H&H Series, Thursday June 2, 2011 Interview with Marianne Gray James McAvoy is a marvel when it comes to Crouch End star takes us back to beginnings of character created by Patrick

Stewart in latest X-Men film n Set in the 60s ... James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier, left, with Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto

James McAvoy is one of ent suit,” he says, in his soft private life although he brief- McAvoy says he was at- Britain’s most unpredict- Scottish accent. “The film is ly forgets, saying that since tracted to being cast as an X- able actors. A reticent set in the 1960s, in the Cold I can’t say I did three months they had their baby boy, he is Man because it was a role »Hollywood star, he flips War, when there is a loom- rethinking his working life a about a man finding his pur- seamlessly between block- ing war between the U.S. and bit. pose in a world full of preju- busting studio films like the Soviet Union. of intense Ninja training like “We are very private peo- dice – will the mutants be ac- Wanted, estimated $65mil- ple and luckily ‘fame’ has cepted by humanity? lion budget and with Angeli- Peaceful revolutionary some of them did to get their never actually really wor- “A key element of the film na Jolie and lots of guns, to ried me,” he says. “Since I is about people (mutants) intellectually-moving inde- “Charles is a mutant and got ‘put on the map’, I’ve been who feel like outsiders and pendent dramas like The his mission and purpose in power movements recognised in the street want to be normal.’ Last Station, about the Leo life is to find other mutants about 10 times only! I don’t Directed by Briton Mat- Tolstoy’s final year in which and help them. He’s a peace- think, frankly, I’ll get to the thew Vaughn (Layer Cake/ he plays the Russian writer’s ful revolutionary, leading a I used to watch it on Live And imagining he was dreadfully point where people run Stardust/Kick-Ass), the idealistic aide. Now, his lat- worldwide movement of mu- Kicking, the TV show for constipated.) across freeways to take a pic- script was co-written by est role is in the Marvel tants. kids – and I’ve seen the two Like many people, I first ture of me, as they have done American producer Bryan Comics’ X-Men series. This time round, he’s a bit X-Men films,” McAvoy tells became aware of the refresh- for some of my female co- Singer, who helmed the first In this new episode, First more fun and less Zen-like. me. “For this film, being a ingly level-headed McAvoy stars.” He means Angelina two X-Men films, Vaughn Class, McAvoy plays the lead He hasn’t grown into the prequel, the most important in 2004 in Channel 4’s Shame- Jolie from Wanted and Keira and his screenwriting part- Charles Xavier, a gifted wise old man Sir Patrick thing for me was to tell a good less. He co-starred as lovers Knightley from Atonement. ner Jane Goldman, McAvoy’s young Oxford graduate in portrayed. story and be true to the spir- with his (now) wife, one our Blue-eyed and boyishly Hampstead Garden Suburb genetics who is the world’s We wanted to go the oppo- it.” leading actress Anne-Marie good-looking, he was born neighbour. She admits that, most powerful telepath – the site way with him but we Which, with his power to Duff, 40, who is currently on north of the border in Port although she couldn’t stick role Patrick Stewart made couldn’t make him a bad guy. control magnetism by press- stage at the Old Vic in Ter- Glasgow in 1979, the son of a her oar in for McAvoy, she his own in the previous So we’ve made him sort of ing his fingers to his temples ence Rattigan’s Cause Cele- psychiatric nurse and a certainly was in on conver- films. amoral. and concentrating hard, bre. builder. sations about the casting. “As this is a prequel, there “I’ve been aware of the Charles does. His parents split when he “James came up with some was no point in playing the Marvel comic book story “This temple inspiration Clutch of awards was seven and he and his sis- wonderful ideas about his same character in a differ- since I was about 12 because came after I’d seen what eve- ter Joy, a singer and actress, character because he had rybody else was doing to Now 32, McAvoy went on to went to live with their grand- star in the most diverse of such a good handle on physicalise their power,” he parents. Charles,” she comments with jokes. “I can’t say I did three productions including Atone- The acting started as part ment, The Last King Of Scot- a knowing smile. months of intense Ninja of youth theatre and then the X-Men : First Class also training like some of them land and Chronicles Of Nar- Royal Scottish Academy of nia as the faun, Mr Tumnus. stars Kevin Bacon, Mad did to get their power move- Music and Drama and the Men’s January Jones, Jenni- ments. I’m afraid mine is His mantelpiece at their first big break was in 2000 in home in Crouch End must be fer Lawrence (Winter’s more Carphone Warehouse, the Steven Spielberg-pro- Bone), Oliver Platt (Frost/ less Ninja!” he laughs, groaning from all the awards duced miniseries Band Of he’s won here and abroad. Nixon) and Rose Bryne putting his fingers to his Brothers. (Knowing). forehead. (Michael Fass- Notoriously media-shy and His career has spanned bender who plays Charles apparently unaffected by film, television and theatre, n X-Men : First Class (12A) is Charles’s friend and fellow fame, he somehow seems to most recently in Three Days in cinemas now. For the mutant says he got his depic- have escaped the clutches of Of Rain in 2009 at the Apollo Ham&High’s review by tion of manifesting his power celebrity culture. He and his Shaftesbury Avenue playing Michael Joyce, turn to page n McAvoy’s wife Anne-Marie Duff, with whom he has a baby son not via the Ninja route but by wife never talk about their a father and son double role . 