Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will star in a production of Botho Strauss’ Big and Small (Gross und Klein) at London’s Barbican Theatre. The English language translation, by Martin Crimp, is a production of Sydney Theatre Company of which Blachett is co-artistic director. Performances begin on April 13, with opening night following on April 14. The limited engagement concludes April 29. Benedict Andrews directs.

In addition to Blanchett, Big and Small will star Lynette Curran, Anita Hegh, Belinda McClory, Josh McConville, Robert Menzies, Katrina Milosevic, Yalin Ozucelik, Richard Piper, Richard Pyros, Sophie Ross, Chris Ryan, Christopher Stollery and Martin Vaughan.

Blanchett is an Oscar winner for The Aviator, and a nominee for Elizabeth, Notes on a Scandal, I’m Not There and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Among her many other films are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Babel, Hanna, Veronica Gueron, Bandits and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Her recent notable stage roles include A Streetcar Named Desire and Hedda Gabler.

First staged in 1978, Big and Small whisks audiences down a rabbit hole and into a curious Wonderland-like world where Lotte (Blanchett) is always trying to fit in. Following a break-up with her husband, Lotte finds herself a stranger to her own society and embarks on a search for human connection and a quest for belonging. At each stage in her journey she has unusual encounters with different people – strangers and acquaintances, family members, an old friend, but in this comedy of tragic solitude, reality itself keeps changing and Lotte becomes increasingly alienated from a culture she struggles to recognise. Like Carroll’s Alice, sometimes Lotte is too big for her surroundings and sometimes too small to be noticed within them.

The Big and Small creative team includes set designer Johannes Schütz, costume designer Alice Babidge, lighting designer Nick Schlieper and composer/sound designer Max Lyandvert.

source: broadway.com

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Blanchett and Roxburgh no doubt have big shoes to fill: in London in 1998, those roles were inhabited by Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren; in the most recent Broadway production of the play – which opened as a London transfer in late 1951 – the characters were played by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.

The production was expected to get a green light as Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton, have decided to retire from the Sydney Theatre Company as co-artistic directors and will end their tenure in November 2013. The difficult role, the Herald said on January 19th, is likely to be her swan song with the company.

The workshop was directed by Declan Donnellan and designed by Nick Ormerod. Blanchett is best known for her film roles, including ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ and her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Aviator’, a role which won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was met with critical acclaim for her performance in STC’s UNCLE VANYA, which she’s set to reprise at NY City Center this summer. Roxburgh was also featured in that production as the title character.

Antony and Cleopatra, one of Shakespeare’s great historical tragedies, follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Parthian War to Cleopatra’s suicide.

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The high-profile couple credited with turning around the company’s finances during their tenure will step down at the end of 2013.

STC chairman David Gonski said in a statement yesterday, ”As they announced at the launch of the 2012 season, it was always their intention to only stay for two terms.

”We asked Cate and Andrew to stay on but we respect their decisions to leave in two years’ time to pursue other professional interests.

”As co-artistic directors and CEOs, with inspirational leadership, Andrew and Cate turned around the STC’s finances and made it a sustainable business while taking it to new artistic heights.

”They are a couple not only of extraordinary talents and profile but they have a strong business sense and a strong financial rigour.”

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Having played Elizabeth I and JRR Tolkien’s elf queen Galadriel, Cate Blanchett is no stranger to royal roles. Now she could be set to tackle Shakespeare’s most famous queen, after workshopping Anthony and Cleopatra in Sydney with British director Declan Donnellan.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a two-day workshop that was held last week could lead to a full-scale production, opening in Sydney towards the end of next year, before launching a European tour. The form would mirror that of Blanchett’s current stage appearance, Gross und Klein (Big and Small), which will receive its UK premiere at the Barbican in April.

Richard Roxburgh, best known as the oleaginous Duke in Baz Luhrman’s Moulin Rouge, took the role of Anthony for the workshops last Thursday and Friday at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), of which Blanchett and her husband Andrew Upton have been co-artistic directors since 2007.

However, it has been speculated that the production could depend on the pair’s retiring from the company, where their three-year contract is up for renewal in November 2013, making Cleopatra Blanchett’s STC swansong.

