| 29th August 2007 07:34 AM |
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| moy |
Jagger's son lights up the stage
By Elizabeth Hopkirk, Evening Standard 29.08.07
Smoke and fire: James Jagger's acting debut was praised by the Islington audience
Show must go on: James relaxes following his debut while father Mick leaves the Palace Theatre after seeing Spamalot
James Jagger has made his acting debut as the first man to be allowed to light up on the London stage since the smoking ban came in.
But his father Mick was not there to watch him - the Rolling Stone was at Spamalot, the Monty Python musical, with girlfriend L'Wren Scott.
Jagger Jnr had to be granted a special licence to smoke at the King's Head Theatre in Islington, in twin plays about Vietnam. Environmental health officials had to be convinced it was vital to the artistic value of the work.
Last week, Mick Jagger's bandmates Keith Richards and Ronnie Woods lit up illegally at a Stones concert at the O2.
James, smoking outside the theatre after the performance, said he had not thought about making history as he was concentrating on his acting: "I didn't have a jubilant inner moment because I was too busy concentrating on what I had to do on stage, but it was quite funny, especially considering all the fuss with my dad's band. He's proud of me - not for smoking, but for getting up on stage."
He said he asked his family not to attend the preview night, also his 22nd birthday. "I didn't want any added pressure on the first night," he said. "I want to get into my groove first.
"They're coming on Friday. It was a nervy way to celebrate my birthday but I think it went quite well for the first preview. There were some mistakes - a few dropped lines here and there - but I don't think anyone noticed."
James plays a village idiot in the first play, Lone Star. Set in redneck Texas in the Seventies, it features EastEnder Shane Richie as a Vietnam veteran, and another young actor, Will Meredith.
Jagger Jnr's character lights up for 30 seconds and provokes laughter when he immediately pledges to give up as it makes him feel dizzy. There were also smiles when another character suggests putting on the jukebox and sings a snatch of the Stones hit, Get Off My Cloud.
The second play, Private Wars, explores the relationship between three Vietnam veterans in an army hospital. James plays Natwick, an effete Long Island rich kid wearing silk pyjamas who loathes and is loathed by Richie's psychotic New York flasher.
Richie said: "It's fun working with James and Will, who are like young stage virgins. I'm feeding off their enthusiasm and excitement. They are both on a real high."
The plays by James McLure - showing to a packed house last night - went down well with the audience. Jane Edwards, 34, a community worker from West Hampstead, said: "Both plays were great, although I thought the second was slightly over-acted. All the actors were very good. James Jagger definitely has a future on the stage. The smoking added to the authenticity - there was a danger with the smoking ban that theatre could lose its grittiness."
Daisy Wright, 19, a student from Russell Square, added: "They couldn't have done that scene without him smoking because of the jokes. I thought they were all outstanding."
Jason Miller, 24, a music student from Bayswater, said: "Jagger's Texan drawl was great - I guess it helps that his mum's Jerry Hall. And he played the nerd very well. As for smoking - good on him. They couldn't have done it without."
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| 29th August 2007 08:32 AM |
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| Gazza |
Keith's daughters Theo and Alexandra were also there to watch him, according to our in-house 'spy'. LOADS of paparazzi also in the house waiting in vain for you-know-who to show up. |
| 29th August 2007 11:14 AM |
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| Saint Sway |
quote:
moy wrote:
Smoke and fire: James Jagger's acting debut was praised by the Islington
^ Look at that! The kid's a natural! |
| 29th August 2007 11:30 AM |
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| FotiniD |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
Keith's daughters Theo and Alexandra were also there to watch him, according to our in-house 'spy'. LOADS of paparazzi also in the house waiting in vain for you-know-who to show up.
Hmmm, there's a certain past between Alex and James, isn't there?  Gossipy mood, bad me, I know.
And that smoking ban - talk about massive hysteria, no? To actually have to convince someone your character has to smoke because of the artistic value.... To get a grant for that! Such pretense! Huge factories destroying the last corners of clean air this earth has left, and people are worrying about passive smoking  |
| 29th August 2007 11:18 PM |
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| Brainbell Jangler |
quote:
FotiniD wrote:
And that smoking ban - talk about massive hysteria, no? To actually have to convince someone your character has to smoke because of the artistic value.... To get a grant for that! Such pretense! Huge factories destroying the last corners of clean air this earth has left, and people are worrying about passive smoking
That's like saying that since thousands of acres of Amazon rainforest are burned every year, you shouldn't care if your house is on fire. |
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