2023 Preview

Steven Spielberg’s Masters of the Air marks the completion of a trilogy two decades in the making following Band of Brothers and The Pacific. This second war drama, about the air force this time, includes EBA clients Jakob Diehl, Robert Hands and Benjamin Dilloway and will premiere on Apple TV+ . All the Light We Cannot See is another World War II drama and follows the lives of two teenagers Marie-Laure, a blind girl and Werner Pfennig, a German boy whose paths cross in occupied France. Jakob Diehl this time plays Nazi Colonel Mueller in a 4 part adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel adapted by Steven Knight for Netflix. Rain Dogs is written by Cash Carraway, described as a “wild and punky tale of a mother’s love for her daughter, of deep-rooted and passionate friendships, and of brilliance thwarted by poverty and prejudice”. Starring Daisy May Cooper and featuring Thomas Coombes, it will be shown on the BBC. We can’t wait to see Thomas too in the highly anticipated Luther: The Fallen Sun, a feature film adaptation of the TV show which is scheduled to premiere on Netflix in March. Watch out too for Jodie McNee in Culprits, a new comedy heist drama for Disney Plus, John MacKay in Nolly, ITVX’s big launch show about Crossroads legend Noele Gordon and Gavin Spokes in Better, BBC’s new crime thriller from the creators of Spooks and Humans.

Returning dramas we can’t wait to catch up with in 2023 include Warrior Season 3 for HBO Max which will see Andrew Koji back as Ah Sahm in San Francisco’s 19th Century China Town. Also, Oliver Dench is returning as Lucian in Hotel Portofino , the lavish period drama set in a hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the ‘Roaring 20s’ and set against the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy. The second season of Hotel Portofino is set to premiere in 2023 on ITVX in the UK and on PBS in the US whilst Season 1 will be shown on ITV. There are returns too for Sophie Stone as forensic pathologist Ashley Wilton in The Chelsea Detective and Nicholas Lumley will reprise his role of Larry in the 2nd season of Screw to be broadcast later this year

BBC Films have a busy release schedule this year including two features in which Josie Walker takes leading roles. Naqqash Khalid’s debut feature In Camera is set in Manchester and follows the life of an aspiring actor and Knockers explores the strange hinterland between childhood and adolescence in a Britain set in the early 90’s ; written and directed by Lucy Cohen. Also on BBC Films slate is Starve Acre; dark and sinister forces are at work in this upcoming feature where Melanie Kilburn plays the mystic Mrs Forde opposite Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark. Natalie Radmall Quirke plays Eileen Gray in a biopic of the architects life titled Life is Everything – directed by Christoph Schaub for Das Collective with an autumn release anticipated. Described as a dystopian fever dream action thriller, we can’t wait too to see Andrew Koji star opposite Bill Skarsgard in Boy Kills World due for release later this year with Moritz Mohr directing.

Spring Production News

Screen

Oliver Dench begins filming Hotel Portofino a new Brits family drama set in Mussolini’s Italy of the 1920s. Jodie McNee joins the cast of Hollington Drive a new 4 part thriller for ITV written by Sophie Petzall. Michelle Bonnard is a new regular in the second season of We Hunt Together filming from next month whilst Josie Walker is cast as a series reg opposite Ben Whishaw in the much anticipated BBC adaptation of Adam Kay’s book This Is Going to Hurt.

The Chelsea Detective is a new 4 part series airing later this year with Sophie Stone playing series reg Ashley Wilton whilst Jason Callender joins the staff as a new teacher in the BBC’s reboot of the classic Mallory Towers.  Sally Scott is currently filming Dalgliesh a new 6 parter based on the PD James novels whilst Amy Cudden has been cast in new Speilberg/ Tom Hanks produced World War II drama Whirlwind.  

Guest roles this spring include Hayley Carmichael and John Mackay in Landscapers a new 4 part drama starring Olivia Colman, Guy Rhys in Ipcress Files the TV remake,  Hywel Morgan is a guest lead over 2 eps of Gentleman Jack playing William Briggs and Jimmy Walker plays the role of Ray Nelson in HBO Max’s adaptation of the bestselling novel The Girl Before. Natalie Radmall Quirke has been cast in Hulu’s upcoming adaption of Sally Rooney’s novel Conversations with Friends and Olwen May plays the main supporting role of Dora in A Very British Scandal: Duchess of Argyll written by Sarah Phelps starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany.  Joseph May joins the reboot of All Creatures Great & Small and Jude Monk McGowan films perennial favourite Call the Midwife.  

In other production news,  Warrior starring Andrew Koji has been recommissioned for a third season in moving over  to HBO Max and Eugene O’Hare joins the cast of Starz drama Outlander which has been commissioned for a 6th season.  

