Older News

There are more stage door pictures from Saturday on the TPS photos page. Thanks to Su. Either Kevin's hair is suddenly growing more quickly or he's taking chest hair shavings and gluing them to his head.

The Philadelphia Story comes to a close. There some new pictures from last week on the TPS photos page. Thanks to Fan. A few more TPS reviews will be added today or tomorrow.

As mom always says, make sure to clean your ears before you leave the house!

Spacey fan Marie is the one to thank for the close up of Kevin Spacey's returning hair. The picture was taken on August 20th after the matinee. Her pics are above Spacey fan Su's on the TPS photos page.

More stage door pics have been added to the TPS photos page. These were from after today's matinee. Big thanks to Su. Kevin's sideburns seem to be growing in very quickly and with quite a bit of lovely gray, but it looks almost as if he's shaving the back of his head. Too bad he won't let some lucky fan catch him without his hat.

I'll be adding some reviews tomorrow. Make that later in the week. Thanks to Jenny and Vivienne.

Wanna win some tickets to Richard II? The Telegraph newspaper online site is giving some away but the giveaway is over August 19 at 5pm. Better hurry!

I've added a few new stage door pics to the TPS photos page. Thanks to Emma. Only 2 more days to get a question in for Jennifer Ehle.

I should have a fan report on Kevin's return to TPS by tomorrow, hopefully with pictures.

This might be of interest to some of you Spacey fans who enjoy both your copies of Se7en and a little bit of Pride & Prejudice on the side. Kevin's TPS co-star Jennifer Ehle will be answering email questions for the Jennifer Ehle Blog and you can submit a question. They are taking submissions until August 19.

Full casting has been announced for the Old Vic Company’s Richard II. Kevin Spacey will, as previously confirmed, play the title role. Oliver Cotton — after his stint as Spacey’s sometime father-in-law Seth Lord in The Philadelphia Story — will stay on at the venue as the Duke of Northumberland. Richard’s nemesis, Bolingbroke, will be played by Ben Miles, while Julian Glover (a former RSC Henry IV) will be John of Gaunt.

The rest of the cast includes Peter Eyre as the Duke of York (Eyre recently co-starred in another historical epic, as the Grand Inquisitor in the Sheffield and West End Don Carlos), Susan Tracy as the Duchess of York, Sean Baker (Mowbray/Salisbury), Lewis Barfoot, Kieran Bew (Exton/Fitzwater), Naomi Capron, David Collings (Green/Surrey), David Dawson, Jack James, Oliver Kieran-Jones (Duke of Aumerle), David Leon (Percy), Disney Livingstone (Bishop of Carlisle), Ciaran McIntyre, Alastair Robins (Ross), Mark Tandy (Scroop), David Weston (Willoughby) and Glyn Williams.

Trevor Nunn is set to direct one of the relatively few Shakespeare plays he has never previously tackled. Hildegard Bechtler will design, with lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Fergus O’Hare and video design by Dick Straker and Sven Ortel. A series of related workshops, films and Q&A events for younger audiences will run alongside the production.

Julian Glover, Ben Miles and Oliver Kieran-Jones will be joining Kevin in
Richard II which starts in September.

July 18, 2005

Pic from National Anthems stage door. By Sue.

The picture above (now to the right) is from Spaey fan Sue and is one of her pics from the stage door during National Anthems. A little something new to look at while we wait for Kevin's return to London. Thanks to Sue.

If any of you Spacey fans have been wanting to see The Philadelphia Story *without* Kevin in it, you can get discounted tickets now. Contact the Old Vic.

The readers of Whatsonstage.com have given Kevin the thumbs up on his first year as artistic director. Results here: Link

Kevin will be off filming Superman Returns until early August, after which he'll return to The Philadelphia Story.

More stage door pics from Friday night, thanks to Jen (UK), on the TPS photos page. TPS photos page

I've added more stage door pics from last Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. Thanks to Marie. Link below.

From things I've been reading in the site mail and at a forum or two, it seems like quite a few of the Internet fans were at the Old Vic's stage door Saturday night. Spacey fan Marie sends a picture of Kevin. TPS photos page.

I'll add other pics from other nights and other fans in a few days. We'll have to have something to look at while Kevin's in Australia, right?

Friends of the Old Vic got a lovely surprise in the mail. A picture of Kevin.. er.. I mean this FOV leaflet telling about the Richard II tickets being available now for FOV. They go on sale for everyone else later this month. Thanks to Sue for sharing this lovely cover with us.

There are still tickets available for the Old Vic: 24 Hour Plays on Sunday, June 19. Kevin will introduce the evening. Tickets are £50 and £100. The £100 tickets are limited and get you into the post-production party.

If you're interested, you should call Clarissa at 020 7620 0558. (I don't have to say that Kevin Spacey is not at the number, do I? No, I didn't think so.) Or email her at clarissa@activ.org.uk or check out www.oldvictheatre.com for more info about the evening and the plays.

Kevin has expanded his hat collection. He still has an old Iceman cap too. Thanks again to Jennite.

