Let’s take a look at a few of Sherlock star Andrew Scott’s best projects so far…
Sea Wall
Back in 2008, playwright Simon Stephens had a play staged at the Bush Theatre in London; a monologue on a bare stage, half an hour long. Sea Wall consists of one man talking directly to the audience about his life and family, and specifically his daughter Lucy. Alex, played (naturally) by Andrew Scott, will tell you his story – and he will break your heart.
Sea Wall has been taken to various stages and locations over the past few years. In 2013, Scott reprised the role of Alex at The Shed, the National Theatre’s temporary theatre on London’s South Bank (that funny-looking red box next to Waterloo Bridge).
More recently, in February of this year, Scott appeared again as Alex to audiences at Project Art Centre, Dublin, as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Each staging has been met with rave reviews, and it’s not difficult to see why – Sea Wall is a heartbreakingly beautiful little play, a true showcase of Scott’s talent as he stands alone on a bare stage and tells you Alex’s story.
And luckily, Sea Wall isn’t restricted to those lucky enough to snatch up a ticket for the sell-out live performances. A filmed version is available to buy or rent at seawallandrewscott.com – and it’s worth every penny.
Pride
Topping the list has to be Pride, the 2014 film which tells the true story of the group of London-based gay activists who rallied together with Welsh miners during the Miner’s Strike to establish an unlikely friendship against all the odds.
It boasts a hefty and impressive ensemble cast, and as such Scott’s role isn’t huge – but it still deserves the top spot, and here’s why.
Pride is many things; it’s a feel-good film, a heart-wrencher, a political tour de force and a beautifully moving tribute. It has earned a generous handful of awards, taking ‘Best British Independent Film’, ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Scott and ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for Imelda Staunton at the British Independent Film Awards alone, alongside the ‘Queer Palm’ award at the Cannes Film Festival and ‘Outstanding Debut’ BAFTA award for screenwriter Stephen Beresford and producer David Livingstone. And that’s naming but a few – Pride has more than 20 award nominations/wins to its name, and is clearly well-favoured among critics.
But that isn’t what makes Pride so special. High levels of respect for the real people upon whom the film is based are present throughout, and the film carries all the joy and pain of their tale with tenderness and care. Back in September, The Telegraph wrote that “The cast is so well picked, it’s not chemistry they have so much as alchemy.” That sums it up, and it’s not only true of the cast.
Pride is the beautiful result of a lot of people’s hard work and dedication, and it shows in the end product; a very special film which has clearly been created with a lot of love.
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What’s your favourite Andrew Scott project? Let us know below…