7. The hard lessons learned through suffering from Parkinson’s Disease are expressed in the work of Hampstead conceptual artist Conceptual artist Ronnie his illness has irrevocably the base of opportunities ade ago, is gaining popular- taking responsibility is an Shahmoon links his prodi- shaped his character and from which to power up and ity in London’s art world essential component of hap- gious creativity to the Par- “taught me many hard but connect from. It is a piece and beyond. piness – reliant upon accept- kinson’s Disease he was di- vital lessons”. about engaging with life.” “Art has the ability to stir ing our own illusions. His agnosed with aged 29. It has forced him to exam- The foreground consists emotions deep within us piece Exit Strategy address- The Hampstead-based 40- ine his perspectives on life, of the actual plugs and sock- and bring them to the sur- es the need to keep in touch year-old recently appeared which he often expresses as ets which represent choices face so that we may experi- with reality by exiting a on BBC2 talent programme artistic works. made, depending on wheth- ence them,” he says. bubble of illusion. Show Me The Monet, vying er they are switched on. “Each art piece has a dif- for a coveted exhibition slot Engaging with life “Those switched on rep- ferent impact on every ob- Strength at the Royal College of Art. His piece, Connectivity, resent how we animate our server because the art not Would you describe Although he failed to made from household plugs lives.” From an autobio- only expresses itself but your work as conceptual? make the final cut, he tells and power sockets, “is fun- graphical perspective, helps the observer to ex- “Yes, I think so. My main Gabriella White about the damentally about power, Shahmoon’s physical con- press his or her feelings to- strength is concepts and inspiration behind his large connections and decision- nections have been affected wards it.” simplifying them, exposing artworks featuring plugs making”. by his disease. Shahmoon believes every the obvious flaws, which are and switches. “The array of sockets in The artist, who started individual can change their so obvious we overlook n Artist Ronnie Shahmoon Ronnie Shahmoon claims the background expresses with pencil drawings a dec- experience of life and that them.” Thursday June 2, 2011, H&H Series  Festival with Rhiannon Edwards Ray of light shines on centre stage for Davies and friends Kinks frontman talks about curating the 2011 Meltdown Success has taken Ray Davies all over the world, yet he always ends up not Both Terry »far from Muswell Hill. “I al- ways gravitate to where I grew up. I think it is because Jones and of the light. In Hampstead, Highgate and Muswell Hill Michael Palin the light is different because of the hills. As a painter it is live in the area a great place to be,” says the musician. “Britain has al- ways stuck with me. There’s and as something special about this country that draws me Pythons are back.” This gravitational pull back to the corner of the very British – country where he was born in 1944, along with the label I thought of ‘ultimate Britishness’ that many attribute to Davies, they’d be a seems to be at the centre of his being. It is also the reason that good choice the organisers of the Melt- down festival selected him as this year’s curator – to select who, last year, he performed a dream team line up of art- with at Glastonbury Festi- ists that he has collected as val. favourites, and set them to “The choir are quite big the timeline of the 60th anni- stars themselves,” protests versary of the Festival of Davies at the suggestion of n Britain in the iconic South- locality based favouritism. John Cooper Clarke bank location. “But that community spirit n Ray Davies Picture by Ian Brodie Although he doubts his as- is something I’m really inter- sumed position as a British ested in. Most of the people that they picked tracks out shown an appreciation for institution, Davies is happy that sing in the choir are that had not seen the light of things that many would see to take up the role, drafting from the area and singing is day since they appeared as as beyond his immediate in- in neighbours and Monty Py- a good way to bring people album tracks. Now after re- terests. He disagrees: “I thon actors Terry Jones and together.” cording them again I include think if I had a business card Michael Palin to appear on Community them in my show.” he says. it would say Ray Davies: cre- the programme alongside a Davies’ bill is full of ative person,” he says. “Of myriad of other acts. “Both The Kinks man