Staged: (BBC iPlayer)

June 21, 2020 11:54 AM - Season 1 (Full Season)

David Tennant and Michael Sheen (playing themselves) were due to star in a production of Six Characters in Search of an Author in the West End. The pandemic has put paid to that, but their director (Simon Evans - also playing himself) is determined not to let the opportunity pass him by. He knows how big a chance this is for him and turns his attention to cajoling his stars into rehearsing over the internet. All they need to do is read the first scene, but throughout the series they come up against a multitude of oppositional forces: distraction, boredom, home-schooling and their own egos.

Comprising six fifteen-minute episodes filmed in lockdown at the cast's homes and featuring their families, Staged stars Tennant and Sheen (or, as they argue over billing order, should that be Sheen and Tenant?) as somewhat exaggerated versions of themselves, being haplessly directed by Simon Evans, who claims to be playing a positively parodic version of himself. Theatrical agent Jo, trying to keep a firm grip on Evans and her stars, is played by Nina Sosanya, most recently seen as Elaine Parry in His Dark Materials; there are also some guest stars, but I'll leave the surprise of who they are for viewers (or comments below).

posted by Major Clanger (11 comments total)

I quite enjoyed this and I am now completely convinced that Michael Sheen is some sort of mythical creature devoted to chaos.

The scene where a group of grown adults devolve into petty teenage shenanigans a la Mean Girls is deeply amusing.
posted by Julnyes at 1:26 PM on June 21, 2020 [3 favorites]

I also enjoyed this , especially the guest stars. I was also impressed by David Tennant's extraordinary taste in wallpaper.
posted by Fuchsoid at 2:45 PM on June 21, 2020

I was also impressed by David Tennant's extraordinary taste in wallpaper.

....Some of that might be his wife Georgia's taste.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:12 PM on June 21, 2020 [1 favorite]

It is an unmootable fact that this series was delightful.
posted by detachd at 12:07 PM on June 22, 2020 [5 favorites]

OH GOD I WISH I COULD SEE ALL OF THIS but this is a great sampler.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:43 PM on June 22, 2020

(Just to note that the video jenfullmoon posted is essentially a cut-down edit of the highlights and so has spoilers for most of the main jokes and the identities of the guest stars.)
posted by Major Clanger at 7:34 AM on June 23, 2020

Well, that was an utterly wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
posted by fullerine at 10:14 AM on June 23, 2020

For those of us outside of the UK:

link
posted by Julnyes at 12:56 PM on June 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

Julynes, I thanked you earlier, but seriously, watching that was the best part of my wretched day. This is the perfect quarantine show. It is delightful. Michael and David perpetually sniping over their names in the credits while their ladies have private tete-a-tetes and the director has no idea how to deal with this is a hoot.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:41 PM on June 23, 2020

This is on Netflix now in many parts of the world (and on iView in Australia, which is where I saw it). Utterly delightful! I believe they've added extra material so each episode is about 22 minutes long.
posted by Coaticass at 12:16 AM on October 5, 2020

It's on Hulu now, :) but with none of the British extras :(
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:45 PM on October 5, 2020