By Warwick Thompson Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) — When a Hollywood star agrees to appear in a studio-sized, not-for-profit Shakespeare production, you can be sure tickets will sell out in minutes. Whether he can distinguish a couplet from a codpiece is another matter.Fortunately, Ewan McGregor gives a very creditable performance — codpiece and all — in “Othello” at London’s 250- seat Donmar Warehouse. The actor, whose films include “Star Wars” and “Moulin Rouge,” brings an understated clarity and compelling plausibility to the role of Iago.What he does not bring is a grander sense of the role’s wild poetry. His Iago does not scale the thrilling peaks of evil, nor mine the caves of despair, but instead remains rooted in a middle ground of cinematic verity.He even alters the text to intensify the realism. Iago usually claims to be “four times seven years” old. The 36-year- old McGregor replaces this with “five times seven years,” displaying a lack of trust in the audience’s ability to suspend even a small amount of disbelief.Director Michael Grandage provides a transparent, simple and generally well-paced production in traditional costume. Though there are some longueurs, the memory of them is swept aside by an exciting climactic murder scene, staged with brutal honesty.Christopher Oram’s minimalist set is a bare flagstone floor with a rust-colored wall behind it. A few simple items of wooden furniture are used to suggest interior and exterior locations, and the whole is beautifully lit by Paule Constable.Source: www.bloomberg.com
The pulling power of a Hollywood A-list star and the timeless charm of Shakespeare have combined to make Othello, which opened last night at the Donmar Warehouse, the most desirable ticket in town.The appearance of Ewan McGregor as Iago alongside fellow film actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has created a demand for tickets in the West End usually associated with rock concerts.Tickets that should cost a maximum of £29 have fetched £800 on the internet auction site eBay but some people are offering them for up to £2,000. The potential for profit is so high that the Donmar has intervened with a warning that any ticket sold on for profit will be invalid.Staff are monitoring ticket exchanges and have sent written warnings to sellers reminding them of the terms printed on the back of the ticket. Clause 11 states that “tickets may not be resold or transferred for profit” and that “to do so will render tickets void and the holder will be refused entry”. A spokeswoman for the theatre told The Times that it would be enforcing the policy when it had gathered evidence that a ticket had been resold. “Any ticket that we discover we will make void,” she said. “They will be turned away. We have contacted people who are in possession of the tickets and we hope that they’ve got the decency not to sell them on.”Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
EWAN McGregor and Charley Boorman made a special appearance at the Smythson store on Bond Street this week to celebrate the launch of their new book, Long Way Down. Arriving on their motorcycles, they were met by Smythson CEO Paddy Byng and a host of guests, including Helena Bonham-Carter, Tim Burton and Jamie Dornan, who sipped Veuve Clicquot and Belvedere cocktails. The book celebrates McGregor and Boorman’s journey from John O’Groats to South Africa by motorcycle, the journey of which is now part of a documentary on BBC2. Guests also took part in a raffle to raise money for UNICEF, prizes including one of the company’s Nancy bags and a limited-edition Smythson, handmade, leather bound set of Long Way Down, signed by both McGregor and Boorman. Less limited-edition but equally coveted are Smythson’s Fashion Diaries: last year, for the tenth anniversary of the Fashion Diary, Smythson asked the likes of Alexander McQueen and Giambattista Valli to design an exclusive diary. This year it has collaborated with VOGUE.COM to offer all the latest fashion news throughout the year. Buy yours now at www.smythson.com. (November 22 2007, AM)Ally PyleSource: www.vogue.co.ukCheck the gallery for photos!
Tickets to see Ewan McGregor in the sold-out production of Othello are exchanging hands for more than £1,200 each.Shakespeare’s play at the Donmar Warehouse is proving more popular than the one-off Led Zeppelin reunion gig and the Spice Girls tour, according to ticket exchange company Viagogo.The only tickets left for the 12-week run are for day seats and standing places. Donmar’s box office prices range from £15 to £29 for the production but online the average price for a resale ticket is £1,220.Eric Baker, CEO of Viagogo, said: “Who would have believed 400 years after it was written Othello would be the most popular ticket in town?”Source: www.thisislondon.co.uk
