The Curse of the West End?...

Keira Knightley is becoming the lastest actress to transfer her skills from screen to the stage. The 'Atonement' and 'Pirates of Caribbean' star will be making her debut next week in 'The Misanthrope; a French comedy of manners by the playwright Moliere. This comes on the back of several high profile performances by stage debutants, such as that of Lenny Henry; winner of a London Evening Standard Award for his portrayal of Othello. Sadie Frost, another recent convert to the theatre was nominated for a Whatsonstage.com Award for her performance in 'Touched'. Frost, who is going to watch the opening night, said of Knightley, 'she's a professional girl she'll just throw herself into it...I'm sure she's just enjoying it and getting on with it, and not focusing on what people think.' However Knightley herself seems to hold a different perspective, saying that she 'wanted to vomit'. The plays runs until March 13th, at the Comedy Theatre.

What's on stage?...

Nominations for Whatsonstage.com Theatre Awards have been announced. Lenny Henry, who won a London Evening Standard Theatre Award last month for his performance as Othello, has been nominated for best newcomer, along with previous X Factor finalist Diana Vickers, who plays the lead in 'The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'. Fellow Standard winner Rachel Weisz is nominated for best actress, due to her role in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'; a category also including famous film actress Helen Mirren, nominated for 'Phedre'. Other notable nominations include, Jude Law for best actor, following his success in Hamlet and former Spice Girl Melanie C for best takeover role in 'Blood Brothers'. The winners will be announced on February 14th.

On this day...

Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire', debuted on Broadway in 1947. The cast included a young Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy; the latter would go on to win a Tony Award for her performance. Despite its frank depictions of bith sex and violence, the production was hugely successful, running for over 800 performances; it is said that after a minute of stunned silence, the opening night ended with a round of applause lasting 30 minutes. It was from this role that Brando launched his hugely successful career, during which he achieved two Oscars and a further eight nominations; Williams was also honoured, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The production was made into a film in 1951, featuring many of the original members of the stage cast. Williams, who wrote the screenplay, was asked to remove the rape scene but refused; leading the Catholic League of Decency to demand that Stanely must received due punishment, and so a rewritten ending sees Stella leaving Stanely. Rachel Weisz won a London Evening Standard Theatre Award for her depiction of Blanche DuBois in a recent production.

Weisz of the right standard...

The winners of the London Evening Standard theatre awards were announced yesterday. After the nominations earlier this month, Lenny Henry won the Outstanding Newcomer prize for his portrayal of Shakespeare's Othello. At the ceremony, Henry joked, 'I must be the oldest newcomer there has ever been - which means there is hope for Bruce Forsyth's King Lear'. The accolade of Best Actress went to a 'thrilled and honoured' Rachel Weisz for her performance in Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'; an award named after the late Natasha Richardson and presented by her mother Vanessa Redgrave. Sir Ian McKellen was the recipient of a special honour for his contribution to theatre, whose resume includes numerous plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov and Shaw respectively. Alexander Lebedev, owner of the Standard precised the ceremony by saying, 'What we have seen in the past year in London's theatres is innovative and inspiring.'

51 and still young...

The nominations for the London Evening Standard's theatre awards were released yesterday. Among the most notable, is Lenny Henry in the category of 'Outstanding Newcomer', despite being 51 years of age. He made his stage debut as Othello last year, first appearing at Northern Broadsides theatre, and currently, following remarkable success, is performing at Trafalgar Studios. Critics have called his performance 'one of the most astonishing debuts in Shakespeare...it is impossible to praise too highly Henry's courage in taking on so demanding and exposed a role, and then performing it with such authority and feeling.' Also nominated is Rachel Weisz for 'Best Actress', for her performance in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' at the Donmar Warehouse. The full list of nominations can be found here. The winners will be announced on the November 23rd.