Ian McKellen, Lesley Manville, Lennie James and Joseph Fiennes are among the British talent delivering monologues as part of a new fundraising initiative by actors’ union Equity and actor Michelle Collins.
The #ForTheLoveofArts monologues are between 2-5 minutes long and recorded remotely at the actors’ homes in a bid to raise money for Equity during the coronavirus pandemic. Actors involved also include Miriam Margolyes, Adrian Dunbar, Alex Lawther, Elaine Paige, Mandeep Dhillon, Derek Jacobi and Sue Johnston, among many others.
In the clip below, Fiennes performs King Edward’s monologue from “Edward II” by Christopher Marlowe.
The project, which can be viewed on the Equity Benevolent Fund’s YouTube channel, also features a number of new, original pieces of writing from the likes of Hugh Dennis, Tom Wright, Damon Rochefort, Andrew Lynford, Chloe Moss, Susan Oudot, Martyn Hesford, Stewart Permutt, Tyler Rigby and Tony Grounds.
Genesis Pictures’ Debbie Gray and...
The #ForTheLoveofArts monologues are between 2-5 minutes long and recorded remotely at the actors’ homes in a bid to raise money for Equity during the coronavirus pandemic. Actors involved also include Miriam Margolyes, Adrian Dunbar, Alex Lawther, Elaine Paige, Mandeep Dhillon, Derek Jacobi and Sue Johnston, among many others.
In the clip below, Fiennes performs King Edward’s monologue from “Edward II” by Christopher Marlowe.
The project, which can be viewed on the Equity Benevolent Fund’s YouTube channel, also features a number of new, original pieces of writing from the likes of Hugh Dennis, Tom Wright, Damon Rochefort, Andrew Lynford, Chloe Moss, Susan Oudot, Martyn Hesford, Stewart Permutt, Tyler Rigby and Tony Grounds.
Genesis Pictures’ Debbie Gray and...
- 5/21/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
BBC is bringing back war drama Our Girl, starring Michelle Keegan, for a fourth season.
The drama, which is produced by BBC Studios, is returning to BBC One for a six-part series. Keegan stars as Georgie Lane and takes place one year on from her last tour in Bangladesh.
Having been promoted to Sergeant, and now training a new bunch of medics, Lane is living back in Manchester with her family, and insistent that she’s not joining 2 Section’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. However, when a night on the town results in a near-fatal incident, she needs to face her own fears and return to Afghanistan after losing the love of her life, Elvis, to a Taliban attack.
Written and created by Tony Grounds, the show will film in April in South Africa. Produced by Yvonne Francas and exec produced by Grounds, Roberto Troni, Hilary Salmon for BBC Studios...
The drama, which is produced by BBC Studios, is returning to BBC One for a six-part series. Keegan stars as Georgie Lane and takes place one year on from her last tour in Bangladesh.
Having been promoted to Sergeant, and now training a new bunch of medics, Lane is living back in Manchester with her family, and insistent that she’s not joining 2 Section’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. However, when a night on the town results in a near-fatal incident, she needs to face her own fears and return to Afghanistan after losing the love of her life, Elvis, to a Taliban attack.
Written and created by Tony Grounds, the show will film in April in South Africa. Produced by Yvonne Francas and exec produced by Grounds, Roberto Troni, Hilary Salmon for BBC Studios...
- 1/22/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The creator of Our Girl has confirmed that it was Lacey Turner's choice to leave the show.
Over the weekend, it was confirmed that Turner won't be continuing with the series due to her EastEnders commitments. She was replaced with Michelle Keegan.
Tony Grounds tweeted that the actress made the decision to stay at EastEnders.
"Understand people's sadness at no Molly," he said. "I'm sad too, but [it] was Lacey's choice to stay at Ee. [Michelle Keegan] will ace it!"
Grounds also appeared to confirm that Ben Aldridge will reprise his role as Captain James:
@Jennyj108 That's the plan!
— tony grounds (@TonyGrounds) June 21, 2015
@TriciaTricia23 @Jennyj108 That's the plan.
