Gavin Barker Associates Ltd.

Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave trained for eight years at the Ballet Rambert School and subsequently graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1958.

Her first appearance on the stage was at the Frinton Summer Theatre in July 1957 when she played Clarissa in THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE: as Mrs Spottsworth in COME ON, JEEVES at the Arts Theatre, Cambridge in September 1957: her first appearance in London was with her father Michael Redgrave as Caroline Lester in A TOUCH OF THE SUN at the Saville Theatre in January 1958; in August 1958 she played Sarah Undershaft in MAJOR BARBARA at the Royal Court and in December 1958 she played the Principal Boy in MOTHER GOOSE at Leatherhead.

In 1959 she joined the Stratford-upon-Avon Memorial Theatre Company for the season to play Helena in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT's DREAM and Rose Sinclair in LOOK ON TEMPESTS at the Comedy Theatre in 1960: Stella Dean in THE TIGER AND THE HORSE at the Queen's in 1960; Boletta in THE LADY FROM THE SEA at the Queen's in 1961. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in July 1961 to play; Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT at the Aldwych in 1962; Katharina in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW at Stratford in 1964 she played Nina in THE SEAGULL at the Wyndham's; in January 1969 at University Theatre, Manchester she played Gwendolen in DANIEL DERONDA; at the Young Vic in November 1971 she played Susan Thistlewood in CATO STREET; at the Prince of Wales in 1972 she played Polly Peachum in THE THREEPENNY OPERA; at the Shaw Theatre in May 1972 she played Viola in TWELFTH NIGHT; at the Bankside Globe in August 1973 she played Cleopatra in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA; at the Phoenix in November 1973 she played Gilda in DESIGN FOR LIVING; at The Circle in the Square, New York in March 1976 she played Ellida in THE LADY FROM THE SEA and also at the Round House in May 1979.

Her feature credits include:- BEHIND THE MASK in 1958 directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, MORGAN - A SUITABLE CASE in 1965 directed by Karel Reisz, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS in 1966 directed by Fred Zinnemann, BLOW UP in 1966 directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, RED AND BLUE in 1966; CAMELOT in 1969 directed by Joshua Logan with Richard Harris and Franco Nero, SAILOR FROM GIBRALTAR in 1968, CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE in 1968 directed by Tony Richardson, ISADORA in 1969 directed by Ken Russell, QUIET PLACE IN THE COUNTRY in 1969, DROP OUT in 1969, THE SEAGULL in 1970 directed by Sidney Lumet

THE DEVILS in 1970 directed by Ken Russell, THE TROJAN WOMEN in 1971 directed by Michael Cocayannis, MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS directed by Charles Jarrott in 1971, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS directed by Sidney Lumet in 1974, WINTER RATES in 1975, OUT OF SEASON directed by Alan Bridges in 1975, THE SEVEN PER CENT SOLUTION directed by Herbert Ross in 1977, AGATHA with Timothy Dalton and Dustin Hoffman directed by Michael Apted in 1978, YANKS directed by John Schlesinger in 1979 with Richard Gere, William Devane and Rachel Roberts, BEAR ISLAND in 1979 with Donald Sutherland, WAGNER in 1981 with Richard Burton, John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, THE BOSTONIANS directed by James Ivory in 1983 with Christopher Reeve.

In 1984 Vanessa Redgrave starred with Wendy Hiller and Christopher Reeve in an adaptation of THE ASPERN PAPERS by her father, Michael Redgrave, at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and at the Haymarket. She also starred in STEAMING directed by Joseph Losey, a feature based on the play by Nell Dunn. She starred in WETHERBY directed by David Hare with Judi Dench and Ian Holm, THREE SOVEREIGNS FOR SARAH for CBS and also the television mini series PETER THE GREAT with Maxmillian Schell.

In 1985 Vanessa starred in THE SEAGULL at the Queen's Theatre and then in the film SECOND SERVE.

In 1986 Vanessa starred alongside Timothy Dalton in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW at the Theatr Clwyd and the Haymarket. She played Peggy Ramsay in PRICK UP YOUR EARS directed by Stephen Frears, and starred in the Young Vic Theatre's production of GHOSTS directed by David Thacker which was performed in London at the Wyndhams Theatre and in Norway.

