Hello, and welcome back to Week in Review, our roundup of industry-wide news. From stage to screens big and small, we’ve got you covered. It’s everything you need to know and all you can’t afford to miss.
Brexit strikes fear at the Fringe
Alongside being the butt of jokes at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Brexit is striking fear into the hearts of performers and producers. In the first week of the festival it’s been revealed that uncertainty around Britain’s exit from the European Union has prompted performers at the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) ask for fees paid in Euros or US dollars and seen an international circus company warn Brexit will put an end to their plans in the city.
EIF director Fergus Linehan this week admitted the festival wouldn’t have been able to secure their line-up without committing to paying fees in other currencies. As the pound fell to historic lows this month, Linehan said the EIF would be in a “very bad way” had it not made currency arrangements amounting to around £1 million earlier this year.
Meanwhile, New York-based circus company Spiegelworld has warned that their planned premieres at the festival have been jeopardised because of the weak pound. This year sees the company premiere Atomic Saloon Show ahead of a residency in Las Vegas, with more new shows planned for future festivals and designs on a permanent venue in the city becoming their European hub. However, according to Spiegelworld’s Ross Mollison, this is now “unlikely” as Mollison told The Stage the company’s take home for this year will be “terrible” because of the value of the pound against the US dollar. Read more here.
RELATED:
- What to See at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival
- What Is the Edinburgh Festival + Why Does It Matter?
- Edinburgh Fringe Teams up With Screen Scotland
BAFTAs to include casting directors for first time
Next year’s BAFTA awards are to include an award for casting for the first time, after years of campaigning and calls from recognition from the wider industry. The new category will be introduced for both film and TV ceremonies and see the “highly skilled work” of CDs included alongside the traditional awards for actors, directors, and other production categories. BAFTA chair Pippa Harris said: “Casting is essential to the screen industries, and vital in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion on screen,” with CD Lucy Bevan saying the decision was “terrific news for our profession.” The BAFTA film awards take place on February 2, 2020.
READ: BAFTA Introduces Casting Category to Film + TV awards
Hampstead Theatre responds to claims of ‘importing’ talent
Hampstead Theatre has defended the casting of an American East Asian actor, after campaigners claimed it demonstrated the “importing of talent.” Last week BEATS, an advocacy group for British East Asian performers, released a statement saying they were “extremely disappointed” by the casting of US actor Celeste Den in new play The King of Hell’s Palace. The group claimed Roxana Silbert’s production of the play, set in China, was using Arts Council money to deprive “British-based East Asian actresses being given a rare opportunity to play a nuanced and humanised character in a major London venue.”
Hampstead Theatre has now responded by saying Michael Boyd’s production matched playwright Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s “aspirations” for the play, arguing that “Frances is an American national but a truly international playwright” and that Celeste Den was cast “because of her intimate relationship to the play.” The theatre said Den had both appeared in early workshops and readings of the new work and spent time with the person who inspired her character. They argued Den had “been inside the skin of the characters longer than any actor in the world.”
The north London theatre also said they “conferred” with Equity during the casting process, something that was described as “probably the worst aspect” of their response by director Joseph Brett, who argued holding auditions for a role “they had already decided on” was “sacrificing the time of dozens of actors just so [Hampstead] comply with Equity requirements.”
Report: half of UK homes streaming
Around half of all homes now subscribe to one of the major streaming services, with Netflix leading the battle for living rooms and laptops according to a report by Ofcom. The streaming giant has 11.5 million subscribers in the UK, with Amazon in second place with 6 million. Despite Netflix’s lead, both major companies have grown their customers by around 25% in the past year as they push original programming and blockbuster dramas for UK audiences. Ofcom’s report also revealed that young people are now least likely to watch TV as broadcast, with most spending more than an hour a day on YouTube. The news bodes well for Netflix who have invested heavily in original content for UK audiences and even moved into their own base.
READ: Why Netflix Is so Successful + How to Get Involved in the UK
Acting duo reunite
Filmmaking and acting duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are to reunite for the first time on TV as Gus and Dave in new Amazon series Truth Seekers. The pair star as two hapless paranormal investigators, staking haunted locations and checking out sightings across the UK. However, as the supernatural experiences grow more frequent and disturbing, Gus and Dave stumble upon a deadly conspiracy that could threaten the entire human race. Pegg, whose career has taken him to the US with blockbuster franchises like Star Trek, will be back alongside long-time collaborator Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End) on UK TV for the first time since their cult hit Spaced. Shooting starts in September.
A West End return for James McAvoy
James McAvoy will return to the West End in Cyrano de Bergerac, the opening play of Jamie Lloyd’s new season. Lloyd and McAvoy reunite for the Edmond Rostand’s classic comedy after previous successes with productions of Macbeth and The Ruling Class. The play itself tells the story of a soldier and lovesick poet who falls for the beautiful Roxane but fears his oversized nose will come between them.
The production is part of the Jamie Lloyd Company’s attempt to broaden access to theatre through the offer of 15,000 free tickets to first-time theatregoers and £15 tickets to under-30s. McAvoy said: “Every day, we talk about making theatre more accessible to absolutely everyone, but, inspired by free museum and gallery entry, I believe that true and meaningful access actually means free tickets. I hope that this inspires other theatre companies and producers to investigate similar schemes in the future, changing the landscape of West End theatre forever.” Read more here.
For more from Backstage UK, check out the magazine.