— tony grounds (@TonyGrounds) June 21, 2015
The new five-part series will follow a number of medics in the British Army. Keegan is playing Corporal Georgie Lane, an army medic on a risky mission in Kenya.
Filming of the second run starts in January. It is scheduled...
Over the weekend, it was confirmed that Turner won't be continuing with the series due to her EastEnders commitments. She was replaced with Michelle Keegan.
Tony Grounds tweeted that the actress made the decision to stay at EastEnders.
"Understand people's sadness at no Molly," he said. "I'm sad too, but [it] was Lacey's choice to stay at Ee. [Michelle Keegan] will ace it!"
Grounds also appeared to confirm that Ben Aldridge will reprise his role as Captain James:
@Jennyj108 That's the plan!
— tony grounds (@TonyGrounds) June 21, 2015
@TriciaTricia23 @Jennyj108 That's the plan.
— tony grounds (@TonyGrounds) June 21, 2015
The new five-part series will follow a number of medics in the British Army. Keegan is playing Corporal Georgie Lane, an army medic on a risky mission in Kenya.
Filming of the second run starts in January. It is scheduled...
- 6/24/2015
- Digital Spy
Lacey Turner is to star in a full series of BBC One drama Our Girl.
A five-part series has been commissioned by the BBC following the one-off episode earlier this year, which attracted an audience of 5.3 million.
Former EastEnders actress Turner starred as Molly Dawes, a struggling Londoner who joins the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The new series will follow Molly during her first deployment as an army medic while the British Army withdraw from Afghanistan.
BBC One controller Charlotte Moore said of the new series: "Our Girl is a rite-of-passage story about a young soldier beautifully captured by Lacey Turner.
"In the same year when our British troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the series will follow the extreme life-changing experiences she is forced to face both on tour and when she returns back home."
Back in March, Our Girl writer Tony Grounds stated that a full series may be in the works.
A five-part series has been commissioned by the BBC following the one-off episode earlier this year, which attracted an audience of 5.3 million.
Former EastEnders actress Turner starred as Molly Dawes, a struggling Londoner who joins the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The new series will follow Molly during her first deployment as an army medic while the British Army withdraw from Afghanistan.
BBC One controller Charlotte Moore said of the new series: "Our Girl is a rite-of-passage story about a young soldier beautifully captured by Lacey Turner.
"In the same year when our British troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the series will follow the extreme life-changing experiences she is forced to face both on tour and when she returns back home."
Back in March, Our Girl writer Tony Grounds stated that a full series may be in the works.
- 12/2/2013
- Digital Spy
Lacey Turner's army drama Our Girl may be turned into a full series, according to the show's writer Tony Grounds.
The 90-minute drama aired last night on BBC One to positive reviews from critics and viewers on Twitter. Grounds said that he would love to continue working on the show if the BBC give him the green light.
"It's definitely something that I'd love to do. It's so fascinating. Each of those kids [joining the army] has got a story," said Grounds.
"I guess the BBC will see what happens when it goes out. They'll wait and see the reaction. And if people love it, I guess we get taken out for a Cup-a-Soup somewhere."
Our Girl pulled in an audience of 5.34 million at 9pm last night (March 24) on BBC One.
Watch the preview clip of Our Girl below:...
The 90-minute drama aired last night on BBC One to positive reviews from critics and viewers on Twitter. Grounds said that he would love to continue working on the show if the BBC give him the green light.
"It's definitely something that I'd love to do. It's so fascinating. Each of those kids [joining the army] has got a story," said Grounds.
"I guess the BBC will see what happens when it goes out. They'll wait and see the reaction. And if people love it, I guess we get taken out for a Cup-a-Soup somewhere."
Our Girl pulled in an audience of 5.34 million at 9pm last night (March 24) on BBC One.
Watch the preview clip of Our Girl below:...
- 3/25/2013
- Digital Spy
Ex-EastEnders star Lacey Turner switches Albert Square for the army in new BBC One drama Our Girl.
