it's no surprise she soaked up all she could in sessions with epidemiologist Dr. Ian Lipkin, whom the New York Times once dubbed the man from whom viruses can't hide.”

From a Laurence Fishburne Interview at Flicks and Bits
Your character works very closely with Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle’s characters in ‘Contagion’, what can you say about them?
Laurence Fishburne: Jennifer is wonderful, I really felt great just having someone who’s so gifted to play scenes with, because a lot of the stuff we had to do, it was via telephone or via video conference, there were a lot of big scenes where people were exchanging information in different parts of the world. So a lot of my stuff with Kate was not face to face, it was over the phone, but most of my stuff with Jennifer was right there, face to face. They’re both just tremendous, both really gifted. It was an honour to work with them.

The Playlist blog Oliver Lyttelton wrote from Venice:
” For us, the acting honors go to not one of the A-listers, but to Jennifer Ehle, the veteran British actress who’s on something of a career resurgence after cropping up in “The King’s Speech” last year. Playing the doctor leading the search for a vaccine to the virus, she nails a certain kind of driven, semi-autistic genius with intensity and warmth, and the character’s scene with her father is perhaps the film’s most moving. If any of the above-the-line talent deserves to be in the awards conversation for the film, it’s Ehle.”

David Gritten reporting from Venice:
”Jennifer Ehle is outstanding as a researcher working on producing a vaccine”

Stephanie Zacharek from Venice:
” Soderbergh also does well by some other terrific actors who haven’t had any major roles of late, including Jennifer Ehle as a take-charge researcher”

Todd McCarthy from Venice:
”The pressure cooker plot calls for intense performances all around but first among equals are Winslet and Ehle. The former's abilities are amply known but, whenever Ehle appears in films or onstage, she makes it clear she entirely belongs in the company of Streep (whom she resembles), Winslet, Blanchett, Kidman, Linney, et al. She just needs to get a few of the choice parts.” [Do you think someday, when JE gets all those break-out parts, that folks instead will be saying it’s Meryl Streep who resembles Jennifer Ehle?]

Movie City News blogger David Poland wrote:
”In the early stages, as we meet hot doctors, from a sponged down Kate Winslet to Marion Cotillard to Jennifer Ehle, the fear of stunting grew in my belly. But all of them settle into being the great actresses that they are and their roles in this worldwide drama and the fear subsided.
…
Jennifer Ehle has two supporting roles this next month that make a lot out of a little screen time.”

Review by thehorrorchick at Dread Central:
”There is one actor in Contagion that I would say stands above the rest of the ensemble, and that is the up-and-coming (or at least up-and-coming in the US) Ehle, a veteran British actress who’s suddenly popped on Hollywood's radar since her performance in last year's The King's Speech and deservingly so.

As Dr. Ally Haxtall, it's Ehle's character that passionately leads the CDC's search for a vaccine to the virus, and the actress masterfully finds a way to both balance her character's intensely overdriven tendencies and give her a subtle warmth that hints at what drives her during a scene with her ailing father that will no doubt leave you a little choked up (if you have any kind of a heart, that is). “

Richard Corliss in TIME:
”Contagion does have a heroine in Ally Haskell (Jennifer Ehle), a Bio-Safety Lab doctor with the expertise and guts to risk her life to find a cure. It's a treat to see Ehle, a winning, often underused actress, in a crucial movie role. Her warm, flinty performance, first among equals in a strong cast, is one of the prime lessons to take away from this intelligent Surgeon General's advisory of a film.”

Post at Dread Central By kwlow: Scroll down for Jennifer Ehle interview video (in Hextall cardigan).

Edward Douglas posted comments from an interview with Contagion Writer Scott Z. Burns.
Burns: And then there's Jennifer Ehle … I think she's amazing in the movie.
Interviewer: She's very good. Almost everyone after my screening was asking who that was, and that's not a bad thing when you're in a movie with Matt Damon and Kate Winslet.
>Burns: Because of the way we did this, Steven and I could look at it and go, "Wow, Jennifer Ehle's really great. It'd be good to write another scene for her."

BUZZ Alert! Peter Knegt mentions the O-word:
”Frequent Clooney collaborator Steven Soderbergh’s multi character virus drama “Contagion” went a bit better with critics, but some suggested it’s not exactly Oscar fare (though of the extensive cast, it seems Jennifer Ehle is its best bet at recognition).” [I’ll Squeeee if it will help].

Karina Longworth in the Broward Palm Beach New Times:
”Jennifer Ehle has a career-making part as the quietly brilliant researcher whom Soderbergh frames like an ingénue as she reels off jargon at an impossibly fast and mellifluous rate.” [I guess Baftas and Tonys don’t make a career. Maybe she means a career in science? I do like ‘mellifluous’ though … there’s that tenuous bees & honey connection.]

Izumi Hasegawa reports on an Interview with STEVEN SODERBERGH. [Note: there are other links that report these same words with different interviewer initials]
IH: I understand that Jennifer Ehle was cast because you saw her performance in Michael Clayton. What did you see in that which made you want to cast her?
SS: That was an amazing performance, and so...that sounds horrible. I had known who Jennifer was for a long time, and this didn't take a lot of thought, honestly, I have a somewhat long list of people that I've seen in the course of my career and thought, "Wow they would be great to work with." And I did know from Tony (Gilroy) that they had really good experience and I wasn't in any danger. So I'm just glad that worked out, and of course now she's reteamed with George (Clooney) in Ides of March. So it's all happening this year.
IH: Was there something that made her right for that role in particular?
SS: I knew that, by her saying yes, she was willing to take a run at some very complex language. This stuff is one of the most difficult scenes, in terms of the language in the movie being the explanation, and when she says, "Okay, we know what it is now. The green part is this. The red is that..." Scott had written it in general terms, and then Ian Lipkin was on the set, and we wrote it right there. It's not really fair to throw dialogue like that at someone at the last minute. I was hoping the fear of having to say it would translate as excitement and the high emotional stakes for the world, because it was a lot. It looked hard.

Some JE quotes were listed at Flicks and Bits:
Jennifer, what kind of research did you do for your role?
Jennifer Ehle: I had two really fascinating mornings with Dr. Ian Lipkin and his team up at Columbia Univercity in New York, at his lab doing experiments. Basically they gave me a crash course, and I did all sorts of extraordinary things – pigs brains with encephalitis, growing bacteria, growing viruses, and finding the DNA sequences from a sample. It was really an extraordinary couple of days, and then at the end I got a certificate that said I was now qualified as a microbiologist to practice absolutely nowhere (laughs). It was wonderful. Dr. Lipkin e was very, very present during the shoot, and very hands on. So the research was kind of ongoing while we were shooting.
And, in response to another question:
Jennifer Ehle: Well, I just have to say ’Contagion’ came out of the blue for me. I usually have to audition and sort of jump through hoops and I didn’t for this. It completely blew me away to be asked to do it, for somebody that I admire as much as Steven Soderbergh to have that kind of faith that I could do it. I also took it assuming that, the same way I took the part in ‘Michael Clayton,’ assuming that probably it would be cut, but that I would have a wonderful experience meanwhile doing it, and that didn’t happen this time.

Jeff Leins at News in Film:
”… the stand-out is Jennifer Ehle as the humble scientist searching for a vaccine.”

Mike D'Angelo in Las Vegas Weekly:
”… of the all-star cast, only the relatively lesser-known Jennifer Ehle, playing a scientist who tests a possible vaccine on herself, makes a strong impression.”

Yong Shu Hoon at asiaone
”But it's a challenge for these actors to leave a deep impression with their limited screen time.
In this regard, Winslet and Ehle fare better than the rest with the skilful portrayal of their resourceful and self-sacrificing characters.”

James Verniere, Boston Herald:
”Scene-stealer Jennifer Ehle is radiantly smart, sexy and implacable CDC researcher Dr. Ally Hextall. Let’s face it, these people are too good-looking to all be in the same movie.”

This might be my favorite quote! Christy Lemire, Associated Press:
”Despite all the big names crammed together, Jennifer Ehle might just steal this thing as Fishburne's right-hand woman, Dr. Ally Hextall, who's racing to find a vaccine even as the number of dead skyrockets. Like the film itself, she's got an irresistible cool about her. But she's also so confident and radiates such no-nonsense intelligence, she commands the screen every time she shows up.”

Randy Myers, Contra Costa Times:
”But Jude Law and lesser-known Jennifer Ehle (Geoffrey Rush's wife in "The King's Speech") really stand out. Law brings a fiery zeal and temperament as a San Francisco blogger whose Web traffic surges with his alarming claims about government involvement in the crisis. His character is the most interesting of the lot, and Law has a heyday. Ehle, as a researcher, comes in a close second as a character who takes great risks to stop the disease's spread. We can see steely resolve in her eyes.”

Okay, this one is here because it gave me a laugh. John Hill wrote:
”Incidentally, Jennifer Ehle's supposed to be in it to, but we didn't recognise her.” [Were you looking for a curly black wig, John?]

Andrew Wright in the Salt Lake City Weekly:
”Best-in-show honors, however, go to Ehle, a fairly unknown actress (best known for playing Elizabeth Bennet opposite Colin Firth in the seminal 1995 Pride & Prejudice miniseries) who underplays beautifully as a research scientist whose eggheadedness masks a deep humanism. If the film has a hero, she’s it.” [Fairly unknown??? Is P&P the only thing anyone has watched or heard about??? Sheeesh.]

Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
”Also impressive is the underrated Jennifer Ehle ("The King's Speech") as a CDC doctor who's intent on thwarting the disease.”

Sarah Sluis, Film Journal International:
”As a dedicated and fearless researcher, Jennifer Ehle makes a lasting impression.”

Todd Gilchrist, The Playlist at indieWire:
”Jennifer Ehle plays a crucial role in the film as one of the scientists who races to find a cure for the virus that is wiping out Earth’s population at an exponential rate; arguably, next to Damon, she’s one of the emotional epicenters of the film.”

[I'm sure she said 'mantel' even if he didn't write it] As told to TakePart: By Max Follmer:

Perri Nemiroff wrote:
”There are also two names that don’t appear on the poster that are particularly commendable, Ehle and newcomer Anna Jacob-Heron. Ehle’s Dr. Hextall, is incredibly bright and rather than flaunt her knowhow via meaningless medical jargon, Burns and Ehle bring her down to earth through entirely relatable dialogue and a subdued and honest performance. Ehle has a very natural onscreen presence, letting the audience connect to her character almost instantaneously.”

[LOL, this is a great quote ~ my second fav, I think] Stephen Whitty/The Star-Ledger:
”Supporting actress Jennifer Ehle, however, who plays one of the whip-smart CDC researchers, is terrific. With her patterned stockings and small secret smile she’s a sexy bit of life in the lab; you see the glint in her eye as she talks about rare viral mutations, and you see how weirdly thrilling she finds all this, in spite of herself.”

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times wrote:
”… Dr. Ally Hextall. Two-time Tony-winning actress Jennifer Ehle comes close to stealing the picture with this quietly yet quirkily empathetic performance.”

By Damon Houx at ScreenCrave:
”With all the heavy hitters in the cast, it’s surprising that Jennifer Ehle walks away with the movie. As one of the key doctors trying to figure out a cure, Ehle manages to be smart, confident and surprisingly sexy (especially for someone wearing a Tyvek suit for much of the film). Though Ehle’s been acting for a while now, this is that role. She’s going to be in a lot more shortly.”

Cathy Jakicic, the Journal Sentinel :
”Most characters are realistically flawed, though Damon and Ehle emerge as heroes. In fact, even among her A-list co-stars, Ehle walks away with the movie.”

MANOHLA DARGIS wrote in the New York Times:
”Rounding out a medical SWAT team, which is almost as self-consciously sexy and quirky as the thieves in Mr. Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s” movies, are a pair of C.D.C. doctors, Ally Hextall (a wonderful Jennifer Ehle) and David Eisenberg (Demetri Martin), who hoist test tubes and send rhesus monkeys to their deaths,”

Sasha Perl-Raver at PopcornBiz blog:
”Impressive assemblage of talent—most notably Winslet and Jennifer Ehle who plays a level-headed scientist methodically working on a cure.”

Jeannette Catsoulis at npr:
”Centers for Disease Control (represented by Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet and a terrific Jennifer Ehle)”

Lou Lumenick, Nypost:
”Jennifer Ehle, outstanding in her first major screen role” [????? Sunshine, Possession, Alpha Male. Oh well, guess it’s only major if Matt Damon is in it.]

Lawrence Toppman, charlotteobserver sends some love from the Carolinas:
”Winston-Salem native Jennifer Ehle stands out as a tireless doctor who commits a selfless act most of us wouldn't dare to do.”

ROGER MOORE - The Orlando Sentinel didn’t have a lot of praise EXCEPT:
”It’s only when the luminous Ehle … [snip tried&true P&P reference] …takes center stage that “Contagion” crawls out of the petri dish and into something less clinical.”

Tom Long/ Detroit News:
”The film does have an actual hero, though you sort of have to wade through all the rest to get to her, a doctor at the CDC played by the perpetually underappreciated Jennifer Ehle ("The King's Speech"). Thanks for being there, Jen.” [Our underappreciated Hero!]

In Pegasus News by John P. Meyer:
”Ally Hextall (the fabulously underrated Jennifer Ehle)” [Oh, well, we know what you meant, John.]

Bob Fischbach, WORLD-HERALD doesn’t find much emotion in the film until:
”Perhaps strangely enough, it's Jennifer Ehle … as a virologist trying to develop a vaccine who brings the biggest dose of humanity to the story.”

Steve Prokopy at Gapers Block web pub:
”Other nice turns come from Lawrence Fishburne, Elliott Gould, Bryan Cranston, Sanaa Lathan, Dimitri Martin and especially Jennifer Ehle, as a researcher who may be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity. She's the perfect combination of heroic and reckless.”

Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic (Everett, Washington):
”Another CDC scientist is played by Jennifer Ehle, an actress who should've had a huge career after starring in a BBC "Pride and Prejudice" a decade and a half ago. She all but steals this movie from her higher-paid co-stars.”

LYNN VENHAUS - For the News-Democrat:
”Jennifer Ehle ("The King's Speech") stands out as a doctor risking her life for a vaccine.”

Blogger Ethan Alter:
”Even with the limited material they have to play, the A-list ensemble cast is strong across the board, with Winslet and Ehle delivering the film's standout performances.”

By James Sanford at Mlive:
”The performances are thoroughly believable, with Winslet (as a feisty but somewhat insecure go-getter) and Ehle (as a risk-taking researcher) contributing particularly noteworthy characterizations.”

Mrigank Dhaniwala from koimoi (Inside Bollywood):
”Jennifer Ehle stands out for her realistic performance.”

PopMatters blog by Bill Gibron:
”Winslet is wonderful … Equally charming is Ehle’s Hextall. While a bit too self-righteous in the reading, her sense of duty and sacrifice are empowering.”

Matt Brunson at Connect Savannah :
”… the picture mostly follows the scientists and health officials tasked with finding a cure -- considering that Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle are cast in these roles, one gets the impression that being a physical beauty is a requisite to landing these sorts of jobs.”

Amy Curtis, Austin TX Examiner:
”Cotillard and Ehle impressed in their respective roles as strong, intelligent women. Both gave the otherwise bloodless characters of a World Health Organization agent and a scientist fighting for a cure some heart. Though both parts were drawn as frighteningly austere professional women, both Cotillard and Ehle were able to soften their characters without lessening their intelligence or purpose.”

Christopher Orr at The Atlantic:
” Their many less-famous castmates are comparably excellent, in particular Jennifer Ehle, daughter of Rosemary Harris, best known for … [snip you-know-what] … With the exception of Ehle's noble research scientist, the human characters are largely bystanders to the wax and wane of the biological apocalypse.”

Randall King, Winnipeg Free Press:
”Angelic scientist Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle) doggedly seeks a workable vaccine.” [I had to include this one ~ none of the others called her angelic]

CHRISTOPHER SCHOBERT, Buffalo News:
”Jennifer Ehle is also worth mentioning. The Brit actress, best known for the beloved Colin Firth-starring BBC adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” is perhaps the film’s true hero. Her crusading scientist is an unshowy, note-perfect creation, and an example of Soderbergh’s skills of observation.” [Okay, I didn’t snip this time ~ just letting you see what I’m dealing with here, folks. ☺]

Bob Tremblay, GateHouse News Service:
”It can be difficult to sympathize with or care about characters whose screen time is limited. This can put a heavy burden on a cast that needs to make a connection without a plethora of minutes at its disposable. Interestingly, the actress who succeeds best in this regard is not one of the headliners, but Ehle as Dr. Hextall. Her bedside scene with her infected father (Dan Flannery) adds a potent dose of poignancy.”

Megan Carr, NorristownPatch By Megan Carr:
”Back at the CDC lab, an amusing duo played by Jennifer Ehle (The King’s Speech) and Demetri Martin (The Daily Show, Taking Woodstock) provide the scientific muscle.” [doesn’t say why they are amusing, will have to look for that when I see it] ” … Ehle’s presence calls to mind Sigourney Weaver with her square jaw, thin lips and sparkle in her eyes.” [???? Wait … Wait … That can’t be right … What about Meryl Streep? ]

Blogger Matt Barone notes that Jennifer and her lab partner rock Hazmat suits, and adds:
”Despite their minimally fleshed-out assignments, several of the actors do manage to rise and shine. Ehle, a British-American talent perhaps most known for last year’s Oscar titan The King’s Speech, breaks out here with strong presence and subtle fragility.”

In his review Stephen Silver notes:
” Jennifer Ehle also gives a standout turn as one of the doctors looking for a cure.”

Tom Charity, for CNN:
”The English actress Jennifer Ehle is a revelation as another research scientist striving to find a cure.” [And yay to the comments section there for pointing out things about ‘English’ and ‘revelation’]

The Philippine Star link had to be included if only for the quotes from Ehle and Damon banter, and especially for this image (which made me chuckle ~ a lot):
“Tony-winner Jennifer Ehle who was still reeling from excitement at being in the same movie with such a formidable ensemble of Hollywood superstars.”

Forrest Wickman at The Slate:
”… a standout Jennifer Ehle” [Oh dear, did anyone else think that writer’s name was ‘Wickham’ at first glance? I think I’ve seen too many P&P references while compiling this.]

Everything has been so positive, but I guess I should include what blogger Josie Campbell had to say (though it’s not really terrible & we can blame the script):
”As for the dialogue, while the screenwriters may be familiar with CDC protocol they seem to have only a passing interest in the English language. Back stories are regurgitated in stiff expositional chunks, such as when Ehle gives an unnaturally formal monologue about being inspired to her sick father.”

Curt Holman, Screen Grab blog:
”Lesser-known Jennifer Ehle practically steals the film as CDC researcher, frequently engulfed in one of those ballooning biosafety suits, who conveys the technical challenges of reproducing the virus in the lab, developing a cure and producing it in quantities quickly enough to save millions of people.”

nnalee Newitz at io9
”… the mesmerizing Jennifer Ehle as an intense CDC scientist” [I hope that’s in a fascinating way, and not a putting-to-sleep way]

Sheila OMalley at capitalnewyork writes about Contagion making its point clumsily and at painful length., but adds:
”Any time we come back to Kate Winslet’s doctor setting up the quarantine tents in a giant armory, and lecturing the local health officials on what they need to be looking for, or Jennifer Ehle’s serious lit-up face behind her mask as she works over steaming vats of chilling viral cells, or Fishburne’s impassioned desire to not only get the epidemic under control but also help and save his own people, Contagion knows what it is about.”

ABBIE BERNSTEIN at AssignmentX:
”Despite a few chunks of doubtlessly accurate but impenetrable scientific speech that will come off like babble to much of the audience (kudos especially to Ehle for heroically wading through it), much of writer Burns’ dialogue is witty and even deliberately funny in places.”

Michael Gingold at Fangoria:
” The cast playing the assorted health officials and workers are believable both as professionals and individuals (Jennifer Ehle is a standout as a doctor struggling to develop a cure)”

At Christian Science Monitor By Peter Rainer:
”The best thing about "Contagion" is that, in a few instances, the people involved, especially the researchers, come across like human beings and not mere statistics. This is particularly true of Kate Winslet's Dr. Erin Mears, … and Jennifer Ehle's Dr. Ally Hextall,
…
Winslet and Ehle are so intense that they cauterize the movie's hokum.”

NY Mag: David Edelstein:
”… researcher Jennifer Ehle (in the movie’s best role)”

Claudia Puig thought the character arcs fell flat, and only a few performances manage to inspire. So, it counts as high praise, I guess, that she says:
”Jennifer Ehle is credible as a scientist researching vaccines” [Is this like being ‘tolerable’? Sorry … P&P reference … I’ve slapped myself.]

Jennice Fuentes writes:
”… a team that includes the maverick doctor Ally Hextall (a luminous Jennifer Ehle) who is willing to take any risk to find a vaccine”

Mal Vincent found it dull over-all, but found one positive:
” Of the supporting cast, Jennifer Ehle stands out for trying to do something with little. We welcome her back to film. After successes on Broadway (two Tony awards) and as the TV heroine of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” she retreated to North Carolina to start a family. Ehle has another film coming, “The Ides of March.” [Seems like those 14 seconds in The Adjustment Bureau are being overlooked here!]

Rashid Irani, Hindustan Times said:
” As flustered health officials, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne and Jennifer Ehle portray their parts with the requisite amount of angst and anguish.” [I think that’s praise, right?]

Christine Weitbrecht wrote:
” Matt Damon, Jennifer Ehle, and Laurence Fishburne are definitely the main catalysts of the story, and the three protagonists audiences will care about most.”

David Weiss thought his heartstrings were not grabbed due to the lack of a clear-cut hero, though he lists some candidates for that label, including:
”Jennifer Ehle and Kate Winslet as smart, brave, white-coated women who hate the monster with a virulence and dedication equal to its own life-destroying power.”

JOE TYRRELL, NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM:
” Fortunately, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard and Jennfier Ehle are up to the task of making lively action from medical research and administration.”

thedude-abides at MovieWeb questioned so many roles that could just as easily have gone to lesser-known actors looking to make a name for themselves, but added:
“Such was the case for actress Jennifer Ehle, who was the only person cast correctly in the entire film. And boy did it show.”

Mike Wilmington of Movie City News thinks the right way:
”The performance already anointed by many critics of the movie — and I think they’re right — is Dr. Hexel by Jennifer Ehle (… uh, snip …), and she’s certainly due.”

