Ruth Chapman, Co-Founder Of 'Matches' Boutiques, Calls Broadway-Bound HAMLET With Jude Law 'Brilliant'

Ruth Chapman, Co-Founder of popular UK Boutiques 'Matches' has praised Jude Law and the entire Donmar Warehouse production of HAMLET, which plays at the Wyndham Theatre through August 22nd.

Chapman is featured in a special 'day in the life' column on Vogue.com. In it, Chapman writes:

"18:00 - Met up with some friends at The Ivy and had pre-theatre fish and chips and a lovely bottle of wine. Walked down to the Wyndham Theatre for 7pm to see Jude Law in Hamlet, which was brilliant. Jude was fabulous; we had such a great evening! Jumped in a cab and headed home so didn't get to bed too late."

This highly-anticipated production of HAMLET will transfer to Broadway for a strictly-limited twelve week run beginning September 12th.

Since the first Matches store opened near Tom and Ruth Chapman's home in Wimbledon in 1990, it has become a brand in its own right - an iconic retail experience, trusted by London's most fashion literate clientele, offering the best of the best in established and new international labels.

Thirteen stores across Notting Hill, Richmond, Wimbledon, Mayfair and - most recently opened in March 2008 - Marylebone High Street, cater specifically to the unique style characteristics of their customer: each has its own fashion profile while at the same time a dip into each, results in sound knowledge of the season's spectrum of trends. From the hand-sanded, parquet flooring of the Marylebone store to the elegant shop furniture in Richmond - also for sale to the right buyer - Matches upholds a dedication to creativity, personality and attention to detail as much to the advantage of the product it offers as to the customer buying it.

Promising a fashion education within the capital's most elegant retail experience; every season sees the best designers in the world collaborate with Matches to create the most talked about fashion exclusives: Burberry Prorsum, YSL, Diane Von Furstenberg, Azzedine Alaia, Sophia Kokosalaki - the list is endless - it's the first place to buy the key pieces every season as well as a guaranteed introduction to your favourite labels of the future, from Roksanda to Joanna Sykes.

Online, the Matches experience is as unique and exhilarating as any of the stores: cutting-edge fashion literally at your fingertips with an unprecedented, personalised customer service promise. It's also a good excuse to fill your house with our gorgeous marbled delivery boxes as the most stylish storage available. Enjoy. www.matchesfashion.com.

Producer Arielle Tepper Madover and the Donmar Warehouse are pleased to announce the complete Broadway cast for William Shakespeare's HAMLET, with Jude Law in the title role, directed by Michael Grandage. The production will begin performances at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) on Saturday, September 12 for a strictly limited run of twelve weeks only. Opening night is Tuesday, October 6.

HAMLET comes to Broadway following sold out engagements in London's West End and at Elsinore in Denmark.

Law will be joined by the Donmar Theatre company of actors from London and Elsinore: Ross Armstrong (Cornelius), Harry Attwell (Guildenstern), Ron Cook (Polonius, 1st Gravedigger), Ian Drysdale (Osric), Peter Eyre (Ghost of Hamlet's Father, Player King), Jenny Funnell (Player Queen), Michael Hadley (Barnardo, Priest, Captain), Colin Haigh (Member of the Court), Sean Jackson (Reynaldo), Geraldine James (Gertrude), Gwilym Lee (Laertes), James Le Feuvre (Member of the Court), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Ophelia), John MacMillan (Rosencrantz), Kevin R. McNally (Claudius), Henry Pettigrew (Marcellus, 3rd Player, 2nd Gravedigger,), Matt Ryan (Horatio), Alan Turkington (Francisco, Fortinbras, 4th Player) and Faye Winter (Member of the Court).

As part of the Donmar's commitment to greater accessibility, producer Arielle Tepper Madover has announced that more than 100 tickets priced at $25 will be available at every performance through Telecharge.com and the Broadhurst Theatre box office.

Award-winning actor Jude Law returns to Broadway for the first time since 1995 when he made his Tony Award-nominated debut in Jean Cocteau's Indiscretions (Les Parents Terribles). Other theatre credits include Les Parents Terribles (National Theatre), Dr. Faustus, ‘Tis Pity She's a Whore (Young Vic) and Death of a Salesman (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Upcoming films include Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, being released on December 25 and Tony in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, being released on September 24 and Repossession Mambo. Other films include The Talented Mr Ripley (BAFTA Film Award), Wilde (Evening Standard British Film Award), Cold Mountain, Road to Perdition, Closer, Alfie, The Aviator and Sleuth, among others.

