The song “You Will Be Found” is performed in this video by the Dear Evan Hansen Broadway, North American Tour and West End companies – including some lovely glimpses of our Rupert. It is available on YouTube.
This holiday season, we may not be together, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE
The Dear Evan Hansen West End cast – including our beloved Rupert – is part of this socially distanced concert on thespie.com. Global digital tickets are available to buy online, which give you access for 7 days.
There is a brief clip of Rupert talking with castmate Jack Loxton, saying he’s looking forward to seeing people again without it being… strange. Then the DEH cast sing “Merry Christmas, Everyone”.
Thanks to Bunnysworld for the heads-up! ♥
Screen captures shared with the greatest respect but without permission.
Rupert plays the role of Marcus in this new adaptation of the novel The Secret Garden, directed by Marc Munden. Colin Firth stars as Lord Archibald Craven and Julie Walters as Mrs Medlock.
Marcus is the main character Mary’s father, and we only see him during a few flashbacks, but Rupert is as charming as ever!
BBC Merlin fans will recognise one of the filming locations as Puzzlewood, as featured in the banner above.
Release of the film was significantly delayed, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More info available on IMDB.com.
Screen captures used with the greatest respect but without permission.
An open letter has been sent to the UK Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Secretary of State for Culture, that begins: “We are concerned that British theatre is on the brink of ruin.”
There are reports that 70% of theatre venues will run out of money by the end of 2020 due to the restrictions necessary in response to the current pandemic. The letter calls for the UK government to help support the theatres and their workforce, and ensure the future of the theatre industry.
Rupert has signed the letter, along with his fellow nominees for the Olivier Awards. This includes a number of Rupert’s Dear Evan Hansen colleagues, Cassidy Janson (in Company with Rupert) and Colin Morgan (in Merlin with Rupert).
At this stage, the Dear Evan Hansen production is closed until 1 August 2020, and has been since mid March.
You can read commentary and the text of the letter at WhatsOnStage, The Guardian, and other news sites.
The inimitable Noodle Snake recorded an amusing podcast which all began with her purchase of a Showmasters poster featuring our own dear Rupert.
Listen in to all the confusions of her Quest to work out why the poster credits Rupert with work in both Merlin and Doctor Who! This very website receives several honourable mentions!! I feel like we’ve punched through to the next level of fame!!! (Or was that infamy?)
Thank you kindly, Noodle mate! I was in need of cheering up today, for sure. ♥
Rupert posted to Instagram on 3 June 2020:
I’m ashamed at how much I’ve learnt this week about my own privilege and the depth of injustice within our society. I have a lot more learning to do. It’s time to educate, listen, help, donate and stand by and elevate the voices of the black community and do everything we can to help end this ridiculous inequality. #blackouttuesday
Rupert, along with other members of the Dear Evan Hansen family, took part in this video supporting Mental Health Awareness Month.
There is also a link to an open letter you can sign, which asks world leaders to “protect and scale up mental health support in all COVID-19 responses”.
This #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth the three companies representing the global #DearEvanHansen family join over 200 notables from 40+ counties in supporting @gospeakyourmind in the fight for better mental health support. Let your voice be heard by signing: https://t.co/msg596MV6J pic.twitter.com/MAFPuSVFyq
— Dear Evan Hansen – West End (@DEHWestEnd) May 14, 2020
Rupert’s part in the script is: “Our world is not equipped to respond to this global mental health crisis. It wasn’t before the pandemic, and it isn’t now.”
You will be found.
Our awesome King Arthur, Bradley James, hosted an online Merlin quiz – partly to help entertain us during the COVID-19 quarantine and partly to help raise money for a noble cause. He invited the Knights of the Round Table to participate, so we ended up blessed with a mini online convention, with special guests Rupert (Sir Leon), Tom Hopper (Sir Percival), Tomiwa Edun (Sir Elyan) and Eoin Macken (Sir Gwaine).
The chosen charity was Redemption Paws @RedemptionPaws, a Toronto-based non-profit organisation focused on helping dogs in disaster situations. We raised over $15,000 (Canadian) for them, which is utterly awesome!
Bradley kindly uploaded a recording of the quiz to his YouTube channel, which was such a relief to people like me who regretted missing out on the fun! (I live in Australia, and I unwisely let the 4 a.m. start time dissuade me from participating.) Here’s the link:
Rupert was, of course, his usual funny and charming self, and proved himself delightfully human to boot! I mean to say… drinking what appeared to be a beer, saying “fuck”, and announcing he was off to have a wee. You’d be forgiven for thinking he isn’t a minor deity after all! I love the quarantine beard, but his lovely hair is still short, as contractually required by Dear Evan Hansen.
It was a joy to see all the knights gathered together once more, and to see them enjoying not only their own company but also ours. Tomiwa used a few Merlin and location photos as his background. Rupert changed his shirt a few times, as did Bradley – and Eoin gradually stripped away layers to reveal something pink and sultry… Oh my. The Merlin Family Rules!
The quiz had some easy questions, but also some harder ones. I think I would have got all but 2 or 3 – but who knows what silly choices I might have made at that time of the morning! Most people did very well, with only a handful of questions attracting a number of “alternate” choices.
I’ve included some screen captures below, but of course please do yourself the proverbial favour and watch the video itself.
Thank you, everyone, for taking part!
The Olivier Awards has just announced their nominations for 2020. Our Rupert has been nominated as one of four actors in the category Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his role as Larry Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen.
DEH West End picked up a total of seven nominations, including Best New Musical, and Best Actor in a Musical for Sam Tutty (Evan Hansen). Jack Loxton (Jared Kleinman) was also nominated in the same category as Rupert. The Murphy family did well, with Lucy Anderson (Zoe Murphy) and Lauren Ward (Cynthia Murphy) both nominated in the category Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
You can read the full list of nominations here on the London Theatre site. The award ceremony is scheduled for Sunday 5 April.
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed for a win for Rupert! ♥
Update: Due to the pandemic, the winners were eventually announced online on 25 October 2020. Unfortunately Rupert missed out on a win in his category. However, Dear Evan Hansen won in the categories Best Original Score or New Orchestrations and Best New Musical, and Sam Tutty was recognised as Best Actor in a Musical.