In 1987 Vanessa played the part of Mrs Garza in Giles Foster's film CONSUMING PASSIONS and participated in the simultaneous translation of the Mayakovsky Theatre Company's production of TOMORROW WAS WAR by Boris Vassiliev at the National Theatre.

In 1988, Vanessa portrayed the role of Nora Melody in the Eugene O'Neill play A TOUCH OF THE POET, with Timothy Dalton, directed by David Thacker, at the Young Vic, Theatre Royal Brighton and the Comedy Theatre, London. This was followed by the role of Lady Alice in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS directed by and co-starring Charlton Heston. Vanessa then went on to play Lady Torrance in ORPHEUS DESCENDING at the Theatre Royal Bath, New Theatre Cardiff and Haymarket Theatre London. This was Peter Hall's first production for his own company.

During 1989 Vanessa arranged for two companies from the USSR to perform at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith - Shalom Theatre Company in THE TRAIN TO HAPPINESS and The Vakhtangov Company in PEACE OF BREST - LITOVSK. Vanessa appeared in the last play of this season - CHEKHOV'S WOMEN. She followed this by playing Heather and Mrs Honey in A MADHOUSE IN GOA at the Lyric Hammersmith and Apollo Theatre. Vanessa went on to recreate the role of Lady in ORPHEUS DESCENDING at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway to great critical and audience acclaim, and this was recorded for television by Turner Television, again with Sir Peter Hall directing.

In 1990, Vanessa played the role of the Empress of Russia in the film YOUNG CATHERINE with Lee Remick, Franco Nero and Christopher Plummer, directed by Michael Anderson. This was followed by THE BALLAD OF THE SAD CAFE for Merchant Ivory directed by Simon Callow and filmed in Texas, and a television version of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE with her sister Lynn Redgrave. She then appeared in the West End in THE THREE SISTERS by Anton Chekhov at the Queen's Theatre with Lynn Redgrave, her niece Jemma Redgrave, Stuart Wilson, and directed by Robert Sturua.

In 1991 Vanessa starred as Isadora Duncan in WHEN SHE DANCED by Martin Sherman and directed by Robert Allan Ackerman. In October that year her autobiography "VANESSA REDGRAVE" was published by Random Century. She starred in Merchant Ivory's HOWARD'S ENDwith Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.

In 1992 Vanessa starred in HEARTBREAK HOUSE by George Bernard Shaw, with Paul Scofield and Felicity Kendall, and directed by Trevor Nunn at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, and also starred in THE WALL, filmed in Argentina and directed by Lita Stantic.

In 1993 Vanessa starred in GREAT MOMENTS IN AVIATION, a BBC film with Jonathan Pryce and John Hurt, directed by Beeban Kidron; MOTHERS BOYS with Jamie Lee Curtis and Joanne Whalley Kilmer, filmed in Los Angeles; THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, a film directed by Bille August with Meryl Streep and Glenn Close; starred as Mrs Raskolnikov in the film CRIME AND PUNISHMENT with John Hurt and this was closely followed by a film with Patrick Bergen entitled THEY, and the play MAYBE by Mikhail Shatrov at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.

In 1994 Vanessa and her brother Corin formed Moving Theatre, to produce two plays - THE FLAG and BRECHT IN HOLLYWOOD - at the Bridge Lane Theatre, Battersea. She starred as Miss Bentley in the film A MONTH BY THE LAKE with Edward Fox and Uma Thurman; DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD, a television film for the U.S directed by Jonathan Sanger, with Laura Dern;. LITTLE ODESSA, a film starring Tim Roth; and VITA AND VIRGINIA, with Eileen Atkins at the Union Theater, New York, directed by Zoe Caldwell.

In 1995 she co starred with Rade Serbedzija in THE LIBERATION OF SKOPJE and played Cleopatra in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, at the Riverside Studios, followed by a U.K and European tour. She co starred with Tom Cruise in the film MISSION IMPOSSIBLE directed by Brian de Palma and played the Narrator and Aunt in the live action/animated version of WIND IN THE WILLOWS, and THE WILLOWS IN WINTER.

In 1996 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA and JULIUS CAESAR at the Alley Theatre, Houston; FOR THE LOVE OF TYLER, U.S. TV movie; SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW, a film directed by Bille August; and JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN at the National Theatre with Paul Scofield and Eileen Atkins, directed by Richard Eyre.

