Olly Alexander lands West End role in The Importance of Being Earnest
Singer and actor Olly Alexander has said he has "come into a different space in my life", as he announced a new West End stage role after recently parting ways with his record label.The star will appear in the National Theatre's production of The Importance of Being Earnest when it transfers to the West End in September.It will be his first acting role since It's A Sin, Channel 4's acclaimed 2021 drama about the Aids crisis, for which he was nominated for a Bafta Award."I'd recently been thinking that I'd love to act again," he told BBC News. "I'd come to the end of my record contract, and I have a bit more breathing space to try a few different things and not feel, oh, well I have to deliver an album to my record label."
Alexander will take over from Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa, who starred in The Importance of Being Earnest when it opened at the National Theatre in 2024. He will play Algernon when the production transfers to the Noel Coward Theatre in London."What's not to love?" Alexander asked. "It's such a brilliant play, Oscar Wilde's most celebrated comedy. I saw the National production and thought it was fantastic, and this opportunity came along and I jumped at the chance."
Alexander shot to fame when his band Years & Years won the BBC Sound of 2015 poll and went on to have hits such as King and Shine, and score a number one album.He later went solo, although continued to perform as Years & Years, and scored another top-charting album in 2021. He has performed with Sir Elton John and Kylie Minogue, and was the UK's Eurovision entrant last year.However, after his most recent album Polari, released in February, reached number 17, Alexander announced his departure from his record label."They aren't dropping me, they just aren't renewing my contract," he explained at the time. "It's OK and honestly for the best. I've been on a pretty terrible deal for 10 years. It's time I do something new. But I'll still make music in the future."Reflecting on his first decade as a pop star, Alexander told the BBC: "With music, there's an intensity to the way I've been working and putting albums out, promoting and touring. I definitely want to take the foot off the gas in terms of that intensity."
He still occasionally works on music, but has "not been putting pressure on myself... I just do what feels good and feel very lucky that I have this other strand of acting that I'm able to explore".Alexander said he felt he had "learned so much" over the last decade about the way he likes to work. "But for me," he continued, "a lot of the reason I think the [music] industry has changed so much is that it's set on this model which is very antiquated now, and it's not kept pace with the times. "Lots of artists have this direct link with their audience via social media. They want their music out quickly. The whole model of promoting it - three singles into an album, then you tour the album, then move onto the next one - it's not really working like it did."He noted that record labels could historically make an album a success because they were "able to pour a lot of money into something"."They just can't do that now. Everything has changed. But I think that is exciting for lots of reasons, and it is an exciting place for artists, even though it's harder to break through." He concluded: "If I go back into it, it'll be because I think it's fun and something I want to do, and not think too much about how it's going to perform. "That's pretty much how I try to always feel, but you're in an environment where you have a lot of other stakeholders, and people telling you it needs to be this or that, and there's always that tension."
For now, he is focusing on acting.First performed in 1895, The Importance of being Earnest follows two male friends who adopt fictional personas. The farcical comedy unfolds with mistaken identities and makes generous use of clever wordplay."In a nutshell, it's a comedy about two quite ridiculous young men and the double lives they lead," Alexander explained. "They do that to avoid their social obligations, and they both invent these aliases called Ernest, while they try and woo and marry these two young women. "But really, it's a comedy that skewers society's expectations, makes fun of class and what society expects of us, and what roles we're expected to perform."
'Delightful mischief'
The previous production of the show, starring Gatwa, received a positive reception from critics. "There is an elegance to the nudge-wink references and it is a production with just the right amount of delightful mischief," wrote the Guardian's Arifa Akbar in a four-star review.The Daily Mail's Patrick Marmion awarded five stars, describing the "sparkling new production" as a "witty reboot"."Yes, liberties are taken," he said. "But that is surely the best way of blowing the dust off this national treasure."In a three-star review, the Telegraph's Dominic Cavendish described the show as "defiantly bold, but more playful than antagonistic", although he added he wasn't sure the new iteration "adds much" to the original.