Ben at Filmonic also has his head on straight:
”… the standout actress for me (as much as I love Kate Winslet) has to be Jennifer Ehle, who is not a big name yet but certainly should be after this movie. She evokes a young Meryl Streep not only in appearance but in quality in her role as a doctor on a quest to discover the cure for the disease.” [Just how many times has Jennifer been “discovered”, I wonder. I kind of shudder at what “big name” might mean, but I guess it’s inevitable now, with this film and especially A Gifted Man coming along. Oh, and, goody, back to Streep … Weaver just didn’t have the lasting power.]

Del Stone writes that Law is ‘powerful’ and Fishburne and Winslet are ‘excellent’, but:
”Ehle turns in the best performance as Dr. Ally Hextall.”

Joshua Keating blogged:
”Indeed the depiction of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization in the film is strikingly positive. When the strong arm of the state is represented by the photogenic trio of Marillon Cotillard, Jennifer Ehle, and Kate Winslet selflessly putting their lives on the line to save others, who could say no?”

Alex Cranz at Fempop explains who Jennifer Ehle is:
” Damon is a major part of this film, and arguably its emotional core. But Laurence Fishburne’s conflicted CDC rep and Jennifer Ehle’s virologist are just as crucial.
Jennifer whose-it you ask?
You know the lady romancing Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice. She’s been having a little bit of a comeback in the last few years in that she’s actually appearing in films again. Here she’s another CDC doctor out to cure the virus before we all go the way of Gwyneth.
Ehle isn’t as familiar to audiences as the rest of the cast and there’s an everywoman quality to her. If you HAVEN’T seen the 1995 Pride and Prejudice ad nauseam … and you aren’t really into plays on the West End then she’s just a side character that slowly becomes one of the primary characters. Her story is only really told in the latter half of the film but she gives her few scenes such weight and poignance that you find yourself remembering them much more fondly than the various abuses that Paltrow suffers.” [Well, I couldn’t very well snip it out of that, could I? I can only think that some of these people must be horribly shocked when they go to imdb or wiki and find out that she hasn’t been totally hiding for 15 years.]

Larry Madoff wrote for The Atlantic:
”Other perspectives include the research scientist (Dr. Ally Hextail), sympathetically and beautifully portrayed by Jennifer Ehle, working tirelessly to develop the vaccine.”

Noel Penaflor said:
Cheever supervises while Dr. Hextall (Meryl Streep lookalike Jennifer Ehle) and Dr. Eisenberg (comedian Demetri Martin, oddly enough given no funny lines) try to create a vaccine.” [Link included primarily to demonstrate we are firmly back on the Streepness road.]

Nathan Duke observed out thief in action:
”Thrown into the mix … a scene stealing Jennifer Ehle.”

In this article, William Carleton writes about one of Ally Hextall’s key scenes and has no problem identifying the film’s hero.
”The movie's hero is an epidemiologist and laboratory biologist played by Jennifer Ehle”

Written at the Manila Bulletin :
”Also noticeably good was Ehle, whose fervor to resolve the enigma behind the mutating virus was unwavering”

Jeremy Kirk at Firstshowing says what we like to hear:
”However, of all the notable actors and actresses in Contagion,it's Jennifer Ehle as a CDC doctor who shines brightest, handling very bit of sincerity in her character without effort and matching it with her own.”

That’s an excellent way to end, I think. I’m going to see Contagion on Tuesday (that’s today) or maybe Wednesday since I’ve now been awake about 20 hours straight.

Don’t miss the hi-res stills at this Film Stage link.

Go home and wash your hands

2011-09-10T03:30:00.006+10:00

Today is the US release date for Contagion! Plus, after months of waiting there is now only TWO WEEKS to go until the premiere of A Gifted Man on CBS so you'd better get the popcorn out on standby!

On a rather different note it appears that Steven Soderbergh, the director of Contagion, is a fan of Jennifer's, he praises her in this indiewire article where Jennifer's quoted as saying:

“This came out of the blue for me,” she said. “I usually have to audition and sort of jump through hoops and I didn’t for this. It completely blew me away for somebody that I admire as much as Steven to have that kind of faith that I could do it. I also took it assuming that, the same way I took the part in ‘Michael Clayton,’ assuming that probably it would be cut, but that I would have a wonderful experience meanwhile doing it, and that didn’t happen this time.”

Jennifer has also been in several video interviews recently during her time at the Venice film festival, including this one with Laurence Fishburne:

Meanwhile, Contagion has had its NYC premier, there are pictures of Jennifer here at Zimbio.

Love the smell of Dettol in the morning

2011-09-08T23:03:00.000+10:00

Preach it, brother

2011-09-04T05:03:00.004+10:00

The pressure cooker plot calls for intense performances all around but first among equals are Winslet and Ehle. The former's abilities are amply known but, whenever Ehle appears in films or onstage, she makes it clear she entirely belongs in the company of Streep (whom she resembles), Winslet, Blanchett, Kidman, Linney, et al. She just needs to get a few of the choice parts.

Via the Hollywood Reporter.

Also, eyes right: follow the @ehleblog feed on Twitter for updates. The latest are some glamtastic pics from the Venice premiere of Contagion, via Getty Images.

Contagion interview

2011-09-04T04:26:00.001+10:00

A Gifted Man extended preview

2011-09-04T04:24:00.000+10:00

Jennifer Ehle in CBS Pilot!!

2011-03-02T19:51:00.003+11:00

Dealine Breaking News
"Jennifer Ehle is set as the female lead opposite Patrick Wilson in CBS' untitled Susannah Grant drama pilot. Jonathan Demme is directing he supernatural medical drama, from CBS TV Studios and Timberman/Beverly, which centers on an ultra-competitive surgeon (Wilson) whose life is changed forever when his ex-wife (Ehle), a doctor running a free clinic, dies and begins teaching him what life is all about from the here-after. Two-time Tony winner Ehle, repped by ICM and Independent Talent Group, recently shared a best ensemble SAG Award with the rest of the King's Speech cast. She just finished shooting Contagion and The Ides of March."

Home School from the Here-After. This could be great!

A SAG for Jennifer Ehle!

2011-01-31T15:01:00.002+11:00

Congratulations to the cast of The King’s Speech, including Jennifer as Myrtle Logue. This is major Squeeee territory!

"The King's Speech" won the Screen Actors Guild award on Sunday for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. SAG Awards: 'The King's Speech' wins top prize

and

”Oscar front-runner "The King's Speech" scored its second big prize in as many days on Sunday, taking home the best ensemble cast prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The prize is often seen as a key indicator of the best picture Oscar prize, which will be announced on February 27” suggested in this Reuters Article

In a second major SAG Award for the film, Colin Firth won for Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role. Congratulations to Colin for this and for his Golden Globe Award too!

A complete list of SAG Award winners

Jennifer Ehle at Q&A for "The King's Speech"

2011-01-13T02:37:00.004+11:00

Jennifer Ehle attended a Q&A following a special screening of The Weinstein Company's "The King's Speech" at The Ziegfeld Theatre on January 11, 2011 in New York City. Also at the Q&A were Actress Claire Bloom, director Tom Hooper and actor Colin Firth.

(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images North America)

See 8 photos of Jennifer from the event at Zimbio. Great Boots!

Album of all 36 photos of the event at Zimbio (includes the 8 of Ms Ehle)

Jennifer Ehle attends "The King's Speech" luncheon in NYC

2011-01-12T00:40:00.003+11:00

Actress Jennifer Ehle attends the luncheon to honor The Weinstein Company's "The King's Speech" at a Private Club on January 10, 2011 in New York City.
(Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America)

There is an album of 7 photos of Jennifer at this event at Zimbio

Here's another treat: Watch BBC America’s 22-Minute Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘The King’s Speech’
Jennifer Ehle as Myrtle Logue can be spotted beginning about minute 8:00 and again around 11:50 and 14:40.

Jennifer Ehle at King's Speech screening

2010-12-21T17:56:00.003+11:00

Out of the house after dark and wearing heels, Jennifer introduced a screening of The King's Speech at 57 Screening Room on December 20, 2010 in New York City.

[Photos By: Donald Bowers for Getty Images]

More photos at
Getty Images: Broadway Joins Jennifer Ehle And Eve Best For A Screening Of "The King's Speech"
and
Broadwayworld: Photo Coverage: Screening of The King's Speech in NYC

It’s Spreading

2010-09-17T09:49:00.002+10:00

Contagion: Casting Update

Kevin Jagernauth at ThePlayList Blog reveals additions to the cast, including Jennifer Ehle’s participation reported here two days ago.

From his post: ”According to our sources, Demetri Martin, Jennifer Ehle, Bryan Cranston and Elliott Gould have joined the cast for the film”

and ”Contagion is a taut, thrilling and all-too-plausible and frightening screenplay that is a "Traffic"-like sprawling film about the ramifications of the spread of a global virus. We hear Burns continues to fine-tune the already strong draft we read earlier in the year. No word yet on what roles the new cast members will be playing.”

He adds that the film won't be in 3D (reports earlier this year had it being 3D).

Older “Contagion” entries at that blog cover details on the film discussing the script and who plays who.
and
Casting John Hawkes
and
Jude Law Talks

Mentioned above, the draft is being fine-tuned so it will be interesting to see how it varies from this downloadable version of the script as of January 14th.

A chance to test your supernumerary powers

Extras for the movie are being sought in Chicago soon.

The Tribune Leisureblog says ”Director Steven Soderbergh will film the virus outbreak thriller "Contagion," … in the Chicago area this fall. […] If you're interested in being an extra, Rich King Casting will hold open casting calls for the movie on September 25 at Lincoln Park Cultural Center (10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) and September 26 at The Annoyance Theatre (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.). For more info, call 312-283-1061.”

Chicago casting call details are also available at this open-casting-calls link that reveals
"Shooting on Contagion will run from September 25, 2010 through January 11, 2010". That encompasses the filming dates for all locations, not just Chicago [although I’m pretty sure that should be January 2011!].

According to the article ”They are seeking adult men and women, ages 18 and above, all shapes, sizes, types and ethnicities**. Everyone is welcome. This is a paid gig and meals are included.”

**(Hey, that’s us; we all qualify!!)

An LA Examiner article about the open call for Elmers & Elsies notes ”It is rumored that Contagion won't be a sensationalist sci-fi movie, rather it will be more of a reality type situation”.

[I like that theater name, by the way, “The Annoyance” *smiley face here*]

Final note: I'll try to catch you up on The King's Speech news soon ...

Contagious! Hazmat Suit Required

2010-09-15T19:43:00.006+10:00

NEWS!

Jennifer Ehle will have a part in the film Contagion to be filmed in Chicago, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles; with a scheduled release date of 21 October 2011 (USA)

According to an article at HeyUGuys there's a chance for some travel depending, I suppose, on how small the "small part" is.
"After shooting in Hong Kong, Contagion is also due to film in Minneapolis, Dubai, Japan, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, and Malaysia before its release in October 2011.

She is not yet listed as appearing at imdb but, wow, look at this cast:

Matt Damon
Marion Cotillard
Gwyneth Paltrow
Kate Winslet
Jude Law
Laurence Fishburne
John Hawkes
Josie Ho
Howie Johnson

Per imdb it's "An action-thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak."

While I was Sweeping

2010-09-01T09:09:00.002+10:00

Random older stuff found while sweeping the internet

A review of Pride and Prejudice by marisacarpico at Tuna Quest blog from January 24 2010, with some comparison to the 2005 movie version. (Basically, she finds that the 1995 adaptation is ”far more faithful" to the novel.)

More commentary on Pride and Prejudice at JOURNEYS AND DESTINATIONS blog from February 23 2010, (also with some comparison to 2005).
”Ms. Ehle gave life to her character magnificently! She is so charming, beautiful and witty! I really love her face!”

BINGO!

A Mr. and Mrs. Fitch review at Theatre Geekery from March 17 2010, noting that ”Lithgow and Ehle are so funny”
and
”After seeing John Lithgow in his stunning role as the Trinity Killer of this past season of Dexter, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make the transition back to seeing him in comedy, where I am used to seeing him. It took me a couple minutes of convincing myself that he wasn’t going to kill Jennifer Ehle where she stood, but I managed to talk myself out of it. He was charming and funny, and she was wonderful as well. I am less familiar with her, but I am EXCITED (yes, all capitals) to see her as Cat Tully Stark in the Game of Thrones series by HBO. That aside, I have to say they were perfectly wonderful together. They had good chemistry, a natural rhythm in their banter, and I had no trouble seeing them as a married couple.”

Well, we know the Stark casting was later revised, though even now some news/blogs about the series continue to list her in the role. NewsBots, I guess.

Before the Rains was reviewed at Filmwallas' Blog on June 10 2010, noting:
”The white man is a spineless fellow, the white woman a large hearted up-standing woman”
and, especially that,
”Jennifer Ehle is wonderful in a small role as the woman full of empathy.”

Observations on Possession can be found in three entries at The Jer Blog

Possession Obsession posted on June 24 2010.
”… it does Byatt’s novel justice by focusing on the straight-forward aspects of the literary mystery and the romance. The latter should be an awkward business, with dialog culled from letters and poems, but Ehle and Northam pull it off beautifully.”
(That post includes several good photo stills from the film.)

and

what do you fancy? blogged on July 26 2010 (includes trailer video).
”Jeremy and Jennifer Ehle are wonderfully passionate and charismatic as the Victorians”

and

Prepare to be Possessed published on July 29 2010 (with more lovely pictures).

Less Outdated News: The King’s Speech

From 365 Cinema’s Fall/Holiday 2010 Preview
”THE KING’S SPEECH (Weinstein) chronicles the relationship between speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) and King George VI (Colin Firth), whom Logue must help get past a terrible stammer so that he may lead his nation into World War II after the unexpected abdication of his brother Edward. The impressive cast includes Timothy Spall, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon.”

[my note: evidently there are no women in this version!]

An article at NJ.com reports that The King’s Speech is under consideration for the Arthouse Film Festival that will run for 12 weeks beginning Sept. 20 at two New Jersey theatres: AMC Loews Mountainside and AMC Loews Monmouth Mall.

New Zealand release date reported in “Coming soon” at flicks co nz.
”OPENING IN CINEMAS: 26th Dec 2010 (NZ)
Starring Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Colin Firth, Michael Gambon, Geoffrey Rush, Timothy Spall, Jennifer Ehle, Derek Jacobi”

All astonishment! A rare actual mention of Ms Ehle in the cast! Very reassuring.

Oscar spec at KipMooney blog.

A list of actors/celebrity guests expected to attend the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), September 9-19 at
Toronto Film Net.
Long, but does not include Hers.

Alex Carlson at Film Misery blog reports on the 25 Most Anticipated Films of the Third Trimester and writes,
“One of the most buzzed about films leading up to the Toronto International Film Festival, The King’s Speech has been predicted all year by awards prognosticators to be one of the major Oscar frontrunners.”

And last but not least

According to this at Shootonline, The King’s Speech is one of seven films to be announced for inclusion at the 32nd annual Aspen Filmfest.

”Aspen, CO, August 31, 2010 | SHOOT Publicity Wire | --- This Labor Day weekend, the 32nd annual Aspen Filmfest, a five-day feast of of film and fall color, is announcing seven films that will be screened during Filmfest 2010, held September 29 - October 3, 2010.
…
Films will be shown at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen and at the Crystal Theatre in Carbondale.”

Granted, it’s no South Park, but good news anyway.

This Edition Contains No Hazardous Materials

2010-08-25T08:16:00.003+10:00

News about The King’s Speech (featuring Jennifer Ehle as Myrtle Logue)

Coverage of the Toronto festival and more:

By Anne Thompson at indiwire with the comment ”TWC’s The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth, will play Venice, Telluride and Toronto.”
[Note: I haven’t been able to find supporting evidence for Venice or Telluride, but that would be stupendous if true!]

And Joshua Brunsting at Gordon and the Whale, who comments ”The latest film, Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH, looks amazing and has already garnered some pre-premiere Oscar love.” and ” Hooper, director of last year’s great film, THE DAMNED UNITED, brought together one hell of a cast for this thing, [...] it will see a release through Miramax, leaving many to believe that this may be their big Oscar baby come later this year.”

And, more bromatically, Shinan Govani, National Post reveals that ’ Tom Hooper, who directed the film -- one that includes a tea-party cast comprised also of Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter -- further tells EW it is, yes, a "bromance." Basically, he goes on, summing it up, "Boy meets therapist, boy loses therapist, boy gets therapist." ‘

Liam Lace in Saturday's Globe and Mail lists some of the films & mentions “The King’s Speech (Dec. 10)” [The Dec date might be the Canadian release perhaps?] and also says ”Very British acting excellence and a credible historic reconstruction, which should make this film (originally a play) like Masterpiece Theatre with a budget.”

And some blogging & Oscar speculation by
Scott Feinberg, Erik Childress, Edward Davis, Jon Lyus, Ashleigh Ryan, Murph, and Ryan Adams

Several of the blogs above include rosters of celebrities scheduled to attend Toronto and while the list is impressive, the name we’d most wish to see is unfortunately not there.

A bit of Pride and Prejudice

Some bits about the Austen Attired exhibit at Peckover House. And isn’t that a wonderful name for a place? In so many ways, including that it could be a Dickens title.

ANNABELLE DICKSON wrote ”An exhibition of costumes, worn in film and television adaptations of the Georgian novelist's books, including Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, has already brought many visitors to Peckover House, in Wisbech.”

Be sure to take a look at jfwakefield’s austenonly blog which not only reports on the exhibit but also includes great pictures of the costumes & venue.
[Austen lovers, check out other entries at this blog, they will not disappoint.]

And, to finish, a fresh in-depth review of P&P95 Posted at The Rush Blog

Hearing Voices

2010-08-08T08:29:00.003+10:00

Simon & Schuster have a page with all sorts of goodies for the Clockwork Angel audiobook read by Jennifer Ehle.

There’s a video of Cassandra Clare talking about Jennifer Ehle narrating. She’s excited about the ”combination of strength and sweetness” she can bring to the character (well, yeah … ). Clare is a big fan, having watched the BBC Pride and Prejudice “… probably, I don’t know, 300 times, something really embarrassing like that”.

Best of all at this page, you can listen to an excerpt of Jennifer's recording from the audiobook. You’ll get a sample of both American and English accents (Yay!)

Oscar speculation for TKS continues

At Movie City News where David Poland says it’s Time To Start Thinking Oscar Again and writes that perhaps The Weinstein Company’s dark horse for their season is ”The King's Speech, a Brit tale of a stammering king, loaded with faves like Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Gambon, Tim Spall, Derek Jacobi and so on.”
!!! *sigh*, relegated to AndSoOn … Well, she’s still the fave here.

and

at In Contention where Guy Lodge writes ”The King’s Speech? Well, it has corsets and cut-glass British accents a go-go […] But it’s also a small-scale story of one man overcoming a stutter: mightn’t that prove a little slight for voters who like their awards bait capital-I Important?”

and

at Award Contenders where Mark Johnson’s take is that ”There is a good chance he [Firth] returns to the Oscar field in this year’s The King’s Speech, as King George VI. The Academy loves a biopic, and the fact that his character will be working to overcome a nervous stammer leads me to believe their could be one hell of a performance coming from him. Throw in the fact that the film is backed by the Weinstein’s and you may consider Firth a near lock.”

Does the Academy’s love of biopic trump lack of capital-I Important?

Gala in Toronto

Barbara Vancheri at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted about the Toronto fest filling out. ” The Sept. 9-19 event will offer 15 galas and 35 special presentations, with 25 world premieres”. One of the galas is The King’s Speech.

LONDON?

Per an article at TimeOut London the opening film has been announced for the October 2010 London Film Festival. The author goes on to ponder the possible closing film, including ”perhaps the impressive-looking historical drama ‘The King’s Speech’”.

Lizzy’s blue dress

Regency fashions can be seen this month at the Austen Attired exhibition in Wisbech, featuring eight costumes worn by stars from screen adaptations of Jane Austen’s classic stories and including ”… the blue dress worn by Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice”

More King’s Speech

2010-08-04T08:41:00.002+10:00

Toronto

As reported earlier THE KING’S SPEECH, which features Jennifer Ehle as Myrtle Logue, will have it’s North American premiere at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival taking place from September 9 to 19.

An overview Posted by Michelle McCue at
We Are Movie Geeks includes several photos and a don’t-miss YouTube video showing scenes of the filming and Colin Firth speaking about his role.

More coverage of the festival at

HULIQ by Candice Lucey

The Independent

Encore Magazine, which notes the Australian connection and announces a December release there. ”Transmission will release it in Australia/New Zealand on December 26.”

National Post by Brad Frenette

Oscar Buzz

The King’s Speech has frequently been mentioned as a possible Oscar Nominee, so fingers-Xd.
Tom O'Neil at the LA Times
“…the movie that the Weinstein Co. is pushing hard for the best picture Oscar is The King's Speech”

THR By Alex Ben Block ”The pics seen as worthy of Academy consideration are "The King's Speech," starring Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter, which goes out limited Nov. 24”

Opposing Views "Tom Hooper's The King's Speech (which has a shot at a Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor nomination for Colin Firth)"

No Golden Lion?

Though the film had been touted as a candidate for the Venice Festival, sadly it is not on the Venice lineup as listed at
Indie Movies by Paul Martin

On The Horizon

Cassandra Clare’s audiobook Clockwork Angel read by Jennifer Ehle is due to be released this month on August 31, 2010 and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

I wish there were more to report, but no new roles (that we know about) announced at this time. There’s hope, though, since Ms Ehle has sometimes stacked multiple projects in the autumn/winter. But her unpredictable side is one of her most beguiling features, so I’m sure she’ll manage to surprise us in one way or another.

And one...

2010-07-28T17:29:00.005+10:00

The TIFF co-directors Cameron Bailey & Piers Handling announced yesterday that The King's Speech will have a gala screening in Toronto for its North American premiere.

Precise schedule is not available yet, nor informations about the director or the actors presence at the Festival.

From the continent precision above, ioncinema deduces that The King's Speech will make the Venice Festival too. More about that tomorrow...

Tiny tiny...

2010-07-07T20:31:00.004+10:00

A tiny tiny piece of info for a very calm summer:

More release dates are to be found at imdb for The King's Speech:

Russia: 11 November 2010
USA: 26 November 2010
Canada: 10 December 2010
UK: 7 January 2011

Still no dates for France!

Two more months...

2010-06-01T20:18:00.005+10:00

The Greatest is, at last, to be released in DVD and Blu-Ray on July 13, 2010.

Pre-order available at Amazon.

Trailer here to whet the appetite (no glimpse of Jennifer Ehle though).