There's a new fan review with pictures on the TPS fan reviews page. And underneath that is a link for an unusual TPS fan review in the Spacey Writing Room. Thanks to Missy, Dj and Cynthia.

Speaking of hats a fan named Elena posted her TPS story along with picture of Kevin and it is here:

Whatsonstage.com says Kevin's mid-run replacement for TPS is Adrian Lukis who was also in Cloaca. American audiences may remember him as George Wickham from A&E's Pride and Prejudice mini-series that starred Jennifer Ehle, A&E's Miss Marple mystery A Caribbean Mystery and PBS' Prime Suspect 4: The Lost Child which has also been seen on the Mystery Channel. I have the first two on DVD and VHS. I'll have to go take another look.

Thanks to Anna and her dad! Outside wall at the Old Vic.

The lovely picture to the right is found on the outside wall of the Old Vic Theatre. It accompanies a TPS review and some stage door pics on the Fan Reviews page. Thanks to Anna and her dad.

Just another quick reminder. There are still some tickets available for Kevin's first part of TPS but your best bet at this time is to try for a Wednesday matinee. You might want to go directly through the box office instead of Ticketmaster. Might be quicker and easier. Clicking on the picture above will take you directly to the Old Vic web site.

There's an accounting of a Spacey meeting after NA and some pics to go with it at this off site link. Thanks to Tina. I wonder if Kevin has ever considered doing something new and daring at the Old Vic? He could sell tickets to a one man show where he just sits in a chair on the stage and his fans look at him for two hours, after which he signs autographs and poses for pictures. Even the critics couldn't complain.

The Guardian, and I hate to say anything negative about them since they did give *me* a good review last year (remember how they said my site was less slavish than most and slightly bizarre and mentioned my polls and even my sweet old cat PJ being sick on Kevin's picture?), has yet another horrible review for one of Kevin's plays. They seem to hate everything about it. I'll post it later but for now you can read about it here:

The Guardian - In the mood for dancing

After you read that, you can read a column about how Kevin is doing good things for London theatre at the Rogues & Vagabonds site.

Kevin may not be getting the greatest reviews for TPS but so far he's getting rave reviews for his Old Vic TPS Stage Door appearances.

I've added some new stage door pics to the TPS Photos page. These are from yesterday. Big thanks to Sue. This time he's wearing his cap properly.

I take back everything I said about Kevin being a dapper dresser once again. The newest round of pictures has him at the Billy Elliott opening night party wearing a hat with a kangaroo on it. I'm starting to think the only thing that is going to save him from further embarrassment is some kind of intervention. Doesn't the man have friends? If someone doesn't do something, I'm going to be forced to publicly use the "O" word as in too O-L-D to be dressing this way.

I've added some critic's reviews to the TPS Reviews page. Spacey fan Cathie caught something in the Variety review that I totally missed. It goes like this:

<snip>
Coming relatively late to a casting process that weighed numerous potential leading ladies, Ehle turns out to be the distinguishing feature of an evening that for the most part feels oddly desultory, as if the Anglo-American company had yet to establish its rhythm. (Play opened after a single week of previews, which is nothing compared to Broadway, where a largely recast "Story" will be seen next spring.) <snip>

Is it official? Is TPS going to be on Broadway next year? And if it is, will Kevin be in the new cast?

See? No hat advertising a feed & grain store or some surfing company.

Kevin was a very dapper dresser for the opening night party for The Philadelphia Story. Thank goodness he didn't ruin it by wearing some awful truck hat. No one likes those things worn with a suit. Don't make your fans get tough with you Mr. Spacey.

Turns out that TPS is *not* sold out through June 18, so if you're still hoping to go see the play before then, you can probably still get a ticket. Thanks to HC again.

I overslept this morning so only have time to throw some TPS review links at you. You'll have to do the rest yourself. Not that I did very much to find these reviews. They were all sent to me by other fans. More later.

As of this morning, TPS tickets for Spacey's initial run (through June 18th) are completely sold out.

Tickets for the middle portion of show (June 20 to August 6) can still be booked, but Spacey's role as C.K. Dexter Haven will be played by another actor (not yet named).

The Old Vic has said that they will not be selling tickets for Spacey's second run (August 8 - Sept. 3) until sometime in June. At present, the only way to book tickets for Spacey's second run is to become a "Friend of the Old Vic".

Rex Features has lots of nice thumbnails of TPS stills today. Do a Spacey search and click on "newest" pics first. Thanks to Cathie.

The play officially opened this evening, even though it has been open to the ticket-buying public for the past week. Kevin's first part of the play's run is already 85% sold out. There should be professional reviews coming tomorrow and I hope to have a few on the site tomorrow evening.

*For the anonymous fan who asked if flowers were sent to the theatre for opening night - Not by me. That sounds a bit pricey considering exchange rates and delivery and all that. Roses for the start of the BTS concert tour was generous enough, don't you think?

Now Whatsonstage.com says "There has not yet been an announcement as to who will replace Spacey during his absence for filming commitments." even though they had been listing DW Moffett in the role. Such a mystery.

