Interview: Al Weaver, currently starring in The Pride

Al Weaver is currently starring as Oliver in Jamie Lloyd’s production of The Pride at Trafalgar Studios. Written by Alexi Kaye Campbell, The Pride is running as part of Jamie Lloyd’s West End season, Trafalgar Transformed, which has so far also seen acclaimed productions of Macbeth and The Hothouse.

Featuring a complex love triangle, The Pride (which runs until 9th November) delves into the attitudes towards homosexuality in both 1958 and the present day. The play, which premiered Upstairs at the Royal Court in 2008, also stars Hayley Atwell, Harry Hadden-Paton and Mathew Horne.

Al stage credits include: Inadmissible Evidence at the Donmar Warehouse, The Seagull at the Arcola Theatre, The House of Games at the Almeida Theatre, How to Curse at the Bush Theatre, Coram Boy at the National Theatre, and Hamlet at the Old Vic. 

His television credits include: Southcliffe, The Frontier, Secret State, Sherlock – The Blind Banker, Survivors, Personal Affairs and The Devil’s Whore. Al’s film credits include: Honeymooner, Powder, Me and Orson Welles, Marie Antoinette and The Merchant of Venice.

Recently I spoke to Al about his last minute casting, working with Jamie Lloyd and why he doesn’t find the show draining…

You’re now well into the run of The Pride, how’s it going?

Oh it’s great! We’ve had lovely audiences and the play seems to be having a really strong effect on them which is really important.

Feature: The Pride’s Stonewall Gala provides refreshing, thought provoking evening

Despite having heard incredible things about Jamie Lloyd’s production of The Pride, as I took my seat for the preshow discussion on the evening of the Stonewall Gala, I had yet to actually see the play. About a complex love triangle, The Pride delves into the attitudes towards homosexuality in both 1958 and the present day. The play is in the middle of its run at Trafalgar Studios as part of Jamie Lloyd’s season Trafalgar Transformed which has so far also seen critically acclaimed productions of Macbeth and The Hothouse. If the talk made anything instantly clear, it was that The Pride is a piece to which there is a great deal of passion and meaning attached.

The Pride's cast and creative team during rehearsals

The panel for the discussion was made up of Alexi Kaye-Campbell (playwright), Will Young, Layton Williams and comedienne Suzi Ruffell. The main angle of the discussion was directed towards how homophobic bullying could be tackled within our schools. Each guest was given the opportunity to share their own, often moving stories which brought a lovely touch of sentimentality and reality to the event.

100th Interview: Mathew Horne

“From Essex, to Wales, to the West End...”

Since publishing our very first interview one year and two months ago, I have interviewed some of the biggest West End and Broadway stars, as well as understudies, alternates and ensemble members from some of London’s biggest and longest running shows, plus from tiny productions which have run in almost hidden locations all over the capital. Over the past few weeks we've been counting down to our big 100th interview so it seemed only right to choose an incredible interviewee... and who better than a man who has travelled from Essex to Wales while starring in one of the most popular British television programmes of all time, Gavin and Stacey, before travelling to the West End to be a part of one of the most exciting productions of 2013 so far, The Pride. That’s right... I can finally reveal that the identity of our 100th interviewee is Mr Mathew Horne.

Despite being best known for starring as Gavin in Gavin and Stacey, which ran for twenty episodes between 2007 and 2009 becoming one of the best loved British comedy television series of all time, Mathew is no stranger to the stage. Last year he played Lord Fancourt Babberley in Charley’s Aunt at the Menier Chocolate Factory which was directed by Ian Talbot and in 2009 Mathew starred alongside Imelda Staunton in Entertaining Mr Sloane at Trafalgar Studios, playing the title role. 

The 35-year-old actor is also known for his regular appearances in Bad Education and The Catherine Tate Show. His other television credits include: Hey Diddly Dee, Death in Paradise, Sinbad, Marple, Worried about the Boy, Horne and Corden, Roman’s Empire, Teachers, 20 Things to do Before you’re 30 and The Proposal. 

Mathew is currently appearing in Alexi Kaye-Campbell’s play, The Pride, which runs at Trafalgar Studios until 9th November 2013 as part of director Jamie Lloyd’s star studded West End season, Trafalgar Transformed. Featuring a complex love triangle, The Pride delves into the attitudes towards homosexuality in both 1958 and the present day. The play, which premiered Upstairs at the Royal Court in 2008, also stars Hayley Atwell, Harry Hadden-Paton and Al Weaver. Mathew plays three roles: The Man, Peter and The Doctor.

