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.
Fleabag is over, so what’s next for Phoebe Waller-Bridge?
With the second instalment of Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag also being the last, and Season 2 of her acclaimed and recently recommissioned series Killing Eve not coming to the UK for some months, the question is: what can audiences expect next from the writer-actor? After co-star and friend Sian Clifford confirmed on BBC Breakfast that Fleabag’s “story is complete,” and that viewers “will accept that it’s the end when they see it,” all attention has turned to Waller-Bridge’s roles on and off screen in her new romantic comedy Run.
With the Run pilot announced by HBO last year and director Kate Dennis (The Handmaid’s Tale) confirmed as onboard shortly after, expectations are high for the first series, which is co-written by Waller-Bridge and her frequent collaborator Vicky Jones. Following two ex-lovers who reunite to see through their long-planned scheme to disappear together, the series has Domhnall Gleeson attached as one half of the couple and a “successful life guru from a rich family who has a wealth of charisma and deep need for approval.” American actor Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie) is also attached, with Waller-Bridge herself appearing as recurring character Flick.
Even spread at Oliviers – but still nothing for casting directors
The Olivier Awards saw an even spread between hit productions Come From Away, The Inheritance and the gender-switched Sondheim musical Company, with each taking away four awards from the Albert Hall on Sunday night. The 2019 Oliviers bucked the trend of recent years when single productions swept the board (Hamilton – seven awards, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – a record nine wins). Best Actress went to Patsy Ferran for Summer and Smoke, Best Actor went to The Inheritance star Kyle Soller; and supporting roles were awarded to Chris Walley for The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Monica Dolan for All About Eve.
Following the debate about whether casting directors should be represented at major industry awards like the Oliviers, casting director Alastair Coomer tweeted on Sunday to celebrate those “who worked on the nominated productions” but are “still unrecognised at the awards.”
READ: Backstage’s Olivier Awards Coverage
Fashion house showed ‘blatant disregard’ for voiceover industry
Luxury French fashion house Givenchy has become the second company in recent weeks to be accused of exploitation and “blatant disregard” for the voiceover (VO) industry, after it joined Virgin Trains in announcing an unpaid opportunity to become the voice of the brand. The fashion house called for members of the public to “join the voice-over challenge” and submit a recording of themselves “for a chance to be the next Givenchy voice” on the company’s social media. The small print of the VO competition stated that entrants will receive “no financial compensation or expense in any form whatsoever.”
Equity condemned the campaign, with general secretary Christine Payne saying the union is “extremely angry that we are once again confronted with a competition of this nature which is taking a paid job away from professional voice-over artists. This is a blatant disregard of the industry and demeans the highly skilled work of voice-over artists.” In a statement, Payne goes on to argue that “Givenchy state in their terms and conditions that they are a company with a capital of €3,000,000 and yet they are not willing to pay proper rates and are essentially using a competition as a guise to exploit the public.” Givenchy tweeted to “clarify that the open call for voice-overs is not commercial,” further angering many actors on Twitter.
First season for Michael Longhurst at the Donmar
The new Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst has announced his first season at the Covent Garden theatre, kicking off with a revival of David Greig play Europe. Elsewhere, the season includes a new play by Alice Birch, the UK premiere of Mike Lew’s comic take on Richard III, Teenage Dick, and ends with a production of Caryl Churchill’s Far Away by director Lyndsey Turner. Longhurst said he had “adored the theatre for years” and “even slept outside overnight” to get a ticket. He called the Donmar “an intimate space in which to congregate and expand our horizons,” adding: “I’m honoured to be here and can’t wait to get started”.
READ: The Who’s Who of British Theatre’s New Wave
Avenue 5 starts shooting
Production has started in London for the hotly anticipated new comedy in space from Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin, The Thick of It, Veep). Hugh Laurie leads the cast as the charming American captain, and Josh Gad (Frozen, Pixels) co-stars. Iannucci favourite Rebecca Front also returns as Karen Kelly. Picked up by HBO for a pilot, Avenue 5 sees writer-director Iannucci return to the US network after breaking ties with his creation Veep to spend more time in the UK.
For more from Backstage UK, check out the magazine.