Category: Theater

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis at the Royal Shakespeare Company

I was lucky enough to see the Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 documentary during its opening days at the IFC in New York at a special screening, which was followed by a Q&A with director Raoul Peck. One of the highlights of the evening was getting to ask a question myself — I asked Mr. Peck about how he brought together the film’s striking imagery with Damian Lewis’ narration, and his answer gave a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind this award-winning documentary. I’m pasting his answer below for those interested in the behind-the-scenes magic.

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Damian Lewis’ Song of the Week: Pentonville Prison

“I was riding home one night on my motorbike. I was in North London. I was on Caledonian Road. I was outside Pentonville Prison. Next thing I knew was I was flying through the air and going straight to the windscreen of a car. This is called Pentonville Prison.” – Damian Lewis

In his Instagram post about his upcoming shows in Ireland, Damian has said that new songs from his second album, out next spring, will get an outing as well as the songs we know and love from Mission Creep. It is one of those new songs that I would love to dive into today: Pentonville Prison. And before I get into it, if you missed the previous “Song of the Week” posts, you can find them all here.

Now, Pentonville is an actual prison on Caledonian Road in Barnsbury, North London. But don’t worry—the track isn’t about Damian doing time. Instead, it’s inspired by a motorbike accident he had right outside the prison many years ago. Continue reading “Damian Lewis’ Song of the Week: Pentonville Prison”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in Noël Coward’s London Calling! – A Centenary Celebration

London Calling! was the first musical revue thanks to which Noël Coward broke through as a song and sketch writer as well as a performer. The revue premiered at Duke of York’s Theatre in London on September 4, 1922. And Robert Hazle, a cabaret actor and musical director as well as the Cultural Development Officer at the Noël Coward Foundation has put on stage a centenary celebration of London Calling! at the very theatre it premiered hundred years ago on October 5, 2023. I was very lucky to be in the room during this hour-long, free, and sold out lunchtime performance and I am ready to tell you all about it! Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in Noël Coward’s London Calling! – A Centenary Celebration”

In Case You Missed It: An Exclusive Fan Fun Interview with Damian Lewis

We’re twinning with our vests!

I had my dreams come true last year when Damian agreed to sit with me for an interview about his music during the second leg of his UK tour. And as we can’t wait for Damian to return to stage with guitar in hand in the fall, I would like to share our conversation once again.

Interviewing Damian was always a huge dream for me. In fact, I was able to interview him a couple of times in the years past. But because they happened spontaneously, even though Damian wanted to be generous with his time, he was about to go to his next interview or his next appointment that we had to be very quick. And there were always people around. Continue reading “In Case You Missed It: An Exclusive Fan Fun Interview with Damian Lewis”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in The Misanthrope

“This Misanthrope is angered by everything he sees around him and yet, at the same time, you might say he’s one of the great romantics in literature.” – Damian Lewis

Damianista’s note: When a good friend shares this picture from Damian’s dressing room with you, you know it is time to travel back to 2009 and re-visit our guy in The Misanthrope. It is Damian’s handwriting on the mirror: I would recognize that capital “G” anywhere. And it says ““Rouse tempers, goad and lacerate, raise a whirlwind.” A little research shows that this was Kenneth Tynan’s lifelong motto, pinned above his desk at the National Theatre when he was its literary manager. ENJOY!

It was 2009 when Damian played the lead role of Alceste in Martin Crimp’s modernized version of Moliere’s 17th century comedy. After his appearance in The Misanthrope he was not seen on stage again until American Buffalo six years later. Dare we say, The Misanthrope marked a turning point for Damian, the last one where he was the nearly A-list actor playing against decidedly A-list’er Keira Knightley. NOW, of course, he is not nearly anything but a full-blown highly sought commodity on stage and screen. In this post, I’ll tell you a bit about the play, then, beg your indulgence as I wax philosophical about the extent to which the themes of the play translate to Damian’s own career trajectory.

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