What does this mean?

 

his frame of reference is very wide'

 

 

 

I was wondering that.

I was thinking it might be where a director asks an actor to draw on his own experiences and emotions.

 

 

I could be way off beam.

 

 

 

thats how I read it, Darius has a lot to draw on for the role, he has done a lot, and experienced a lot, which he has really.

Not many young actors would know how it felt for Rhett, knowing he's disliked by nearly everyone in the County but Darius would, because at one time he must've thought almost the whole nation was against him.

Except us.

And, more importantly, his family and friends.

For Rhett's love of Bonnie and vice versa, Darius can draw on his fraternal love for Cyrus and for Rhett's relationship with Scarlett's other children, he has been through something similar with Asher and Tristan.

 

For Rhett's grief he could draw on his fears in the darkest days of Booth's illness.

From Playbill News NY

 

 

 

 

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Paice and Danesh Are Gone with the Wind Beginning April 5 in London

By Andrew Gans

and John Nathan

05 Apr 2008

 

 

 

Gone with the Wind stars Darius Danesh and Jill Paice.

 

photo by Catherine Ashmore

 

The world premiere of Gone with the Wind, the new musical version of Margaret Mitchell's epic novel, begins previews in the West End at the New London Theatre April 5. An April 4 preview was canceled due to the injury of a cast member.

 

Directed by Tony Award winner Trevor Nunn, the production — co-starring Guys and Dolls' Darius Danesh as Rhett Butler and Curtains' Jill Paice as Scarlet O'Hara – will officially open April 22.

 

Joining Paice and Danesh onstage are Edward Baker-Duly (South Pacific) as Ashley Wilkes; Madeleine Worall (Cinderella at the Old Vic) as Melanie Wilkes; American NaTasha Yvette Williams (The Color Purple) in her West End debut as Mammy; and Jina Burrows (Boogie Nights and Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall) as Prissy.

 

The ensemble comprises Emily Bryant, Gareth Chart, Laura Checkley, Julian Forsyth, Kirsty Hoiles, Chris Jarman, Tober Reilly, David Roberts, Tom Sellwood, Ray Shell, Savannah Stevenson, Gemma Sutton, Sue Jane Tanner, Susan Tracy and Alan Winner.

 

The creative team for Nunn's production includes set and costume designers John Napier and Andreane Neofitou, respectively. Gareth Valentine (Wicked and Sinatra) is the musical supervisor and arranger with lighting by Neil Austin and sound by Paul Groothius.

 

Paice created the role of Laura Fairlie in Nunn's production of The Woman in White both at the Palace Theatre in London and on Broadway. Her other theatre credits include Nicki Harris in Curtains at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and on Broadway where she reprised the role opposite David Hyde Pierce. She was also the original Sophie in the Las Vegas company of Mamma Mia! and appeared in the U.S. touring company of Les Misérables. Her recording credits include the original cast recordings of Curtains, The Woman in White and The Gig as well as a featured artist on the "Andrew Lloyd Webber on Broadway" album.

 

Onstage Danesh has twice played Billy Flynn in the London production of Chicago and starred as Sky in Michael Grandage's London revival of Guys and Dolls.

 

With music and lyrics by sociologist-turned-composer Margaret Martin, Gone With the Wind has been in development for three years with Nunn, Martin and producer Aldo Scrofani of Columbia Artists, who has teamed up with London producer Coilin Ingram for the West End premiere.

 

Set in 1860s Atlanta, Georgia, Gone With the Wind takes in America's Civil War and the Reconstruction Period that followed. Mitchell's heroine is 17-year-old Scarlett who lives a life of luxury on her father's plantation and embarks on a turbulent relationship with the dashing and dangerous Rhett.

 

In an earlier statement, Nunn said, "Having now worked on adapting two vast novels for the stage, Nicholas Nickleby and Les Misérables I am drawn to the challenge of telling Margaret Mitchell's epic story through words, music and the imaginative resources of the theatre. The major turning point of American history is conveyed through Mitchell's extraordinary cast of characters, black and white, as they pursue their different ideas of the future, and of the past."