Turner will play Molly Dawes in Tony Grounds's single 90-minute drama about a girl with little future, who joins the Royal Army Medical Corps and heads to the war in Afghanistan.
"I am so excited to be a part of Our Girl," said Turner. "It is a beautifully written drama of one girl's journey through life.
"Molly is such an interesting character who shows such strength and determination. She's a girl who you cannot help but love."
Writer Grounds added: "This is a film about a female combatant, but she is also a daughter and a sister. Every soldier is a citizen first and we explore their choices that lead them to an Army Training Camp and how the ensuing months will change their lives forever."
Our Girl will air on BBC One in March.
Turner will play Molly Dawes in Tony Grounds's single 90-minute drama about a girl with little future, who joins the Royal Army Medical Corps and heads to the war in Afghanistan.
"I am so excited to be a part of Our Girl," said Turner. "It is a beautifully written drama of one girl's journey through life.
"Molly is such an interesting character who shows such strength and determination. She's a girl who you cannot help but love."
Writer Grounds added: "This is a film about a female combatant, but she is also a daughter and a sister. Every soldier is a citizen first and we explore their choices that lead them to an Army Training Camp and how the ensuing months will change their lives forever."
Our Girl will air on BBC One in March.
- 2/14/2013
- Digital Spy
The Martins
A self-consciously bittersweet comedy, "The Martins" contains a fair amount of laughs, but these are largely negated by an overriding sense that the film is not quite the dark social comedy it thinks it is. The key performances are excellent -- Lee Evans ("Mouse Hunt", "There's Something About Mary") never better and Kathy Burke confirming her "national treasure" status in British cinema -- but tyro writer-director Tony Grounds can't make the project work.
The film could be a cult success in the United Kingdom but might prove a tough proposition to release overseas. The social characterizations are very English, the language consistently strong and the humor not strong enough. "Martins" could well find a home on video shelves.
The film's premise is quite simple: The Martins are a suburban family from hell. Robert (Evans) is an unemployed dreamer who thinks his great escape will come from winning newspaper competitions. He is adored by wife Angie (Burke). The couple have a heavily pregnant 14-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son who can't deal with school. And Angie's tartly dressed mother lives just across the road with a mission to make her son-in-law's life miserable.
One morning, as Robert is cooking bacon on an improvised barbecue in the garden (involving throwing tires onto a fire), his neighbor starts shooting water at the fire. Robert pulls a gun and frightens off the neighbor. He explains to his angry wife that he is just keeping the weapon for a friend.
Things then spiral downward: Robert pulls the gun on son Little Bob's teacher and later uses it to threaten the editor of the local newspaper, which had been staging a competition with a dream holiday as the main prize.
Finally, Robert uses to gun to hold up the elderly couple who won the prize (nice cameo performances by Frank Finlay and Barbara Leigh Hunt), steals their ticket to the "dream holiday" (which turns out to be a trip to a cottage on the Isle of Man) and convinces his family that he won the competition and is taking them away. With the police on their trail, they head up the motorway from London to take a ferry to the Isle of Man, where eventually things come to a head with a blazing row between Robert and Angie, their daughter giving birth and the arrival of armed police.
The idea of a comedy built around a supremely dysfunctional family is appealing -- look at the success of Australian film "The Castle". But Grounds is determined to make the characters as unappealing as possible, so it's hard to sympathize with a man who thinks the world owes him everything and, when it doesn't come through, starts waving a gun at innocent people.
That being said, Evans forsakes his usual physical comedy to give a subtle, at times endearing performance as a common man pushed to his edge. Burke is great as the wife who loves him for his strengths -- compassion for his family and general good intentions -- but eventually despairs of his weaknesses. There is a deliriously enjoyable cameo by tough-guy actor Ray Winstone as a children's entertainer who goes berserk at Robert when he tries to persuade him to perform at Little Bob's birthday party.
Grounds has a good reputation from British television, where he scripted the series "Births, Marriages and Deaths". It was a brave move by the producers of "Martins" to let him take on directing chores, but sadly it hasn't paid off. There is a lot of talent there, though, and his will be a career worth following.
