Samuel West. Theatre - Close the Coalhouse Door. Shift Happens. Radio - Shakespeare on Radio 3.

[updated 2 April]



Photo: Topher McGrillis (used with permission). Source: Northern Stage.

Preparation for Close the Coalhouse Door has included a tour around Woodhorn given by Keith Merrin; attending talks given by Michael Chaplin, Owen Jones (a picture taken at the talk is here), Paul Younger and Ray Laidlaw; and using material from the "homework table" (Sam has identified some of the texts in the following tweets 1|2). As for music, some of the cast need to play the hammer dulcimer, Sam has had earworm courtesy of the arrangements being used in the production and drinking songs have been sung in rehearsal. In addition, the play's official site has a blog written by assistant director Rachel Oliver and some rehearsal pictures.
Chris Connel (Jackie) has mentioned Sam in an interview from the Northern Echo:

"I've never worked with Sam before, but I'm absolutely enjoying every minute. He's really thorough, but he makes it good fun as well..."

In other press, Lee Hall has written an article for the Guardian contextualising the original and current productions of the play (via @exitthelemming) and the April issue of Living North has an interview with Sam.

He is one of the speakers for Shift Happens on 5 July. Booking opens 5 April (via One and Other).

He has recorded a talk about Shakespeare which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in late April (@stanley_wells).

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech will have its first West End preview tonight.

Some recent press: broadway.com has an interview with Charles, and Official London Theatre has a Q&A with Charles and his co-stars Michael Feast and Ian McNeice.

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The King's Speech closes at the Theatre Royal 17 March. It will begin previews at Wyndham's Theatre 22 March.

whatsonstage.com will have an outing to the play on 16 April. It includes a post-show Q&A.

Interview

"Charles Edwards's London", Telegraph, 14 March

Reviews

The Public Reviews
"In two fine central performances, Charles Edwards as Bertie and Jonathan Hyde as self-taught Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue are extremely capable and experienced actors at the top of their respective games, it’s a pleasure to watch the scenes between them."

Chronicle Live
"Charles Edwards gives a tour de force of a performance as `Bertie’ and he has you in his grip from the outset."

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission)

The King's Speech closes at the Richmond Theatre 10 March. Its final stop on tour is the Theatre Royal in Newcastle, where it will run 12-17 March.

Below are a couple of excerpts from recent reviews of the play.

Exeunt Magazine
"Edwards in particular is powerful and deeply touching in the role. A stammer is easy to ham on stage, but Edwards has studied his subject well and is utterly compelling. Bertie’s tic isn’t just confined to his diaphragm; Edwards uses his whole body to play out the reluctant King’s convulsive fear of public speaking. Far from portraying a simple B-b-b-bertie choking on his plosives, Edwards’ performance shows a complex, duty-conscious man whose only way to express his personality – his voice – is throttled by little checks and hesitations."

lovetheatre.net
"The excellent Charles Edwards is a frustrated, engaging and very human Bertie; his whole coiled body seems also to stammer when he struggles to get his words out, while in another, unguarded moment he displays charming, almost childlike fascination with a model plane."


Ciaran Brown has written about meeting Charles after a Nottingham performance of the play at his website Ciaran Meets the Stars.

Samuel West. First Story. Hay Fever after party.

The First Story blog has a post about the "Stories to make you laugh or cry" fundraiser which was held earlier this week. Sam performed a soliloquy from Hamlet at the event.

He attended the Hay Fever after party last week. The play's cast includes Jeremy Northam and Olivia Colman (wooller.com). Olivia has worked with Sam - she plays Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in Hyde Park on Hudson.

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

The Richmond and Twickenham Times has an interview with Charles about The King's Speech, which will be performed at the Richmond Theatre 5-10 March.

The West Sussex County Times had the following to say about Charles' performance in the play:

"The fact that the always exceptional Charles Edwards is so woefully unknown should change henceforth thanks to his outstanding performance as Bertie, an often amusing, sometimes heartbreaking, constantly engaging king in the making, a man of rare high morals and decency."

Samuel West. Radio - In Tune Springtime Special. First Story. Theatre - Close the Coalhouse Door. Peace Brigades International.

Excerpts from the In Tune Springtime Special can be viewed at BBC Music Showcase - the video doesn't feature Sam's segments though. Elsewhere at the Showcase, a substantial excerpt from Discovering Music: The Soldier's Tale is available.

Some tweets about the First Story event:

@exitthelemming [Sam]: "@emmafreud Bless you both for coming. Brilliant, odd evening."
@emmafreud: "Oy @exitthelemming you were fablus."
@osullivan81: "Had a lovely evening off at @firststory Thanks to @williamfiennes @exitthelemming @lemnsissay @mark_haddon and lovely Katie :-)"

Casting has been announced for Close the Coalhouse Door (Chronicle Live).

Sam and Juliet Stevenson have become patrons of Peace Brigades International (via @PBIUK).

Charles Edwards - Theatre - The King's Speech

Photo: Perou (used with permission).

Following its final performance in Brighton at the Theatre Royal tomorrow (3 March), The King's Speech will be performed at the Richmond Theatre 5-10 March. Below is a selection of quotes from some recent reviews of the play.

This is Dorset
"Charles Edwards is perfect casting as the shy and misunderstood king in waiting."

Financial Times
"Charles Edwards as Bertie once more confirms his skill at showing the human face of patrician figures."

Reviews Gate
"George VI (Bertie) is beautifully done by Charles Edwards. And it’s not just the stuttering either: he gets the affronted class insecurity and the feeling of hopeless failure splendidly. He’s an entirely sympathetic character."

Littlehampton Gazette
"Edwards is fantastic at conveying the stuffy, stiff upper-lip persona of the king, which is gradually thawed by Logue’s laid-back approach, while Hyde’s performance shows genuine warmth, ensuring the audience can’t help but love Logue."

The Latest
"Charles Edwards, Jonathan Hyde and Emma Fielding are truly outstanding."

The Argus
"Charles Edwards is quite magnificent in his portrayal of a man who would not be king but rises, growling and stammering, to his birthright, growing in stature with every scene."