Eccleston & Stephens Join Anderson’s Doll House
Posted at 5:36 AM (PDT) on Monday, March 30, 2009

Whatsonstage.com
by Theo Bosanquet & Terri Paddock
27 March 2009

Former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston will return to the London stage for the first time in nearly a decade to star opposite Gillian Anderson in the Donmar Warehouse’s much-anticipated production of Ibsen's A Doll's House, which runs from 19 May to 18 July 2009 (previews from 14 May) at the theatre’s Covent Garden home base. Others announced today for the stellar company include Toby Stephens, Tara Fitzgerald, Anton Lesser, and Maggie Wells.

The production is directed by Kfir Yefet, who won the BAFTA for Best Short Film for It’s Not Unusual. Anderson's casting has been known for some time, since the production was announced last summer.

Nora (Anderson) thought she had the perfect life until a ghost from the past returns, and makes her realise she’s stuck in a suffocating marriage. In this new version of Ibsen's 1879 classic, written by Further Than the Furthest Thing’s Zinnie Harris, the action takes place against the backdrop of British politics at the turn of the last century, in a world where duty, power and hypocrisy rule.

Chistopher Eccleston (who plays Neil Kelman) became familiar to millions of TV fans as the ninth Doctor in long-running BBC series Doctor Who in 2005, before handing over to David Tennant. Eccleston was last seen in the West End in the 2000 Haymarket revival of Strindberg’s Miss Julie. His many other stage credits include Hamlet, Abingdon Square, Bent, Dona Rosita and A Streetcar Named Desire. In addition to Doctor Who, Eccleston has been on film and television in the likes of Shallow Grave, Jude, Elizabeth, Cracker, Our Friends in the North, 24 Hour Party People, Gone in Sixty Seconds, The Others, Hillsborough, 28 Days Later, The Second Coming and Clocking Off.

Toby Stephens (Thomas) was last at the Donmar in 2007 when he played Jerry in Roger Michell's production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal, alongside Samuel West and Dervla Kirwan. His other recent stage credits include The Country Wife at the Haymarket and Hamlet for the RSC. On film, he's best known for his role as Gustav Graves in 2002 Bond film Die Another Day, whilst his myriad TV credits include Robin Hood, Jane Eyre and Cambridge Spies.

Tara Fitzgerald (Christine Lyle) is best known for her work in films including Brassed Off, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain and Sirens. On stage, she played Nora in a 2004 production of A Doll’s House at Birmingham Rep. Her other credits include Ophelia in Hamlet opposite Ralph Fiennes (1995), A Streetcar Named Desire, Clouds and And Then There Were None in the West End.

Anton Lesser’s (Dr Rank) many stage credits - at the RSC, the National and elsewhere - include Julius Caesar, The Winter’s Tale, Cymbeline, Richard II, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Taming of the Shrew, The Lucky Ones, Private Lives, The Birthday Party and Art. Most recently, he was seen in the UK premiere of David Hare’s The Vertical Hour last year at the Royal Court.

Maggie Wells' (Annie) London stage credits include Three Sisters at the Orange Tree in 2002 and Les Enfants Du Paradis for the RSC at the Barbican in 1996.

The production is designed by Anthony Ward, with lighting by Hugh Vanstone.

Showing support for Dalai Lama
Posted at 5:28 AM (PDT) on Monday, March 30, 2009

Los Angeles Times
March 27, 2009

It seems nobody dislikes the Dalai Lama, except maybe the Chinese government and members of the California Legislature, which recently declined to pass a resolution in support of Tibetan rights.

Bad move, particularly if you're a lawmaker who hopes to raise money in Hollywood. A letter, written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu stating strong support for the Dalai Lama's cause, is attracting more high-voltage stars than the next "Ocean's" remake.

Among those signing the letter supporting the Lama and his Tibetan monks are: George Clooney, Samuel L. Jackson, Harrison Ford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Paul Haggis, Ashley Judd, Gillian Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Maria Bello, Richard Gere, Anne Archer and Hans Zimmer. (Thecommunity.com, which is sponsoring the effort, has the letter and a complete list of its celebrity signatories on its website.)

"The Tibetan religion and culture is really hanging on the edge of a cliff right now," said human rights activist Mary Wald, head of thecommunity.com. "They need people like the celebrities who are on this letter to speak up and say we value the Dalai Lama and this incredible culture."

Most of the high-wattage involvement started with celebrities e-mailing one another, Wald said.

By the way, you don't have to be a star to sign the letter, now endorsed by more than 4,500 people. Anyone, even California state legislators are welcome to join.

