Streaming Service: Tubi
BBC show Starring: Michael Sheen, Anna Lundberg, Georgia Tennant, David Tennant, and more.
Staged
Staged was all of us during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael Sheen and David Tennant were convinced by Director (Simon Evans) to rehearse, “Six Characters in Search of an Author”, during the lockdown. Trying to read through the first scene, was made impossible as many more things seem to “come up”.
The first season takes place at the height of the pandemic. Everyone is in lockdown, and work (if possible) and school are now online. Sheen and Tennant are also experiencing this change. Not being able to go outside, not seeing anyone, and not working. It affected people’s mental health and some might have been thinking that birds are planning a takeover. We must not forget the guest role of Samuel L. Jackson, which was hilarious.
In the second season, we find that work is starting back up again. Slowly, with lots of flight cancellations, a constant change of quarantine requirements, and we see the start of wearing masks. Like the artists, we question if we could go back to work. Season two brought guests like Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Parsons, Christopher Waltz, and others. The rave reviews, for Staged, makes their way to the U.S., who wants to create Staged “the U.S. version”. And we see other famous faces auditioning for the roles of Sheen and Tennant. Something that leaves the actors bewildered.
Funny as it was playing to the situation, we were living in. With Staged we saw how different relationships handled the pandemic. From dealing with boredom, needing space, annoying their significant others, and the stress of parenting. The director, Simon Evans, not getting along with his sister, Lucy Eaton, at the start of the pandemic. Which changed as it brought them closer towards the end of season one. Season two showcased the growth Eaton and Evans’s relationship had from not getting along to them missing each other.
Having watched “Staged” after the lockdown was therapeutic in the best hilarious type of way. The world was experiencing, during a pandemic we never expected, was turned into a dark comedy and lightened the experience.
Currently able to watch it via the streaming service Tubi in the US. You can check out their previous work on BBC/Amazon called Good Omens. And don’t forget to come back to see more of what to watch on Curating Edits.