The last time Nicole Kidman performed in London on the West End, it was in The Blue Room. Her performance was universally acclaimed, with one critic saying watching her was “pure theatrical Viagra”. On Saturday she returns in a play called Photograph 51 to play British scientist Rosalind Franklin. People don’t seem to be as excited about this as they were about Benedict Cumberbatch doing Hamlet. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) And they should be. Because you know what? Nicole Kidman, the thespian? She’s a sure thing. Especially on stage. Because on stage, there’s no camera lingering on her eerily perfect face for 8 seconds too long, and they’re not spending major budget lighting the sh-t out of her either. On stage, you need her voice, her fist clenches, her full body telling you the story, filling out an entire character. There’s nowhere to hide and when Nicole’s free like that, she’s one of the very best. Click here for more about Photograph 51 and Nicole’s preparation.
In other Nicole news, The Family Fang is coming to TIFF. And since it doesn’t yet have distribution, it’s very likely that we’ll see her here on the Monday. Doesn’t look like there’s a Photograph 51 performance scheduled that day either so the schedule seems open for a quick trip to Toronto to promote the film with Jason Bateman. Have you read the book? It’s a really interesting story, especially in light of what we’re seeing in pop culture, with parents creating entertainment narratives out of their kids, blurring art and exploitation, and the consequences that can have on the family dynamic.
Here’s Nicole leaving rehearsal last night. Great pants.