IBG Auction: Posters of XF Movies
Posted at 12:41 PM (PDT) on Thursday, March 26, 2009

IBG is very excited to announce the next round of auction items is ready to go. In this wave they are auctioning off two X-Files theatrical movie posters: one for 'Fight the Future' (available for bidding this week) and one for 'I Want to Believe' (available the following week). Both posters were donated by Fox Studios to benefit NF, Inc.

The 'Fight the Future' blue theatrical poster is not the standard US version. It's gorgeous, great condition and autographed by Gillian Anderson (signed during her recent visit to Los Angeles), David Duchovny (signed when he was in town for the SAG awards), Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz and Rob Bowman (on the set of Castle).

Because Gillian signed in black, the signature doesn't appear in the photo as brightly. Rest assured, in 'real life' you can see her signature on the 'Scully side' of the poster perfectly.

Fight the Future Poster on eBay

Happy Bidding!

World's first solar-powered film premiere
Posted at 2:26 PM (PDT) on Sunday, March 15, 2009

Bridlington Free Press
15 March 2009

The world's first film premiere in a solar cinema tent has been held for environmental film The Age of Stupid.

Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite was joined on a "green" carpet by X-Files star Gillian Anderson, model Keeley Hazell and former mayor of London Ken Livingstone.

The film sees Postlethwaite play an old man living alone in a devastated world in 2055, looking back at footage from 2008 and despairing why we did not stop environmental damage.

Its premiere took place in a tent in the gardens at the centre of Leicester Square in London's west end.

Visitors were specifically asked not to fly in for the event.

As well as the film itself arrivals and a post-film question and answer were broadcast at 64 cinemas all over the UK via a satellite link. Venues included the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Organisers were hoping that 16,000 people would watch the film from the various sites, which would be a world record for the largest ever film premiere.

Profits from the ticket sales go to the Not Stupid climate campaign, which is an initiative by environmental groups to recruit new activists to make their views felt at the UN Climate Summit in December 2009 this year.

The film, which cost £450,000 to make, was funded by donations from more than 200 people.

The Age of Stupid is released nationwide (UK) on March 20.

Photos here and here. Thanks, Philiater and Mary!

Ecotubeview Video: Gillian discussing the UK Govt plans to build a third runway at Heathrow and a new Coal Power station.

Interview with the director, Franny Armstrong

Laurence Olivier Awards 2009
Posted at 10:21 AM (PDT) on Monday, March 9, 2009

Some of Britain's top thespians gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane last night (March 8) for the 33rd annual Laurence Olivier Awards, one of the biggest and most star-studded dates in the theatrical calendar.

The Olivier awards, Britain's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys, honor achievements in London theater, musicals, dance and opera. Winners are chosen by a panel of theater professionals and members of the public.

You may watch Gillian present the award for Best Company Performance here. -- Thanks, Mosaika!

Click here for photos. -- Thanks, Mary!

The Donmar Warehouse triumphed in London theater’s Laurence Olivier Awards last night, taking four trophies.

Gillian will be playing the role of Nora in a new version of "A Doll's House" at the Donmar Warehouse this spring: 14 May - 18 July 2009.

'Powerful' women in theatre named
Posted at 7:51 PM (PST) on Thursday, March 5, 2009

BBC News

Dames Judi Dench and Helen Mirren have been named on a list of the UK's 20 most powerful women in theatre. Hollywood stars Gillian Anderson and Rachel Weisz also appear in the list complied by magazine Harper's Bazaar. It celebrates the playwrights, leading impresarios and rising stars of the British stage.

Harper's Bazaar editor Lucy Yeomans said: "The 20 women on our list represent the diversity and brilliance found in this creative industry."

She added that it was an especially strong year for women in theatre. "As well as including actresses, our list also takes account of the incredible powerhouses who make the productions happen," she said. "Sonia Friedman's staggering drive has helped make Boeing Boeing a success on Broadway and in London and Sally Greene's Billy Elliot is a phenomenal worldwide hit."

Also on list is playwright Bola Agbaje, 27, whose debut play Gone Too Far! won an Olivier Award, set and costume designer Miriam Buether, 39, and casting agent Lisa Makin, 43.

X Files and Bleak House actress Anderson, who is to appear in a production of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House at the Donmar Warehouse in London, was billed as the "honorary Brit" on the list. She said: "I have wanted to work on the British stage for most of my life. The opportunity to turn that lingering dream into a reality is the greatest reward. The challenge is to chase that opportunity, despite an equally passionate fear."

Click here for the full list.