It looks like the number of makeshift programming inspired by the coronavirus pandemic lockdown will keep rising as time goes on. While the likes of Parks and Recreation, All Rise and Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet have put together remotely produced special episodes, the BBC has put together an entirely new comedy series called Staged. The series will follow Good Omens stars David Tennant and Michael Sheen as members of a cast of a furloughed West End theatre production as they try to continue rehearsals through video calls at home.
Deadline called our attention to the new BBC comedy series Staged, and there’s even a teaser trailer:
New comedy series #Staged, starring #DavidTennant and @MichaelSheen, is coming to @BBCOne in June. Here's a little taster of what you can expect: https://t.co/xmzxmmVHSR pic.twitter.com/hehqJg8OX2
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) May 22, 2020
In the clip, the characters played by David Tennant and Michael Sheen talk about homeschooling during quarantine and quickly go off on a tangent about why it would be better to teach their kids a craft (or a trade) instead. There’s even a proposal to teach kids how to pickpocket, which prompts a whole Oliver Twist tangent. It feels similar to the kind of character dynamic that Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon have in The Trip TV series and film franchise.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen will be joined by Lucy Eaton and Anna Lundberg, as well as Tennant’s wife Georgia Tennant. There’s also a slate of guest starts who will appear in the series, but those names have yet to be revealed. It likely won’t be a huge roster since the series will only be comprised of six episodes, each lasting 15 minutes.
Though a lot of audiences don’t seem super keen on programming tied to the coronavirus pandemic, unless it’s some kind of big benefit special, perhaps Staged can bring some levity to our lives. That’s what Charlotte Moore, BBC director of content, is hoping for. She said in a statement:
“It’s so important that the BBC provides moments of humor and light relief and this mischievous idea shows what great sports Michael and David are.”
Staged comes from writer and director Simon Evans, who created the show with Phin Glynn, and the latter is also producing with Victor Glynn and Georgia Tennant. David Tennant and Michael Sheen are also executive producing along with Axel Kuschevatzky and Cindy Teperman at Infinity Hill and Geoff Iles for GCB.
The series is slated to premiere on BBC One in June, as well as being available on iPlayer, but there’s no indication as to how/if it will be released in the United States. But we hope there will be some way to watch since it looks pretty funny.
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