Theatre

As theatres slowly begin to reopen we’re delighted to be able to announce some casting news.  Scott Karim will appear at The Kiln Theatre in The Invisible Hand which Indhu Rubasingham directs in its first major revival. Colm Gormley is back at The Globe for their reopening summer season of As You Like It, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Jordan Mifsúd and Dorothea Myer-Bennett return to The Orange Tree with Paul Miller’s ‘Shaw Shorts’ and Jack James Ryan makes his National Theatre debut in After Life written by Jack Thorne in a co-production with Headlong.  James Doherty is back in the West End in Come From Away Winner of 4 Olivier Awards including Best Musical which plays at the Phoenix Theatre from 22 July.  And following its West End success Home I’m Darling starts a UK Tour this summer with Sandy Foster playing the lead role of Judy. Daniel Crossley, meanwhile,  joins the cast of Talent written by Victoria Wood and playing at the Sheffield Crucible this summer.

Autumn 2020

Andrew Koji joins Bullet Train, the Brad Pitt-led action thriller directed by David Leitch for Sony Pictures. Based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by best-selling author Kotaro Isaka, the story centres on a group of assassins who find themselves aboard the same high speed train with Andrew playing one of the assassins.

Patricia Allison returns to filming as Ola on Sex Education 3 and production also resumes for Jodie McNee as Willa on Britannia 3, Ken Bones on A Discovery of Witches 3 and for Oliver Dench as Xander on Pandora 2.  We’re thrilled that all of these shows have found their way back into production during these unprecedented times.  

New commissions include Josie Walker who is filming Belfast, written and directed by Ken Branagh and described as a tribute to the city and its people; Robert Cavanah in Red Election, a UK/Danish thriller shooting in Ireland who goes on to film Professor T, a new ITV crime drama based on the hit Belgian show of the same name; and Natalie Radmill Quirke who continues shooting medieval drama Glow & Darkness in Spain about the life of St Francis of Assisi.

On the box, Jodie McNee stars in Agatha and the Midnight Murders, a feature length Ch 5 film about the life of the legendary writer; Jay Simpson features in Des, the critically acclaimed ITV drama about serial killer Dennis Neilson on the ITV hub and Tom Coombes will next be seen in Small Axe , Steve McQueen’s return to the small screen with a series of five films about London’s West Indian community. 

We also have a new favourite listening habit which comes in the form of a new podcast about bees.  Hosted by friends Jane Horrocks and our gorgeous Esther Coles download now wherever you get your pods  ? ? ?

play.acast.com/s/queen-bees/trailer

Stage News

Gavin Spokes joins the cast of A Very Expensive Poison a new play by Lucy Prebbles premiering at The Old Vic and directed by John Crowley. Tafline Steen plays River in Appropriate by Brandon Jacobs -Jenkins at The Donmar which Ola Ince directs. Josie Walker returns to The National playing Old Mrs Hempstock in The Ocean At The End of The Lane , Neil Gamain’s fantasy novel adapted to the stage and directed by Katy Rudd. Ferdy Roberts plays Dr Walker in the first revival of Conor McPherson’s Girl From The North Country which returns to the West End at the Gielgud Theatre. Daniel Rabin joins Robert Icke’s final production of at The Almeida The Doctor, Natalie Radmall- Quirke joins the cast of Ned Bennet’s Equus which comes to the Trafalgar Studio’s and Sophie Duval and Sam Alexander reprise their roles in Laura Wade’s The Watsons which transfers from CFT to The Menier Chocolate Factory. At the Globe Sophie Stone is Jacques in As You Like It directed by Elle While, Anita Reynolds plays in The Merry Wives of Windsor, whilst Jenna Augen joins Bartholomew Fair with director Blanche Mcintyre.

Openings include Tamsin Carroll in Peter Gynt at The National directed by Jonathan Kent, Scott Karim in Oklahoma! at Chichester Festival Theatre director Jeremy Sam , Patrick Brennan in Greg Doran’s Measure for Measure at the RSC and Tomi Ogbaro in Dominic Hill’s A Midsummer Nights Dream at Regents Park. Rupert Goold’s The Hunt with Howard Ward has opened to rave reviews at The Almeida and Jodie McNee has earned high praise for her performance as Belvedere in Venice Preserved at RSC Stratford. Jordan Mifsúd and Dorothea Myer-Bennett continue in Rattigan’s While The Sun Shines at The Orange Tree whilst Hayley Carmichael has opened in Peter Brooks WHY? at Bouffes Du Nord Paris.

Autumn Theatre Preview

Josie Walker returns to the West End with Sheffield Crucible’s production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in which she plays the lead role of Margaret; Jonathan Butterell directs opening at The Apollo Theatre in November. Olwen May plays the Butcher in St George and the Dragon with Lyndsey Turner directing for The National Theatre whilst Clemmie Sveaas will begin rehearsals for Pinocchio with John Tiffany directing. Also opening at The National this Autumn for a limited run is Oslo with Geraldine Alexander and Howard Ward, transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre from October. Tom Edden returns to the West End as he takes on the role of Mr Wormwood in Matilda for the RSC at The Cambridge Theatre. Lisa Palfrey, meanwhile continues as Big Mama in the Young Vic’s production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at The Apollo. Scott Karim joins Nicholas Hytner’s exciting new venture at the Bridge Theatre for his inaugural show Young Marx, Geoff Leesley transfers with Trouble in Mind, Laurence Boswell’s acclaimed production from Theatre Royal Bath coming to the Print Room Coronet and Jenna Augen plays Val in The Knowledge at the Charing Cross Theatre with Maureen Lipman directing.