A Royal interview

2010-05-23T22:13:00.003+10:00

A very nice page about Rosemary Harris is to be found at bbbblogger, in expectation of the 2010 Tony Awards.

In particular, you might want to check and listen the "Leonard Lopate Show: The Royal Family on Broadway" interview, where Rosemary Harris speaks about her role - and, around 11-13 mins, how her daughter, Jennifer Ehle, told her at 15 that she wanted to be an actress as well, "because you have so much fun".

A very sweet discussion.

Festival Watch

2010-05-21T03:36:00.003+10:00

ScreenDaily has speculated that The King’s Speech, in which Jennifer Ehle plays Myrtle Logue, might be screened at upcoming film festivals in Venice and/or Toronto.

Keep an eye on these sites and fingers crossed.

The 67th Venice Film Festival will run 1st to 11th September 2010 at Venice Lido. The official line-up of the 67th Festival will be announced during a press conference to be held in Rome at the end of July 2010.

The 35th Toronto International Film Festival will be held Thursday, September 9 and runs until Sunday, September 19, 2010.

Note to young film fans:
The Toronto event is looking for 12 film lovers to be the Next Wave Committee.
"We need brilliant young minds to plan film nights, workshops and fun events!
Applicants should:
Be between the ages of 15 – 18
Be interested in film and the arts
Love planning events
Enjoy making decisions and voicing their opinions”

Lend me your ears

2010-05-16T02:52:00.004+10:00

Good News

Audio book: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare read by Jennifer Ehle is available for pre-order at Amazon.

Blurb: "Tessa Gray descends into Victorian London's dark underworld to search for her missing brother, with the mysterious Shadowhunters as her only allies." For ages 9-12, it will be released on August 31, 2010.

Cassandra Clare is pleased as well. "Just found out Jennifer Ehle will be reading audiobook for CA. So pleased, have liked her since she was Elizabeth with Colin Firth in Pride&Prejudice." This sounds as if the recording might not have taken place yet and if so, makes a nice gig for the spring/summer.

King's minor news

2010-05-10T01:29:00.003+10:00

Late minor news concerning The King's speech include an interview with Colin Firth, where "he speaks enthusiastically about The King's speech, calling it "an extraordinary story" about George VI's struggles to overcome a bad stutter..." and a murmur of a test screening in NYC in April (see comments).

Many whispers can on the other hand be heard on the Internet about possible BAFTA/Oscar nomination for Colin Firth in 2011, regarding his stately role.

Finally, Steven from the British Stammering Association announced on Twitter that King's release was delayed to January 2011, but no official confirmation was made, so we'll stay alert.

Last but not least, an article from the Los Angeles Times about Tony actresses, and among them of course, our special mother/daughter couple Rosemary Harris/Jennifer Ehle.

(Photo from the article, Rosemary Harris and Jan Maxwell in The Royal Family).

Family Ties!!!

2010-05-05T00:42:00.004+10:00

Rosemary Harris Nomimated for Tony

Playbill
and from
Broadwayword

"I’m thrilled to bits and so delighted for Jan, Cathy, John Lee and the entire ‘Royal Family.’ At the same time, I’m deeply saddened by the death of Lynn Redgrave. We’ve been friends since working together in the Royal National Theatre’s inaugural production of HAMLET in 1963. My heart goes out to her family."
Rosemary Harris, nominee for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for The Royal Family

Congratulations to Rosemary Harris!

The 2010 Tony Awards Are On Sunday, June 13 2010 at 8pm. This is her 9th nomination (and the second time for The Royal Family!) She won a Tony in 1966 for The Lion in Winter.

And, as we know, her daughter has been nominated twice and won twice (2000 and 2007), seemingly in a 7-year pattern, so C'mon 2014!! (Though we'd happily take sooner).

On this day

2010-05-03T13:44:00.001+10:00

May 3rd: birthday of Niccolo Machiavelli, Bing Crosby and this here blog.

Five years, people. Love to all who've kept it alive.

Revisiting garments

2010-04-26T03:33:00.003+10:00

Remember how Jennifer Ehle told her fans in the 2005 interview that her favorite P&P dress was the red one?

Well, as mentioned by the Jane Austen Today Follow Friday post, there is now a website supplying comprehensive informations about gowns in Jane Austen movie adaptations...The Jane Austen (and friends) movie gowns.

Check out the Lizzie section of the website. Will you be able to recognize the "very soft, over-washed, faded cream print one" that Ms Ehle used to call "Lizzie's Levi's" ?

Speaking of which, a Restored Pride & Prejudice DVD Set will be available in 2 days (27 april, 2010) for Zone 1 viewers.

Bonus features mentioned in the site:

- Completely Digitally Remastered for the Ultimate in Picture and Sound Quality
- Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation
- Featurettes "Lasting Impressions", "An Impromptu Walkabout with Adrian Lukis and Lucy Briers", "Turning Point"
- Uncovering the Technical Restoration Process
- The Making-of
- English subtitles

Also at Amazon.com. Let's hope that a Zone 2 restored DVD will follow soon!

Playing mobile...

2010-04-22T19:46:00.003+10:00

For absolutely innocent, sheer fun:

And another slightly older one:

Thank you Missfilmnut, we want more !

News with old...

2010-04-17T02:33:00.003+10:00

You thought you saw everything about Pride and Prejudice by now?

Here's a funny P&P video you might have missed:

Newest info about The King's speech early screenings, given by Jennifer Ehle herself on Twitter:

Heard v early screening of 'Kings Speech' was "incredible".(I assume as in 'gr8' not 'hard 2 believe';) I do know Tom Hooper's amazing...

Now the wait shall be even harder!

For more infos about chickens, turtles, homeschooling or the meaning of life (yes, yes!), we strongly recommend you follow her and join the fun!

Back to movies

2010-04-08T03:44:00.004+10:00

The Greatest is now released in theaters in the United States.

According to the 2 New York Times and LA Times reviews of the film, we won't see much of Jennifer Ehle though:

Math professor Allen's recent affair with a lovely colleague (Jennifer Ehle) provides a potential key to the marital problem between Allen and Grace that clearly predated their son's death. But, like much else here, it goes underexplored. (LA Times)

The film squanders valuable time on several undeveloped subplots. One involves Allen's recent affair with a colleague (Jennifer Ehle), who tries to offer solace. (NY Times)

Colin Firth talks about his role as King George VI in The King's speech :

I finally fall on this very funny article, Postsecret and embarassing Pride and Prejudice confessions, in which the author archly asks : what hidden secrets do we have about Pride and Prejudice? I let you look at the post and meditate on that...

Go, run, fly

2010-03-29T05:13:00.008+11:00

Great news for all of Jennifer Ehle's admirers:

She has now opened a public twitter account! You can follow Ms Ehle at http://twitter.com/jenniferehle , or click directly from this blog on the @jenniferehle sign (Right column, "The essentials").

She presents herself as "Mama, wife, home educating, sometimes actress". Let's hope that the last part of her bio will give way to exciting and interesting thoughts!

New to Twitter and already panicking at the idea of making a fool of yourself amongst the birds community ? Check this good article on 12 Common and Frequent Mistakes Made by Users on Twitter (and How to Avoid Them). In French too (thanks YC!).

Last week for Mr & Mrs Fitch

Now is time to hurry and book your seat at Second Stage Theatre to see the last performances of Mr & Mrs Fitch.

Latest favourable reviews include the Bestofoffbroadway one, in which Colleen Verbus acknowledges that:

John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle's portrayal of these characters is hilarious and fun. Ehle plays Mrs Fitch as the instigator of their scheming, while Mr Fitch furthers their ploy. (...) Lithgow and Ehle perform well with the script they have and make it a fun performance to watch.

"What is present are two very good actors at the top of their game", follows on The Epoch Times:

Director Scott Ellis, whose prior productions have won many theatrical organization nominations and awards (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle), has kept the piece moving lightly and swiftly. Therefore, what one views is light, attractive and sophisticated.

Blogger's reactions include Candia's one, entitled "Run to see this play...the run is short and the laughs are long!", or Life upon the sacred stage's one:

I was so sleepy as I settled in for this world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's Mr & Mrs Fitch that I wondered how I'd make it through the next two hours. Not to worry. I perked up the moment John lithgow and Jennifer Ehle entered, laughing as they stumble into their colourful Mahattan loft in the wee hours of the morning after a night on the town. And I stayed engaged as their glitzy world unfold in this cocktail of a show (...).

Don't hesitate to give your own thoughts on the play in the forum.

The King's Speech release

The King's Speech will be released on November 26th, 2010 in the USA. No dates available yet for other countries.

Thumbs down

2010-03-20T11:38:00.002+11:00

Ehle out, Fairley in, according to Winter is Coming.

Last reviews before taking off

2010-03-15T05:25:00.005+11:00

Paul Hansen at the NewYorkGrapevine is extremely positive about Mr & Mrs Fitch, and its author Douglas Carter Beane - so positive that I can not resist the pleasure to give you a great part of the article to read:

It is a testament to the writing ability of Beane that tremendous humor is generated in references to Edith Wharton, Virginia Wolf and Evelyn Waugh, to name but a few authors in the Fitchs' lettered galaxy. It would probably take at least three or four viewings of the play for even the most sophisticated audience-goer to catch all of the humorous cultural allusions.

Although the comedy can be very erudite, the humor in Mr. and Mrs. Fitch is never dry or sterile. Those who are not as literary-minded as the Fitch's need not be intimidated as the infectious exuberance and virtual musicality of the actors' performances creates genuine dramatic excitement. It is also wonderful to listen to a script in which the author challenges the audience instead of pandering to it. The tenor and the delivery of the dialogue in the play remind a viewer of the rapid-fire dialogue in the 1930's screwball Hollywood comedies featuring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, or Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Mr. Lithgow sings several excerpts from Cole Porter and George Gershwin to highlight the play's cultural connection to 1930's sophistication.

The comedy offers an interesting snapshot of how information is transmitted in the early 21th century. The irony is that the very explosion of methods of communication through the internet, blogs, twitter, etc. can make it more difficult to determine what the truth actually is. Facts may be circulated before being checked. Fame and celebrity can be manufactured virtually overnight to masses that enjoy being titillated, even if those same masses suspect in the back of their minds that they are being manipulated. The play humorously examines the superficiality of much of popular culture and the danger of having a relative approach to reality.

Like their cinematic counterparts referred to above, John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle have tremendous synergy and charisma as a couple. Like any true duo, each derives inspiration and energy from their partner. It is a great challenge for two actors to carry a full length play and one can only admire the sparkle and zest that Lithgow and Ehle bring to their roles.

(...) Visiting Mr. and Mrs. Fitch in their dapper digs can make for a very rewarding evening.

Other late reviews include the more mixed ones at Wolfentertainmentguide, the hofstrachronicle or the villagevoice.

Pros-cons discussions and comments about reviews to be found at Broadwayworld.com, while playwright Carter Beane will discuss his comedy on Cuny TV on Monday, March the 15th.

News about Game of Thrones include an impressive list of crew members needed for the forthcoming filming of the series (info reported by Winter is Coming). Lucky readers from Belfast!

No updates from me next week, as I'll be in New York City judging for myself what to think of the Fitches! I'll be back soon, though...

"The effortlessly charming Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow"

2010-03-09T06:50:00.010+11:00

On the Fitch front

New critics have flourished all over the net, some of which much nicer than the first ones.

Entertainment Weekly has given a B+ to Mr & Mrs Fitch, stating that:

The media-urbanite will savor every crazy morsel of Mr & Mrs Fitch (...) That's mostly because the characters, the minutiae they talk about, and, natch, where they live, are just so neurotically New York. Tony winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle smashingly portray a married couple who write a gossip column (hello, Daily's News' rumor patrol Rush & Malloy!).

The banter-filled dialogue is so rapid-fire that it can get a tad exhausting. But overall, Mr & Mrs Fitch is the work of a fine writer.

One of the play's major strengths lies in its meta-awareness. "Yes, you know, theater", Lithgow intones during one of his many linguistic sword fight with Ehle. "That thing that movie people do when they want to announce they're available for television." It's that heightened, self-conscious cleverness that makes Mr & Mrs Fitch a riotous deep dive into the shallow waters of gossip.

Another (short) positive review to be found at flavorpill:

Douglas Carter Beane tackles the growing blur of journalism and fiction in his new acerbically funny play. The title characters, played with amazing acuity by the effortlessly charming Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow, are a gossip columnist couple who live a vampiric lifestyle (...)

Hilarity and madness ensue as they try to stop the monster they've created in this savvy comment on our celebrity-obsessed culture.

Witty Sandy MacDonald at Theatermania has a lot of good words for Fitch too:

The script for Douglas Carter Beane's latest comedy (...) consists mostly of a warp-speed badinage. But the words are of so entertaining a caliber - and so gloriously delivered by stars Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow - that audiences likely won't mind the play's lack of forward motion. (...)

Hints are dropped early and often that Mr Fitch is predominantly gay. (Bisexuality makes women appear "adventurous", whereas men simply seem "indecisive", quips Mrs F.) Still, the couple's own rapport is as fond and fizzy as a teenage romance (...) And yes, it's sexual. Dinosaurs though they be, the Fitches' blood runs hot. Love comes in all shapes, sizes, and configurations, suggests Beane. And most of all, certain accomodations ought to be made to ensure the survival of the wittiest.

Other less enthusiastic and/or less original reviews can be found at TheVillageVoice, the WallStreetJournal or NY1. A quite complete review of reviews (!) at StageGrade. Reviews from the audience include the positive one of freakgirl.com, and the very negative one of Broadway & me.

On the Thrones front

A lot has happened during the week following the HBO greenlight announcement of Game of Thrones, including reactions from Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster and Culture and Arts Minister, Nelson McCausland:

This is extremely positive news for Northern Ireland (...) At this stage, it is estimated that £20M will be delivered into the local economy though the production of the nine-part series.

Filming is due to begin in Belfast in June, for a release in spring 2011.

You'll find extremely good recaps of the events of the week at Game of Thrones news and Winter is coming - the latter has even decided to reinforce his contributors team to stay "on top of the latest news" !

For French and francophile readers, more about Thrones at lagardedenuit.com, a French site dedicated to the Game of Thrones.

Read on

2010-03-07T18:50:00.003+11:00

Finally figured out how you can read the interview here on the blog, instead of having to download it separately. Enjoy.

Green's the colour !

2010-03-03T18:17:00.004+11:00

Green is definitely the colour for March, and it's now official.

Winter is, indeed, coming.

HBO has greenlighted highly anticipated fantasy series "Games of Thrones"

The Hollywood Reporter also notices that this great news is partly due to the "enormous, perhaps unprecedented, online interest (...) at such an early stage".

The picture on the right is from the opening scenes of the pilot.

10 episodes ordered (pilot + nine), so you can actually let your imagination go a long way through the woods, imagine the mighty Starks, the opponents Catelyn and Cersei, Eddard, Robert and Jaime...No limits now!

More later, to be sure.

Are you anxious ?

2010-03-03T05:45:00.001+11:00

You should be.

I found one !

2010-02-26T07:15:00.006+11:00

Yes, after two tiresome hours of net hunting, I found a newspaper review in which the author seemed to have actually enjoyed Mr & Mrs Fitch:

In "John Lithgow, Jennifer Ehle star in wickedly funny "Mr & Mrs Fitch" off broadway", the author Robert Feldberg tells us that

Played with great panache by John Lithgow (which you might expect) and Jennifer Ehle (a fine dramatic actress unveiling a shining talent for comedy) [...] what makes the play such fun is the seamless collaboration among writer, actors and director Scott Ellis, who never let's the evening momentum flag.

The Fitches' great shared joy is their love of language. They never use one word when 10 will do; they don't speak plainly when it's so much more satisfying to be clever.

Second good news is that we have a video of Mr & Mrs Fitch premiere party which took place on Monday, February 22, in which Jennifer Ehle gets to speak about her role, and some nice pictures of it.

(Director Scott Ellis, Actors Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow, playwright Douglas Carter Beane)

The other reviews...well, it's really a simple story - they all seem to have been built on the same pattern (it's quite impressive - and always disconcerting - to see such unanimity...) - a pattern which can be summarized as : Laughs are there but a plot is missing (The Washington examiner)

First part of the reviews: the set is great, the actors are good...

Romping about designer Allen Moyer's ultra-glam setting, complete with a spiral staircase and a grand piano, an aristocratic Lithgow and a bewitching Ehle do their considerable best to evoke Scott and Zelda, Noel and Gertie and the Lunts are rolled into one. (newjerseynewsroom.com)

John Lithgow, an actor who can play comedy with a heavy hand and make it seem
extraordinarily right, is the former [Mr Fitch]; a lower-tier newspaper gossiper feeling pangs of frustration for wasting his life on a trashy column instead of
writing that novel lingering in his imagination. Jennifer Ehle has an endearing quality as the Jersey girl who fell in love with Manhattan, and conveniently, with one who makes his living surveying its nightlife. (broadwayworld.com)

Lithgow and Ehle are working hard to be amusing. (curtainup.com)

...But, second part of the reviews, the play, stuffed with bons mots, epigrams, inside jokes, social and intellectual references and arch put-downs, falls to rise interest during two hours:

It doesn't take long before their repartee sounds more like a debate in which the content is only as good as the speed with which it is delivered. (curtainup.com)

What might have been mildly amusing as a one-act eventually gets strained to the breaking point, and a plot element involving the pair's making up a fictional character who suddenly takes on a life of his own is far too silly to make its intended satirical point (reuters.com)

Quantity has taken over quality in Beane's latest play...(...) The barrage of
self-satisfied quips is so relentless that the show quickly becomes numbing (...) It doesn't make sense, like anything else in this bewildering, sloppily plotted comedy. (nypost.com)

I certainly forgot other reviews of this type - sorry for their authors, but they're all quite the same! - the meanest one being Joe Dziemianowicz's at NY Daily News.

More original ones includes Cindy Adams review with 10 reasons why the Fitches' are not real journalists - I thought that was obvious, given it's theatre...- and, more funny, how it could be fixed.

An article well informed on all the references (87 !!) mentioned in the play. You can complete it if they are some missing.

Before the rush

2010-02-23T06:24:00.006+11:00

In a few hours opens the official premiere of Mr & Mrs Fitch at the Second Stage Theatre, and Playbill.com gives us three first pictures of Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow on stage:

(Photos by Joan Marcus)

Before the rush of critics that will flow then, two early and mixed reviews:

- one from the Opinionist, who underlines that

If it were possible to assemble a substantial evening of theater out of clever one-liners, gifted actors and crackling chemistry, Douglas Carter Beane's Mr & Mrs Fitch would be a smashing success. Starring the equally adept John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle, the story (which is the weak link here) concerns two married Manhattan gossip columnists ....

Naturally, complications arise, but unfortunately they don't pile up quickly enough to sustain the insubstantial plot of this full-length play. By the start of act two, the effervescence turns a little flat...

But, in the end, "it's hard not to enjoy yourself when these two are savoring such saw one-liners as "Gossip is just news that's interesting" (...) "Theater, you know, that thing movie people do when they want to announce they're available for television".

- the ShoNuff Lives begins with

The talent is outstanding: Douglas Carter Beane, John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle. The barbs are vicious, pernicious and delicious. The play, however, is a disappointment.

The part on Jennifer Ehle is particularly laudatory though:

Ehle, who's somewhat less known outside the theater community, is a marvel. Having seen her in the Coast of Utopia trilogy (not to mention her rocketing to fame in the BBC's Pride and Prejudice), I know what she's capable of. Here, her mannered accent warbles a bit, but she smiles deliciously with every witticism launched. She hobbles around on unseemly heels, but does it with grace and elegance. I'd watch her read from the phone book, but she has about as much to do here. The play is very much centered around Mr Fitch, and Mrs Fitch is basically a compliment to him, another gorgeous object that helps him operate his world.

Overall, it's not a bad night in the theatre, but it's essentially disappointing because it could be a great one given the talent involved.

You can see a tiny second of Ms Ehle and Mr Lithgow in the play at this View video or here (thanks Tez!), while John Lithgow is eagerly answering his fan questions (maybe yours?) in this one.

Finally, for those of you unlucky readers who can not make the trip to NYC to see Fitch with your own eyes and make your playbill signed by the actors, you can always write to the Second Stage Theater to ask for a signed playbill. It seems to have worked pretty well for a couple of fans.

Like we were on stage!

2010-02-19T07:08:00.008+11:00

So, better late than never, right ?

I've just discovered Meredith blog, and she happens to work on Mr & Mrs Fitch props!

In her recent fascinating post [where you can find really nice photos of the set] she reveals details about the dreamy apartment in which Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow make their show every night, and why it all looks so real:

The set for Mr & Mrs Fitch holds the distinction of being the first set I've worked on where someone has asked to purchase almost every single item on the set after the production. Why ? Because its set in a totally baller apartment. [...]

What we ended up doing was having two artists: Ryan Ketchum and Pete Sarafin loan works to the show. [...] The paintings on the wall give a huge amount of depth and range to the set: they make it feel like a real place because they are real things.

Read an older post of hers with two more photos where she explains how they had to borrow dozens of books to fill in the giant bookcase you see on the picture above.

Thank you very much Meredith for your explanations and pictures, it sounds like you're doing a great job!

The author of Mr & Mrs Fitch himself, Douglas Carter Beane, will be discussing his new comedy and talking about his fascination for New York City on Thirteen this Friday 19th of February at 1 am. Watch and tell us !

[EDIT : After an exchange with Meredith, I had to take down the photos - as they represent not only her work but the work of the designers and the theatre, she has only permission to post them on her blog - I should have known better ! I apologize sincerely to Meredith and you readers, and encourage you to go and see the pictures on her blog...]

The Misters

2010-02-17T06:32:00.008+11:00

This week on the net seems to be all about men...

1. Mister Fitch

(Picture of the Fitch billboard in Manhattan on the right from R.Borucki blog, thanks for this photo!)

Two of John Lithgow's latest tweets (from the 4th and the 15th of February)

FITCH gets better with every tweak, love those previews...

Working furiously on FITCH (wonderful) but neglecting tweets...

give us an insight into the fascinating work-in-progress that must still be Mr & Mrs Fitch, where he plays alongside Jennifer Ehle.

The man seems indeed tireless. After an interesting interview in the New York magazine where he reveals one or two juicy details about his life and admits, laughing, to be "a gossip whore like anyone else", John Lithgow was on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, showing another of his (numerous) talents with a napkin! For you lucky American readers, he will be making an appearance to talk about Fitch on The View's 2nd Annual Mutt Show on abc this Friday night...

