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天云岸
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他在英国似乎过得不错~Jonathan Groff strolled into the J Sheekey restaurant with a strange object tucked under his arm.
From a distance, I figured it might be some sort of space age prop being used at rehearsals for Ira Levin's Deathtrap, the comedy thriller he's preparing for, along with award-winning Simon Russell Beale, Claire Skinner and Estelle Parsons.
But, no. He cheerfully informs me it's a cycle helmet and that he has been riding daily from a rented apartment in the West End across town to the rehearsal space director Matthew Warchus is using in Clapham, South London.
As if that wasn't enough, the 25-year-old has joined a gym so he can swim every morning and he's working out a route for a run that already takes in Hyde Park, Green Park and St James's Park.
And that's not even counting the physical exercise involved in rehearsals.
'At the moment, we're miming the combat scenes,' he told me. 'We haven't used any of the real weapons yet. For now, the handcuffs are made of duct tape.'
Eventually there will be daggers, crossbows, knives and a garrote. Deathtrap, clearly, is a play to die - and get fit - for.
It's Groff 's first play outside the U.S., where he is best known for starring in the original production of Spring Awakening and for playing Jesse St James in the hit TV show Glee.
In Deathtrap, he plays a young writer named Clifford Anderson who visits celebrated thriller writer Sidney Bruhl, the lead part, being played by Russell Beale.
There's blood and mayhem, chills, spills and thrills. Warchus has adapted Levin's play using notes the playwright made as he was writing it in the early Seventies.
Jonathan explained Warchus's method is to rehearse Deathtrap 'as if it were Shakespeare or Chekhov'.
'That way, you really get into the centre of the characters,' Groff told me. 'We're in the middle of exploring what the relationships are. I leave every day with a headache because Simon and Matthew are so smart, and trying to keep up with them is like taking a masterclass.'
He has given himself plenty of homework, watching movie thrillers to get him in the mood. Away from work, he is enjoying life in London, hanging out with close friend Patina Miller, the star of Sister Act over at the London Palladium.
He's been seeing shows while he can. He's crazy about War horse and wants to catch the new shows at the Donmar, Almeida and the National before previews start at the Noel Coward in mid-August (Deathtrap has an official opening night on September 7).
The part of Clifford is a great role for him and he has been astute in not just sticking to musical theatre roles.
Groff was the best thing about Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock. It was a small role, but the camera clearly liked him.
He has also just finished filming Robert Redford's film The Conspirator with James McAvoy. He has a supporting part, but took it to work with Redford and McAvoy.
After his run in Deathtrap ends in the New Year, he told me he's hoping to get to LA to join best friend Lea Michelle in one episode - or more - in the second series of Glee.
With that, Jonathan picks up his alien helmet and rides off into the London traffic, with few recognising the young heartthrob.
