Hello, and welcome back to Week in Review, our roundup of industry-wide news. From stage to screens big and small, we’ve got you covered. It’s everything you need to know and all you can’t afford to miss.
Architect named most influential person in theatre
Architect Steve Tompkins has been named the most influential person in British theatre in the 2019 edition of The Stage 100, published last week. Tompkins, who runs the award-winning Haworth Tompkins architects, has been responsible for building, regenerating and reimagining some of Britain’s most iconic theatres, including London’s Bridge Theatre, the National Theatre and the renovated Battersea Arts Centre, completed last year. Having previously led projects at the Royal Court, Young Vic and Bush Theatre, Tompkins will begin work on the Theatre Royal Drury Lane later this year.
Having shot up from 23rd last year, Tompkins joins well-known theatre names in the top spots, coming in ahead of producer Sonia Friedman, composer and impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, producer and theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh and the National Theatre’s Lisa Burger and Rufus Norris in joint fifth.
Read the full list in The Stage.
Theatre boss steps in to save panto
Artistic director Tamara Harvey stepped in at the last minute for an unexpected appearance as the lead in her own theatre’s pantomime following a cast injury. Theatr Clwyd’s artistic director was called in last week to play the role of Alice in Dick Whittington after actor Emmy Stonelake twisted her knee just five minutes into the performance on 2 January. Stonelake was unable to continue and Harvey was called away from spending time at home with her children to replace her, with the show resuming after only 25 minutes.
Harvey told BBC News: “It’s something that every artistic director is prepared to do, but I never expected I’d actually have to do it!”
She added: “We’re lucky to have an incredibly talented team at Clwyd, both on stage and behind the scenes – from our brilliant dame Phylip Harries, who ribbed me mercilessly and brought an extra level of hilarity to the show, right through to our team of dressers who dug out emergency costumes at two minutes’ notice – it was a great team effort.”
The artistic director even received a standing ovation at the end of the show.
Actor apologises to fans for airbrushed pictures
The actor, model and DJ Jameela Jamil has used an upcoming interview to apologise to fans who might have seen images she claimed were airbrushed, fearing that people may have felt under pressure to be as thin as Jamil appeared.
The British actor, who has appeared in US TV show The Good Place since 2016, said that early in her career she didn’t know she “was allowed to say no to airbrushing.” She also claimed that editors gave her whiter features, including “a little English nose” and “perfect skinny thighs.” Now 32, Jamil told Red magazine that looking back at old images “makes me feel gross. I’m sorry to anyone who ever saw pictures of me like that and wanted to be thin like me.”
Read more here.
Actor launching legal challenge against Universal Credit
A freelance actor and director is taking her claim that the government’s Universal Credit scheme penalises self-employed people to the High Court. Charmaine Parkin claims the minimum income floor in the controversial benefits scheme has left her worse off than if she were unemployed. Working with Equity and solicitors, Parkin is now launching legal action against the Universal Credit scheme which assumes a monthly income from self-employed claimants equal to the national minimum wage, even if the claimant has not worked.
Read more in The Business
Stage production news
The full cast joining Ivo van Hove’s eagerly anticipated stage adaptation of All About Eve has been announced. Based on the 1950 film, All About Eve centres on Eve Harrington (Lily James), the young assistant to ageing theatre star Margo Channing, played by Gillian Anderson. Alongside the previously announced cast that includes Monica Dolan, Sheila Reid and Rhashan Stone are Jessie Mei Li as Claudia Casswell and an ensemble consisting of Merric Boyd, Fejiro Emasiobi, Chanelle Modi, Stuart Nunn, Phillipa Peak and Michael Warburton. All About Eve opens at the Noel Coward Theatre on 2 February.
Read more here.
Screen production news
Historical drama Vikings has been cancelled just months after a sixth season was announced. Having premiered in 2013, Vikings is currently in the middle of a fifth season on Amazon Prime, with a sixth expected on air late this year. The bloody drama created by The Tudors writer Michael Hirst and starring Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick and British actor Clive Standen, will now air a final episode in early 2020. However, according to Den of Geek, a spin-off series is already in the works.
Read more here.
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