Laura Rogers joins the cast of Rules For Living with Simon Godwin directing for ETT with Natalie Radmall Quirke also joining the company playing the lead role of Valerie in their celebrated revival of The Weir. Meanwhile at The Royal Exchange, Sophie Stone starts rehearsals for their much anticipated stage adaptation of the cult film Jubilee, Carol Macready, Kriss Dosangh head to Home Manchester for Walter Meierjohann’s production of Uncle Vanya and Patricia Allison plays Susan in The Harper Elliot/West Yorkshire Playhouse co production of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe directed by Sally Cookson.

Autumn Screen

Jodie McNee heads to Prague to shoot Jez Butterworth’s epic 10 part Sky/Amazon drama Britannia in which she plays Mackenzie Crook’s sidekick Willa. Hayley Carmichael plays Alice Mayhew the BBC 1/Mammoth Screen two-parter Witness for the Prosecution, an adaptation of Agatha Christie short story by the same name. She then goes on to shoot Kiss Me First a new tv show from Skins creator Bryan Elsley for E4 and Netflix. Also for Netflix, Chris Gordon will return for series two of The Crown in which he returns as Prince Phillips valet John Dean. Sophie Stone also joins the cast as Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Greece. Sophie has also been filming the pivotal role of Lucy Yolland in the new BBC adaptation of Wilkie Collins’ novel The Moonstone

In Comedy drama; Ken Bones plays Nathan Clore in The Jonathan Creek Christmas Special, Joe Sims plays butcher Thomas Rice in Carnival’s ever popular Lucky Man, Jay Simpson joins the cast of Retort’s Royal sitcom The Royal Blues, Tony Guilfoyle shoots new period satire Decline and Fall for Tiger aspect, Joe May shoots series 6 of the hit comedy Trollied and Howard Ward and Alex Felton film the fourth season of Drifters whilst Sophie Duval can be seen in the forthcoming series of Chewing Gum.

Gary Oliver meanwhile shoots series 2 of CBC drama X Company in Budapest, Alex Blake shoots new BBC brothel drama Harlots, Rhys Rusbatch films Sherlock for the BBC, Sarah Winman and Sandy Foster join the cast for Season 6 of Call The Midwife, Geraldine Alexander and Howard Ward shoot documentary drama experiment The Jury directed by Nick Holt and Natalie Radmall Quirke shoots a new 4 part drama for RTE titled Cheaters.

autumn-screen

Film news

Alex Blake and Howard Ward will join the cast of Richard Eyre’s new film The Children Act adapted from Ian McEwan’s award winning novel, shooting this Autumn. This season also see’s Jordan Mifsúd premier in Irish Netflix film The Siege of Jadotville, Oliver Dench star in Nickelodeon’s Ride and Daniel Coonan, Alex Felton and David Nellist’s debut in The Discovery Channel’s Harley and The Davidsons.

On screen now catch Terry Beesley playing Buxton in Victoria on ITV, Rose O’loughlin in RTE’s Small Town and Sophie Duval playing Clothilde in The Collection for Amazon Prime.

New Year Stage News:

On Stage

Robert Hands20160114 Theatre plays the Lord Chamberlain in Mrs Henderson Presents, directed by Terry Johnson and transferring to the Noel Coward Theatre, West End from February. Sophie Stone plays Michelle in a revival of the Simon Stephens’ play Herons at the Lyric Theatre directed by Sean Holmes. Charlotte Lucas revives her role as Ellen Tree in the critically acclaimed Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti as part of The Kenneth Branagh Season at The Garrick. Josie Walker continues her run at The National as Mrs Purdy in Husbands and Sons. Peter McGovern will play Ned in The Globe’s transfer of Nell Gwynn to the Apollo Theatre, West End whilst Dan Rabin continues at The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse opening in The Winters Tale. Molly Logan, meanwhile, plays Viola in Twelfth Night director Bill Buckhurst also for The Globe. Graham Turner returns to the RSC playing the Fool to Tony Sher’s Lear in Greg Doran’s new production as well as Belarius in Melly Still’s Cymbeline. Nicholas Lumley is also returning to Stratford in Maria Aberg’s Dr Faustus and Angus Jackson’s Don Quixote.

Laura Rogers and Richard Teverson take a new production of Private Lives on a tour for Ambassadors, directed by Tom Attenborough, Penny Beaumont plays Camilla in Make Bartlett’s King Charles III touring the UK and then Australia whilst Geoff Leesley returns to PW’s An Inspector Calls. Natalie Radmall-Quirke and Chris Gordon both appear in Winter’s Tale for Cheek By Jowl touring Paris, Madrid and Italy and Scott Karim will play Edmund in the Philip Frank’s directed King Lear starring Michael Pennington. In a year for Lear’s Thomas Coombes will be playing Oswald in Michael Buffong’s version for The Royal Exchange whilst Sévan Stephan begins rehearsals for Breakfast At Tiffanys which will tour prior to opening at The Haymarket Theatre, West End.