Richard Armitage:Kelsey Grammer(TV's Frasier) Joins Twitter to Correct Grammar(see tweet below:) + Proctor Speaks Courtesy of RAC(see link) + Crucible Director on Radio(see link) + Crucible Article in Wash Post(see link) + RA's Proctor Photo on The American Mag + Collider Article re Into The Storm(see link) + Stellar Review--Playgoer said The Crucible Reminded Him of Devastating Verdict Handed Down for 3 Journalists in Egypt This Week(see link & excerpt)

The crazy, hazy days of Summer are here..

Following is a link to Yael Farber radio interview.  The program begins with a lengthy political discussion about where Liberalism stands in the world today.(my conclusion drawn from the 3 person conversation is "apparently not in a very good place!") Because that type of chat is for me(& hubby) almost the food of life, I listened to it and found it very thought provoking. Mostly I thought "none of the 3 sound as though they have a very good opinion of Liberalism--there's hope for the world afterall!" :D Granted most people would yawn and ask "When can I hear her?" ;) The answer is the Yael Farber interview begins about 27:00

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047zvbg

Proctor speaks--Thank you RA Central:

http://richardarmitagecentral.co.uk/racwordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/crucibleexcerpt.mp3

The director of The Crucible with her John Proctor..

Some wellwishers saying "break a leg" for press night..

(Excellentt show above until the last few minutes when suddenly it's a "foreign" head of state in a "foreign" country who is under suspicion of conducting a "witch hunt" LOL That's a totally illogical conclusion. There's a vast difference between capturing individuals who have incinerated innocent people and labelling someone as a witch simply because they belong to a currently unfashionable religion)

US history leading up to somewhat controversial efforts to prevent totalitarian  communism/socialism from engulfing the free world.Colonial period:

1565 First permanent European 

settlement in North America. 

1600s–1700s People from Africa are 

transported to southern American 

colonies and sold into slavery to work on cotton and 

tobacco plantations (by no means first occurrence of slavery in the world. In fact, at the time, many Africans were also enslaved by their own countrymen) 

(Blogger's timeline context: My Irish & English ancestors fled a famine & economic disaster when they boarded the coffin ships to come to America. The descendants of all early immigrant groups wisely feel gratitude that we are here in the 21st century, no matter the historical circumstances that created our good fortune today)

1607 Jamestown, Virginia is 

founded by English settlers, 

who begin growing tobacco

1620 Plymouth Colony, near 

Cape Cod, is founded by 

the Pilgrims(majority emigrated from Northern England) Their

example is followed by 

English Puritans to the Massachusetts Bay Colony 

and other groups including the Society of Friends(Quakers) to Pennsylvania

1627 Salem, Massachusetts is first 

settled by Europeans led 

by Roger Conant, a London 

fisherman who originally 

came over as part of the 

Plymouth Colony

1692–1693 Salem witch trials result in 

the execution of twenty 

people, mostly women

1775–1783 American War of 

Independence

1787 Founders draw 

up new constitution for 

United States of America. 

Constitution comes into 

effect in 1788

1789 George Washington elected 

first president of USA

1791 Bill of Rights guarantees 

individual freedom

 (more to come in ensuing posts)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He may not be on Twitter, but his former colleagues are certainly tweeting about him..

Retweeted by RAblogger

Dominic Minghella @DMinghella · 57m

@frithtiplady yes! And he was marve. Also world's loveliest man -but you knew that.

• Replied to 0 times

 Retweeted by RAblogger

Lara Pulver @larapulver · 6h

@DMinghella They've got to cover Armitage's huge pay cheque!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Latest tweet not about RA - appreciate the lovely sentiment from best dwarf ever...almost:) 

Graham McTavish ‏@grahammctavish  27m

Well done USA in the World Cup today. What a heroic performance. I predict big things in 4 years time. And, as for Tim Howard, what a legend

New Article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/richard-armitage-goes-from-hobbit-to-crucible/2014/07/01/592c5330-0115-11e4-9a6a-955ebcaa3334_story.html

New Playgoer Review: http://theatre.revstan.com/2014/07/review-richard-armitage-in-the-crucible-at-the-old-vic.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://news.yahoo.com/richard-armitage-goes-hobbit-crucible-114419500.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Death Comes to Pemberley is coming to PBS in Nov..

http://grandecaps.tumblr.com/post/71566399725/death-comes-to-pemberley-mini-series-4-059-caps

