But don't you feel like there's something missing ... I feel I forgot something...
Yes, of course! How could I do that?
Well, now it is MUCH better! We can go on...
What was I saying? About the news, yes.
1. Documentary - Rumbles in the jungle
Have you heard any rumble from the jungle?
I haven't yet. Not so far. I'm not actually interested in elephants nor in their rumbling as a form of communication, honestly. But the higly scientific documentary that was broadcast last night on BBC 2 and BBC HD was narrated by Richard Armitage's smooth voice .Who's interested in what he says? There's a new one-hour-long audio sample of his skills to listen to! Even elephants and their rumblings may be welcome! Then...weren't we discussing how our interest in the man has widened our horizons last week? Weren't we wondering who swoons over his velvety voice three weeks ago? No wonder we are ready to the elephants' rumbles in the jungle!
2. Award nomination for The Great Sperm Race
Never been interested in science, but maybe it's time to start!
The nominations for the Royal Television Society's Programme awards have been announced, and The Great Sperm Race has been nominated in the Science & Natural History category. The award ceremony will be held on 16th March in London. Richard Armitage was the narrator for this programme too, which told the story of human conception in an unusual and imaginative way. Have you seen it? I haven't. Not yet, so far.
Too many words? Do you need a break? Here it is! Relax, breathe, stare and admire, and get ready to go on....
3. New Santander ad.
I've always hated advertising on TV and radio. Always switched over when an ad started. But I've widened my horizons. I can bear watching this. It's even pleasant.
This second advertisement for Santander, voiced by Richard Armitage, is now running on British television. It again features the giant red Lego motif , it advertises Santander's Flexible ISA.
Oh, here we come to something even more tastier! On April 1 an abridged version of VENETIA by Georgette Heyer will be released in the form of an audiobook by Naxos (I pre-ordered it at Book Depository, this time). It is read by Richard Armitage, who already recorded SYLVESTER for Naxos (read and listened to).
On Naxos AudioBooks website you'll find a page with this interview - quite a monologue by Richard :
- he tells about his experience with Heyer's reading, he wants to strangle her for the long sentence structure in her style but he loves her comedy!
- about STRIKE BACK coming out in April on Sky One and maybe going on for other series in the future
- his reading habits and tastes
- his plans for a drama piece about Richard III (I'm going to read THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR soon and to re-read Richard III by Shakespeare to compare) . Does his dream come true this time? Fingers crossed for that!
- last but not least, there's a sample from chapter one of Venetia and a review with lots of details about the story.
5. Richard Armitage in Clarissa
Richard stars as Lovelace in BBC Radio 4's adaptation of Samuel Richardson's novel, Clarissa. It will be broadcast in four parts, beginning on Sunday 14th March at 3pm.
This is my world! As a teacher of English literature, of course. Not that this is one of my favourite reads but it is astonishing and so delightful to notice how Richard's career intermingles with my job!
Richardson's huge novel- the longest in English literature, three books more than 800- hundred- page -thick in my Italian edition! - first published in 1747, is written in the form of hundreds of letters, mostly between the heroine, Clarissa Harlowe, and her friend Anna Howe, and between Robert Lovelace and his fellow libertine, John Belford.
Clarissa's ambitious family tries to force her into a loveless marriage to improve their fortunes. But she escapes by eloping with Robert Lovelace, a rake who has little intention of marrying her, and who ultimately rapes her.
Don't worry , I'm not going to read the thousands of pages of Richardson's epistolary novel. I'm not that crazy! Though the first book of my three-part edition is on my night-stand ...
Do you want to join us? Fancy a masked ball accompanied by a Ser Guy ,
a Ser Lucas...
or whoever you'd like to go with?
Read here and here
a Ser Lucas...
or whoever you'd like to go with?
Read here and here
(Thanks, Mesmered!)
Many thanks to Annette who keeps us well updated about Richard's career at her site http://www.richardarmitageonline.com/
Thank you for this lovely post full of RA news, Maria. I'm excited about Venetia and Clarissa - not so excited about TV ads and narrations of documentaries. I have Sunne in Splendour on my bedside table waiting to be opened. Fingers crossed RA can see this dream fulfilled!
ReplyDeleteLOL, MG! I'm sorry I'm only a part-time Fairy, and have still to learn how to do such spells. Lo siento muchìsimo ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut if you're asking my advice, and your date for the masked ball is even only slightly similar to Mr Thornton himself... are you mad, keeping him waiting? ;-)
Have a nice weekend,
*hugs*
KB aka Merryweather
Oh swoon! He's done another Santander ad! :D
ReplyDelete"which told the story of human conception in an unusual and imaginative way" - Just me who can't quite shake the images out of their heads there? I mean, THAT, and RA together... Combine the two, and... and that's a TV show we'd never see. Haha!
The masked ball sounds interesting. Hope you'll have lots of fun! :)
This man doesn't stop! I just wish he would do a movie that would go to cinemas. It would be very interesting to see him in a huge screen, maybe in IMAX!
ReplyDeleteOh I didn't know about Clarissa!! Thanks for the info Maria Grazia, sounds like a very dramatic story but I'll if I can find the book.
ReplyDeleteI loved, loved, loved The Sunne in Splendour when I read it a few years ago. Penman's Richard III is probably too good to be true but one just can't help being fascinated by her portrayal of the man. It's my favourite Ricardian novel. :-)
Nothing like a 'virtual' Masked Ball amongst a group of fiction writers and readers to make dreams become more vivid. I did say, didn't I, that the beautiful ballroom could potentially be filled with many RA alter-egos, especially as this is a Ball of fantasy.
ReplyDeleteMy dress, my escort (if I can get him to do something with his hair), the adventure of being in a room full of spies and dangerous, dark men . . . I shall need the smelling salts tucked in my bodice!
I did not hear about his news, so thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteHe has a great voice!
This is a short reply, sorry, I do not feel well today, but I wanted to let you know your post made me smile.
Very exciting news lately! I do like his voice overs.
ReplyDeleteYour masked ball sounds fab! You certainly must go, and of course blog about it so we can all experience it vicariously!
As soon as I heard about RA's Clarrissa role, I went to Youtube and sure enough there it was in all its 10 minute episodes (26 I think). Sean Bean did a very good job as Lovelace and I can certainly understand choosing Richard for this role. But again, how can I sympathize with Clarissa? She didn't want Sean Bean, that's one thing, but not want Richard??? It's UNTHINKABLE!
Also...great pictures you posted, especially the first one, that really got my attention!
Oh yes, and I too want to read "The Sunne in Splendour"! I know I read something similar quite a long time ago, it could have been this book too! I remember it was very sympathetic to King Richard, and that I enjoyed it very much.
Thanks for a very interesting post!
I don't know if Mr. Armitage is my only weakness, but he is a severe one. Great pic of sleeping Lucas North, and I, TOO, am really looking forward to Clarissa. I just dug out my copy from grad school to reread.
ReplyDelete