Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in Pillars of the Community

It all starts with a good colleague with whom I share love for theater asking me to name my favorite male and female stage performances in 2015. Easy. It’s Lesley Manville in Ibsen’s Ghosts and Damian Lewis in Mamet’s American Buffalo (with Mark Strong in Miller’s A View From the Bridge as a close second). And what is it about these performances that make me LOVE them?  Just one word: Precision.

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Then I think about the heart-breaking performance Lesley Manville gives in Ghosts which, in fact, has brought her an Olivier Award in 2014 (I saw the play much later when it visited Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2015). I know Manville mostly from her work on big screen such as Secrets and Lies (1996), Vera Drake (2004), Another Year (2010) and Mr Turner (2014) all of which were some of my favorites in the year they were released. But I really do not know about her stage work. So I google her. And this is one of the first images I hit!

source: telegraph.co.uk
source: telegraph.co.uk

Ha! Small world. Have you heard of the saying that Brits have 10 actors? I am about to believe that! 😀 And it’s time we dig into the play! Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in Pillars of the Community”

TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2015: Damian Lewis as a Grateful Student

In my experience, one of the best returns in an educator’s life is to see her former students graduate and thrive in their careers. It feels so good when a former student sends an email saying: “Hey professor, I had taken such and such class with you and then you wrote for me a letter of recommendation and I got into law school and now I am doing very well at such and such company. Thank you.” You simply feel you have, in fact, touched THAT life and in a very good way, too! I just cannot think of a better reward for an educator. Otherwise, what’s the point?

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source: Dan Wooller

That’s why we declare Damian Lewis writing the foreword for his drama school teacher Ken Rea’s new book The Outstanding Actor and giving a speech at the book launch party a TOP Damian Lewis moment of 2015! Continue reading “TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2015: Damian Lewis as a Grateful Student”

TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2015: American Buffalo

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We have no intention whatsoever of ranking TOP Damian Lewis moments of the year; however, one incomparably exciting moment in 2015 — well, all 10 weeks of it — was to have our favorite actor back on stage in an incredibly dynamic performance in American Buffalo. In fact, Evening Standard agrees and includes Damian in its list of the most influential people in London Theatre in 2015. Besides, this is a moment where Damian shines as a brilliant actor, as a kind individual as well as a guy who knows how to have a good time!
Continue reading “TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2015: American Buffalo”

“Is She The Tutor?” or How I Became A Fan Of Damian Lewis The Man Himself…

Prologue 

Hey all, Damianista here! I am extremely happy to tell you that, today, we have our first ever guest blogger. And it’s not just that we have our first guest blogger, but we have a MALE guest blogger writing about how he became a Damian Lewis fan! And what tops it all is that this male guest blogger happens to be Lewisto – my husband! He has a FUN story to tell. Because it’s his story I don’t intend to give any spoilers — except for saying if you think of Carrie and Brody as the best cat and mouse you have ever seen… you ain’t seen nothing yet 😀

ENJOY!

source: Damianista
source: Damianista

Folks, I have a fun story to tell.

First, let me put the record straight: We are a lucky generation. Our life time has given us geniuses of all sorts, from Maradona to Michael Jackson, to Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Banksy, Steve Jobs, Mandela, Philip Glass, Haruki Murakami, Serena Williams…. and our very own Damian Lewis. Continue reading ““Is She The Tutor?” or How I Became A Fan Of Damian Lewis The Man Himself…”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in American Buffalo!

teach15

A recent article in Evening Standard  mentioning a certain someone as one of the most influential people in London Theater in 2015 first inspired me to do a throwback to one of the best stage performance I have ever seen in my life: Damian Lewis in American Buffalo!

And then I found a second inspiration at New Yorker Festival: I was lucky enough to ask the last question in the Q&A following the conversation New Yorker staff writer Lauren Collins had with Damian Lewis at New Yorker Festival. In fact, when it was my turn to ask, Collins said we were out of time. I don’t know what kind of a sad look I gave to her but she said: “OK, one more…” Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in American Buffalo!”