Meanwhile, more reviews on the play are being shared :

at Broadwayworld, where a few people disagree on the witticism vs shallowness of the play
at The New York Times theater section, where critics go from "What a waste of 2 hours" to "To see Lithgow and Ehle up close (the theatre is intimate) and doing their thing is a wonder to behold" or "Fascinating to watch these two great actors in an intimate theatre, tearing into a very witty and playful script" - pick your one!
at AllThatChat, where the casting relevance is discussed

2. Mister Firth

As much in Oscar daze as Colin Firth seems to be right now, he still has some time to speak to the Belfast Telegraph about his role as King George VI, the Queen's father, in the King's speech, where he'll be playing alongside Jennifer Ehle for the first time in 15 years. The actor confesses his apprehension on knowing that some living Royal family would see the film, and that he tried to put his political view on monarchy out of his work:

I know they [the Royal family] don't comment on such things but I was very aware
that not only would his daughter (Queen Elizabeth II) see it, but the characters
played by Geoffrey Rush had living family as well.

I think he [George VI] was enormously admirable and I had overwhelming
affection for the characters, so I hope that affection and respect came across.
I think there's something quietly heroic about him. We'll leave my own
political view out of this.

Who would want to bet that Mr Firth will be getting a second Oscar nomination next year ?

Bits of hope

2010-02-12T07:20:00.014+11:00

Winter's nearly coming!

Yes, I know, for lots of you, readers from the North continents, winter's already there and very annoying! (The other lucky ones will have to imagine: cold, snow and chilling wind...).

But I'm talking about a very different kind of winter, a kind that includes the beautiful Jennifer Ehle wearing an auburn wig and playing the icy Catelyn Stark, lady of Winterfell and loving mother of five children.

For the past few weeks, the net has indeed rustled with some very promising signs that A Game of Thrones will soon be picked as a new HBO series. The more exciting one is an interwiew with HBO programming chief Michael Lombardo from The Hollywood Reporter, in which Lombardo tells us that

Everything looks fantastic [...] The director got great performances [...] I would be surprised if it doesn't [get green lit]. It has everything going for it.

More encouraging signs at the vital Winter is Coming blog where an extra in the pilot reveals that the agency that hired him in Belfast asked AGOT-related questions in their 2010 registration form (eg questions on skills in "horse riding, combat training and historical re-enactments"). Let's hope they're preparing for more Thrones!

While waiting for the big announcement (coming in March if all goes well), you can always participate to casting conjectures about Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, Catelyn's childhood friend, at Westeros forum - having in mind that the actor should be a smidgeon younger and shorter than Ms Ehle; or you can watch a video of the confirmed cast so far, to help visualize...

Aren't you feeling a lot warmer now ?

First's

2010-02-07T20:58:00.005+11:00

"Il faut un début à tout!"

"There's a beginning to everything", that's what we say in France to give courage to someone new to something...so here I am, Ceci, a French girl who'll assist Janet in pleasing every fan of the great actress we all love. Please accept all my apologies in advance if some language mistakes should worm their way into my posts, for English is not my native language...but I'll try and be alert!

Back to the essentials, this week is a particular one for Jennifer Ehle as well, for the previews of Mr & Mrs Fitch have started and, with them, the first reactions of the audience. Readers, prepare yourselves for some controversy, for, if the general impression is so far favourable - especially concerning the two actors performance - the play in itself arouses more contrasted opinions.

Rachel from the Opiniatedbitch offers us an extensive and interesting review, and reckons that:

In a play that only features two characters, it's imperative that the
two actors cast are able to carry the entire performance. Luckily for Mr
& Mrs Fitch, John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle are. [...] While the
set and the actors are stellar, Mr & Mrs Fitch falls a little
flat with the play itself...

Read the entire review if you want to know more about the reasons for this judgement, but be aware of the many spoilers it contains.

Shorter reviews and opinions will be found at Goldstar and BroadwayWorld, where pros-cons discussions go on nicely. I particularly liked Paul's one, who mentioned that, given the nature of the play - two arrogant gossip columnists threatened in their jobs and willing to do anything to stay in the game - "if you disliked the characters, it's all the more reason the play was brilliant". Indeed !

In occasions such as these, the only sound advice to give would be to go see the play and judge by yourselves - good news is that NYC & Company offers on the house 2 tickets for 1, and that Mr and Mrs Fitch is on the programme! The offer is valid from the 8th to the 28th of February, so don't wait too much! As Director Scott Ellis said himself in an AmericanTheatreWing interview, it's a rare opportunity to see Jennifer Ehle's great skills in comedy...

Last but not least, congratulations to John Lithgow for his Golden Globe won thanks to his performance in Dexter. The great man has accepted to answer fan questions, but you have until tomorrow (8th of February) to submit yours, so don't take too much time...

Another congratulation to Colin Firth for his nomination to the Oscar 2010 as best actor for his performance in A Single Man. The least we can say is that Ms Ehle knows how to choose her co-workers!

Curtain up!

2010-01-27T09:58:00.002+11:00

Today is January 26, 2010 and the time in New York City is 6:03 p.m. as I type this. In 57 minutes, the first preview performance of MR. & MRS. FITCH is due to begin. John Lithgow and our own beautiful and talented JENNIFER EHLE make up the two-person cast. It marks her return to live theater since her Tony award-winning performance in The Coast of Utopia nearly three years ago.

More about the Fitches, the Starks, and the Logues to follow since I now trust I can get my letterbetweenEandG'd up and twisted self back in line.

Lordy, Lordy
A (Very) Belated Birthday Wish for Ms Ehle.!

The X-zero ones are memorable and I hope she enjoyed hers.

Etc

2010-01-21T02:27:00.011+11:00

BroadwayWorld roundup of John Lithgow's tweets about Mr & Mrs Fitch. Particularly friendly:
1/3 of FITCH staged in a 5 hour rehearsal. Jennifer E. is fast, smart, and fabulous, Scott Ellis terrific. This is going to be some fun.
Follow Mr Lithgow and Second Stage (also on Facebook).

Previews start Jan 26th. BWW readers note that there's a discount available from Theatermania, at $49. There are $30 tix for youth (under 30s) and $15 student rush tix.
There was a YouTube video of the photo shoot for Mr & Mrs Fitch, now deleted. The pic below is from the Second Stage site.
A few screenshots I don't recognise on Flickr. Probably The Russell Girl?
Also at Flickr are two batches of set photos from The King's Speech at the Pullens Estate. There are even a couple of videos, one of a Geoff Rush scene. More photos seen at Facebook.
The movie is said to be in post-production, according to IMDB. There are a couple of posts on the message boards about filming at Buckingham Palace and Ely Cathedral. An extra posts a few shots of costumes and such on her blog, The Virtue of Style.
Never too soon for the O-bomb...
Analysis: The most obvious chance for Oscar glory next year for the Weinstein Company, this British/Australian co-production has a simply superb pedigree of talent involved combined with a story rarely heard about that should ensure something hopefully remarkable.

The teaming of Rush and Firth in any film is exciting enough, but with supporting talent in historical roles like Guy Pearce as the abdicating Edward VIII, Helena Bonham Carter as a young Elizabeth II, Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill, not to mention greats like Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon - it's downright pants-wetting.
And seconded:
Colin Firth is so hot right now — and Oscar bound — in “A Single Man.” Add all that to Geoffrey Rush and very hot HBO director Tom Hooper (”John Adams”) and we may have a new “Shakespeare in Love” next fall. Woefully underused Jennifer Ehle, plus Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, and Michael Gambon round out this cast. If this isn’t an Oscar nominee, I don’t know what it is.
For a great collection of news and photos, check out Firth.com's page on King's Speech. Some quotage from The Man. Example.
Some pro-con discussion of Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn at the ASOIAF forums.

Thanks for tagboard tips. & belatedly...

Speaking of Thrones

2009-11-14T02:55:00.005+11:00

Mr. and Mrs. Logue

Wow, when she goes back to work, she keeps on working, doesn't she? Making good use of her time in the United Kingdom, Jennifer Ehle is moving from one throne to another while Mom rules the Royals on the stage in New York. It has just been announced that she has been cast in the historical drama The King’s Speech, which started shooting today (November 13) for a projected 2010 release.

Baz Bamigboye in the Daily Mail reported on Ms Ehle's casting.
Jennifer Ehle, who captivated the nation when she starred as Elizabeth Bennet in costume drama Pride And Prejudice opposite Colin Firth, is to be reunited with her Mr Darcy.

The actress has just signed to join Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter in a new movie called The King's Speech about how Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist, was retained by the then Duke of York (later King George VI) to help him to overcome his stammer in the years before, during and after the Abdication crisis.

The two will be in scenes together - but they're married to other people

Firth will portray George VI, Helena his wife Elizabeth, who later became Queen and then the Queen Mother.

Jennifer has been cast to play Myrtle Logue, and Oscar-winning Rush will be her screen husband.

Director Tom Hooper held a read-through of the script on Wednesday [November 12] with the company, including Guy Pearce as Edward VIII, Michael Gambon as his father George V, Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill and Derek Jacobi as Dr Cosmo Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

However, Jennifer was filming the lavish HBO drama Game Of Thrones and couldn't meet Hooper and his cast at the rehearsal.

Producer Iain Canning said although the former Jane Austen heart-throbs are not playing a couple in The King's Speech 'it's a wonderful thing to bring together two people that, in the British public's memory, are so part of a moment in time'.
Firth's role was reported at this blog earlier, on September 10th.

Sarah Cooper at Screen Daily also reported on the casting.
The Kings Speech will shoot for seven weeks, taking in UK locations such as Lancaster House, the Bradford Bulls Stadium, Ely Cathedral, Harley Street and Battersea Power Station.

The Weinstein Company is handling international sales and has picked up the US rights to the project as well as licensing rights in Germany, France, China, Hong Kong, Latin America, Benelux and Scandinavia. Momentum has picked up UK rights, whilst Transmission Films will distribute in Australia and New Zealand.
It remains to be seen if JE will be needed for all seven weeks, although the time line would still allow a return home for a Christmas break before rehearsals begin for Mr. and Mrs. Fitch which I'm guessing will be sometime in January.

Hollywood com discusses the film.
The film is based on the true story of King George VI and his friendship with maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue. As the second son of George V, Prince Albert was not expected to ascend to the throne, but when his brother Edward chose to abdicate to marry Wallis Simpson, Albert was his successor and in 1936 was crowned King George VI. The reluctant king, who was plagued with a nervous stammer, engaged Logue, an irreverent Australian**, who helped him find a voice with which to lead the nation.
**[We know of a couple of those, don't we?]

Read about Lionel and Myrtle Logue in this piece by Caroline Bowen

So much to look forward to in 2010! This is amazing.

At the Scene

2009-10-28T04:53:00.004+11:00

A Family Outing

Filming of A Game of Thrones has begun in earnest. Comments and summaries can be seen at the invaluable Winter-Is-Coming blog (Thank you, Phil!) Visit often, for it is updated during the day as additional information comes to light, plus the reader comments are always interesting.
Today's entry covers Day 4: Filming at Doune Castle with the promise:
"As usual, keep it here for updates throughout the day."

Yesterdays coverage of Day 3 contains news of interest to readers of this blog, including reports from eyewitnesses on set, predominantly quoted from the Westeros forum.
Post #145 by Crakehall "Jennifer Ehle was there and looking very Catelyn-like, which, in my mind, is beautiful and motherly. ... "
and
Post #150 from JacMac30 "Jennifer Ehle, couldn't see her outfit. She was wandering outside the castle with her baby. Her husband and son turned up later. Hair quite ginger (long wig unless her hair is very long these days). More ginger than I expected. Not what I'd call auburn but then it may look different under studio lights and on camera. It was tied back in multiple plaits.

I'm bitterly envious of these two and all others lucky enough to be present. The reports of filming and production indicate that no effort is being spared or detail overlooked. Scotland has been mentioned as a filming location along with Northern Ireland and Morocco. At the same link it is noted that Game of Thrones officially began production on October 24; and if it is picked up by HBO for a full series to expect a premiere in 2010 or 2011. (Nooo, not 2011, too long to wait!!).

G R R Martin reported his own sightings at his not-a-blog
Also ran into Ron Donachie, Jennfier [sic] Ehle, and Kit Harington, and all of them were great ...
In a blog last month he mentioned a Speak & Sign scheduled for next month.
On Tuesday, November 3, I will be speaking and signing at Eason's Bookstore in Belfast. The event begins at 1:00 pm. Or 1300 for you European types.
[...]
There's a chance that David and/or Dan will drop by for the Belfast signing, and possibly some of the cast as well, but that's not certain. May depend on how the shoot is going, what's scheduled for that day, what's happening down at the Paint Hall, etc.
[Fingers crossed for one cast member especially.]

Correction
Reader Maenad has provided a true link to the G R R M character depictions attributed to Michael Sparks. Here is the new link to the works by Russian artist Amok. Thanks for the new link, Maenad.

Just for Hits and Giggles

2009-10-14T04:22:00.012+11:00

You would think a blog update that was weeks in the crafting, and for which a 12-hour composing session was lost to the ether by a random flailing of a finger on the keyboard, should be better than this. But here it goes anyway. (There's a whole lotta RH goin' on, so let's hope you're a fan. But a good deal of JE too).

Giggles and more, the JE-centric part.
As we know, Rosemary Harris has been very visible and active in New York recently, leading to some interviewage about "Jen" growing up and grown up.

Barbara Hoffman in the New York Post reported a conversation with Rosemary Harris about her scheduled Reading at 92Y.
The mother of actress Jennifer Ehle (now a mother herself) says she loved reading books to her daughter.

“I read her all the classics — ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ the Narnia books,” Harris says.

“Then Jennifer started reading to me, and that was the most fun. I’d leave a little tape recorder on, just to catch her giggles as she read a funny book like ‘Harriet the Spy,’ I listened to it the other day, and she was giggling so much, she could hardly read!”
CELIA McGEE in the New York Times reports on The Royal Family & some chat with the cast in her jam-packed article (a must read, for more than just the quote included here) titled The Tangle of Branches in a Royal Tree.
Ms. Harris remembers a tiny Jennifer Ehle drawing of herself with her father on one piece of paper; her mother, alone, on another. She was surprised, she said, when her daughter announced, at 14, that she wanted to be an actress. “Of course, I had always taken her with me a lot. We just stuck her in our pockets and off we went.“
Not To Be Missed: My Royal Family Reunion By Rosemary Harris.
[...] "So many things in this play ring true today, particularly the way the women characters find themselves torn between work and their families. Fanny’s line, “Marriage isn’t a career. It’s an incident!” must have gotten shocked laughter in 1927 from all those society ladies, because marriage was a career to them. In 2009, the same line gets understanding laughter. I remember so distinctly when I was doing Hay Fever on Broadway and my daughter [actress Jennifer Ehle], who was about 13, wanted to take a taxi uptown alone to see a movie with friends. I said, “Jennifer, darling, please don’t! I won’t be able to go on the stage, I’ll be so worried.” [...]

Harry Haun's article at Playbill, The Royal Family — A Blast of Troupers! features conversations with the cast and has Ms. Harris talking (although possibly seriously mis-quoted!) about many interesting things!Harris doesn't subscribe to Fanny's hard line of career-over-marriage, and she hasn't lived it. "It's a juggle," she allowed. "I know Jen finds it a juggle. She has an 11-year-old [????] son and a wonderful husband, and she has to keep everything on an even keel."

"Jen" is her daughter, Jennifer Ehle, herself a two-time Tony winner. She is currently filming an HBO television pilot in Northern Ireland, her mother reported.

The Royal Family would seem to be a perfect opportunity for mother-and-daughter at last to co-star. They have done two films together — a 1992 TV-film, "The Camomile Lawn," and a 1999 feature, "Sunshine" — but, playing the old and young versions of the same character, they never had the chance to do a scene together.

Ehle was indeed offered the play but opted to pass. "She said, 'Mom, you did it, and I would only do it the way you did it.' Comparisons are odious, and maybe, like Julie Cavendish, I didn't want her to be better than me — so I didn't encourage it."

RH is not the only one speaking of JE lately as evidenced by Broadway World's eavestwitting on John Lithgow's September 29th Tweet
"Saw Pride & Glory on HBO and there she was, playing cancer victim Abbey, my next NY leading lady the wonderful Jennifer Ehle."

It's a Hit, the RH-centric part
CHRISTINE DOLEN/McClatchy Newspapers says "The changing season promises to be extra hot this year both on Broadway and off", mentioning The Royal Family, Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, and Cate Blanchett.

The Royal Family's run was Extended by one week before it even opened!
Oh wait, make that Extended by Two Weeks!

Harry Haun at Playbill reported on the play and chat with some of the cast. Jan Maxwell said, "... it's a real honor to play this with Rosemary."

A Playbill article by Matthew Blank includes some nice Photos of the Friedman Theatre

Mondschein's in a review at Third Row, Mezzanine blog found the play disappointing in many respects but noted "It's certainly a worthy goal [to] get Rosemary Harris on a Broadway stage..."

Photo Gallery at Playbill, especially photos 3/5 and 5/5.

In an Interview by Zinta Lundborg Ms. Harris reminisced about the 1975 revival, when she played Julie.
“It’s lovely to be in the driving seat, which Julie is,” said Harris, dressed in a bright flowery shirt, silver hair smoothed back from her unlined face. “But you’ve got to keep your foot on the accelerator all the time.”

With Fanny, she said, it’s a lot easier. “I just pop in and out delivering bon mots.”
At Playbill Kenneth Jones posted the article
Broadway Curtain Goes Up on Royal Family

LINDA WINER at Newsday thinks On Broadway, 'The Royal Family' rules
" ... there are many pleasures in Doug Hughes' sumptuous joy of an old-fashioned revival, including a keepsake performance by the legendary Rosemary Harris as the aging matriarch of the Cavendish (think Barrymore) family. ...

... there is the thrill of seeing Harris, who had the role of Julie in 1975, portray the ailing, stage-enamored star of a mother with a ravishing sense of playfulness."
Terry Teachout in a Review at The Wall Street Journal was less than happy with the play, but more happy with a couple of the performers.
Fortunately, Rosemary Harris and Jan Maxwell manage to give neatly turned performances—Ms. Harris is stately and sardonic, Ms. Maxwell fey and winsome—that are just about worth the price of admission.
David Sheward presents a glowing Review at THR
The leading light of the 1975 staging was Rosemary Harris, who played Julie Cavendish, the glamorous leading lady not unlike Ethel Barrymore, who must choose between her career and marriage to a wealthy old flame. Now playing the matriarch Fanny, Harris is just as glowing and youthful as she was then. She radiates the joy of acting, which animates this feisty, lovable, indomitable figure.
A review By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY observes," ...the central relationship between a grand old dame of the stage and the glamorous, much put-upon daughter following in her footsteps is a fine showcase for two marvelous actresses featured here.
[...] Harris similarly makes us laugh and breaks our hearts as Fanny, a life-long trouper determined not to let age or illness keep her out of the spotlight. Where Julie has clearly had some ambivalence about the personal sacrifices made for her craft, Fanny, though an adoring mother, considers art her greatest passion. Her struggle to carry that flame, with mortality nipping at her heels, is the sweetest, most moving aspect of this play, and the masterful Harris gives it a depth it might not have had in other hands.

Under Dough Hughes' sprightly direction, the other ensemble members all perform gamely, if less consistently. As Fanny's foolish, pompous brother, the excellent John Glover wins us over in spite of his role; as his cloying wife, Ana Gasteyer doesn't. Larry Pine is a tad pallid as Julie's wealthy, gallant love interest, while Reg Rogers is a bit overzealous as her brother, a movie idol with a talent for trouble.

None of this detracts, of course, from Harris' and Maxwell's star turns. Women wear the pants in this Family, and they're a joy to behold.
The Royal Family is discussed at tapeworthy blog where some vibrant stills are also included.
"The cast is superb with a bemused Rosemary Harris ... leading the pact [sic] as Fanny (and devastating in the final scene)."
David Rooney in Variety reviewed The Royal Family
"There's a sentimental satisfaction in watching Rosemary Harris -- who played equivocating diva Julie Cavendish in the 1976 Broadway revival of "The Royal Family" -- still navigating the stage with grace and good humor ... while the ensemble work could be tighter, its lead performers rise to the occasion in sparkling turns.
[...] Harris delicately balances graciousness and hauteur [...]"
Tom O'Neil in The Awards Insider (The Los Angeles Times) maintains 'The Royal Family' revival rules Broadway and mentions the T-word.

At Broadway.tv blog is a Royal Family Broadway Review Matrix providing a commentary on several reviews with links.

The Hollywood Reporter's Showbiz 411 blog has coverage of the Great “Royal Family” Opening

Michael Kuchwara [The Canadian Press] write about An effervescent revival
[...] "The cast is headed by the ever-lovely Rosemary Harris, portraying Fanny Cavendish, the grande dame of this exotic troupe.

Harris has a serene stage presence, even when Fanny is zinging the other characters on stage ..."
BWW presents a special feature, Ken Fallin's Illustrations - THE ROYAL FAMILY

Opening night photo galleries Here and Here and Here.

Robert Feldberg says Rosemary Harris leads a triumphant revival.
"Harris, one of the great actresses of the American stage (she began her Broadway career 57 years ago, and played Julie in the 1975 revival of "The Royal Family") is deliciously droll as Fanny ..."
Brendan Lemon at the Financial Times reviews and reveals a discerning eye for the proper way to wear costumes.
"Rosemary Harris, who was Julie in a 1975 revival, resists the temptation to play Fanny with grande-dame hauteur; weakened by health problems, Fanny still possesses the driest wit in the house.

Harris also is an adept at a lost art: wearing a peignoir as if it were a second skin."
Robert Hofler writes about Rosemary Harris at the kick-off part. [The link includes a photo of Rosemary Harris chatting with Tovah Feldshuh at the opening night of 'The Royal Family]"Legit legend Rosemary Harris returns to the Broadway boards [...] Return visits have their advantages, even after all these years.

"I know all the parts. I hear the whole play in my head," said Harris, who turned 82 last month.

At Thursday's preem party, at Planet Hollywood, Harris said that Eva Le Gallienne's Fanny from the 1975 production was "more acerbic" than her portrayal, while Harris' former role of Julie is "marvelous, very controlled" in the capable hands of Jan Maxwell.