is so in- friends and he seems quietly course I am a musician but I of them live in the area and spired that he is planning to content with the acts he has am a writer and an artist as Pythons are very British start a community radio sta- drafted in to play, but admits too.” too – I thought they’d be a tion for the area. “I think lo- the festival is a down to earth In quite a British way, he good choice,” Davies says. cal newspapers are great and version of a somewhat also feels that he is only as “I called Terry and we had they serve the community unrealistic bill in his good (or bad – as he adds) as a lunch and I asked him if he but we also really need a ra- imagination. the last song he has written. wanted to do something and dio station. We have so many n n Appreciation “The best song I wrote is the he agreed – the other side of wonderful people and musi- Terry Jones Michael Palin last song I wrote,” he says. the coin is that I asked the cians and great events hap- “I wanted Charlie Buck- culminate in him perform- It is unclear whether Davies “Of course I’m very grate- Preservation Hall Jazz Band pening. I’m working on set- owski, the beat poet, to play ing the Village Green album is aware of the scope of his ful for the attention that my from New Orleans to come ting one up in the future,” alongside John Cooper older songs receive and I like and do something too, and says the 66-year-old. in its entirety and recording influence but he certainly Clarke. I also wanted a show- four new tracks with band enjoys collaborating, having my old songs, but if you ask they agreed.” The radio station, which ing of the Napoleon film by me what I’m most excited Davies is notorious for Davies expects will be set up The Leisure Society, is on made ‘Me and My Friends’ Abel Gance, accompanied by the ever expanding Ray Dav- last year, which included about it has to be the song keeping it local, not only in his studios in Hornsey, an orchestra doing Carmine I’m writing right now.” through references to the will have to be put on the ies to-do list. work with other musical big Coppola’s composition for area where he lives being back burner as he finishes a The list is, of course, a hitters like Bruce Springs- the remake of the film. Some n Ray Davies is curating the laced into songs like Muswell book that he started last year, product of the sum of his pro- teen as well as smaller acts. of these things are just too Meltdown Festival at The Hillbilly, but also through before illness forced him to lificacy and a ‘‘feet on the “I was surprised when I big to organise,” he says with Southbank Centre www. his involvement with the cancel a US tour. That, along ground’’ mentality that a few worked with Mumford and a deep breath. southbankcentre.co.uk. Crouch End Festival Choir with the festival, which will spurn and a few more adore. Sons and Bruce Springsteen In curating, Davies has Booking on 0844 875 0073. The hard lessons learned through suffering from Parkinson’s Disease are expressed in the work of Hampstead conceptual artist Explain your website create moving pixels un- to think of art as a progres- about my illness and being www.statementoftheart. veiling a face. This inno- sion. When you see where it trapped and inanimate. The com. vative technique is known came from and where it’s go- other thing I said was that “I think that ‘we’ artists as “video-impression- ing it is really interesting. the beauty is on the inside.” need to realise our power. ism”. “I feel a lot of art nowa- We are much smarter than Eyes is a static image that days is about trying to be Metaphors with needles the people that wield power is unveiled by the movement different. The problem is Tell me about your com- in this world because we of particles across it, which that you get a lot of artists position for September 11. don’t accept the status quo. animates it and brings it to ‘trying to do something dif- “September 11 is a concep- In searching to become an life. The particles are a bit ferent’ while lacking any tual piece again. There are n Fresh Perspective by Ronnie Shahmoon artist, you can fall out of like the brushstrokes of an real substance in the actual metaphors with injections striking art but, to do it conflicts you on the inside many accepted norms and Impressionist painter, ex- work. and needles which feel very while being deceptively sim- this is where the problem cept they move. In iPod trap, you show uncomfortable but, then without that, to do it with ple on the outside.” comes. You can’t fight big yourself trapped in an again, medicine helps. Sep- household items, that is brother but, if you are smart Art as progression iPod trying to escape. tember 11 is a kind of wake- where I want to go. I actually n Further details at www. enough, you can use it to Which artists or art Yes, we are all stuck in up call or truth serum injec- try to abstract my ideas into ronnieshahmoon.com, shed light on itself. movement inspire you? technology. The work is also tion. It is easy to use politics, easily identifiable objects.” www.statementoftheart. In the piece Eyes, you I love Pop Art, but I prefer a reflection of how I feel sex and religion to make He adds: “Great art always com, www.u-art.org.