 

For more on Gone With the Wind call (0)870 890 0141.

 

 

Darius Danesh, Jill Paice and Edward Baker-Duly in rehearsal for Gone with the Wind.

 

photo by Catherine Ashmore

 

 

 

The article included two of the rehearsal pics.

thanks, megham

A poster on 'whatsonstage.com' saw the rehearsal last night - three and three-quarter hours long!!! Their comments were... 'interesting..... a tad too long.... some of the performances were strange.... but he/she loved all the slaves'!!!! :???: :unsure:

 

Hurry back Meg and let us know your opinion so I know what to expect on Monday!!!

 

Julie

There was another small item in the Daily Mail yesterday under Ephraim Hardcastle's column:

 

'A new musical version of GWTW opens in the West End tomorrow. Director Sir Trevor Nunn is a brave man. Cast in Clark Gable's Rhett Butler role is former Pop Idol contestant Darius Danesh, 27, who lists his hobbies as collecting kilts. The show's score has been written by 53 year old Dr. Margaret Martin, who describes herself as a 'maternal health specialist'. I am told it is a combination of gospel, folk and Irish melodies. Look out!'

 

I wonder what the tone of some of these advance notices would be like if Hugh Jackman was playing Rhett!!??? :rolleyes: :angry: :)

 

Julie

I doubt very much that Ephraim Hardcastle has ever seen Darius perform on stage in any capacity. Every time someone harks back to the Pop idol/Popstars thing, it's pretty obvious that's about all they know of him and they've already formed their opinion.

 

Do you know I am getting heartily sick and tired of people like Ephraim hardcastle and others like him who are harking back seven years and have never seen Darius on stage and know nothing about what he is doing now yet think they are qualified to give an opinion. With a name like that he is hardly qualified to give an opinion on anything. I think sharon Bs avatar should have been the poster for promotion, it would have had a great effect compared to what the professionals have done and it all makes me so cross.

grr, agree -

A poster on Broadwayworld.com has just given his hurried brief review... he wasn't very impressed!! Running time 4 hours 6 minutes so a lot will have to be cut! He said that the audience seemed 'to dig it' but he thought the score and the set were dull (even though it seemed impressive at first!). The cast, however, were fine....not amazing, but fine.

 

I don't think that this particular reviewer was particularly looking forward to this new show though!!! he just went out of curiousity!!

 

Julie

Thanks Julie. I hope other reviews are better.

It's late and I'm a very tired blogger who can't be ar*ed to do his full review right now. The minimum that people need to know:

 

-Current runtime is 4 hours 6 minutes including interval.

-There will be cuts.

-Cast are fine. Not amazing, but fine.

-The score is boring. Some laughably bad lines like "Wounded soldiers are physical wrecks, but at least they're members of the opposite sex".

-There is a LOT of narrating. Everybody takes turns spewing dates and season changes and announcing the locations.

-They really tried to incorporate everything from the book. Events need to go because it drags.

-Lots of preaching. One song is "Every child just wants to be loved."

-The set is initially impressive, but pretty minimal by Napier's standards. In the end it's as dull as everything else.

-The audience were racing like mad to catch their trains. Hopefully the cast made it home as well. Still, the audience seemed to dig it in general.

-They hired child actors to appear in two scenes.

-The act break is roughly in the middle of part 3 from the original novel.

-Did I mention the whole four hour thing?

 

From Broadway world.com as found by Julie

Thanks for typing that up Bramley :D

 

There is a constructive review over on Whatsonstage.com now! It seems that the first part of the musical is the weakest and Trevor Nunn was making lots of notes during this part - hopefully work will be done during Sunday to remedy the long running time of 4 hours 10 minutes including interval!! This reviewer had praise for Jill and Darius and gave the production 7/10 (not bad for first preview!)

 

Julie

Thank you.

 

Darius has a real stage presence and his voice is stunning - Yes, that's exactly what I thought on his opening night in Chcago back in November 2005.