THE MARTINS
Icon Entertainment International
Tiger Aspect Pictures and Icon Prods.
Producers: Greg Brenman, Dixie Linder, Bruce Davey
Screenwriter-director: Tony Grounds
Executive producers: Peter Bennett-Jones, Paul Tucker, Ralph Kamp, Steve Christian
Director of photography: David Johnson
Production designer: Michael Carlin
Costume designer: Stewart Meachem
Editor: Robin Sales
Music: Richard Hartley
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert Martin: Lee Evans
Angie Martin: Kathy Burke
Little Bob: Eric Byrne
Katie: Terri Dumont
Anthea: Linda Bassett
DI Tony Branch: Jack Shepherd
PC Alex: Lennie James
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The film could be a cult success in the United Kingdom but might prove a tough proposition to release overseas. The social characterizations are very English, the language consistently strong and the humor not strong enough. "Martins" could well find a home on video shelves.
The film's premise is quite simple: The Martins are a suburban family from hell. Robert (Evans) is an unemployed dreamer who thinks his great escape will come from winning newspaper competitions. He is adored by wife Angie (Burke). The couple have a heavily pregnant 14-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son who can't deal with school. And Angie's tartly dressed mother lives just across the road with a mission to make her son-in-law's life miserable.
One morning, as Robert is cooking bacon on an improvised barbecue in the garden (involving throwing tires onto a fire), his neighbor starts shooting water at the fire. Robert pulls a gun and frightens off the neighbor. He explains to his angry wife that he is just keeping the weapon for a friend.
Things then spiral downward: Robert pulls the gun on son Little Bob's teacher and later uses it to threaten the editor of the local newspaper, which had been staging a competition with a dream holiday as the main prize.
Finally, Robert uses to gun to hold up the elderly couple who won the prize (nice cameo performances by Frank Finlay and Barbara Leigh Hunt), steals their ticket to the "dream holiday" (which turns out to be a trip to a cottage on the Isle of Man) and convinces his family that he won the competition and is taking them away. With the police on their trail, they head up the motorway from London to take a ferry to the Isle of Man, where eventually things come to a head with a blazing row between Robert and Angie, their daughter giving birth and the arrival of armed police.
The idea of a comedy built around a supremely dysfunctional family is appealing -- look at the success of Australian film "The Castle". But Grounds is determined to make the characters as unappealing as possible, so it's hard to sympathize with a man who thinks the world owes him everything and, when it doesn't come through, starts waving a gun at innocent people.
That being said, Evans forsakes his usual physical comedy to give a subtle, at times endearing performance as a common man pushed to his edge. Burke is great as the wife who loves him for his strengths -- compassion for his family and general good intentions -- but eventually despairs of his weaknesses. There is a deliriously enjoyable cameo by tough-guy actor Ray Winstone as a children's entertainer who goes berserk at Robert when he tries to persuade him to perform at Little Bob's birthday party.
Grounds has a good reputation from British television, where he scripted the series "Births, Marriages and Deaths". It was a brave move by the producers of "Martins" to let him take on directing chores, but sadly it hasn't paid off. There is a lot of talent there, though, and his will be a career worth following.
THE MARTINS
Icon Entertainment International
Tiger Aspect Pictures and Icon Prods.
Producers: Greg Brenman, Dixie Linder, Bruce Davey
Screenwriter-director: Tony Grounds
Executive producers: Peter Bennett-Jones, Paul Tucker, Ralph Kamp, Steve Christian
Director of photography: David Johnson
Production designer: Michael Carlin
Costume designer: Stewart Meachem
Editor: Robin Sales
Music: Richard Hartley
Color/stereo
Cast:
Robert Martin: Lee Evans
Angie Martin: Kathy Burke
Little Bob: Eric Byrne
Katie: Terri Dumont
Anthea: Linda Bassett
DI Tony Branch: Jack Shepherd
PC Alex: Lennie James
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/8/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Film review: 'Our Boy' The Hit-and-Run, Then the Wreckage / Winstone stars in 'Our Boy,' a drama that examines a father's grief
A harrowing British drama about the aftermath of a fatal hit-and-run crash, "Our Boy" offers a riveting performance by Ray Winstone ("Nil by Mouth") as the grief-stricken father of the young victim. A modest production originally made for TV, it was recently showcased at the Palm Beach International Film Festival.