"I was smoking when I played Julie, and after my second-act meltdown, I would be huffing and puffing all the way to the dressing room. Then I stopped smoking during the run, and I could whistle right through it," she said."
Andrew C. McGibbon reviewed the play.
"Rosemary Harris, at the age of 83 is a wonder to behold. She moves about the stage and strikes poses as fluidly as a woman half her age ..."
Chesley Plemmons at The News-TimesMerry and madcap

From a Wilton Villager review By DAVID. A ROSENBERG, who may have found a solution to the energy problem, at least in regard to lighting. (I suspect with JE and RH both being noticeably luminous that the electric bills in the Ryan and Ehle households are significantly lower than average.)"Genuine stars have a tendency to take over, consciously or not. Take Rosemary Harris who lights the galaxy in the current revival of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's 1927 "The Royal Family. [...]

[...] As Fanny, the irreplaceable Harris sweeps her words from orchestra to second balcony while eyeing all the folks along the way. In her hands and voice, "get out" is a symphony, "quaint" is a three-part novel. She ought to be bronzed.
The Village Voice review By Michael Feingold

Blogger James Camner remembers seeing the 1975 version at Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test
"We saw the 1975 revival of The Royal Family, an unforgettable experience featuring magical performances by Eva Le Gallienne as Fanny Cavendish and Rosemary Harris as her daughter Julie. So it is an indescribable and rare pleasure to see the radiant Ms. Harris ascend to the role of Fanny."
Stephanie Zacharek's article at New York Magazine Ladies’ Nights expresses some disappointment with the acting, with at leas one major exception.
" {...} Rosemary Harris, as the dowager matriarch Fanny, may wear the heaviest costumes—she’s draped in exotic, old-fashioned (by twenties standards) velvets—but her performance is the spriangiest, the most fleet, in the show. Her lines have the texture and glow of South Sea pearls; if any voice could reflect light, it would be this one."
Here's a struggling artist anecdote from RH's past By CINDY ADAMS at the NY Post

Other news

[RH at Broadway Flea Market photo by Aubrey Reuben]

[John Ehle photo by Jan Hensley Special to the Citizen-Times]

Miss Harris participated in the Broadway Flea Market. (photo gallery available Here)The 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction held Sunday, September 27 raised a grand total of $403,929 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA).
interviews and reactions at the market include this with a starstruck Thomas Sadoski.
Q: Enjoying your experience at the Flea so far?
Sadoski: Oh yeah — anything to help out this organization. It's such an essential organization. You spend a long time working in this business to get to a point where you are invited to donate your time to something like this. It is really cool. I was in the other room signing posters and trying to squeeze my name in as neatly as I could underneath Rosemary Harris. That's a really cool thing.

Rob Neufeld in the Citizen-Times (Asheville) reported that Press 53, a Winston-Salem publisher, launched the release of its 25th anniversary edition of John Ehle's “Last One Home”, the sixth book in his six-novel epic about Western North Carolina.

Sharmistha Gooptu has reviewed Before the Rains

Lizzy rules
The voting may still be open for choosing your Favorite Elizabeth Bennet. At my last peek, the results stood as shown below; had this been a national election it would be a mandate for dictatorship.

Paul Whitington at the Irish Independent has written an article about Austen adaptations and rightly notes, "... The beautiful Jennifer Ehle was easily the most sultry and glamorous Elizabeth Bennet thus far ..."

Ticket to Read

2009-09-10T02:29:00.006+10:00

A Full Weekend
Rosemary Harris has a very beesy weekend scheduled September 26-27.
Linked here some time ago, now Brian Scott Lipton at theatermania has helpfully published a reminder about the 2009-2010 season lineup at The 92nd Street Y's Unterberg Poetry Center.
"Highlights of interest to theater lovers include Tony Award winner Rosemary Harris reading children's literature(September 26 at 11:30am)"

Then on Sunday, as Andrew Gans reports at playbill, Ms Harris will attend The 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction.
"The outdoor fundraiser in Shubert Alley raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and features a host of theatrical memorabilia donated by the theatrical community. The day-long event also boasts a Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth, where theatre fans can purchase autographs by or photos with their favorite stars [...]

Some of the items that will be featured in the Grand Auction include ... opening-night tickets to ... The Royal Family [...]

Celebrities scheduled to appear at the Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth in exchange for donations to BC/EFA include: ... Rosemary Harris [...] "

Dan Bacalzo at theatermania also reported on the event and noted "All auction items will also be available for online bidding in September for those unable to make it to New York. For more information, including how to place a bid, visit broadwaycares." [Better than EBay!!]

All this in addition to two performances of The Royal Family on each of those two days ... one weekend after her birthday (September 19th, mark your calendars) If I had as much energy as this marvelous lady, you'd be reading blog updates here more often.

She's not the only Reader in the Family

Valerie MacEwan's Blog: and Kathryn Stripling Byer's Netwest Mountain Writers and Poets Blog alert us to an event on October 10th in Asheville NC. "Internationally acclaimed author and Asheville native, John Ehle, will read and sign books on October 10 at 2 pm. The event, sponsored by The Writers’ Workshop, will be held at the West Asheville Public Library at 942 Haywood Road. It is free and open to the public. A reception follows, hosted by Friends of West Asheville Library. Books will be available for purchase at the book-signing.[...] A luncheon for Mr. Ehle will be held at noon, prior to the reading. For more information about the reading or luncheon, please email writersw@gmail.com , or call 828-254-8111."

Getting Close to The Royal Family
Previews are less than a week away.

playbill reports on the Photo Call

Single tickets available for purchase at the box office.

In addition, Tickets are on sale now via Telecharge (where the schedule shown below can be seen) or by calling (212) 239-6200.

Since last posting here about the play, casting changes and additional casting and other news were announced at backstage blog and theatermania. And I can't resist including Michael Kuchwara (AP) from the Washington Examiner simply because he writes "The always incandescent Rosemary Harris plays its matriarch"

Alexis Soloski in The Village Voice writes about an Interview with director Dough Hughes in which is revealed "Hughes hand-picked this varied cast, having first persuaded Harris to be Fanny."

A "little royal family"
Robert Simonson shared PLAYBILL.COM'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with the Queen herself. It's a charming interview, be sure to read the entire article. (Now we have circus ponies and sled dogs along with chicks and bees to add to this blog's signature references!)
"[...]
Playbill.com: With your daughter, Jennifer Ehle, do you sometimes feel like you have a little royal family yourself?
RH: Who knows? (Laughs) She's just given birth to a little girl, so who knows? Who knows if she'll tread the boards or not? Who knows? "

Thrones
The latest biggest news is the casting of Lena Headey (aka Blanche Glover, Christabel LaMotte's BFF) as Cersei. The announcement was widely covered as you can see by the links below. It's amazing and confounding though that everyone seems to have missed the opportunity to recognize that JE and LH had worked together before in Possession. I saw only one connection made & that was in a reader comment, not the body of the article.

Read all about it at these links:
Scifi.About
Jacksonville-TV-Examiner
iftn Lena Headey Joins ‘Game of Thrones’
TV Overmind
Aceshowbiz
Collider
Zap 2 It News & Buzz
Chicago Tribune Features Blog (This one has several comments. You have to love the commenter who wrote "She's won two Tonys for roles in play by Tom Stoppard -- 'The Real Thing' and 'The Coast of Utopia'. You don't get to phone it in with Stoppard: He demands actors who are intellectually and emotionally bringing their A-game all the time. "

It remains to be seen if any tables will be overthrone in this new project --

Look who's getting into the act
Not to be outdone in the Royals & Thrones arena, just look who is going to play the role of Queen Elizabeth II's father King George VI in "The King's Speech".

Let's not forget the Fitches

Variety
New York Theater Guide

Cats and Dogs

2009-08-22T03:30:00.007+10:00

Cat’s kits cast [say that 10 times fast]

As reported at GRRM’s Not a Blog, Catelyn's daughters Arya and Sansa Stark will be played by Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner.

Jay Tomio at BCS discusses the casting in his articles the Stark Girls of HBO’s A Game of Thrones and more A Game of Thrones casting

James Hibberd in his writings at The Hollywood Reporter HBO appoints subjects to 'Thrones' and HBO's 'Game of Thrones' casting news announces the daughters and other casting including Richard Madden as Stark's eldest son, Robb, mentioning ”HBO still has a few more roles to fill in the large ensemble cast of Thrones, one of the more buzzed-about titles on the network's development slate.”

Other news coverage of the casting:
SciFiWire
and
Bryant Griffin at airlockalpha

Bloggers weigh in too.
Seven actors for the Seven Kingdoms at the Wertzone
Heroine_tv
SciFi Stream
A Game of Thrones cast expands
Captain Elias at Superpowers That Be
Diana at Fire of Spring
Jace at Televisionary
Nix at SciFi Cool

In an Audio Interview linked from The Montreal Gazette piece by Matthew Surridge GRR Martin pronounces (sort of) on the HBO pilot & casting &writing the books.
The Cimmerian’s August 15th article addressing the interview, In Conversation with George R. R. Martin, points out
“Martin also discusses the much-speculated HBO pilot, and possibility of a series based on the septology, each 12-episode season based on a book. Already cast for the pilot is the inimitable Sean Bean as Eddard Stark, Peter Dinklage (who would make an excellent Count Volmana) as Tyrion Lannister, and Broadway thespian Jennifer Ehle as Katelyn Stark. Even with a several-year head start on the first four seasons, Martin definitely needs to get cracking on The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, and have them in bookstores on time for a series adaptation.”

Catching up with some discussion links from the past few days:

A Song of Ice and Fire thread at Chamber of Secret Forum includes commentary along the lines that Ms Ehle is not “snotty” enough or strong enough to play Catelyn … all based of course solely on Elizabeth Bennet (who could be pretty snotty herself, actually). I am Soooo looking forward to the day when the series airs and the doubters are proved wrong! I have no doubts.

Comments in the HBO to make A Song of Ice and Fire series Thread at NeoGAF are mixed but mostly very positive.

Tracey Steele blogged about the pilot & series in Casting Begins for HBO’s Game of Thrones Pilot

In an August 19th post at Planet Sillicon titled A Game of Thrones - The Cast that author, unlike some others, had no reservations about any Elizabeth Bennet carry-over, saying:
"Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn Stark will work very well, even as Elizabeth Bennett in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice she had an austere coldness that I think will work wonders - now that she is older - as cold and hateful Catelyn."

Feeble Segue

To flagrantly and shamelessly extend the cat-dog metaphor, I offer: Definition of Fitch = poleCAT. And thank you Douglas Carter Beane for also writing a prize-winning play with Dog in the title so that I could have two reasons to stretch this oh-so-tenuous connection. I'm not sure whether it is irony or serendipity or something else, but how awesome for this blog is it that another of his plays has BEES in its title? It's as if we were designed for each other.

For up-to-date Mr. & Mrs. Fitch news, you’ll need these important links.

Second Stage Theater Home Page

Mr. & Mrs. Fitch Home Page at 2ST

(FYI, a valuable calendar to guide your planning.)

2ST has an interview with the author, TALKING WITH DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE in which he, among other things, verifies a Cole Porter connection.

More about Douglas Carter Beane.

DCB at Wikipedia

DCB in a December 2006 Video episode of American Theatre Wing’s Working in the Theatre.

A W Magazine article also leads to this W magazine interview from July 2009 in which Mr. Beane (I think that’s the last time I’ll write that; it makes me think too much of spray-painting a room by way of paint bomb) talks about M&MFitch & other things.

Meet his work.
Music from a sparkling planet at Google Books

As Bees in Honey Drown at Google Books

The Little Dog Laughed at Google Books

The Little Dog Laughed, the best known of his plays, will certainly be known to the dedicated followers of this blog who have vivid memories of the 2007 Tony Awards. It was nominated in the Best Play category (won by The Coast of Utopia). Julie White starred in it and won the award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play the same glorious night that JE achieved BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY.

Last but not least, Robert Simonson at Playbill says of M&MFitch
“John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle will sink their teeth into the no-doubt juicy title roles of the upcoming Second Stage Theater world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's Mr. & Mrs. Fitch Off-Broadway. They will play married gossip columnists. Scott Ellis directs the work, which is scheduled to begin previews Jan. 26, 2010. This may become the first Off-Broadway play in some time to regularly appear in the city's gossip sheets.”

The past two weeks have been astounding and wonderful and unexpected. Some of us anticipated a longer hivernation. Instead we have cold-hateful-throatslit-Catelyn of a blood-thirsty warring world AND a comedic Mrs. Fitch of the modern celeb gossip world to look forward to. I love the contrast and the opportunity for her to display her awesome acting range.

The Ride is Bigger than we Thought

2009-08-20T04:54:00.006+10:00

Wonderful news!
Jennifer Ehle has been cast in the Douglas Carter Beane comedy Mr. & Mrs. Fitch
Exciting doesn't seem a strong enough word to describe hearing that she is returning to live theater.
"After making us wait a few extra months for the premiere of the new Douglas Carter Beane comedy “Mr. & Mrs. Fitch,” Second Stage Theater has announced the cast for the play. John Lithgow (lately of “All My Sons”) and Jennifer Ehle (“The Coast of Utopia”) will star as a husband-and-wife team of gossip columnists who discover, according to a news release, that “great celebrity can appear out of thin air” when “the social circuit no longer provides any scandalous news.” The play is Mr. Beane’s first for Second Stage since the 2005 debut of his comedy “The Little Dog Laughed,” and the production will reunite him with its director, Scott Ellis, whose recent stint on the Showtime series “Weeds” prompted Second Stage to delay “Mr. & Mrs. Fitch” until its 2009-10 season. The new play is to begin previews on Jan. 26 and open on Feb. 22."

Also announced at
Playbill
"Scott Ellis directs the work, which is scheduled to begin previews Jan. 26, 2010, for a run at the company's midtown home through March 21. Opening night is slated for Feb. 22."

and
Broadway World
"Jennifer Ehle received Tony Awards for her performances in The Coast of Utopia and The Real Thing. She also appeared on Broadway in Design for Living and off-Broadway in Macbeth. In London's West End she has appeared in The Philadelphia Story, The Real Thing (Olivier nomination), Tartuffe (Ian Charleston Award) and at London's National Theatre she appeared in Summerfolk. RSC productions include Richard III, Painter of Dishonor, The Relapse. Film includes: Pride and Glory (2007), Kerala/Road to the Sky (2007), Possession, Sunshine, This Year's Love, Bedrooms and Hallways, Wilde (BAFTA nomination), Paradise Road, Backbeat. TV includes: "Pride and Prejudice" (BAFTA Award), "The Camomile Lawn." Jennifer will next be filming the HBO pilot, "Games of Thrones," based on the book series by George R. R. Martin and adapted by David Benioff, co-starring Sean Bean."

and
Theatermania
and
Broadway.com

Music to our Ears

2009-08-15T05:40:00.010+10:00

After the little battle html and I had last time I hope to be able to orchestrate some links now without invoking any wayward musical instruments.

It is evident that the following sites will be ones to check frequently for updates and discussion so they have been added to the permanent link list here (available under Links at the right)
George R.R. Martin's Not A Blog
and
Winter-is-Coming blog (rich with comments and has a promised-to-be-frequently- updated FAQ)
and
A Song of Ice and Fire Forum

[Morocco!] From the FAQ mentioned above and noted in our own ShoutBox:
"The pilot is filming in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Specifically, a large film studio there called the Paint Hall. They will also be doing some remote shoots in Morocco. Filming for the pilot is currently scheduled to start October 12, 2009 and last until November 6, 2009. Although these dates are not set in stone."

Check Your Bloggage Here

Captain Elias In his Super Powers that Be blog, commented on Jennifer Ehle's casting as Catelyn fearing that, based on her performance as Jane Bennet in "Keira Knightley's Pride and Prejudice" [!!], she was too sweet for the role. After some gentle nudging via comments at his blog, he corrected one misapprehension and switched to Christabel LaMotte to support the "too sweet and romantic" worry.
In the Captain's next Blog anxieties had been laid to rest as he reported "I'm very eager to see Jennifer Ehle as Lady Catelyn".

The Stratovarius Community Forum has a discussion of AGoT casting and favorable comments about JE.

At Chronicles Network , "The UK's largest Science Fiction & Fantasy Forums" there is additional casting commentary including one that notes "What a score the actress who will be Catelyn is!

The treacle mine road blog draupadi writes about the book and the casting.

Ain't it Cool News has a forum thread for HBO's "A Song of Fire and Ice"

The youthink.com site also has A Song of Ice and Fire forum thread, from which this comment caught my eye. "She doesn't look cold enough. I guess it's up to acting." (Oh, you bet it is. I can hardly wait for her to make the doubting jaws drop).

Recent Arrival

Look what just arrived at my house from Amazon! My weekend is now fully scheduled.

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3

Lines on Lizzy

Isabellecs livejournal lists her Twenty Favorite Bad Ass Female Characters. Guess which someone with the initials EB came in at #17.

Alyssa Rosenberg in her blog entry titled How We See Things In Our Heads commented on Jonathan Yardley's article, Pride. Prejudice. Perfection in The Washington Post, which contended that film adaptations of Miss Austen's classic had failed to firmly fix [yep, that's a split infinitive. yep, I'm going to leave it there] actors in the public's (or his at least) mind as the personification of the characters ala Clark Gable/Rhett Butler. Alyssa responded:
"If Yardley somehow managed to miss A&E's 1995 adaptation of the novel, he is deprived. It's perhaps the only cinematic or television adaptation of a work of literature where the faces of the actors deserve to float back into our minds as we read the novels where they originate"

A Jog around the Blog

2009-08-09T05:46:00.006+10:00

It's so fun to see reaction and chatter about Ms Ehle around the groups and blogs. On one hand there are the uninitiated who say "Who? Never heard of her." and on the other hand those who reassure them with, "Don't worry, she's a gifted award-winning actress who is going to be outstanding in this."

So that you can experience the fun too here are some of the links. (A couple have been included before and repeated here. ) Take a look if you have time. Many varying comments (read at your own risk but most are good).

[Edit. I managed to mess up links. I've fixed them (they work for me anyway) and the sad trombones should now be playing upbeat jazz. My sincere apologies.]

George R.R. Martin's Not A Blog

Winter-is-Coming blog
(At last look 482 comments ranging from Who is she to Love
her, great casting.)

Jane Austen Today:Mr. & Mrs. Darcy in the News

A Song of Ice and Fire The George R R Martin Forum,, specifically The Jennifer Ehle cast as Catelyn Stark thread
(Comments now at 6 pages)

HBO to Tackle A Song of Ice and Fire!
thread in Quarter To Three Forums

At The Get a move on, George R R Martin thread included at ‘The Premier TV-Bashing Community Since 2001” (I don’t make these things up), there are a few comments at A JE casting section which I include only because I found the following comment hilarious. "I bet Jennifer Ehle only accepted this role so she could use the "zombie, post-dead Catelyn" as inspiration for when Hollywood eventually adapts "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies".

Xenagia Forums: Fantasy, Science Fiction & Horror

The Wert zone blog

Fronk livejournal

Tower of the Hand

Heroine TV

Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist

Finish the Book, George
A blog that angrily waits for George R.R. Martin to finish A Dance With Dragons

I Was Never Young blog

Writer's News

Fantasy Fan blog

This is Lee blog

A link to
Depictions of some characters from A Game of Thrones by Michael Shanks
Including Eddard and Catelyn

For you readers, a link to the text of the book A Game of Thrones coughed up at the Forum (was that you Kitty Bennet?) A Game of Thrones, the book

Here’ s A Very Happy Mrs. Darcy. I also felt like swinging from the chandelier when I heard about the new project, but I would not have looked anywhere near this good, believe me.

Not forgetting all that has come before, a recent review of Pride and Glory posted by okapi

[…]To watch the interaction between Francis and his dying wife, Abby (Jennifer Ehle, in no doubt an underappreciated role), is to watch love at its purest…and hardest. It’s an interaction that gets lost within all the shooting and bleeding, but I think, in the end, it’s ultimately the symbol of what this movie is all about, and what is most important above all else.[…]

Let the Game Begin

2009-08-05T02:40:00.011+10:00

Stark Raving

The bees and chicks are now very alert and awake. Along with the rest of us, they are stark raving mad with surprise and happiness at the latest news!

Jennifer Ehle has been cast as Catelyn Stark in HBO’s A Game of Thrones

Reported at
The Hollywood Reporter
and by Jay Tomio at BSC
"Following up recent announcements of Sean Bean (Ned Stark) and Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) Harry Lloyd (Viserys) Jack Gleeson (Joffrey) and Mark Addy (Robert), THR tells us we get another member of House Stark in the form of Jennifer Ehle. [...] this may be the best fit thus far [...] "
Read about it in French too

S'more added

The author George R.R. Martin laments being "scooped" (I can sympathize) at his blog
" [...] she's won a BAFTA Award and two Tonys, and she will be a wonderful Catelyn.

Fortunately, even HOLLYWOOD REPORTER doesn't know all the cool stuff I know, so I will still be able to smile engimatically and drop sly hints in Montreal. "
I can't wait for the "cool stuff"!
If you visit his blog, be sure to enjoy the many lovely comments left by readers.

At The George R R Martin Forum, "A Song of Ice and Fire" you can enjoy a discussion of the news by what seems to me to be a membership of unusual insight and perspicacity.

JE is certain to gain a horde of new fans with this.
Hi, new fans, if you're reading this. You've just met an actress of the highest talent and ability, and a lady of character. While you wait for AGoT, check out her available work so far. You're going to be impressed.

Information about the Catelyn Stark character can be read at the following links.
A Wkiki of Ice & Fire
and
Wikipedia :House Tully
"Catelyn Tully Stark (a POV character) is Hoster's eldest child and once his heir until the birth of her brother. She is the wife of Eddard Stark of Winterfell and mother of their five children, Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Catelyn is seen as honorable and upright by acquaintances, holding duty over desire as a governing principle of behavior. She has a deep love for family and a strong faith in the Seven. However, she regards the bastard Jon Snow as an outsider to her family, and has never forgiven Eddard for bringing him into her household. She has a strong and stately beauty, with auburn hair, blue eyes, and long fingers.i

Sounds like an ideal match of actor and role, a coup de casting. I wonder if JE will sport the auburn hair. She's been gorgeous in that hue in the past. Perhaps we need a poll here: Brunette (ala Lizzy Bennet), Auburn (ala Christabel LaMotte), Blond (ala Lorainne Morrissey), or Other (ala Abby Tierney).

According to Wikipedia, The shooting for the pilot will begin in October 2009 and take place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the Paint Hall Studio.

And, finally, here's a chance to read a Game of Thrones Script

Thanks to HoBO for the hint in ShoutMix that sent me stalking HBO on Google (only to be scooped by a jezillion other bloggers while I slept); and to Ann who posted the THR news in the Chat Extension; and to t/Tez who shared the great links at the Forum.