In the play, nobody except Jack and Algernon know about their alter-egos - something which would be much more difficult to pull off now in an age of smartphones."It'd be impossible!" Alexander laughed. "Our every movement is captured, so there's less room to invent aliases and lead double lives, which in some circumstances is probably for the best. "What's brilliant about the play is it's set 100 years ago, at a time that feels so different to where we are now, but the themes are so timeless."Alexander last appeared in the West End in 2013, before becoming famous as a pop star, with a relatively small role in Peter & Alice alongside Dame Judi Dench.
In 2024, Alexander finished in 18th place at Eurovision with his track Dizzy, in a tricky year for the contest which was partly overshadowed by controversy surrounding Israel's participation.This year's entrants, girl group Remember Monday, ended in a similar position, finishing 19th. Alexander praised their performance, adding that he "hopes to meet up with them soon and we can exchange stories"."But," he added, "I think I'll still be processing and reflecting [on Eurovision] for a long time."
The singer is excited to be returning to the West End, not least because it will mean performing continuously in one venue."I spent a lot of my previous years moving around, touring, which is so fun and amazing," he reflects. "But I also very much appreciate staying in one place now."Having a home in London with my partner, my cats, just trotting off to the theatre every night - that just sounds like the most wonderful existence."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
James Whale reveals he's got ‘weeks to live' in emotional update on cancer battle, saying ‘I spend a lot of time crying'
JAMES Whale has revealed he has just weeks left to live as he faces the final stages of his terminal cancer battle. The Talk presenter issued a heartbreaking update to fans in his latest show, which he is filming from home. 6 6 6 'I'm actually in my last couple of weeks. Last time I saw my oncologist, he said I probably have only got weeks to go," James, 74, told viewers. 'Over the 50 years, I have interviewed and chatted to some of the most amazing people. It may have been you. Maybe we'll catch up for the last time.' Later, when a viewer named Paula called in, he confessed how emotional he has been about his prognosis. He told her: "I spend a lot of time crying. And it really, it's a bit embarrassing, Paula, to be quite honest with you. 'I'm heading into the sunset and I talk about it regularly on the show and you know it's interesting because now everybody talks about it. Not me, not mine, but their own, you know, they don't feel that they're doing it quite right without having a cancer to talk about." Fans were quick to share their sadness on social media following James's emotional news. One wrote: "Thank you for your service & may you live out the rest of your days free of pain & in comfort of knowing you'll leave behind a tremendous legacy. I take my hat off to you & salute you sir." A second added: "The world without James Whale will be a sadder place." A third responded: "You've been and are loved. Hold on to that thought." And a fourth commented: "You made a difference to a lot of people, it's more than most do. May your next journey be one of peace sir." Talk's James Whale issues devastating health update as star says he's 'at end' of cancer journey and ending treatment James been living with stage four kidney cancer for five years. Back at the beginning of May, James told viewers that his condition had worsened, treatment was no longer working and he would "be lucky to make it to Christmas". He explained: "I'm at the end of my cancer journey. There is no treatment I can have anymore." That same month, James celebrated his 74th birthday with loved ones. 6 6 James chose to spend his 74th birthday in the company of his friends and family. Lizzie Cundy, a contributor on his TALK show, shared a heartfelt tribute to her pal. She wrote: 'Laughter is the best medicine … Birthday celebrations for my dear friend @jameswhaleradio with @lamontbrownnadine @charliem_obe @simonwi @whodathoughtit .. Happy birthday dearest James, we all love you so much.' The snap showed James surrounded by his wife Nadine Lamont-Brown, 59, TV producer Simon Withington, 48, and Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins, 72.