Michael Grandage, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, made his Broadway debut with the Tony Award-winning production of Frost/Nixon. He originally staged HAMLET for the Donmar's West End season at Wyndham's Theatre, where his credits also include Madame De Sade, Twelfth Night and Ivanov (Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards for Best Director for Ivanov). Other Donmar credits include The Chalk Garden (Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards for Best Director), Othello, John Gabriel Borkman, Don Juan in Soho, Frost/Nixon (also West End), The Cut, The Wild Duck (Critics' Circle Award for Best Director), Guys and Dolls (Donmar in the West End - Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Grand Hotel (Evening Standard Award for Best Director, Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Henry IV, After Miss Julie, Caligula (Olivier Award for Best Director) and Passion by Peter Nichols. Other West End work includes Evita. In the fall, he directs the world premiere of John Logan's Red at the Donmar.

Previous Donmar Warehouse shows in New York include Mary Stuart, Frost/Nixon, Cabaret, Electra, The Blue Room, The Real Thing, True West, Nine and The Public Theater and Donmar collaboration of Take Me Out.

London critics embraced Law's performance and Grandage's production. "Law's performance is detailed and powerful and vividly personal," raved Henry Hitchings, Evening Standard. "Jude Law is excellent," agreed Quentin Letts, Daily Mail. "A swift, clear well-staged version of Shakespeare's most exciting play," proclaimed Michael Billington, Guardian. "Jude Law's Hamlet is vivid, lucid and impassioned. A feverish energy seems to surge from his fingertips," cheered Kate Bassett, Independent on Sunday. "It's a pleasure to report that Law is more than equal to the role; he has the physical and vocal range for its operatic demands and brings vulnerability, honesty and charisma to Hamlet's soul-searching," claimed Caroline McGinn, Time Out London. "Law's Hamlet is deeply moving, lucidly spoken," hailed Charles Spencer, Telegraph. "Grandage's gripping, thrilling, deeply-felt accessible production seizes on the fact that Hamlet is an absolutely crackling psychological thriller."

The company of HAMLET is appearing with the permission of Actors' Equity Association. The producers gratefully acknowledge Actors' Equity Association for its assistance to this production.

HAMLET is currently playing at Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End, where it completes its sold out run on August 22. It then travels to Kronberg Castle, Elsinore, for a sold out run from August 25-30, prior to Broadway.

In Shakespeare's definitive tragedy, the King of Denmark is dead. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet (Jude Law) determines to avenge his father's death with devastating consequences for his family and the kingdom.

The production is designed by Christopher Oram, with lighting design by Neil Austin. Composer and sound designer is Adam Cork.

Michael Grandage, artistic director of the Donmar, said today, "Following our recent productions of Frost/Nixon and Mary Stuart, I am delighted we have been invited to bring another of our productions to Broadway. We feel very privileged to be part of such a vibrant theatre community and it is exciting to think that so many people will get to engage with our work and to witness Jude Law's extraordinary performance."

Performances are Tuesday at 7:00 PM, Wednesday at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets ($116.50 - $25) are available through Telecharge.com at 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com.

The Donmar Warehouse is one of London's leading producing theatres and has garnered critical acclaim at home and abroad for its unparalleled catalogue of work. Since 1992, Donmar-generated productions have received 35 Olivier Awards, 20 Critics' Circle Awards, 19 Evening Standard Awards and 14 Tony Awards. The Donmar has a long and successful history of presenting its work outside of its home in Covent Garden. Productions in the West End include Piaf, Mary Stuart, Frost/Nixon, A Voyage Round My Father, Guys and Dolls, Design for Living, The Glass Menagerie, Company, The Real Thing, Passion Play, Ivanov, Twelfth Night, Madame de Sade and Hamlet. Productions on Broadway include Mary Stuart, Frost/Nixon, Cabaret, Electra, The Blue Room, The Real Thing, True West, Nine and The Public Theater and Donmar collaboration of Take Me Out.

For more information, vist www.HamletBroadway.com.

 

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