Collider Article: Into The Storm

http://collider.com/richard-armitage-into-the-storm-interview/

RA on the cover of The American Magazine--The Crucible tickets Contest:

http://issuu.com/michaelburland/docs/the_american_magazine_734_july14

Kelsey Grammer(TV's star of Frasier) has joined Twitter with tongue in cheek mission to correct grammar:D His opening tweets:

Kelsey Grammer @KelseyGrammer · Jun 30

It has come to my attention that the fine people of @Twitter have an egregious grammar problem. I’m here to help. #KelseyGrammerGrammar

Link to entire review: http:Rwp.me/p3YQSG-8n

Jun 29, 2014

The Crucible, Old Vic – Steal or beg to go and see this production of Arthur Miller powerful play

by verbal london · 1 comment

This is my month of standing ovations, first Skylight and now Yaël Farber’s Crucible.  As anyone who attends the theatre in London will know (as oppose to our US cousins who are more effusive in their theatre appreciation), standing ovations are as rare as hen’s teeth in these parts of the world.  We reserve those for the truly worthy productions.  And, this Crucible is a truly worthy recipient.

The Crucible – Richard Armitage

Since it’s first production in 1953, The Cruciblehas continued to resonate with relevance for so many people across the world.  As I watched this spellbinding production, I was reminded of the devastating judgement handed out to the three al-Jazeera journalists only this week and the impact for Egypt’s civil society and future.

Read more:
http:Rwp.me/p3YQSG-8n
When asked, the above reviewer added  "Hello everyone. This is Bryan. 
First of all, let me thank you for your very flattering end probably undeserved comments. As y

ou can probably tell if you have visited my website I LOVE theatre and music and have seen a lot in my time so – yes – my euphoric comments about “The Crucible” were a true indication of how truly remarkable I feel this production is.
Richard Armitage (who – if I am being brutally honest – I was not really aware of before thSorry!!!) gives a mesmerising performance as the central character John Procter but he is only one of a phenomenally impressive cast, all of whom give flawless performances.."

Richard Armitage:More Historical Series Being Filmed in UK Due to PM Cameron's Changes to Tax Code--Historical sites Now Benefit from Productions(see article & excerpt) + Jun 27 Playgoer's tweet re Crucible & Her Photo of Cast's final bow + New Into The Storm Trailer + PoldarkSet Photos(see link) + Battle of 5 Pieces of Furniture

What's next?  Crucible:The Ballet?..

Ah, the joys of modern communications. See tweets below in reference to Crucible:The Ballet photo above - then notice the actress playing Abigail favorited the tweet..

1. RAblogger ‏@armitageblogger  5h

   @faboamanto Thx @livinlovindoll @myracer2 @penny59z @jennamille12 @Sinjoor Luv the one of Abi in flight w Proctor nearby.Crucible:The Ballet

   Details
   

   •  Reply 
   •  Delete 
   •  Favorite 

 

Gratiana Lovelace‏@GratianaL

@armitageblogger Absolutely! @faboamanto @livinlovindoll @myracer2 @penny59z @jennamille12 @Sinjoor @ColleySam looks so incandescent

•  Reply 
•  Retweet 
•  Favorite 

• FAVORITES2
• 

9:40 AM - 29 Jun 2014

Samantha Colley favorited a Tweet you were mentioned in

8h:

@armitageblogger Absolutely! @faboamanto @livinlovindoll @myracer2 @penny59z @jennamille12 @Sinjoor @ColleySam looks so incandescent

Crucible review by a playgoer, sounds as though she was not initially a wellwisher:

http://theviewfromtheuppercircle.com/2014/06/26/the-crucible-the-old-vic/

While checking the upcoming Wolf Hall production, found following interesting article. It states many new historical series are being, and will be, filmed in the UK rather than in foreign locations due to changes in tax laws. (thank you PM Cameron;)

Excerpt: "Roland Brown, estate director at Berkeley Castle said: “Recent changes in the tax treatment for filming has encouraged investment in filming in this country.

“As a result, productions that were taking place in Ireland and mainland Europe a few years ago are now returning to the UK."This has seen hit US shows such as Game of Thrones and 24 filmed in the UK.

Wolf Hall was going to be filmed abroad, before production switched to the UK."

Read more: http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Wolf-Hall-starring-Damian-Lewis-films-Berkeley/story-21120242-detail/story.html#ixzz35tSxyX00

Poldark set photos

http://www.andyrosephoto.com/Poldark/i-CsPkH5z/A

Playgoers reaction to The Crucible..