Bee-Keeping

2009-07-25T03:57:00.007+10:00

The bees are very quiet lately, as are the chickens.

Perhaps resting up for the big ride?

Here is a chance to vote for your favorite Elizabeth Bennet at the Jane Austen Movie Throwdown. I would never presume to tell everyone for whom to vote, of course. With that in mind, here is just a sample from the ballot:

....................

I recently linked and quoted Antti Alanen's Sunshine Review. He also had additional insightful comments by way of email to the blog. "Dear Jennifer Ehle,
I saw István Szabó's Sunshine last Friday, and I want to thank you for your lovely performance, so essential to the story, so full of grim reality, yet finally so life-affirming."

Oh, yes.

Broadway ~~Buzz~~ Hum

The Royal Family starring Rosemary Harris casting news and key date reminders from:
Blogger Dan Cirucci
and
The New York Theatre Guide
and
Variety
and
Theatermania
and
The California Chronicle
and
Broadway.tv
and
Backstage Blogs
and
NYC Official City Guide

Many thanks to my trusty assistant at the keyboard this week.
.........................

___________________________________________

Now that we have enjoyed the delicious farewell blogs from Kate and Abi, it's time to reveal the stringent contract terms negotiated at transfer time.
Janet: "You must know that IF I accept the mission, it will not come without a price on your part and Kate's. The deal will be that each of you post at the forum at LEAST once a week." (I even suggested a topic if needed).
AbiKate: " IF you accept the mission, we will DEF accept the forum condition"

So, you see, any of you who are forum-followers are in for a weekly treat. Starting ... um... when, Abi & Kate?
In the words of the incomparable Miss Austen (from Emma pub. 1815) "she only demands from each of you either one thing very clever, be it prose or verse, original or repeated -- or two things moderately clever -- or three things very dull indeed"

(I'll have to return to a more steady posting pattern there myself).

Better late than never. Apparently.

2009-07-11T11:30:00.014+10:00

Greetings all, former Blogger #2 here. Just popping back to give a somewhat later than planned final wave.

How on earth it is 2.5 years since I entered the world of Jerryatricism, I'll never know. However, I don't wish to cause any boredom-induced comas, so I'll skip the month-by-month analysis and simply ponder the first four words that come to my mind when I think of the whole experience.

Utopia.
Impact.
Squee.
Ahh.

Utopia, noun 1 Shortened name of the monumental trilogy by Sir Tom, featuring a bunch of characters ending in -ev and -sky. Performed to (mostly) critical acclaim in New York from 2006-7. 2 Shortened name of the first straight play I ever saw. The cause of a temporary case of impecuniousness and a permanent case of the theatre bug. Can, when uttered now, bring about lengthy bouts of New York-related daydreaming featuring a Place de la Concorde replica and a revolving chair.

Utopia is, undoubtedly, my salient memory of the blogging experience, a fact perhaps unsurprising given its glorious domination of the news arena, and the fact that my bedroom wall sits around a Utopia poster. I saw it six times, adored it, and always will adore it, as I'm sure all of us who had the privilege of seeing it will. Two years on, entirely random quotes such as 'Worms the philosopher?' 'No, just worms', still punctuate my days and I wonder how long my mind will continue to conjure up the image of a Utopian peasant on hearing the word 'surf'.

For introducing me to the phenomenal world of live theatre, and for providing me with some once in a lifetime memories (March 14 2007, cough cough), I would like to say a marathon-sized thank you to the Utopian collective. Their performances, and the theatre-related experiences they inspired, raised my little year abroad from the category of a B to that of an A+++, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Impact, noun 1 A strong effect or impression. 2 Pleasant and far-reaching shock waves that can pervade every facet of life after becoming a Jerryatric.

From taking a part-time job solely to fund Utopia trips, to giving me the passion and umph to have a shot at amateur theatre (whilst consenting to wear an - and I quote - 'unusual' costume), the personal ramifications of being involved in this little machine, both direct and indirect, have been surprising, delightful and seemingly endless.

It has improved my writing. It has taught me that you can't have too much news, but can have too many exclamation marks when reporting it. It has put phrases as simple as 'curtain call' and as woah-sounding as 'intelligentsia' into my previously pitiful vocabulary. It has put Isaiah Berlin on my bookshelf and Herzen on my to-read list. It has led to me spending six hours watching and rewatching The Real Thing in a New York library, and six months doing a study of a 1960s theatrical avant-gardist. It has acquainted me with the fabulous resources that are Charlie Rose interviews, Woman's Hour discussions and ATW seminars - all now cherished staples of my cultural diet. It has also dramatically expanded my knowledge of chickens and has brought the number of flowers I am safely able to identify in the garden up to a grand total of two (I already knew rose).

It has also given me a group of friends from all over the world. One of them, who stayed with me last year, was without a doubt one of the most impressive, inspirational and clued-up people I've ever met. Chelsea, I will never forget how terribly we navigated the Tower of London and how happily we discussed life over a curiously delicious walnut liqueur.

Another made me cry with laughter more than I ever thought possible and graciously put a roof over my head for Utopia trips among many other generosities. Kerry, I will never forget how you carried my luggage around most of Manhattan and how I sat on the floor of Grand Central for an hour longer than was necessary, simply because your stories were so side-splitting I didn't want to move.

Squee, noun 1 A noise and/or action, often manifested between two or more Jerryatrics as an expression of extreme Jerry-related excitement. verb 2 To perform this noise or action.

As the better half of Spheir has already mentioned, we were very fortunate to have so many sufficiently exciting moments to deal with in our time on the blog as to make squeeing a regular feature of these quarters. I want to thank the lady herself, and her brilliance, for being the cause of so many of these (Tony Tony, cough cough) as well as for the truckload of infinitely rewatchable gems that her awe-inspiring career has given relatively intelligent (albeit slightly insane) people like us.

Ahh, noise 1 A vocalised expression of either sadness and disappointment, or anger and frustration - in the latter case often followed by a profanity. Often aired as an instantaneous reaction to an unwelcome discovery.

Like when Blogger decides to undo all your sp aci ng correct ions. Or when you discover that the 'unusual' costume is a green, tassled monstrosity that claims to be a dress, but looks like it once adorned the windows of a dodgy bedsit.

It is also what the mother of this site must have articulated when she first saw the cringeworthy word-vomit I had inflicted on her beautiful creation during my first weeks as a blogger. Tina, a mahoosive thank you for taking me on, but more importantly, for keeping me on in spite of said word-vomit. You have been amazing and have redefined the concept of intelligence for me, taking it to a realm far above my head, although I hope one day to get a bit nearer to it. At least to be able to reach it with the aid of a large stick.

Referring to the first little bit of the definition, an ahh is also what I gave on realising it was my time at last to jump (safely) from the blogly ship. However, after three months of watching it from a passing canoe, I can say that retirement has been far more enjoyable than expected. This is not least due to the competency of the new captain. She has done a marvellous job when at the equivalent stage, I was still trying to turn on the computer. Janet, thank you for accepting the challenge all by yourself. Your posts - both Blogly and Forumly - are a joy to read and I can't deny it's a relief to know that we passed Tez's mind-boggling creation to someone who is able to tend it with the skill and devotion of a prize-winning apiarist.

Last but most definitely not least, for considerably reducing the number of stress-induced ahhs inherent in this little job, I want to thank my magnificent former partner. The staggering amount of donkey work she took on, combined with her unfailing support inside the job and out of it, made the good times the most wonderful hoots, while reducing the less good times to insignificant blips. Kate, thank you to infinity for two incredible years and for your life-enhancing friendship. Meeting you in person for the first time this week has been, to quote Richard Curtis, surreal but nice. Mind-bogglingly amazing in fact.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen...do svidaniya!

Exit, pursued by a bee

Coming Attractions

2009-07-11T05:00:00.006+10:00

Just a quick entry to send along a trio of things.

Rosemary Harris is scheduled to participate in the reading series at the 92Y Poetry Center
"Tony Award-winning actress Rosemary Harris (Spider-Man’s Aunt May) returns to the Poetry Center to read from some of the classics of children’s literature."

Date & Time: Sat, Sep 26, 2009, 11:30am
Location: Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street

"The Poetry Center presents the third year of its children’s reading series. These Saturday programs, targeted toward 8-12-year-olds, feature classic and contemporary literature read by actors and authors."

Jane Austen presents Jennifer Ehle

Damon Young at The Sydney Morning Herald in a nice article About writing and about Jane Austen revealed that Miss Austen was able to look into the future, anticipate the existence of the mini-series, and provide casting.

"[...]Her sales are astronomical, her influence on authors and readers incalculable. She gave us Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, for which many fans are profoundly grateful. [...]"

We are profoundly grateful, Miss Austen (with thanks also to Sue Birtwistle, Simon Langton, and Andrew Davies for an excellent job of channeling JA).

ALERT!

A treat is due to be served here at the Blog on or about Saturday July 11th.
Mark your calendars; set your timepieces; calibrate your sundials.

[It is still the afternoon of July 10th at my location so I can truthfully present this as a future event no matter what the "date/time posted by" might indicate below]

Hot Summer in the Country

2009-06-25T08:11:00.006+10:00

VISUALS
A treasure trove of rare interview footage has been uploaded to YouTube by one of Jennifer Ehle's most stalwart fans. I posted two of them last time but there have been many more added since, so do not miss terrykip's videos.

Although the most brief, I think this is my favorite (despite perhaps the need for a more clued-in interviewer).

Also, many thanks to sharonalee who let us know about the excellent P&P photo gallery she has created and for volunteering to share it.

Bright Sunshine
After watching Sunshine for the first time recently, Antti Alanen in his Film Diary blog reported his very favorable impressions. "There are gorgeous female roles in the film, and especially the scenes with the bright Jennifer Ehle radiate with intelligence, courage, sensuality and frank sexuality. - Rachel Weisz would have deserved more screen time, but of course the film is long as it is. Rosemary Harris is excellent as the grown-up Valerie. - Although Ralph Fiennes in his triple role portrays the three main characters, finally, Valerie is the soul and heart of the film, the only one who never loses her inner compass. - A film I decided I want to see again even while still watching it."

Hot Wings
The temperature when I left work yesterday was 100F (37.8C) and will be about the same when I depart today. If the weather has been as unbearably hot where you are as it has been here, keeping animals under your care comfortably cool can be a concern. Let's say, for example, you have chickens. A number of them; maybe seven chickens. If so, Poultryone.com has some valuable tips for you about
Keeping Your Chickens Healthy and Cool in Hot Summer Heat
[...] "Water is essential" [...]"

[picture by T. McCracken via McHumor.com]

Hot Things
The Forsyth County ((Winston-Salem is the county seat) Library site has a fine Biography of John Ehle compiled by Sheryl Monks. Included is a nice photo of him with Joe Pye. It has information not in his Wiki article (so far) and worth a read. Just a sample:
[...] Originally released in 1964 by Harper & Row, The Land Breakers is the first book of seven in a sweeping saga detailing the opening up of the North Carolina Appalachian frontier. Rob Neuland of the Asheville Citizen Times has called Ehle’s series, "the greatest epic of our region." [...]

At livejournal two of our favorite ladies made list of Ashmh'sTop Ten Favorite Miniseries. Mom beat daughter in this one.
2. "The Chisholms" (1979) - This excellent three-part miniseries followed the adventures of a Virginian family during their overland trek to California in the mid-1840s. Based upon Evan Hunter's novel, it starred Robert Preston, Rosemary Harris and Ben Murphy.
[and]
7. "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) - Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle co-starred in what I consider to be the best version of Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel.

Suzanna Bowling in the Examiner writes about some upcoming productions, including The Royal Family and its award-laden cast.
MTC is also bringing The Royal Family. This is the classic comedy of theatrical manners, written by two of the theatre's greatest writers, George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, whose other storied collaborations include Dinner at Eight and Stage Door. This devilishly funny play follows the Cavendishes, the famous family of stage stars, as they go about the drama of the day: choosing scripts, dashing off to a performance, and stealing kisses with handsome beaus. Directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt) with a fantastic cast that includes Emmy nominee Stephen Collins as Gilbert Marshall,Tony winner John Glover as Herbert Dean,Tony Award winner and Oscar nominee Rosemary Harris as Fanny Cavendish, Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Jan Maxwell as Julie Cavendish,Tony nominee Tony Roberts as Oscar Wolfe,and Drama Desk Award nominee Reg Rogers as Tony Cavendish. Previews start September 15th.

The Rosemary Harris film Is Anybody There? earned a favorable review
by John Petrakis at christiancentury.org recently. He wrote, "We are introduced to some of the other Lark Hall residents, who are portrayed by a who's-who of outstanding British and American character actors, including the still-lovely Rosemary Harris as a former dancer."

A short (19 minutes) film, The Monday Before Thanksgiving featuring Rosemary Harris was shown at Worldwide Short Film Festival 2009 . Shannon the Movie Moxie described it as "Adeptly light handling of complex life events and choices"

Party with Liz and Darce
Romance inspired die-cuts are ideal for weddings, St Valentines day, birthdays or just to say 'I love you'.
Meslyncrafts can offer the ULTIMATE in romantic couples 'Miss Elizabeth Bennett and the gorgeous Mr Darcy'.

--------------------------------------

Tube Tops & Shorts

2009-06-12T08:51:00.004+10:00

YouTube offerings Top today's blog

1) This is "the making of" from the movie "This years love" (1999) with Douglas Henshall, Ian Hart, Kathy Burke, Jennifer Ehle, Catherine McCormack and Dougray Scott

2) Jennifer Ehle - Tony Awards 2000 - The Real Thing

3) Jennifer Ehle - Tony Award Memory. On the eve of her second Tony Award in 2007, Jennifer Ehle reflects on her first win

2) & 3) are credited via tonyawards.com and were uploaded to YouTube this week by terrykip, definitely a tuber to root for and watch for whose interest appears grounded in the talented object of this blog. Thank you terrykip!

October Quotage Catch-up

This snippet from OK! Magazine's October 23, 2008 article on the Pride And Glory premiere seems to have been overlooked here. We have no problem with playing catch-up though. The article quotes several of the stars, including this from Jennifer Ehle being endearingly modest about being visited by co-stars while commenting on why Colin Farrell might make someone a decent boyfriend.
“He’s incredibly warm, incredibly kind, he’s funny, he’s charming in a very honest way. He came to the trailer and welcomed me on my first day, which is something I wouldn’t expect someone in his position to do. He’s very kind. I think kindness is underrated when looking for a partner.”

Shorts

Short films being presented at the 15th annual Palm Springs International ShortFest June 23-29 include The Monday Before Thanksgiving with Rosemary Harris.
Recent articles can be found at The Desert Sun and Hollywood Reporter and indieWiIRE

[...] Four actors will have their directorial debuts featured at the Festival including Demi Moore directing “Streak,” starring Brittany Snow, Rumer Willis and Madeline Zima; Courteney Cox-Arquette directing and starring in “The Monday Before Thanksgiving” along with Laura Dern and Rosemary Harris; Marianne Jean-Baptiste directing “Ink,” and Joseph Gordon-Levitt directing “Sparks” starring Carla Gugino and Eric Stoltz.[...]

Is Anybody [down] There"

The Rosemary Harris film Is Anybody There was released in Australia 4 June 2009, giving rise to some more harvestable reviews.

Sandra Hall in The Sydney Morning Herald

Philippa Hawker in The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,Australia "The home's elderly residents are defined by standard sitcom dottiness; actors such as Leslie Phillips, Sylvia Syms, Peter Vaughan and Rosemary Harris deserve better than these sketchily written roles."

Alice Tynan in Trespass Magazine "Rosemary Harris as Elsie does get one wistfully poignant scene, though the rest of the residents are relegated to typical, if compassionately portrayed, stereotypes."

Universal Truths in 140 characters

I once read someone postulating that if Jane Austen had been alive today, she'd be writing scripts for hit sit-coms. That was before Twitter, though. Bind your ribs to prevent cracking before reading this hilarious version of Pride and Prejudice. I'd quote some if it, but it is all so brilliantly funny that I'd have to paste the entire piece.

Leaping Water

2009-06-05T03:31:00.011+10:00

(Squee if you want, we finally have a name)

Reported at University of North Carolina School of the Arts Alumni Notes
"Jennifer Ehle '88 and her husband Michael Ryan recently welcomed a new daughter, Talulah Ryan, into their family."

(It's June 4th where I am, so ...) Happy three-month birthday anniversary, Miss Talulah Ryan!

A jezillion thanks to t for bringing this link to our attention. She owns extra-special JE radar, I think. She also noticed that a 3-syllable pattern seems to mark the matriarchal line. [Edited to correct: It was Kate who noticed the tri-syllablism]

From internet research:

The meaning of the name Talulah is Leaping Water
The origin of the name Talulah is Native American (Choctaw)

Another, less mentioned derivation is "possibly derived from a Gaelic name meaning "fruitful woman". (Come to think of it though, Ryan is an Irish Gaelic surname, so this could be the more likely inspiration).

Tending Banked Coals

2009-05-28T07:56:00.006+10:00

The John Ehle Collection

At Southern Sources a posting about revised/new finding aids has information about the John Ehle collection within the UNC Southern Historical Collection.
[...]The collection documents both the literary career and public service activities of John Ehle. Literary materials include correspondence, clippings, and financial items relating to Ehle’s novels and other works, as well as notes, drafts, and galleys. Family items include correspondence of Ehle’s parents and a few items relating to Rosemary Harris. Other materials relate to Ehle’s work with various public and private institutions. These include files generated in the course of Ehle’s work in the Governor’s Office, especially his efforts on behalf of the North Carolina School of the Arts and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. There are also files relating to the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Federation for the Arts and Humanities, Duke University, and the Penland School of Crafts. Photographs and audiovisual materials include family photographs and photographs used as book illustrations, including some of activists protesting segregation in Chapel Hill, N.C., that were taken for use in The Free Men (1965); audiodiscs of radio shows that Ehle wrote or acted in; tapes of interviews done for various books; and filmstrips, chiefly on North Carolina history, which Ehle produced, sometimes in collaboration with others. A few items relate to Rosemary Harris. [...]

The Rosemary Harris Collection

Ms Harris was Among the glitterati in NYC on Monday May 18 at an event on Michelle Obama's schedule. "[...]the first lady changed into evening clothes and headed to American Ballet Theatre's spring gala at the Metropolitan Opera House, a highlight of the city's social calendar. Among the glitterati: Actresses Sigourney Weaver, Kim Raver, and Rosemary Harris[...]"
(I wasn't able to find photos of Ms Harris at the event. Perhaps a reader out there is a better photo-miner than I & will share?)

And, some more reviews of Is Anybody There.
Ken Eisner liked the supporting cast who "constitute a who's who of great English character actors"

LIZ BRAUN In The Toronto Sun found the film charming saying "the cast is superb" and "an extraordinary collection of respected British actors as the residents of the old-folks home".

California Chronicle's John Beifuss had his cynic's armor pierced by the movie "thanks to the pictorial tastefulness of director John Crowley and, especially, a brace of fine performances." Whether or not he was thinking of things like leg braces or other aids isn't clear but he does go on to write "Other seniors are played by such welcome British character actors as Peter Vaughan, Leslie Phillips and Rosemary Harris (Aunt May in "Spider-Man"), as an ex-dancer with a plastic replacement leg."

(Bonus information from the Beifuss article: the soundtrack includes Dexy's Midnight Runners. I mean, does a movie set in the 1980's get any better than that?)

MICHAEL SMITH at tulsaworld found the glass half full/empty saying "The acting is first-rate among a talented cast saddled with a third-rate piece of material" but also that "Actors like Rosemary Harris and Peter Vaughn shine in portraying their many pains and their tiny moments of joy when the spotlight is taken off of Caine for a moment."

From The Wichita Eagle's Rod Pocowatchit's musings on the screen scene "Acting legend Rosemary Harris ("Spider-Man") particularly stands out as a kind woman trying to lure an aging drinker into sobriety." (You know, don't you, that I'm tempted to make some comment about whether the author intended "stands out" to relate to any prior mentions of the character's restrictions.)

And speaking of Spidey, here's a charming clip of Ms Harris discussing Aunt May in a featurette of the 2007 movie Spider-Man 3.

Fashion, Fun, & Games with Liz and Darce

More pictures of Regency fashion can be seen at this article about the National Gallery of Victoria’s Fashion in the Age of Jane Austen and at ABC.net and also Jane Austen Today Blog . The insights into changing fashion are interesting especially in that the period during which women's clothes were "streamlined into relatively unadorned gowns of diaphanous white muslin that fell close to the body’s natural contours." was of a relatively short duration.

Blogger Tia Nevitt read and reviewed Marvel Comic's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and "was all over the comic book like the younger Bennet girls on men in red coats." She found it well worth the price but warns "Contrary to the cover image, Lizzy does not look like Jennifer Ehle from the A&E Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice."

Check out these Signs that you have watched Pride and Prejudice too many times and you may find that far too many of them apply! I found them excessively diverting.

Need a break from those boring hours of computer solitaire while filling time at work? Try these, also fashion related.

A. Regency dress up dolls

B. Lizzy and Darcy paper dolls

A. B. That wig looks familiar. I think it deserves a BAFTA.

Or, perhaps you'd enjoy the challenge of a Pride and Prejudice jigsaw puzzle

__________________________________

Whenever possible, of course, this will turn back into a Ms Awesome Jennifer Ehle blog. In the meantime, there is gratitude that she has such admirable relatives and that because of the greatest mini-series of all time an Austen reference is never out of line.

Hitchhiker's Guide

2009-05-14T05:56:00.008+10:00

Many thanks to LTC for discovering and sharing the link to this delightful automobile ad featuring ~~Calypso Grant~~ Jennifer Ehle early in her career!

Catching some Rays

M&C P&P review
"A combination of good actors such as Colin Firth playing the proud Mr. Darcy, and Jennifer Ehle as the feisty Elizabeth Bennet and careful attention to scenery, costume and daily living details of Regency England, make this production a stunning complement to Jane Austen’s words."

Chance to win a copy at An Island Life blog or at Blissful Buzz blog and/or take a who-are-you-like test. (And to commiserate with the commenters who turned out to be most like Mrs. Bennet!)

Et Al

Blogger shepster recently watched The Russell Girl for the first time for at least one very good reason "a/ it was on and b/ it had Ehle in it". Other insights: "she's absolutely superb in it " (note too the often seen reference to her "twin") and finally "Very nicely shot and a good soundtrack, far better than this kind of thing usually is and that's mainly down to Ehle."

George Street blogged about acting genes including an Ehle+Harris=Ehle equation.

