Jake's reading, Maggie goes Italian and Heath 'Don't Mess With the Joker' Ledger

With Jake back in Los Angeles, I feel a little hesitant to mention the possible Farragut North project. However, if I talk quietly maybe it will be all right... I want to mention it because further details have emerged about the reading and about the staging of the play. The theatre newsletter, the Playbill News, has more information on who else took part in the reading with Jake. The other names are Denis O'Hare (a Tony winner in 2003 for Richard Greenberg's play Take Me Out and also a Tony nominee in 2004 for his part in Stephen Sondheim's Assassins), Mark Plum, Jessica Hecht and Alison Pill. The reading was directed by James Lapine who is a Pulitzer Prize winner, who also has three Tony Awards in his collection.


Farragut North, which is named after a subway station in Washington DC located near to K Street where a number of lobbyists work, is set to be the third of four productions taking place during the 2007-2008 season at the Second Stage Theatre (307 West 43rd Street, just off Eighth Avenue in NYC).


Talking of directors, which I wasn't really, it's rumoured that David Fincher is to appear at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival that takes place on 12-14 August this summer. The aim of the gaming festival is to focus on the 'cultural and business impact that games are having on the public, entertainment companies and on more traditional media such as film and television.' Other guests include Stephen Berkoff and Stuart Beattie, the screenwriter of Pirates of the Caribbean.


Meanwhile, Maggie, Peter and Ramona are still doing their bit for the Gyllenhaal campaign to eat at every restaurant in the United States. My favourite guide to the Batman filming, the Chicago Sun-Times, reports that Maggie and her family were spotted lunching on pasta at Cafe Spiaggia, which, apparently, serves the best tiramisu and ice cream in town. Another one to add to the list.

This leads me to the Joker, who as we all well know is played by Heath Ledger. The first eye witness description of the Joker has made it to the net. This is what they say - it's a bit spoilery so don't read unless you know you'll have forgotten it by July 2008.


'I. saw. the. JOKER! He comes out of an elevator with 4 or 5 of his masked minions, two with actualy plastic masks and guns, and the others had painting on their faces. The Joker does not look as grotesque as he did in the photo on the harveydent site. He has long hair with green highlights in it, he was wearing a long purple jacket with a blue sport coat under it, purple gloves and I regret to say I forget the color of his pants. But anyways, he comes in shooting and people are being hurt and killed left and right, he's looking for Harvey Dent (his first line says so). As Joker is hitting people along the way (he's slapping extras!), comes in Batman in that new suit that was in Entertainment Weekly this week. They fight, it's all long and drawn out and during this, JOKER DOES HIS LAUGH. It was high pitched, unique and really badass. Not exactly like Nicholson's, but who the hell can pull that off? It was awesome, just leave it at that. After all that, the Joker grabs Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhal) and begins his escape.'

Heath Ledger grabbing Maggie Gyllenhaal - this has got to be worth waiting for!

Includes photographs from Celebrity Baby Blog and IHJ.