The Norman Conquests

[Gabriella]

I've added a few more photos to the gallery linked above, including this stunner:



Is it hot in here or is it just me?

[sillypoint007]

I'm glad he stuck with the beard personally. Wonder if it will last for the whole run though?

Hope it's a terrific success for them all.Great play, great cast , why wouldn't it be?

[Gabriella]

There's a nice little video interview with him here, where he's doing a bit of promo work:
link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10154832001?bclid=8324671001&bctid=19549235001

[Gabriella]

I've added some stills from the plays to the gallery:
www.stephenmangan.co.uk/cpg1419/thumbnails.php?album=41

And there is a nice little article here which introduces all the cast for the American audience:
www.broadway.com/Six-Pack-Introducing-the-Norman-Conquests-Sextet/broadway_news/5025444

STEPHEN MANGAN
(a.k.a. Norman, the lascivious librarian)
Life Before Norman: A TV star in England thanks to recurring roles in two hit BBC series, Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years and Green Wing, this London native won’t be endorsing hair-loss products anytime soon. “Mangan is Gaelic for hairy, or the luxurious growth of hair,” he jokes.
Onstage Scoop: The beard and shaggy ’do were cultivated for his newest role. “Norman’s a walking erection,” Mangan quips. “The only thing that interests him is connecting with women. So he spends the play trying to seduce his wife, his wife’s sister and his sister-in-law.” All that, and he’s rather loveable, too. “He’s very smart, very sensitive to people’s moods and what they need. And he’s good to be in a room with, even if you disapprove of him. He just comes in with this incredible exuberance and energy and anarchy.”
Backstage Skinny: If Mangan calls Norman “the play’s bomb,” the actor himself prefers a more contained atmosphere offstage, particularly when it comes to lighting. At the Old Vic, the actor even brought in his own lamps to give his dressing room a mellow, den-like ambience. “I can’t live with bad lighting,” he says. “It upsets me physically.”

[Gabriella]

It was the Press Night on the 23rd so lots of fantastic reviews have been popping up, which I will collect together when I am back on my own laptop in Pisa (I'm at home in London briefly) but here is a lovely little video of behind the scenes on the Press Night!
www.nypost.com/video/?vxSiteId=0db7b365-a288-4708-857b-8bdb545cbd0f&vxChannel=NY%20Post&vxClipId=1458_500942&vxBitrate=300

[Gabriella]

New section on the main website for all Norman Broadway stuff! Keep checking it for updates:
www.stephenmangan.co.uk/normanbroadway.html

Steve has been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor! Fingers crossed that he wins! (Winners announced 7th June.)

[Gabriella]

Steve's reaction to his Tony nomination is really sweet!

"I successfully managed to go to sleep and sleep right through the announcements, until I was woken up by a text from a friend that said, ‘Bad luck: You missed out on Best Leading Actress in a Musical.’ Then more texts and calls and emails started flooding in. I talked to my wife in London. She’s very, very excited. She’ll be coming over for the awards, which are televised, unlike the Oliviers in England, so we’ll need to get some of our best clobber on. I would say I’d have a good shave, but I’m not allowed to. I’m really pleased for Alan Ayckbourn because you don’t get that many nominations for a badly written play. It’s just a testament to the enduring greatness of his trilogy that it’s generated that much interest 35 years after it was written. And Matthew [Warchus, our director] seems to be dominating. I did a quick count and he’s got ten actors working on Broadway, and eight of us have nominations. The Tonys have always been reported in the U.K. as a big deal, but what surprised me was how much interest there was about them in Manhattan itself. I was out walking about yesterday and got stopped three or four times by people wishing me ‘good luck’ for tomorrow. That’s just amazing. That would never happen in London, even though London is a big theater town. Admittedly, I’m incredibly recognizable, thanks to all of the hair that I’m wearing at the moment. And I must say, it makes me laugh to see my two friends [fellow nominees and castmates Amanda Root and Jessica Hynes] compete with Angela Lansbury for an award. That’s great fun!"

(Source)

[sillypoint007]

...wonder if the 'friend' he mentions was JRT...sounds like his sense of humour?! ;D

[Gabriella]

Seems more likely it was the composer Murray Gold (did the music for Doctor Who & Casanova, amongst other things):

Watching live blog of Tony nominations to see if my mate Steve has nabbed one. 8:42 Norman Conquests best revival...
2:46 PM May 5th from web

Oh crap on my enthusiasm! I've gone and rung him and got excited and he's missed out. What an idiotic clot I am!
2:47 PM May 5th from web

Okay...he DID get one! And now I've texted to say he didn't...but he did...and he's not up and there's a stream of nonsense from me waiting.
2:54 PM May 5th from web

twitter.com/murraygold

[Gabriella]

I have heard that they might be extending the run of The Norman Conquests by 4 weeks!

I have also updated the new section with the awards that they've won so far. ;D
www.stephenmangan.co.uk/normanbroadway.html

[Gabriella]

Send in questions for the cast of The Norman Conquests & you could win $100! normanfans.com/

[sillypoint007]

So chuffed that TNC won one award at least last night- for Best Revival of a Play.

The director Matthew Warchus, won Best Director, but for 'God of Carnage' unfortunately & not TNC!

Disappointing not to have won more categories- specially for Steve. [& Kevin Spacey]

A terrific play & cast, such a shame they were up against the fashionable 'Billy Elliot', which swept the board with 9 awards.

www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/winners.html