Donnellan, who directed Othello for STC in 2004, organised the workshop with his regular designer Nick Ormerod. The pair are currently in Sydney with Cheek By Jowl’s production of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, which comes to the Barbican next month.

On Monday, Blanchett was named best actress at the Sydney Theatre awards for her performance in Gross und Klein. The production’s London run will be presented as part of the Cultural Olympiad, marking the Oscar-winner’s first performance for 13 years, when she played Susan in David Hare’s Plenty at the Almeida Theatre.

Four years earlier, she appeared at the Croydon Warehouse in a co-production with STC of Michael Gow’s Sweet Phoebe.

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The Samsung AACTA Awards are taking a different approach to their inaugural ceremony on January 31 at the Sydney Opera House, with president Geoffrey Rush running proceedings but not playing a traditional hosting role.

The AACTAs will be broadcast live on Channel 9 with Rush to be joined by presenters including Cate Blanchett, Jonathon LaPaglia, Rachael Taylor, Anthony LaPaglia, Xavier Samuel, Lincoln Lewis and Rob Carlton.

Carlton, who is nominated as best lead actor in a television drama for playing Kerry Packer in the ABC’s Paper Giants, yesterday told the Herald Sun he would fly by the seat of his pants in his presenting slot.

“Here’s my tactics: if you’re towards the end of the night and you don’t have comedy gold, you just get straight to it,” he said.

“If you’re in the middle of the night and things have been a little dry, you try to throw in an observation, so long as it’s not a complete U-turn.

“The key is to make sure you look like you’re having fun, so then if you bomb at least people can smile along with you as you’re falling down in front of them.”

Carlton admits he has tough competition in the best actor category from Alex Dimitriades, Don Hany and Jonathan LaPaglia. His co-star Asher Keddie, who played Ita Buttrose, is also nominated for best actress.

But far from dreaming of awards glory when he was making Paper Giants, Carlton said the role gave him nightmares.

“From the time I got cast to finishing the shoot, I would wake up and the first thought would be: terror, dread, Packer,” he said.

“I’d get home from shooting, last thought before bed: Packer. Then I’d dream about the bugger. Then wake up: dread, Packer.

“In the middle of that kind of anxiety, you do not start dreaming about how well it’s going to go.”

AACTA said Olivia Newton-John will perform during the ceremony, delivering a medley of songs from the soundtrack to her new Australian film A Few Best Men.

Other presenters who will hand out gongs at the new-look awards include Adam Elliot, Alex Dimitriades, Todd Lasance, Shane Bourne, Gigi Edgley, Blake Davis, Richard Wilkins, and Samara Weaving.

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The winners of the 2011 Sydney Theatre Awards have been announced. The prizes were presented in a ceremony held on January 16.

Among the winners is Cate Blanchett who was named Best Leading Actress in a Mainstage Production for Sydney Theatre Company’s Gross und Klein. The Best Leading Actor in a Mainstage Production prize was awarded to Colin Moody for his performance in Bell Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

The Sydney Theatre Award for Best Mainstage Production went to the theater company Belvoir for its production of The Wild Duck. In addition, Simon Stone won the Best Direction of a Mainstage Production for his work on the show and Anita Hegh and Anthony Phelan received supporting actor prizes for their performances in the production.

Among the winners of Sydney Theatre Awards for Independent Production are performers Danielle King and Anthony Gooley. The award for Best New Australian Work went to Angela Betzien for The Dark Room, and the winner of the Best Newcomer Award was Meyne Wyatt for his performances in The Brothers Size and Silent Disco.

In musical categories, Hairspray was awarded Best Production of a Musical, while the show’s lead actress Jaz Flowers won the Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical. The Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical went to Paul Capsis for Sydney theatre Company’s The Threepenny Opera.

For further information and a complete list of 2011 Syndey Theatre Award winners, click here.

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What’s your personal beauty ritual?

Well, it’s been pretty constant actually for the last ten years now. I’ve been using SK-II, I discovered it through a friend. I was pregnant with our first child, and a friend of mine who is a makeup artist recommended I use the SK-II whitening range because I had noticed an unevenness in my skin — you know how you often get a bit of discoloration and pigmentation. She gave me the Essence, and I didn’t know what to do with it at first. She told me it was actually a moisturizer. So I used it for a couple weeks, and it was incredible. There were no breakouts and I began to notice a shift in tone. Then I began to explore the rest of the range. I think it’s the consistency of using the one thing, for me, that’s been really great.