Here and There

Many new reviews of the Rosemary Harris film (called Michael Caine's film in most places, but not here of course) Is Anybody There? are available
JAMES VERNIERE writes of the "insufficiently exploited supporting cast "
MICHAEL DWYER says "The film adeptly avoids the easy pitfalls of patronising or sentimentalising the many older people who populate it, opting instead to celebrate their long lives as they are drawing to an end. These disparate personalities are played with wit and dignity by a splendid ensemble cast of veterans"
Philip French in a review at The Observer mentions the excellent supporting veterans who "do their largely comic turns in the background"
KRISTIAN LIN enjoyed the film but thought director and write may have overstepped with Ms Harris's character, although a further peek into one of her scenes is given.
Sean P. Means' 5-Minute Movie Review recognizes the "talented group of veteran actors (including the great Rosemary Harris)"
Barbara Vancheri, considered the film a bumpy ride but adds "excellent actors such as Rosemary Harris get too little screen time" (Maybe it would have been less bumpy had that been taken care of?)
Roger Moore of The Orlando Sentinel found the movie "often melancholy but always charming" and observed "The great Rosemary Harris stands out as a dance teacher who has lost a leg and pretty much everything she ever loved, but who hasn't given up."
JOAN E. VADEBONCOEUR thinks Caine is Oscar-worthy but that "... the sweetness turns overly sentimental in the last quarter. More extensive use of the residents would have been wise. However, Leslie Phillips as the one who tells slightly raunchy anecdotes and has an awkward romance with the sensitive one, played by the wonderful Rosemary Harris, scores amusingly and touchingly. "

Meanwhile, back at the Palace ...

Further casting for this autumn's production of MTC's The Royal Family is being reported at
Broadway.com and at Back Stage Expresso and theatemania and Variety and by bbbblogger

Rehearsals begin Aug. 11 as reported at Production Listings at Back Stage

Austentatious

For a mere £3,000 (about U.S. $5,000) you can dance and otherwise cavort at a Regency Ball at Chawton House At the link you can read about the inspiration and funding for Chawton House and all about the delights planned for the Ball. Enjoy the idea of a modern Lady Catherine de Bourgh arriving at Longbourn in a Learjet. Be tantalized by the revelation that "There will be celebrity guests who starred in the most memorable BBC TV series from Jane’s oeuvre: Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility." (Oh, please let us know ... which ones? who? who?)

If you need help in choosing your attire for the ball, pop over (or is that under ?) to Australia (some of you are already there, of course) and check out the exhibition of Fashion in the Age of Jane Austen at the National Gallery of Victoria. Also covered at Artdaily (which includes a great HQ photo of one of the dresses). And that's all I'm going to say about it since the first link points out that in Austen "The characters who do talk at length about clothes are always the most idiotic."
From there, take the first right turn (or would that be left?) and travel to Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton where you can indulge your footwear choices with "An exhibition of fantasy shoe designs inspired by the character of Marianne in the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility" (I long to know what "fantasy" shoes in the Regency era look like).

For those who don't have the time to read Austen's novels (surely it would be a time constraint only, for the inclination must be there), and for whom even Cliff's Notes are too detailed, help is here. Great works of literature, including Pride and Prejudice have been shortened into tweets as described Here and Here too. "Woman meets man called Darcy who seems horrible. He turns out to be nice really. They get together." (The efficiency of a tweet is evidenced by using the same for both P&P and Bridget Jones’s Diary).

And finally in the last Austen news, new versions of Emma are planned at The BBC and Bollywood

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I hope everyone had an enjoyable Mother's Day, especially anyone who had a 2 month old baby to cuddle.

Ray-views and more

2009-05-02T03:12:00.013+10:00

Rayning P&P

The amazing popularity of the miniseries continues fifteen years on from its filming. Just consider that around this time fifteen years ago 24-year-old Jennifer Ehle was possibly being fitted for a dark-hued wig of curls, or learning the steps to Mr Beveridge's Maggot, or rehearsing "TLMINTWICEBPOTM".

GLENN MCDONALD in the NC Triangle area News & Observer shows excellent observation skills himself when he notes:
[...] The BBC series manages what so many previous (and subsequent) adaptations have not: To effectively balance the period melodrama with Austen's exceedingly subtle wit and feminine (if not quite feminist) point of view. The casting of Ehle and Firth proves critical in this regard. Both are really quite brilliant in their ability to deliver Austen's multivalent dialogue -- communicating volumes with the airiest of bon mots. The highly mannered wordplay is an epic poem of passive-aggressive euphemism, and it takes serious acting chops to convey the depth of emotion underneath. [... ]

(my own underlining added in the above)

Svet Atanasov has an in-depth review at the blu-ray page which is worth reading if only for his almost apologetic disclaimer of writing from an man's point of view. This piece is accompanied by some really lovely and HQ photos which can be seen enlarged by clicking on those provided within the article. He concludes that he can "comfortably state that Pride and Prejudice will become a “poster-child” for the Blu-ray format" and also saying;
[...] I think that one of the key reasons why Pride and Prejudice won the hearts of many Jane Austin fans is the terrific emphasis on detail, which Simon Langdon and his team achieved; and I don’t necessarily mean the excellent decors and costumes. Rather, I believe that it was the ability of the actors to express accurately the complex emotions and feelings Jane Austen’s characters struggle with.[...]

Michael Giltz at huffingtonpost agrees with me when he says "this is one of the greatest miniseries of all times [...] Absolutely essential."

Doug Nye of McClatchy-Tribune News Service calls it "The best film adaptation ever of Jane Austen’s 'Pride and Prejudice'" and adds "Particularly impressive are Colin Firth as Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet."

Lex Walker writes a wide-ranging review also worth reading, another self-admitted strictly man's point of view, in which he humorously but gently muses on the Firth-Feenom. He begins by calling it "... the stereotypical woman's holy grail of films". But he ultimately admits to the right way of thinking :"Most of the women out there openly profess their love for this series - and that's fair. It is a well-crafted story (Jane Austen, I mean come on) and the lead performers excel in every way."

It isn't a ray-view nor is it P&P, but this interesting P&G review trickled in recently. It has more to say about Ms Ehle than most coverage of this film. I don't really understand the "metaphorical bird" allusion though, so any illumination from readers who do would be appreciated.

The Doan Scale

Blogger Brian Doan responded to a challenge to "Name 10 film characters that are your favorite and explain why. " He's now my top favorite blogger, I think. But not surprising, right?, with a name like that !
[...]Everyone talks about Colin Firth (who is excellent) and Andrew Davies' adaptation (ditto), but for me it's Ehle who holds the whole thing together. She is expert at delivering Austen's witticisms, but so much of the film rests on her face and her movements. I don't mean that in prurient way (although she is quite beautiful), but rather want to suggest how hard it is to look right, in period garb, while sometimes doing nothing.
How many actors can't escape modernity and create a feeling of anachronism, or clutter the space with too many tics or gestures? It takes a lot of courage to remain still, and still seem in character. Ehle does this expertly, and it's her responses to things-- the look of warmth or humor or sadness that can flash in her eyes, as her face quickly rearranges itself into a mask of propriety-- that I remember. They give her Lizzie a weight and texture that other performances in the role simply can't match.
[...]

This recaps some of the discussion we've had at the forum about stillness-in-acting and distilled-emotion and I heartily concur with his insights. Is he just brilliant on his own ... or is it everyone with that name?

What a Waste and Missing Limbs

A ton (that's 2000 lbs) of reviews are available for Is Anybody There? which co-stars Rosemary Harris. Most are of the cookie-cutter variety, but a few are original enough and relevant enough to be worth linking here. The overall theme, regarding the subject who is of interest here, seems to be on the lines of, "Too bad her talents are wasted, under-used", A sampler:

Rex Reed in The New York Observer writes, "In fairness, Is Anybody There?, like all British films, boasts a splendid cast of character actors, including Anne-Marie Duff, Leslie Phillips and the sadly wasted, still-radiant Rosemary Harris."

Philip at atomipopcorn said "The supporting cast does some fine work, but I feel for actors like Rosemary Harris; she feels underused."

At Spectator Deborah Ross has a humorous review (and, for whatever reason, semi-vicious digs at Peter O'Toole), maintaining a criminal wasting of top-notch talent.

Kelly Jane Torrance at The Washington Times offers a nice review with very good things to say about the incredible talent of the supporting actors.

Several reviews have hinted at some features of the character Ms Harris plays in the film.
At hollywoodand fine "Rosemary Harris, as a woman with one leg who wants to convince a male resident to dance with her"

James Christopher in The Times mentions pawing and plucking "in a fruitless search for romance"

John Walsh
at The Independent notes "Rosemary Harris, despite her prosthetic leg, tries to appear alluring to the tippling lothario, without success. "

JONATHAN L. FISCHER in Philadelphia's The Bulletin says "[...] the comedy — mostly typical geriatric sight gags — stays in the hands of a retinue of veteran British character actors, like Rosemary Harris [...] "

Listen up!
A Streetcar Named Desire available on audio. "[...]Rosemary Harris embodies Blanche with all the flare, attitude and Southern drawl commonly associated with the cultural icon. [...] This recording captures the cast of the 1973 Broadway revival (which won Harris a Drama Desk award and Farentino a Theatre World award)."

Wanna take me to Lunch on May 15th?

We could chow down at The 75th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon where, among other things, "[...] nine past recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award -- Norbert Leo Butz, Stockard Channing, Christine Ebersole, Rosemary Harris, Frank Langella, John Lithgow, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephen Rea, and Sam Waterston -- will be honored on this dais for their work this season. "

It would seem we'd have every right to be there since Everyone On Earth Nominated For A Drama League Award

Okay then, How about Carnegie Hall on June 15?

We could go to see Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years "The 7:30 PM concert in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage will boast the talents of Alan Alda, Arlo Guthrie, Rosemary Harris, David Amram, Beyond the Pale, Artie Butler, Patricia Conolly, Judy Kaye, David Krakauer, Tom Paxton, Serendipity 4 (Shura Lipovsky, Merima Kljuco, Tamara Brooks and Bikel), Noel Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow, Susan Werner and Michael Wex. "

Event also announced at broadwayworld
and Sing Out! News Service

Or a Play from Sep 15th on?
The Royal Family Tickets and Information

Canada's Greatest, and it's not Gretzky

Variety reports that "Canuck film distributor E1 Entertainment has inked a deal with Senator Distribution to pick-up Canuck rights to rights to five pics [...] "The Greatest," written and directed by Shana Feste, stars Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon as a couple who learn their son's girlfriend is pregnant after he dies in a car crash. Pic will be released next spring."

Also reported at hollywoodreporter

Down to Earth with Colin Firth
Blogger Nikki shared a firthhand experience worthy of Bridget Jones herself. Enjoy! (evidently he is very very tall).

Terminating Time and Producing Purses

Mark Bostridge reviews Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World By Claire Harman.
" [...] a major factor in Jane Austen's longevity as a novelist must be the apparent timelessness of her work. To a large extent, her books are unattached to specific times and places. 'She stopped the clock', writes Harman, and now is always her time."

Need to open up some bookshelf space, make good use of those extra copies of Pride & Prejudice, and at the same time feed your handbag hankering? Meet Caitlin Phillips who "[...] goes through 500 to 750 books every year. But not because she's a speed reader. Instead, she cuts out all the pages and replaces them with beautiful fabric, to transform old books into stylish purses. [...] The most requested book is Pride and Prejudice — overwhelmingly so, Phillips says. "It's a great book, but I did not realize truly just how popular it was." [...]"

In the category: too late to do you any good at all, but I'll post it anyway

BBC 'Pride and Prejudice' writer to speak at UT

Through my own procrastination, I just missed letting you know of this chance to hear Andrew Davies being grateful to Jane Austen. Though if anyone out there did attend, we'd love to hear about it if you want to share.

____________________________________________________
Today's footnote. Never again will I allow myself to wait this long between blogs under the misapprehension that there is not enough information available. I severely underestimated the sheer human ability to fill a blank panel with words.

(Still mourning the lovely Kate's exit but confident the bear took second place.)

Changing of the Guards

2009-04-20T18:24:00.008+10:00

As you have undoubtedly surmised from the addition of the fabulous Janet’s recent postings, changes are in the air here at Blogland. After two years of news-disseminating and enthusiasm-generating, block-quoting and link-gathering, it’s time for my final curtain call. It is a truth universally acknowledged that any act of leave-taking must be accompanied by an indulgent act of reminiscence…and I’m afraid I will not be the exception…

Looking back, I couldn’t have picked a more exciting time to clamber on board the Blogship than April/May ‘07. After wowing audiences for seven months, The Coast of Utopia had nearly reached the end of its run, and the Tonys were just on the horizon. I had the great good fortune of seeing Utopia first hand earlier that year, and thus it was a genuine thrill to join the blog team at this crucial juncture. And, as if that wasn’t enough, it was a thrill beyond thrills to cover Tonysmania! We couldn’t have wished for a happier outcome in that department, and I’ll never forget the key-board pounding that took place here. (The letter “J” has yet to recover.) Since that time, Ms Ehle has gone from winning her second Tony Award to having her second child, and I feel very lucky that I have been able to frame my “career” with two such joyous events.

“This should really go to my wigs”

Since its inception, the blog has always been a team effort, so please allow me to express my gratitude to each and every one of you who has helped us over the years. Thank you for reading and supporting us during busy bee days and slow zinnia days alike. I would also like to give a special thank you to all of the Atrics for warmly welcoming/indoctrinating me into your world of secret society codes, silly banter, and unfailing support. Proof that utopias exist after all! Chelsea, half of the original Dream Team, thank you for setting an amazing precedent. You are a fantastic blogger and an incredible person, and it was a blast meeting you in 3-D.

Most especially, I want to specifically thank the two people who have had the most impact on my life as a blogger. Tina, thank you for recruiting a kid off the streets and taking a young fledgling under your wings. Both your friendship and mentorship extend well beyond the confines of blog life. Though no one could ever fill your shoes, it was an honor to be entrusted with your brainchild alongside Abi. Thanks a million for the chatathons, and I’ll be sending you a medical bill for broken ribs. Abi, thank you for being the most wonderful blog partner imaginable. There’s no one I’d rather be in cahoots with! In addition to providing me with all manner of blogly assistance and expertise (and repeatedly covering for me during hectic exam schedules), you have been a constant source of friendship and sanity….not to mention a squee-sharer, self-esteem-booster, smile-elicitor, etc. Some people might have morphed us into a single, homogenous being, but you are without a doubt the best half of Spheir.

The things that go without saying are often taken for granted, so before I’m given the hook *cue music*, I would also like to say thank you to the Object of Fandom for inspiring us all with her extraordinary talent as well as her most admirable character. Break a leg in all your future endeavors! I know I’ll be one of the first peeps to sound my barbaric squee over the roofs of the World Wide Web when you win another Tony, Emmy, BAFTA, Oscar, Mother-of-the-year award…

New Keeper of the Keys

It’s been a privilege to contribute to the fandom in my own small way…and also a heck of a lot of fun. I feel a twinge of sadness at leaving, but even though my revels are now ended, I’m very happy that the blog’s revelries will continue in the ever so capable and talented hands of Janet. She and the blog seem to have been designed for each other. No one could ask for a better guardian to carry on the tradition, and I greatly look forward to cheering her on from the sidelines. Her unique style, wit, humor, and dedication will be a joy to witness each week.

On to the next generation!

Exit, pursued by a bear

Yes, Somebody's Here

2009-04-14T11:35:00.011+10:00

She's Everywhere

Rosemary Harris's film Is Anybody There? will see a limited release April 17th in the USA, following its reported premier in New York on April 7th. (The film premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival under the title Is There Anybody There? The title changed for the current general release, I suppose, in an obvious ploy to save ink). The UK release will follow on May 1st. Trailer and Photos and more are available at the film's Official Site.

I Told You She's Everywhere

Recently Wendy Goodman talked to Jeremy Irons about a significant dressing room and a play whose title is most topical to this blog.

[...]His current backstage alcove is the exact same one he had in 1984 when he starred with Glenn Close in The Real Thing, for which he won a Tony. He spoke with us about the room's paint job (tomato red) and its other previous occupants.[...]
[...]this is the room I had 25 years ago with The Real Thing, and that is the door that I met, I mean everybody. The door would open and there would be Paul Newman, or Bette Davis. My autograph book [takes it out and shows it to us] has all their signatures. There we are — Rosemary Harris, Louis Malle, Candice Bergen, January 5, 1984. There we are.[...]

How gratifying to be able to provide a link that not only harks back to an earlier The Real Thing but also includes Ms Harris, The Real Deal.

More Pride

The Blu-ray edition of Pride and Prejudice continues to provide comment and discussion, including.one describing career-defining roles from Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle (For we're all aware that Ms Ehle's full name is "Jennifer Pride-and-Prejudice Ehle" just as Ms Harris's is "Rosemary Spiderman Harris") In a more comprehensive and in-depth review Stuart Galbraith IV observes "But the entire cast is terrific, especially Ehle's spirited Elizabeth"

While having some fun at Youtube, Tez (Thank you! Thank you!, Tez) found this rare footage which includes Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth speaking about their characters, Lizzy and Darcy. Just a lovely find!

The Signs Were There All Along

Recently while viewing some older archived articles, I read one from April 21, 2000. Although it is archived at the JE fansite, as provided to the side of this blog, and therefore probably familiar to many, I was struck that we had somehow not made the connection foreshadowed by this early evidence of chickenphilia as you will note in the Fruit From the Tree section of the NY Times article .

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Footnote. Abi and Kate have not completely disappeared. I have no bodies buried in my back yard (except for Rufus, the best dog that ever lived). I'm sure many have missed them here, but let me assure you that once they have finished blotting chocolate drink spillage from their chins, you will hear from them again.

OT: Sincere thanks to everyone who contacted me here and elsewhere to express sympathy for the loss of my sister. I know there are really no words that can take the pain away, but it is nice to receive them.

Royal Highness

2009-04-01T07:20:00.010+11:00

Well, who wouldn't feel high at the recent announcement benefiting New York theatergoers! Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming 2009-2010 theatrical season will include a revival of an award-winning play featuring the matchless (and also award-winning) Rosemary Harris.
MTC

Come September

Details can be found in broadwayworld's announcement:

[...] MTC's upcoming season will include a thrilling roster of artists bringing an exciting mixture of modern classics, acclaimed contemporary works, and exciting new plays to audiences.
MTC'S Samuel J. Friedman THEATRE
The Royal Family Written by George S. Kaufman & Edna Ferber
Directed by Doug Hughes

Previews begin: Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Opening Night: Thursday, October 8, 2009

It's half past one in the fabulously cluttered Cavendish duplex in the East Fifties, and anyone who's anyone is still asleep. So begins THE ROYAL FAMILY, the classic comedy of theatrical manners, written by two of the theatre's greatest writers, George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, ... This devilishly funny play follows the Cavendishes, the famous family of stage stars, as they go about the drama of the day ... This delicious comedy will be directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt). And the fantastic cast includes Tony winner John Glover as ‘Herbert Dean,' Tony Award winner and Oscar nominee Rosemary Harris as ‘Fanny Cavendish,' Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Jan Maxwell as ‘Julie Cavendish, and Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award nominee Reg Rogers as ‘Tony Cavendish"

This will mark Harris' second time appearing in THE ROYAL FAMILY on Broadway. In the acclaimed 1976 production, she played the role of ‘Julie Cavendish,' the role that will be played by Jan Maxwell in the upcoming Broadway production. [...]

PATRICK HEALY, NY Times and Dan Bacalzo. theatermania also discuss the upcoming season.

Late summer/early autumn could be just the right time for a trip to the City for some Mom/Grandma support.

A Peek at the Past

As mentioned above, Ms Harris is no stranger to this play, for which she won a Drama Desk award for outstanding actress in a play, albeit in a different role from the upcoming production. Hmmm ... has anyone ever won the same award for the same play but later in a different role? History buffs want to know.

[source: googlebooks]

While waiting for the newest iteration you could enjoy Ms Harris in her former role on DVD.
"Theatre legends Rosemary Harris, Eva LeGallienne, Sam Levene and Ellis Rabb have great fun portraying characters they know all too well from their years on stage."

Teacher, Teacher

Recalling Rosemary Harris, Teacher (at The British American Drama Academy: BADA ), blogger Joan Ranquet has shared a lovely and endearing memory of One of the most amazing actresses ever.
[...]I was in a Shakespeare program – back in my acting days – a Yale School of drama program at Oxford. My Shakespeare teacher was Rosemary Harris. . . okay for those of you not so stage literate – she was Aunt May in the Spider-man films. One of the most amazing actresses ever – still is. Every morning she greeted us and told us that she learned so much from us – that it was her joy of teaching. Well I can honestly tip my hat off to her and know exactly what she is talking about.To be in her acting light and have her greet us that way was nothing more than a breath of fresh air. And she meant it. I never questioned her, but I have certainly questioned other teachers along the way when they have said that….or perhaps there wasn’t the innocence, the awe, the revelation that Rosemary Harris couldn’t conceal. I certainly learn a lot (okay a ton) when I’m teaching – but lately – I have been astonished. Rosemary Harris hadn’t taught much before so there was a genuine wonder at the experience. [...]

Made me Laugh
There have been scores of mentions/reviews related to Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead on dvd. I'm linking this one today only because Mad Movie Fanatic made me chuckle. The reference to Rosemary Harris could be taken in more than one way, I guess ... I hope it was intended as "under used".

Finally a Jennifer Ehle mention

Just when you thought it would be all RH today, here's some Jennifer Ehle..

Haylee Landford has a thoughtful and interesting comparison of the 1995 and 2005 versions of Pride and Prejudice, saying among other things: "Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, showed a perfect transition of emotions throughout their roles"

There have been many new reviews now that Pride and Prejudice has come out on Blu-ray. I found this one by Jeffrey Kauffman one of the best.
__________________________________________________________________

Footnote and possible non sequitur: since Edna Ferber was mentioned above, I must share my opinion that the name "Yancey Cravat" has to be one of the BEST ever character names in literature; and so Darcyish too, even though the word cravat is entirely missing from Austen's novel)

Also, heartfelt thanks to those who were encouraging about my first attempt at blogging last week.

... and now for someone completely different

2009-03-25T08:57:00.014+11:00

Co-star update:
Judith Woods, in a recent piece in The Daily Mail [link: Judith Woods, Daily Mail ] shared some updates about young actress Talulah Riley who was inspired toward acting by seeing Jennifer Ehle in a performance. She was later rewarded for taking that path by being cast as the teen sister to Ms Ehle's Tracy Lord.