Recently I spoke to Mathew about his eagerness to work with Jamie Lloyd, his ambitions to star in both a one-man show and a West End musical, as well as why he will never become tired of people asking him about Gavin and Stacey...

How is The Pride going now that you’re quite far into the run?

Really great, the audiences are many and varied and it’s great to do the show every night and to have such a variety of responses because we’re getting such a broad spectrum of people. It changes every single time we do it which is why it stays so fresh which is important. It’s a real joy to do and after the first two weeks were out of the way it became much less stressful. We settled very quickly and are able to enjoy it! I think everyone involved is very proud of the piece.

Review: The Pride at Trafalgar Studios

The Pride

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed on Wednesday 14th August 2013

Jamie Lloyd's production of The Pride is the definition of thought provoking theatre. Regardless of your age, gender or sexuality, at least one issue raised in this piece of theatre will shock and/or educate you. Alexi Kaye Campbell's play, which premiered at The Royal Court in 2008, follows the complex love triangle between Philip, Oliver and Sylvia. The scenes constantly switch between 1958 and the present day, allowing changing attitudes towards homosexuality to be explored.

Mathew Horne "I really wanted to do a Jamie Lloyd play"

Tomorrow evening (Sat 3rd August) The Hothouse, the second production of Jamie Lloyd's Trafalgar Transformed season at Trafalgar Studios, will come to an end before the season's third play, The Pride, begins previews just days later on Thursday 8th August.

The Pride, written by Alexi Kaye Campbell, will star Hayley Atwell (Captain America, Life of Crime, The Faith Machine, A View from the Bridge) as Sylvia, Harry Hadden-Paton (Posh, She Stoops to Conquer, Flare Path) as Philip, Al Weaver (Inadmissible Evidence, Coram Boy, Hamlet) as Oliver and Mathew Horne (Gavin and Stacey, Bad Education, Charley's Aunt) as The Man/Peter/The Doctor.

Jamie Lloyd's The Pride: Meet the team

Last Friday (5th July) it was announced that Jamie Lloyd’s third production for Trafalgar Transformed will be the multi award-winning The Pride, written by Alexi Kaye Campbell. Starring Hayley Atwell as Sylvia, Harry Hadden-Paton as Philip, Al Weaver as Oliver and Mathew Horne as The Man/Peter/The Doctor, The Pride follows Lloyd's productions of The Hothouse and Macbeth. Meet the team below!

Jamie Lloyd's The Pride: Further details announced

Jamie Lloyd at press night of
The Hothouse

Last night it was announced that Jamie Lloyd’s third production for Trafalgar Transformed will be the multi award-winning The Pride, written by Alexi Kaye Campbell. 

Starring Hayley Atwell (Captain America, Life of Crime, The Faith Machine, A View from the Bridge) as Sylvia, Harry Hadden-Paton (Posh, She Stoops to Conquer, Flare Path) as Philip, Al Weaver (Inadmissible Evidence, Coram Boy, Hamlet) as Oliver and Mathew Horne (Gavin and Stacey, Bad Education, Charley's Aunt) as The Man/Peter/The Doctor, The Pride follows Lloyd's productions of The Hothouse and Macbeth.

The Pride opens at Trafalgar Studios on Tuesday 13th August (previews from 8th August) and runs until 9th November 2013.

Jamie Lloyd said “My hope is that each production in the Trafalgar Transformed season engages directly with the world outside the theatre's walls. Entering into the advancing debate about equal marriage, I am thrilled to announce the third production in the season - the West End premiere of Alexi Kaye Campbell's modern masterpiece, The Pride."

Jamie Lloyd to direct The Pride starring Hayley Atwell & Mathew Horne as part of Trafalgar Transformed

It has been announced that Jamie Lloyd has chosen to direct Alexi Kaye Campbell’s play The Pride as the third play in his Trafalgar Transformed season at Trafalgar Studios. The production follows The Hothouse from 8th August.

Hayley Atwell will star in the production alongside Harry Hadden-Paton, Al Weaver and Gavin and Stacey star Mathew Horne (pictured right at press night of Jamie Lloyd's Macbeth).

The Pride involves the issues surrounding sexuality and how they change over a period of fifty years, looking at intimacy, identity and courage and how these things are needed to make you who you are. In 1958 Philip loves Oliver, but is married to Sylvia. Eventually, in 2008, Oliver is addicted to sex with strangers and Sylvia loves them both. 

According to the Daily Mail Lloyd said the structure of the piece will remain the same, but the play’s modern sections will be updated to last weekend’s Gay Pride celebrations. The article also claims that the four slots in the Trafalgar Transformed season has been intense. Lloyd said for each place, there would be eight or nine plays on the table for consideration.