What would you consider to be SK-II’s hero product?

I think it has to be Essence. It’s the most mysterious product, but it’s also the key to the rest of the brand because there’s so much pitera in it. I use it for many different purposes. I use it under makeup, but I use to set makeup. I’ll often use it in conjunction with a cleanser, because particularly when you’re on a film set or doing a play, as I’m doing at the moment, you’re often doing two shows a day and you might have press in the middle of the day, so you’re taking your makeup off two to three times a day. They’ve got wonderfully gentle cleansers, but it’s sometimes good to give it a bit of a boost. Sometimes I’ll even wipe makeup off with that.

The beauty staple — either skincare or makeup — that you always have in your bag?

I’ll always have the Signs Nourishing Cream — it’s relatively small, so that’s something I’ll always pop into my handbag. And the eye cream is quite small, and there’s a travel-sized portion of the Essence. The Essence is a little bit like a cologne for your skin in a way, it’s really refreshing in the middle of the day. As far as makeup in my handbag, I’ve got a liquid eyeliner from MAC, and a mascara. Someone gave me some Tarte, and that’s great because it’s like a stain, so it’s not thick. And NARS has quite a great range of bronzers. But I’m not as loyal with my makeup, you know, because that changes.

Is there a person, place or memory that inspires you beauty-wise?

I worked with Liv Ullmann a couple years ago. And from a creative perspective, her career, and her as a person, but also her, as an incredibly beautiful woman, I find her really inspiring. But a place, I really do love the desert. Sort of central Australia. We went up to the Kimberley in Northern Australia at Easter time, and it was amazing. We were up there with organization called the Australian Wildlife Conservatory. The Australian bush inspires me. It’s usually not a city, as much as I need to get a good coffee, those inspirational places tend to be pretty devoid of people.

Any skincare advice that you learned from your mother?

She was quite obsessed quite early — before everyone was talking about it — with sun protection. She would always send us out in shirts or hats which I was always trying to rip off. So there was always a big awareness of that. She was big on moisturizing, before you even think you need to. It didn’t make me skin-obsessed, but it was certainly made me aware.

How does your skincare routine change when you’re in a film or in a play?

We’re doing a production of Chekov’s Uncle Vanya, so there’s a lot of mood swings — big releases of tears and rolling around on the floor. My eyes have been taking a bit of a beating, so I’ve been using the eye masks and the eye cream quite a bit. Also their oil-based cleanser is really good for removing eye makeup because it’s really gentle. That’s the wonderful thing about all the cleansing products, even the foundation, you’re not just removing something from your skin, or putting something on your skin, there’s pitera in everything. So even when you cleanse, you’re putting something good into your skin, and I think that’s really important when you have to take makeup on and off. And the times where I’ve had to wear a lot prosthetics, the masks were really fabulous.

Of all the characters that you’ve played, which beauty look did you get into the most?

I think probably two of the most challenging ones were Todd Haynes film “I’m Not There,” when I had to play a version of Bob Dylan, and “The Aviator,” because obviously I look nothing like Katharine Hepburn, but trying to find a way where you got the signature nature of her style, without trying to be a looky-likey, because I was never going to look like her. So that was a really interesting challenge. And working with Morag Ross who’s a wonderful makeup artist. You learn so much about how you can sculpt your face, hold your face, you experiment a lot with the makeup artist, it really informs the performance. So makeup is a real ally. All those tricks about shading has been really useful when you do your own makeup on stage.

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The campaign fronted by Blanchett and fellow Australian actor Michael Caton calls on the public to “Say Yes” to cutting carbon pollution.

Nine organisations – including Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund and the Climate Institute – are behind the ads, which will start screening during shows like MasterChef tonight.

“What if we say yes, to making big companies pay, when they pollute our skies? We’d be saying yes to less carbon pollution,” Caton says in the ad.

“And finally, doing something about climate change,” Blanchett adds.

Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said about $1 million had been invested in the Say Yes campaign so far.

“There has been a significant scare campaign out there and there’s been a lot of companies looking after their own self-interest,” Mr Connor said.

“Australia is a high-polluting economy and we want to get the simple fact through that this approach would be one which started to make the big companies pay for their pollution.

“If you do that you can not only have money for clean energy but also money to help low- and middle-income households.”

Blanchett’s involvement in the campaign immediately drew criticism, with the Australian Families Association telling the Sunday Telegraph:” It’s easy for her to advocate it, she’s one of the people who can afford to pay it.”

Mr Connor said the Say Yes campaign would also include a week of action finishing with rallies in capital cities on World Environment Day next Sunday.

“We’ve got to take this (message) out to mainstream Australians,” he said.

The campaign came as a leading business lobby group’s report on a proposed carbon price was claimed as a victory by both the Gillard government and the opposition, with each saying it’s proof they are on the right policy track.

But the Greens say it’s laughable.

As the multi-party climate change committee edges closer to deciding on what the nation’s future carbon price will be in talks in Canberra this weekend, the Business Council of Australia has called for a low starting point of $10 a tonne.That price would then increase slowly to minimise the need for household and business compensation.

“(It would also recognise) the limited opportunities for domestic emissions reduction in the early years and in the absence of international linkage,” the council said in its submission to the climate change department.

It warned that the Australian economy had experienced a significant downturn that was still having an impact on many industries and the introduction of a carbon price would lead to extra costs for businesses and consumers.

The council recommended the Productivity Commission carry out regular reviews of the progress of other comparable countries and that all trade-exposed industries be eligible for a 100 per cent allocation of their permits to offset the cost.

“The cost impost on trade-exposed industries of any policy to price greenhouse gas emissions should be fully offset to ensure Australia’s policy to price greenhouse gas emissions is trade and investment neutral,” it stated.

Greens senator Christine Milne Milne said the council’s proposal was laughable.

“The council ought to be embracing a market mechanism … the fact is we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we have to transform the economy,” she said.

“What they are proposing, a $10 price and then 100 per cent compensation for anyone who is trade exposed, just isn’t a realistic contribution to the debate.”

Opposition climate spokesman Greg Hunt said the council’s submission was a big blow to the government.

“The Business Council has put a dagger through the heart of the carbon tax,” Mr Hunt told reporters in Melbourne yesterday.

“This is a vote of no confidence in the government.

“It’s a vote of no confidence in the government’s model.”

Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said yesterday the talks in Canberra this weekend had been very constructive.

Despite the BCA’s submission for a price on carbon well below what the government is aiming for, Mr Combet still viewed it as a positive step.

“One of the major, peak business organisations in Australia clearly indicating that a carbon price is appropriate, and that a market mechanism to achieve it is necessary,” Mr Combet said.

“They’re supporting a carbon price and they’re supporting it to be set via a market mechanism.

“Those are the fundamental frameworks for starting the task of tackling climate change, cutting pollution, driving investment in clean energy.

“Really it’s a debate about the detailed design of the scheme that we’re engaged in.”

The federal government wants to introduce carbon pricing laws to parliament by September, with the aim of having them passed by year’s end with a fixed price to start from July 1, 2012.

The multi-party climate change committee is meeting in Canberra this weekend to continue their deliberations in a more informal fashion.

Ms Milne said while the group had begun to bring all its findings together, agreement on a carbon price was unlikely to be finalised in the next 36 hours.

“Whilst it is unlikely this weekend we’ll come out with anything definite, what we will be able to do is put together a lot of the puzzle that we’ve been working on in the last several months,” Ms Milne told reporters today.

“It’s complex and now is the time to bring it all together.”

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott agreed the controversial carbon pricing issue probably wouldn’t be put to bed anytime soon.

“There is agreement there in the mix,” Oakeshott said as he headed into the meeting. “I hope we can get it but we’ve got a long way to go before we can get there.”

Fellow independent Tony Windsor said it would be impossible to get an agreement on a carbon price by tomorrow night.

“That won’t happen, the Productivity Commission haven’t given their report … and there’s other international work that’s got to be delivered to the committee as well,” Mr Windsor said.

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