[...]‘As a child I loved story books, and wanted to be in them so desperately and live the stories. Then, when I was about ten, I saw the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth and realised that acting was the way to do that.
'Also, I’m an only child, and I always wanted sisters, so there’s an appealing companionship in running around with girls in petticoats brushing each other’s hair.’
Talulah eventually got her wish, not only appearing as Mary Bennet in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice film with Keira Knightley, but acting alongside both Ehle in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, and Firth in St Trinian’s. [...]

(Not exactly the preferred P&P, but still an Austen connection.)

_____________________________________________________________________

You may be wondering why the Pythonish title heads today's blog. It has nothing to do with the above article, but does have something to do with the "posted by" below. Abi and Kate have convinced me that Tina's sublime creation (i.e. This Blog; which while sublime in its way really owes more to the sublime and awesome talent of its subject) needs an additional foster parent so that they can devote more time to dribbling cocoa and hand-knitting Regency-style wool petticoats. The price I extorted for acquiescing was high and, for the time being, top secret but well within the current blogster hiring guidelines.

In all seriousness, it's a privilege for me to be here in company with Abi and Kate, and to ride the coattails of the hard work and time they (and Tina and Chelsea before them) have continually dedicated to bringing the latest news and happenings here on a regular basis. That they have consistently done so wtih such elegance, grace, and humor secures my admiration forever. If I can bring as much as half the devotion and love they have to this site I'll be more than satisfied.

I'll help tend the fires (or banked coals) here while the Ryan/Ehle family concentrates on family matters and composing chicken piano duets. Even while marking time for a while (alas, fans are greedy and selfish), we can hope, can't we?, that in a year or two there will bee an equivalent to 2005's "The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic" that will prove too tempting to resist!

Thank you, Senator!

2009-03-19T01:10:00.006+11:00

Great news about The Greatest

On Monday it was announced that Senator Distribution has picked up the North American rights to the film, an arrangement which seems to be to everybody's satisfaction. According to IndieWire:

[...] “From the moment we saw ‘The Greatest’ at Sundance, our team pursued it aggressively, and we are thrilled the filmmakers have entrusted us with the project,” said Senator Chairman Weber and President Mark Urman in a statement. “‘The Greatest’ is that rare film that combines extraordinary quality of execution with mass audience appeal. For us, it was one of the true revelations of Sundance and our entire team loved it.”

“Ever since sitting down with Mark and Marco at Sundance I knew instinctively that they were the right distributor,” Feste said in a statement. “Their sensitivity to the themes of the film and their heartfelt emotional response convinced me that they understood the movie on a deeper level than most of the distributors we met with. I am thrilled that we were able to make this exciting partnership come to fruition.”

Screen Daily adds:

[...] Kimmel International handles foreign rights and reported strong sales at EFM in February on the back of the Sundance world premiere. Rights have gone to SND in France, Dea Planeta in Spain and Gussi in Mexico, among others.
. . .
“Irish Dreamtime is thrilled that Senator Distribution has taken a vested interest in this film,” said Brosnan, whose Irish Dreamtime partner Beau St Clair produced The Greatest with Lynette Howell. “Mark and Marco have worn their hearts on their sleeves and demonstrated real creative understanding of the movie.”

We have yet to hear when the movie is expected to make it to the Big Screen, but at least we now know that we can expect to see it there.

Two little nymphets revisited

This amusing anecdote from the book Peter Ustinov: The Gift of Laughter by John Miller (2003) was posted last time, but apparently not everyone could view it. It’s too cute to miss, so here ’tis in all of its adorableness:

For those who saw [King Lear], it was certainly for the better. [Ustinov’s] former leading lady, Rosemary Harris, thought “it was a wonderful part for him. He had all of the humour in it, and the madness and the tragedy of Lear.” She was staying with her friend Patricia Connolly, who was playing Cordelia, and also Viola in Twelfth Night that season.

Rosemary’s daughter, Jennifer Ehle, was then about eight, and Patricia’s daughter Emily was six. There was a big party after one performance of Twelfth Night, and Peter was invited, with the other members of the company. Because it was his night off, he was the first to arrive at 10 p.m., and the others only turned up at 10:30. The two mothers had left the little girls with instructions that if anybody came early, they were to hold the fort and entertain them until they got home. So they opened the door to Peter in their mothers’ long dresses, wearing make-up. “Being Peter, he wasn’t at all nonplussed. They invited him in, sat him down, and entertained him. What he thought of these two little nymphets, I can’t imagine; but only Peter would sit and be amused, and enjoy it all. He made them feel quite happy and very grown up.”

He so took it in his stride that now he cannot even remember the incident, though the girls and their mothers do. (184-185)

As Abi noted, this proves that Ms Ehle started her training young, but it's also evidence that she was a born hostess.

Pride and Prejudice: The Comic Book

?? Yep, you read that correctly. Special Agent Janet discovered that our beloved novel has recently been transformed into a comic book. (Unfortunately, I don't believe Lizzy has acquired any superpowers in P&P's latest incantation.) You can get a sneak peek of the first issue at Marvel.com, where the aims of the series are briefly discussed:

[...] "I've tried to keep the flavor and sly humor of the story, and modernized the language only for better understanding," explains Butler. "Wherever space allowed, I've used Jane Austen's own words. This is your grandmother's PRIDE & PREJUDICE, and your mother's and your own.

"David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales, adds, "Following in the success of THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, we're presenting these classic stories by staying as close to the originals as possible while still putting that unique Marvel spin on them. I think Jane Austen fans will be thrilled when they sample Nancy's work." [...]

I suspect something has been lost in the translation...

Taking a rather different approach is Kyetxian at Deviant Art, whose rib-breaking "Jane Austen for Noobs" was also unearthed by Janet. I dearly love a laugh!

News marshal

2009-03-12T00:25:00.007+11:00

Cinematic round-up

First up this week, USA Today have a minuscule but quotage-laden article on Michael Caine relating to the much-awaited Is Anybody There? As you may remember, Rosemary Harris plays Elsie in the film. (See past posts for cast comments and plot details). It will have a limited release in the U.S. on April 17 and will then open in the UK on May 1. In the meantime, feel free to have a peek at the trailer. A Canadian viewer (who incidentally also saw the TIFF Q&A) calls the film 'brilliant', adding 'I loved every minute of it. The movie had the perfect mix of comedy and drama'.

Meanwhile, Pride and Glory has almost completed its long list of scheduled openings, with just Norway left to go on April 17. Although reviews have become infrequent, ordinary viewers are still commenting. Blogger Rob Thomas for example found the film 'a bit disturbing at times' but describes the acting as 'off-the-charts good'. 'As far as corrupt cop movies go', he said, 'this was as well-acted as any'. A viewer at Film Journal generally agreed, saying the film 'doesn't disappoint', calling it a 'fine police drama' and considering it 'well-worth checking out'. Concurring also, Metro's short summing-up lists a few faults but commends 'good performances' and 'memorable scenes'. More loosely-related, the Times Online fleetingly drop the film's name into their article on corruption and the NYPD.

Elsewhere, one Before the Rains reviewer recommends watching the film 'on the largest screen' possible and 'with the best sound system you can find'. She goes on to claim that 'for two hours you will be absolutely transported to another world'. (Do we think she liked it?)

Other notables

Offering a different but no less exciting form of transportation are ex-Utopians Martha Plimpton and Billy Crudup. Both mighty theatrical talents will be taking part in the 52nd Street Project's Can Do event in New York next month. (See Playbill for more details). The performances - featuring plays by young writers - are free and will take place at the Public Theater from April 3-5.

Next, LiveDesign inform us that the much celebrated Bob Crowley (co-designer of The Coast of Utopia sets) has been awarded the 2009 Robert L. B. Tobin Award For Lifetime Achievement In Theatrical Design. He will receive the award in a ceremony on March 27 in New York. After charting Crowley's career from a bottom rung scene painter to top of the business, the article considers Crowley's collaboration with Stoppard before shifting to thoughts on one particular venue:

[...] Crowley may well be considered the scenic 'voice' of playwright Tom Stoppard in New York. ... 'I think you need to take a different approach to Tom Stoppard,' says Crowley. 'He is...an intellectual writer but also has a phenomenal amount of humanity inside him. He is a poet, and I think you need to apply a sensual aesthetic. I love his language, and a poetic and sensuous approach changes the way you hear his words. People are generally too literal about Stoppard, but I don't think you should be.' [...]

[...] The Tony-winning The Coast of Utopia was staged by Lincoln Center Theater in the Vivian Beaumont, a space once considered awkward to design for. ... 'I love the Beaumont,' says Crowley. ... 'I have no fears at the Beaumont. You have to embrace these spaces. If you love them, they love you back.' [...]

Two little nymphets

Lastly, over at the Chat Extension, the lovely Kate has discovered an adorable anecdote (featuring an eight year old Jennifer Ehle) in a book about actor Sir Peter Ustinov. (Search 'Jennifer Ehle' within the book). Further proof Ms Ehle started her training young!

Breaking news!!!

2009-03-08T11:15:00.029+11:00

We have recently received a tip via our Chat Extension saying that on March 4, Jennifer Ehle gave birth to her second child, a little girl.

While this is - as yet - unverified, if it is indeed the case....ring all the bells!!! We wish Ms Ehle and her family our heartfelt congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy March

2009-03-01T02:58:00.005+11:00

Calendaring

Just want to remind everyone that the region 2 DVD of Pride and Glory will be released tomorrow (March 2), and the region 2 version of Before the Rains will be coming out on March 9.
There's a video of Pierce Brosnan talking about The Greatest over at YouTube, but we still haven't heard a word about when the movie is expected to make it to theaters.

Post-Tony Award-winning fun

While wandering around the internet, searching for postables, I found a video interview clip of Jennifer Ehle at the 2007 Tony Awards that I hadn't seen before. It's from the Tony's press room, and it can be viewed at Getty Images. If the video doesn't come up when you click on the link, search for "Jennifer Ehle" under Editorial Footage.

P.S. For an example of grr-inciting journalism, check out this discussion at our Chat Extension.

Friday 13th + Austen = monster lit, evidently!

2009-02-13T12:40:00.053+11:00

Enchanting memorabilia

First things first - the delightful spectacle a gauche is (as can probably be spied) a copy of Theatre Arts magazine from January 1959.

The lovely lady is a 31-year-old Rosemary Harris, pictured with Jason Robards for a feature on The Disenchanted.

It is just here for our visual delectation, but should you want to own this piece of theatre history yourself, it is purchasable on eBay for an outrageously low number of roubles.

Review corner

In the Pride and Glory arena this week there is a good thumbs up from another Australian publication, TheVine. After spreading some general lexical positivity - 'gripping', 'well-written', 'emotionally powerful' - it argues the case that the movie is contributing something fresh:

[...] [This] film uses every cop movie cliché in the book but still manages to breathe new life into the genre thanks to a stellar cast. ... [It] is reminiscent of '70s police thrillers like Serpico and The French Connection with their gritty and bleak look at urban living. While incredibly violent and vicious in parts the writer/director Gavin O’Connor spends just as much screen time focusing on the familial dilemmas of the main characters. This grounds the film and allows for a level of emotional investment rarely seen in this kind of movie. ...
Pride and Glory rises above the confines of the police family drama genre and creates a film for those who complain that they don’t make [them] like they used to. Uniformly excellent cast...highly recommended. [...]

On the flip side, Celluloid Tongue were not quite so fervent. The lone Before the Rains critic this week, Louise Keller at Urban CineFile, came to a mixed conclusion, feeling 'dissatisfied' by the way the affair 'comes to its sticky end' despite 'excellent performances by the whole cast'.

P & P....& Z

Now, if you thought that all possible Austen variants had been exhausted of late with the likes of Lost in Austen, Miss Austen Regrets, Becoming Jane and The Jane Austen Book Club, think again. Far from being a strange dream (or nightmare) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a real entity which is about to come on the scene, courtesy of author Seth Grahame-Smith. (See Amazon). It is also set to enter the world of film. The Times (no less) provide the lowdown:

[...] [This] forthcoming novel is the first mainstream 'mash-up' of Austen and horror, two of the most popular film genres of the past decade. It has been made possible only because Austen is out of copyright. ... It quickly became obvious that Jane [Austen] had laid down the blueprint for a zombie novel,” said Grahame-Smith, a television comedy writer. ...

Hollywood studios are bidding to turn [this] radical reworking of Austen’s most popular book...to be published in April, into a blockbuster movie. Desperate for new ideas, studio chiefs hope 'P&P&Z' will mark the...birth of a feral offspring of classic British literature: 'monster-lit'. [...]

The book - which will be available in the States from May 13 and the UK from June 1 - is even being backed by a bestselling Austen biographer:

[...] Claire Tomalin, author of Jane Austen: A Life...suspects the novelist would have appreciated the latest zombie twist. 'Many of her early stories written for her brothers were very violent,' said Tomalin. 'She did have a strong sense of humour and also knew what publishers liked. As with Shakespeare or Mozart, you can mishmash what you like but the original remains. I am looking forward to reading this one.' [...]

A.O.B

Immune to any Friday 13th luck meanwhile is ex-Utopian Amanda Leigh Cobb, who is currently playing the lead in the stage version of Dirty Dancing. In the Boston Herald this week she tells the coincidental story of when she learned she had won the part:

[...] 'I was in complete shock . . . I walked to the subway and I was looking down. Then the subway doors open, and it’s Ethan Hawke sitting in the subway car all by himself,' she said. 'I know Ethan because he had been in ‘The Coast of Utopia’ with me the year before. I was like ‘Hi’ and he’s like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ and I’m like, ‘I just got the role of Baby in 'Dirty Dancing!' He burst out laughing and he said, ‘You’re kidding me.’ I hadn’t even called my mom yet,” she said. [...]

If you would like to see Ms Cobb in action, click here for the Boston, Toronto and Los Angeles dates for Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage scheduled between now and June.

Last but not least, one literary listener was delighted to discover Jennifer Ehle narrated the audiobook for Witch Child, even if that fact did cause her attention to be somewhat diverted:

[...] The whole time, all I could see in my mind was Eliza Bennet...and although totally distracting on the I-have-seen-that-mini-series-too-many-times-not-to-envision the-narrator’s-every-expression level, Ms Ehle did a commendable job. [...]

If you fancy being equally distracted, Witch Child is available from various sellers on Amazon. Where mentioned in the reviews, Ms Ehle's reading is praised alongside the book itself. One listener said:

[...] This compelling...story is given an indelible reading by actress Jennifer Ehle. ... Ms Ehle's expressive voice adds dramatic resonance to an already commanding narrative. [...]

Yum.

The Latest on The Greatest

2009-02-07T04:23:00.013+11:00

[Edit: Oops, I forgot to include this clip from the movie, courtesy of YouTube]

According to the Q Chronicle, The Greatest still hasn't found a distributor, but a more recent article at the more credible Screen Daily announced that Kimmel International has made deals with several international distributors and a "North American deal is imminent." We'll keep you posted about any up-and-coming release dates.

Review-wise, Film Threat has some very non-threatening things to say about the movie:

[...] “The Greatest” is a solid film containing numerous performances worth mention. But while it comes as no surprise that Sarandon and Brosnan deliver the goods, Mulligan holds her own alongside the pros. She captures the innocence of a young woman in a desperate situation. Rose is a child trying her hardest to be an adult. The film’s most impressive performance comes from the actor whose character spends most of the film in a coma. That’s not a knock at the rest of the performers, it’s what Michael Shannon does when he wakes up that’s so extraordinary.

Playing the man responsible for Bennett Brewer’s death, Shannon has the honor of portraying the film’s most complex character. He acts his heart out during a scene where Grace squeezes every last detail about her son’s last moments from his memory. A number of great performances added to a moving script and filmed with beautiful cinematography have resulted in an outstanding film. Feste’s project shows that having the right pieces makes fitting them all together a whole lot easier.

Eric Kohn at IndieWIRE is less enthusiastic, but many bloggers have weighed in as well, and you can read their various post-Sundance-ly opinions at Reel Thoughts, Paige Duke, Obsessed With Film, Luke Hickman's Entertainment Blog, and The Evangelist, to name a few. Some fans are also discussing the movie at the IMDb message board if you want to check it out.

Tidbit-wise, in an interview at WWD, Carey Mulligan revealed that it took a mere 25 days to shoot the film:

[...] Mulligan had to switch gears — and accents — to make “The Greatest,” a contemporary film costarring Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon as a couple who lose a child. “We shot ‘The Greatest’ in 25 days, so it really was the fastest you could work,” she says. “It was brilliant because it was my first American lead role, so that was a real challenge.” [...]

Labeled the new 'star in the making,' Carey Mulligan seems to have been the talk of the town at Sundance thanks to her performances in both An Education and The Greatest. Read more about it in her interview with The Toronto Sun and at the RedBox blog and Clone Movie. (Jane Austen fans: note that she played Kitty Bennet in The Other Pride and Prejudice and Isabella Thorpe in Northanger Abbey.)

Additional Items:

Many thanks to LTC for posting this link to Daily Motion, which has a video containing two (out of three) of Jennifer Ehle's scenes in Pride and Glory.
Also, Pride and Glory made its way Down Under on Feb 5. The reviews from The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald are both on the ouch side, but I can't resist this bit of quotage from the latter:
[...] O'Connor has no squeamishness when it comes to brutality. In fact, he goes to such extremes in a couple of instances that the violence tips over into gratuitous nastiness. Fortunately, he knows about tenderness as well, and the scenes between Emmerich and Jennifer Ehle as his much-loved wife, who is dying from cancer, lull you into the momentary illusion that you've strayed into a much gentler picture. [...]
In case you didn't see it in the Chatter Box, Jodes found a lovely interview clip with Rosemary Harris at Fiaf.org that includes some footage of Oscar and the Pink Lady.

Eine kleine amount of webly commotion

2009-01-29T15:15:00.044+11:00

Greetings all!

Firstly today, the Region 1 release of Pride and Glory this Tuesday has awakened many Glory-following critics from slumber, prompting a fresh batch of cyber opinions.

The film

Thoughts have been varied as usual, with several people applauding the actors whilst condemning the script:

Movie Mom judged 'most of the cast, including Ms Ehle' to be 'excellent' yet found the script predictable; the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agreed, balancing out their general nay with mention of an 'excellent cast, including Jennifer Ehle', while the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review credits the 'stellar' cast with 'keeping the film interesting'. Sympathising with the actors is blogger William, who claims that they '[do their] best to elevate the clichéd material they were forced to work with', while it was completely beyond Cynical Cinema's comprehension how such great actors were convinced to appear in 'a movie like this' in the first place.

Mentioning a specific achievement of the cast are Screaming Blue Reviews who depart briefly from their grim nay to mention the 'sweet scene' in which Francis presents his wife with a band promising love eternal, 'played expertly and without bathos by Emmerich and actress Jennifer Ehle'.

Also making an appearance today are many outright yays, from viewers either forgiving faults or failing to see any. Says People-Buzz:

[...] Though some unfavorably compared it with We Own the Night, I much preferred Gavin O’Connor’s striking, stirring...drama. Sure, it’s familiar territory, but it struck me as piercing and emotionally authentic. [...]

The Detroit News expected problems but was pleasantly surprised, admitting 'the movie actually works' and listing a 'fine' supporting cast and Farrell's 'explosive screen presence' as reasons. Big Picture Big Sound were equally astonished, stating that 'still, for some reason, it all works', while Killer Film thought the acting was 'top-notch' and 'really enjoyed the intensity, the characters, the grittiness' of the piece overall.

The featurette

Another significant talking point has been the DVD's documentary extra, Source of Glory, which appears to be very popular.

After claiming (interestingly!) that 'many of the [film's] extras are actual gang members' the folks at Pop Journalism start off the praise:

[...] [The] bonus feature [is] described on the back cover as a 'comprehensive documentary.' And that it is. 'Source of Pride: the Making of Pride and Glory' runs just over an hour. It goes behind-the-scenes seven weeks before shooting, showing location scouts and colourful auditions, and follows the production to the wrap. [...]

DVD Talk continue the love:

[...] O'Connor periodically does video diary entries for the piece which are fascinating. ... Hair and makeup test footage is shown, script read-throughs are filmed, and some of the cast (save for Farrell) discuss their time on the film. ... Casting sessions are filmed ... It's an excellent look at the production and helps make you see what O'Connor and many others had to deal with. [...]

Showing perhaps a little too much enthusiasm is Hollywood Chicago which goes so far as to say that 'in many ways, the documentary is more interesting than the film'.

Providing a pleasant alternative to the reviews is The Daily News Online's quick exchange with Edward Norton and Colin Farrell - actors who are apparently alike in that they can 'both chew scenery'. Norton describes how he, Farrell and Emmerich are on a different acting planet than Voight and 'other guys from that era', whilst Farrell refutes claims that the film's violence is gratuitous.

If you are in Region 1 and have any roubles left from buying that Darcy portrait, visit the 'About the DVD' section of the official website for a breakdown of the three Pride and Glory purchasing options. Region 2-ers can either wrestle with a Region 1 disc or pre-order for a March 2nd Region 2 release.

Sundry items

Apart from the brief listings mentioned in the last post, no further intelligence regarding The Greatest has yet wandered into our radar net. The large barrel of invisible roubles is thus still up for grabs.
If you are in the New York City vicinity and have not yet made your way to Florence Gould Hall, then make haste! There are just four performances of Oscar and the Pink Lady's New York run remaining. If you are still in need of convincing, take a netly promenade to our Chat Extension to peruse Jodes' thoughts on the play and its chameleon-esque performer.
Potentially also of interest is the Guardian's piece on the play-plus-orchestra concept currently taking over the National Theatre in the form of Sir Tom's Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.
Elsewhere, the Post-Gazette informs us that Richard Easton has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame by none other than Jack O'Brien, an inductee from last year. There is a modicum of quotage from both legends. See Playbill for more.
Lastly, did you see the Lincoln Center's 1973 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire? Well, if you were elsewhere, unable to get tickets, or as yet unborn, fear not. The News Observer has let us know that Caedmon has released an archival full-cast recording for the first time:

[...] Caedmon's audio recording of the full play is most welcome - a good performance for enjoyment and study, [and] preserving the cast of the highly lauded 1973 Lincoln Center revival. Although there are fine actors portraying Stanley (James Farentino) and Mitch (Philip Bosco), the piece stands or falls on Blanche.
Here, Tony and Emmy award winner Rosemary Harris...makes the character more calculating than some but drifts frighteningly into ever-enlarging flights of fancy as Blanche unravels into madness. Harris is especially moving in the monologue about Blanche's young husband's suicide. [...]

Visit Caedmon for a delicious audio excerpt.