In 1997 Vanessa again starred as Cleopatra in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA at the Public Theater, New York, which she also directed; DEEP IMPACT a film by Dreamworks for Paramount, and BELLA MAFIA, a 4 hour mini series by Lynda La Plante for CBS.

In 1998 Vanessa filmed in New York and Washington the new Woody Allen project. She went onto produce and co-direct NOT ABOUT NIGHTINGALES, a newly discovered Tennessee Williams play performed at the National Theatre. Vanessa and her mother, Rachel Kempson, subsequently performed SARAH BERNHARDT COMES TO TOWN at various festivals and benefits in the USA; CRADLE WILL ROCK filmed in New York with Susan Sarandon, directed by Tim Robbins; MIRKA directed by Rashid Ben Hadj; and UNINVITED directed by her son Carlo Nero.

In 1999, Vanessa played the role of Eleonora Fonseca-Pimentel in the oratoria ELEONORA at the San CarloOpera House, Naples; GIRL INTERRUPTED with Winona Ryder, directedby James Mangold; A RUMOR OF ANGELS filmed in Canada with RayLiotta and directed by Peter O’Fallon; A SONG AT TWILIGHTby Noel Coward at the Gielgud Theatre in which she played oppositeher brother Corin and his wife Kika Markham, and directed bySheridan Morley; IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, an HBO movie withSharon Stone and Ellen De Generes, for which Vanessa won an EmmyAward and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

In 2000, Vanessa played Prospero in THE TEMPEST at Shakespeare’s Globe; and Madame Ranevskaya in THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Royal National Theatre; the Matriarch in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK with Matthew Modine for Hallmark.

In 2001, Vanessa played Clementine Churchill in THE GATHERING STORM, starring opposite Albert Finney.

In 2002, Vanessa starred with her daughter Joely Richardson in LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket directed by Sir Peter Hall.

She starred in the Hallmark TV film THE LOCKET, and also starred in the movie THE FEVER, directed by her son Carlo Nero.

In 2003, Vanessa played a cameo role in the movie THE KEEPER, and Lady Melbourne in the BBC drama BYRON.

Vanessa starred on Broadway in A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT alongside Brian Dennehy and Phillip Seymour Hoffman directed by Bob Falls for which she won a Tony Award.

In 2004, Vanessa played in Toronto at The Princess of Wales Theatre in THE HOLLOW CROWN for Duncan Weldon, written and directed by John Barton.
Vanessa performed at the Goli Otok Theatre Workshop for the Ulysses Theatre Company Croatia. Vanessa made her first appearance in the very sucessful NIP/TUCK TV show for Fox & Sky One alongside her daughter Joely Richardson, playing her on screen mother. Vanessa also starred in cameo roles in the films SHORT ORDER directed by Anthony Byrne and THIEF LORD directed by Richard Claus. Vanessa filmed THE WHITE COUNTESS directed by James Ivory for Merchant Ivory with her sister Lynn Redgrave and daughter Natasha Richardson and Ralph Fiennes soon to be released.

In 2005, Vanessa played the title role in HECUBA for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Albery Theatre and then in Washington DC and New York.

Vanessa returned to NIP/TUCK for another season and guested in another 3 episodes. Following that Vanessa filmed THE SHELLSEEKERS for ITV directed by Pierce Haggart, and filmed a cameo role in VENUS directed by Roger Michell

In 2006, Vanessa filmed a cameo role in THE RIDDLE directed by Brendan Foley, Vanessa filmed ATONEMENT with Keira Knightly, directed by Joe Wright. Vanessa also filmed HOW ABOUT YOU with Brenda Fricker, Emelda Staunton and Joss Ackland directed by Anthony Byrne waiting for release.

In 2007, Vanessa performed 'A Year Of Magical Thinking' based on the book by Joan Didon, directed by David Hare at The Booth Theatre on Broadway, for which she was nominated for a 'Tony Award' for Best Actress in a Leading Performance.

In 2008, Vanessa returned to the National Theatre and recreated the role once more in 'The Year Of Magical Thinking' directed by David Hare.

Vanessa is currently shooting a further 2 more episodes for Nip/Tuck in Los Angeles with her daughter Joely Richardson.

AWARDS

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