Kevin reportedly is going to shave off the rest of his hair for the Superman film. Which leads me to wonder if his first CK Dexter Haven is going to have a full head of hair and his second is going to be totally bald or if he'll be wearing a full wig. Seems strange to be covering up the bald spot every night only to shave it all off in June. I hope he doesn't end up looking like Austin Powers.

I've added a short interview to the TPS Articles section (only one thing there so far). BBC News' Breakfast With Frost from today. There's also a link to a video clip. Thanks to HC.

I think I know why Kevin wears those hats to the stage door. You can't hide it from your devoted bald spot loving fans, Mr. Spacey! I've added some pictures (this and the picture above are just a sample) taken from the Old Vic stage door during both National Anthems and The Philadelphia Story, to the photo pages in each section. The pictures were taken by Spacey fan Dacey. Thanks to Dacey, Jen, Marina, Jennite and the Jennifer Ehle blog. More pics to follow later.

Oh, and I'll be adding actual play reviews later today! Thanks to those who sent them in.

From Whatsonstage.com - This theatre site lists DW Moffett as taking over the CK Dexter Haven role for the middle of the plays' run while Kevin is in Australia filming his role in Superman Returns. However, they don't list him as being in the role he's supposed to be in right now. Don't know if that's a mistake or what. Thanks to HC.

Thanks to everyone who has sent me links and articles over the past few days. I've been running low on free time so will have to add them later. In the meantime, you can enjoy the picture that accompanied a somewhat snarky article* about Kevin in The Times (UK) yesterday. Thanks to Sue.

*I added the Times article that the picture goes with to the Old Vic articles section. One thing makes me laugh. The writer says that Kevin wears a baseball cap as a disguise. If that's true, someone needs to tell Kevin that when he goes out in public in a baseball cap, he looks like Kevin Spacey in a hat. Does everyone remember the 60 Minutes interview in which he's in the park in the heat of summer with Leslie Stahl, little Mini and a 60 Minutes camera crew and he was wearing a business suit and a ski cap (!) and the voiceover said he was in disguise? Some people would say he was hoping to be noticed.

And here's another rather long article about Kevin as artistic director of the Old Vic from The Times. -

THEATRE BOSS DEFENDS SPACEY! I'll bet you thought for a second there that this was about the fans and the Old Vic stage door. Contact Music really needs a new picture of Kevin.

Thanks to HC, Cathie, Sue, Joanie and Mystery linker #33.

Here are a few articles about the coming Philadelphia Story production. If you have a subscription to the Financial Times, you can read an interview with the director Jerry Zaks. The complete article requires enrollment.

The Philadelphia Story - London

It has to be said - more in sorrow than in anger - that Kevin Spacey's inaugural season at the Old Vic hasn't quite set London's theatre scene ablaze. It started inauspiciously with Maria Goos's Cloaca, was given a lift with Ian McKellen's festive dame in Aladdin, only for Dennis McIntyre's National Anthems to offer a barnstorming performance from Spacey in yet another indifferent play. If his choice of material has been suspect thus far, then that should not be the issue with Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story, eventually turned into the musical High Society. Spacey takes on the role of CK Dexter Haven (Cary Grant in the 1940 film), while love interest Tracy Lord (the Katharine Hepburn role) is played by Jennifer Ehle, a winner of a Bafta for TV's Pride And Prejudice. With four Broadway Tony's himself, Jerry Zaks directs. Expect an evening of elegance and stylish badinage. Mark Coo; Old Vic, SE1, from Tue 3.

Kevin Spacey, hailed as the saviour of the Old Vic Theatre but struggling to convince the critics, finally seems set to score at the box office. His next show, a version of The Philadelphia Story, has pulled off the rare feat of taking more than £1m in ticket sales before he has even taken a step on the stage. It is a near-record performance.

While racking up a seven-figure advance is no problem for a blockbuster musical such as Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the straight plays that can do so are few and far between. With a £1.2m advance, Philadelphia Story is only a whisker away from the West End record of £1.25m set by Sexual Perversity in Chicago in 2003.

Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor whose movies include American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, was appointed artistic director at the Vic in 2003. But when his first season began last year, the productions failed to fulfil the weight of expectations among critics.

The show's producer, David Liddiment, the former ITV executive, said he was delighted with the advance for the play, which opens on 10 May, with previews from Tuesday.

"It's a remarkable figure. We've been very fortunate. We are a commercial company, in that we have no subsidy, and we have to make our own way in the world. Box office and audience reaction is vital to our success and our standing in our first few seasons.

"We have to get the theatre into people's minds because we're not on Shaftesbury Avenue or in the West End and we don't get much passing trade. We have had some terrible reviews. But I'm pretty sanguine about that sort of stuff. Critics have to report things as they find them, but we don't always agree with what they write."

Spacey will leave the Philadelphia Story after seven weeks of the four-month run to film his role as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns. His replacement has yet to be announced, but Mr. Liddiment said the theatre had been upfront about his limited involvement.

I've moved the January - April news to another page. Click on the link below. The "foot" picture that had been at the top of this page is now at the top of the old Jan/April page. More news link at the bottom of the page.

I'm hoping to add some pics from The Philadelphia Story very soon. Just as soon as someone has some.