The film begins with home movie footage in which we see the obviously loving relationship between a young boy and his working-class parents (Winstone and Pauline Quirke). One night, the boy doesn't return home from school. Both parents search frantically -- to no avail. The detectives who come to investigate happen upon some obviously stolen video cameras hidden beneath floorboards and, rather than concentrating on the disappearance, haul the father, Woody, to the station for questioning. When the child's battered body is discovered in a garage, the victim of a hit-and-run, they let Woody go.
Woody then begins a rapid decline as he becomes increasingly deranged and violent over the loss of his son. His wife is equally grief-stricken and becomes despondent at the realization that she is losing her husband as well. Woody eventually alienates friends and family and takes to living in the garage where his son's body was found. When a bizarre turn of events reveals the surprise identity of the actual killer, the film takes an unfortunate turn toward melodrama.
Before that, however, "Our Boy" is a harrowing and detailed account of grief and its aftermath. Winstone delivers a powerful and intense performance that is almost unbearable to watch, and Quirke is equally fine. Tony Grounds' well-textured screenplay sensitively deals with a topic that, in lesser hands, would have proved maudlin. Excellently directed by David Evans, who vividly realizes the characters' gritty milieu, the film is not for the faint of heart (and the thick accents may make it difficult for non-Brits), but it is a powerful drama that deserves wider exposure.
OUR BOY
Wall to Wall Television Ltd.
Credits: Director: David Evans; Screenplay: Tony Grounds; Executive producers: Alex Graham, Tessa Ross; Producer: Joanna Willett: Cinematographer: Oliver Curtis; Editor: Chris Ridsdale; Music: Neill MacColl. Cast: Ray Winstone, Pauline Quirke, Neil Dudgeon, Philip Jacson, Perry Fenwick, Rowena Cooper. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 90 minutes...
The film begins with home movie footage in which we see the obviously loving relationship between a young boy and his working-class parents (Winstone and Pauline Quirke). One night, the boy doesn't return home from school. Both parents search frantically -- to no avail. The detectives who come to investigate happen upon some obviously stolen video cameras hidden beneath floorboards and, rather than concentrating on the disappearance, haul the father, Woody, to the station for questioning. When the child's battered body is discovered in a garage, the victim of a hit-and-run, they let Woody go.
Woody then begins a rapid decline as he becomes increasingly deranged and violent over the loss of his son. His wife is equally grief-stricken and becomes despondent at the realization that she is losing her husband as well. Woody eventually alienates friends and family and takes to living in the garage where his son's body was found. When a bizarre turn of events reveals the surprise identity of the actual killer, the film takes an unfortunate turn toward melodrama.
Before that, however, "Our Boy" is a harrowing and detailed account of grief and its aftermath. Winstone delivers a powerful and intense performance that is almost unbearable to watch, and Quirke is equally fine. Tony Grounds' well-textured screenplay sensitively deals with a topic that, in lesser hands, would have proved maudlin. Excellently directed by David Evans, who vividly realizes the characters' gritty milieu, the film is not for the faint of heart (and the thick accents may make it difficult for non-Brits), but it is a powerful drama that deserves wider exposure.
OUR BOY
Wall to Wall Television Ltd.
Credits: Director: David Evans; Screenplay: Tony Grounds; Executive producers: Alex Graham, Tessa Ross; Producer: Joanna Willett: Cinematographer: Oliver Curtis; Editor: Chris Ridsdale; Music: Neill MacColl. Cast: Ray Winstone, Pauline Quirke, Neil Dudgeon, Philip Jacson, Perry Fenwick, Rowena Cooper. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 90 minutes...
- 5/5/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.