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Police say why Christians were told to stop preaching gospel outside one of London's busiest stations - but announce review by 'senior officer'
Police have explained why a Christian group were told to stop preaching outside one of London's busiest stations - but said the decision would be reviewed by a 'senior officer'. A video circulating on Instagram shows a female British Transport Police officer telling Christians to stop spreading the gospel outside King's Cross station, adding: 'I just think it's wrong'. The short clip from the bizarre confrontation sees the officer telling the evangelists 'it's so loud'. She continued: 'These people just want to do their journey, they're not coming here to listen to you.' The preacher replies: 'If I was doing a happy, clappy song it would be okay?' The officer, who walks away from the argument, responds: 'I just think it's all wrong.' However, in a statement British Transport Police said the preachers were moved on as they were using a loud speaker to spread their message - something which needs to be approved by Network Rail before use. A spokesperson said: 'We are aware of a video posted on social media showing an interaction involving an officer outside Kings Cross railway station. 'Officers were on patrol at the station when they came across a group preaching on private land with a loud speaker which requires permission from Network Rail, and as such they asked them to leave. 'We fully appreciate anyone's right for religious expression, and the incident in full is currently being reviewed by a senior officer.' The pair were standing on the concourse betweeen the iconic London hub and St Pancras International, which gets a combined traffic of nearly 60,000,000 people every year, when they claim they were told to move. Mon B, a preacher who leads Mad 4 Jesus Ministries, claims her team were told they couldn't stand in front of the barriers before the officer gave them her 'unnecessary' opinion. It comes after a series of controversial confrontations between the police and preachers in London. Last year they were forced to apologise after Christian singer Harmonie London was told to stop performing church songs outside a church's grounds. Reacting to the video, one horrified commenter said: 'I'm sorry is this officer paid to give out her opinions? Or is she paid to protect the public.' Another added: 'You are not breaking the law. She should be out catching criminals not bothering you.' And a third said: 'Luckily you're not paid for your opinions. You're paid to do your job and stopping peaceful preachers is not part of it.' Mon B later claimed to have spent time praying with a second police officer, who was working with the cop who confronted her. A video of them gathered together showed the police officer nodding along and appearing to thank them as they finished. A third video, which appears to have been taken from the same spot outside the station shows her singing a modern Christian duet through a loud speaker. Commuters quickly pass the group by as they sing Yeshua, a song released by religious group Jesus Image in 2022. In January last year, the Met Police apologised for causing offence after a volunteer officer told Christian singer to 'stop performing church songs outside church grounds'. The force said the officer should not have told Harmonie London, 20, that she was not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds - and she said she felt 'humiliated', 'sad' and 'bullied' following the confrontation. Volunteer officer Maya Hadzhipetkova was accused of breaking the musician's human right to freedom of expression and religion today after she threatened to take away her instruments following a performance of Amazing Grace. The Met clarified that the supposed breach was due to unlicensed busking rather than the content of the songs she was singing. But they added: 'The officer was mistaken in saying church songs cannot be sung outside of church grounds. 'We're sorry for the offence caused and will take the learning forward.' A month after, a Met Police officer sparked fury when they threatened to arrest a Christian preacher who was accused of a hate crime - weeks after a gospel singer was threatened with arrest for singing religious songs. The clip was filmed by the missionaries on Uxbridge High Street in west London outside the entrance to the Pavilions shopping centre after a member of the public complained to police about allegedly homophobic comments. The person who is videoing the officers says: 'All we're doing is preaching our religion. We've been preaching about the gospel and Jesus Christ [and what] the Bible says in the book of John, chapter three verse 16. 'For God's love of the world he gave his one and only son so that whoever, whatever person - homosexual, drunk, liar or a prostitute - believes in him shall not perish and have everlasting life.' However, as the preacher continues to ask for clarification regarding the situation, two separate officers threaten to arrest him unless he provided his details. One officer can be heard at the beginning saying: 'Currently there's allegations of a hate crime, a public order offence, section 4a [and] allegations of homophobia. 'I've not heard anything, I'm not saying I've heard anything. Someone's called us. It might be completely untrue or true. '[But] if I do walk away and I see offences, and the victim wants to press charges... I could have failed a potential victim.' They add: 'If you don't give me your name or address I have grounds to arrest you. It's code of practice.' A second officer similarly says there has been an allegation of a hate crime which has caused 'alarm or distress in a public space'. They then demand: 'Provide me your name now or you will be arrested. You can spend the night in a cell and we can do it that way.' The nine-minute exchange, which features a number of cuts in the conversation, sees officers trying to reason: 'I'm not trying to attack you.' Accused of being 'emotional', the preachers reply: 'We're just passionate.'
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Kneecap Glastonbury slot ‘not appropriate', says Starmer
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think Kneecap's planned Glastonbury Festival performance is 'appropriate'. He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. In an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week. Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister. Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss. On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'. O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. 'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. 'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.' The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs. In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction. 'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? 'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out. 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.'
