11th November 2009
I’ve added a new review for Michael’s book ‘Hamlet: A User’s Guide’ - it’s from The
Daily Telegraph on the 24th February 1996. Click here and scroll down the page.
The 16th January 2010 marks the 150th birthday of Anton Chekhov. To celebrate this
event the Hampstead Theatre is hosting a Jubilee. It runs from the 18-23 January
and will be hosted by Michael and leading Chekhov specialist Rosamund Bartlett. The
event has been organised to raise money to restore the White Dacha - Chekhov’s house
in Yalta (to read the article Michael wrote for The Independent on the 20th November
2008, click here). A different show will take place each night over the week - full
details are on the Hampstead web site - www.hampsteadtheatre.com, but public booking
doesn’t open until the 23rd November. A final note - Michael will be performing his
one-man show Anton Chekhov on Saturday 23rd at 3pm.
Michael will be reading five Chekhov short stories for BBC Radio in January and has
also made a documentary for BBC Radio about the house in Yalta which will be broadcast
at the same time. More details when I have them.
1st November 2009
I’ve just corrected an oversight in the Television listings! Back in 1971 Michael
appeared Public Eye in and episode entitled ‘Well - There was this Girl You See’.
You can watch an excerpt on You Tube -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKyxAOgG2I
27th October 2009
The film on which Michael worked in 2008 is being shown on BBC2 next Monday, the
2nd November. Its title is Into the Storm and he plays Bomber Harris. For those of
you not in the UK I’m sure you will be able to watch it on the BBCiplayer.
26th October 2009
Some time ago the Royal Shakespeare Company issued a new Complete Works, edited by
Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen. Since then they have been issuing individual texts
and notes on the various plays and in the recently published Henry IV Part I and
Part II there are articles by Michael. I’ll be able to tell you more when I have
the actual books in my hands!
A fellow admirer of Michael’s work has just been in touch regarding something she
spotted on You Tube which appears to date from 1974 and was filmed as teaching material
at American high schools - the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwbwzMe1Uss&feature=fvsr
. I believe there is also a scene from Romeo and Juliet - the link for this is: http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Theater/sip/production/record ed/556/
.
9th October 2009
Click here to read an article entitled “Shakespearean actor learns from ‘Love’ “,
which appeared in the Sarasota Herald Tribune on the 4th October 2009. I’ve also
added a review which appeared in the same paper yesterday.
21st September 2009
Michael is at present in Paris rehearsing Peter Brook’s Love is my Sin. The production
is touring European Festivals between now and December and also making a trip to
Florida for the Ringling Arts Festival in Sarasota. Click here for venues and dates.
I do have details of venues into the New Year, but I will need to confirm whether
Michael will be involved in these before passing on the information.
29th August 2009
I understand from a friend on the West Coast that Lewis: A Life Born of Fire will
be on PBS Masterpiece Mystery next month. The PBS web site says that it will air
September 13th, but you might like to check your own listings for different areas.
I’ve received the Tennyson CD and can now give you a few more details. It’s a Naxos
Audio Book (the first time Michael has read for them), and the number is NA198112.
Their web site is www.naxosaudiobooks.com It’s well worth a listen.
Also something else I spotted - in this week’s Radio Times (29th Aug- 4th Sept) they
preview of some of the shows coming up in the Autumn and they mention Churchill at
War which will be shown on BBC2. I presume this is the one Michael worked on last
year, creating the role of Bomber Harris, but I shall definitely let you know when
the details appear in the magazine nearer the time.
11th August 2009
Michael has a new audio CD out. It’s in The Great Poets collection and he is reading
the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. I can’t say much more about it at the moment
as I have only just ordered it! Once I receive it, I’ll be able to add a few more
details.
25th July 2009
Just to let you know that Collaboration and Taking Sides are finishing one week earlier
than planned on the 22nd August 2009. So if you were planning on going during the
last week, I’m afraid you’ll have to change your dates!
1st July 2009
As it’s now into the second half of the year in which I set up this newly designed
web site, I’m going to start archiving the News items on a half-yearly basis. So
if there’s anything you want to check up on just click on the relevant link below.
