PHOTOGRAPH 51 Director Michael Grandage Talks of Reviewing First Previews, Tony Obsessiveness and Nicole Kidman's Return To The Stage

In a recent interview for Deadline.com, Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage, along with producer James Bierman, discusses a variety of subjects, including the recent controversy involving critics reviewing the first preview of Benedict Cumberbatch's HAMLET, how the Broadway theatre season revolves around the Tony Awards and of directing Nicole Kidman's return to the stage in Anna Zeigler's PHOTOGRAPH 51.

"Every preview is constantly evolving until we're ready to give it over to the critics," he explains.

The subject has become a hot topic since a few weeks ago when The Times, The Telegraph and the Daily Mail opted to print reviews of the first preview of Benedict Cumberbatch's HAMLET at the Barbican.

"It's important to me that the critics sit down and see a show that has been honed to a point we're all happy with. And if it gets one- or two-star reviews, at least I'll know we tried."

Grandage has received Tony nominations for his direction of FROST/NIXON, THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN and RED, having won for the latter.

"Broadway is, effectively, built around the Tony Awards. We have prize-givings in the West End, but ultimately we're open all hours. You don't get people strategically thinking towards a date in June, which is what happens on Broadway. The entire system is built around, 'Here's our work, now tell us how we did through a prize.'"

He says there has yet to be discussion of Nicole Kidman coming to Broadway in PHOTOGRAPH 51, but he speaks admirably of her readiness to return to the stage after 17 years.

"She used the rehearsal process to get match fit, and that's an interesting way to do it because I think some people treat rehearsals and the stage itself as two separate things. She's pretty remarkable, but it's not by fluke. It's by an applied, serious approach."

Nicole Kidman, who leads the company as Rosalind Franklin, is joined by Will Attenborough (James Watson), Edward Bennett (Francis Crick), Stephen Campbell Moore (Maurice Wilkins), Patrick Kennedy (Don Caspar) and Joshua Silver (Ray Gosling).

"The instant I saw the photograph my mouth fell open and my pulse began to race." Does Rosalind Franklin know how precious her photograph is? In the race to unlock the secret of life it could be the one to hold the key. With rival scientists looking everywhere for the answer, who will be first to see it and more importantly, understand it? Anna Ziegler's extraordinary play looks at the woman who cracked DNA and asks what is sacrificed in the pursuit of science, love and a place in history.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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