Angela Sasso @angela_sasso · 12m

@oldvictheatre One of the best theatre performances ever. #thecrucible #richardarmitage pic.twitter.com/3co7DlnMOB

 

A bonus...

               Teacher Gary Morris - Into The Storm, opens on Aug 8.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?forum=holmes&url=%2Fholmes%2F&path=%2Fholmes%2F&terms=yorkshire&boolean=AND&startnum=1

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.northumberland/3092/mb.ashx

http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3071795&id=I587616185

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

Richard Armitage:New Telegraph Interview(see link & photos) + 21st Century Political Witch Hunt Decided(see link)Male Condemned,Female Found Not Guilty + Rare Find:Actor Gary Oldman Blasts Liberal Hollywood for it's Political Double Standard(Wow--courageous man!--See Link) + Powerful Review by Member of Audience(see link) + Stagedoor Photos with Members of Audience

New Interview: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/10915442/Richard-Armitage-interview-I-think-Im-quite-a-frightening-person.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Hopefully latest interview heralds an upcoming "frightening" role..

New Starz series, coming in Aug..

Pinter Proust - as Swann..

The Proctors, Elizabeth and John...

More Crucible stagedoor photos with members of audience...

Modern day political witch hunt decided. Female found not guilty - Male condemned. It's still happening, only today it's the method used to target your  political opponent. The ultimate target in this phone hacking circus is PM Cameron. That's the way the vicious game is played on both sides of the pond:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/10913097/Rebekah-Brooks-cleared-but-Andy-Coulson-guilty-in-phone-hacking-trial.html

These stories are not deliberately connected but, in the greater political context, they definitely are. Headline today stating actor Gary Oldman has blasted Hollywood for it's double political standard.(going to start watching his stuff from now on--never did before:) I always assume entertainers follow the template entertainment execs devise for them, until they prove to have the courage it takes to defy Liberalism's double standard, not only in Hollywood, but also displayed in the Rebekah Brooks news above - and elsewhere: 

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/gary-oldman-blasts-liberal-hollywood-defends-mel-gibson-and-alec-baldwin-1201243936/

 Member of Audience Review - Excerpt about RA's performance as Proctor:
"Richard Armitage’s John Proctor was a delicate and complex husband. It is to his credit that the role did not overwhelm the production; it was by no means a one-man show, a chance to psychologically monologue. His performance was truly as part of a strong ensemble, appropriate for a play about the claustrophobic, meddling intimacy of a medium-sized seventeenth-century community. The shame and self-loathing that wears him down was concealed by a stoic visage and sturdy stance, until the play’s final scenes, where his emotional and spiritual frailty overflows to curve his spine and hunch his previously brooding frame. He is a man whose single adulterous act has destroyed not just his marriage, but his entire life, and the life of his community, and he bears that burden with no self-pity and no self-forgiveness. His love for his wife Elizabeth (Anna Madeley) and for his boys is not enough, ultimately, to spare him from his self-sacrifice at the end of a rope. The production should be applauded for the restrained and rejected sexuality between Proctor and Abigail (Samantha Colley), a painful flame that has long since singed and burnt out, and instead for its focus on the clear emotional and physical desire that John still holds for Elizabeth: their final kiss, on the brink of death, is one of the most powerful stage snogs I have seen. It’s the kind of kiss where you forget anyone else exists around you, because you just want to pour your soul into that other person’s mouth so for that one moment, they can taste your tears and your fears and the sensation rising in your chest. Their marriage may have turned cold, and been blighted by resentment on both parts, but in their final interaction, you can see why baby number four is on the way. "
http://whatsophiesawblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-crucible.html?showComment=1403408895028#c3576373206345420833
Another fan's review:  She asks how Abigail lived with herself once John was dead and Elizabeth survived. Great food for thought!
http://arikishirley.tumblr.com/post/89599794160/review-of-the-crucible-and-report

      Photos taken immediately following final curtain..uh,,air for The Crucible..

Summer Solstice post from 2010:

http://www.allthingsrarmitage.blogspot.com/2010/06/jun-21st-was-summer-solstice-longest.html

I know, I know...need to get out more;D haha Was impressed with the heady company of first 2 results today, when I searched "Richard Armitage The Crucible" on twitter..

New adaptation of a classic - The Musketeers is playing on BBC America, Sun 9pm. Filming locations in the Czech Republic..