Press clippings Page 7
Another Zoom meeting with David Tennant and Michael Sheen playing locked-down versions of themselves in a time of Covid-19. As we rejoin them, the producer Simon Evans must step in to try to patch things up between the pair. Meanwhile, David is nervous about Georgia helping out a friend in labour.
Ali Catterall, The Guardian, 17th June 2020Staged (BBC One) is the latest lockdown drama - lockdown dramas being an entire new genre, which Wikipedia will define as "a needs-must 2020 phenomenon in which, under the strictures of coronavirus, a rich person is seen questioning their values, a poor person is seen struggling yet being gamely cheeky, and core workers are celebrated. The genre must feature a Zoom-glitch or similar technological embarrassment." And yet Staged was a hugely refreshing addition to the genre, featuring simply a couple of immensely personable actors playing heightened versions of themselves. David Tennant and Michael Sheen, aided hugely by wives Georgia Tennant and Anna Lundberg, are lockdown-rehearsing an unpalatable, 100-year-old absurdist Italian drama, urged and egged on by Simon Evans, who wrote and directed Staged, and gave himself, in fairness, the very worst lines, the lines which those aged eight to 80 will lift eyebrows to and wonder "Did he really say that? What a dick."
It is grand fun, even if slight, although I suspect that the good friends Sheen and Tennant are, no matter how inadvertently, auditioning even in lockdown for the next series of The Trip.
Euan Ferguson, The Observer, 14th June 2020Staged: Comedy heaven! & even a Zoom joke that's funny!
The pure joy - that is, a pure, pure joy and, quite possibly, heaven - comes from new comedy series Staged. So funny. So so soooooo funny.
Deborah Ross, Daily Mail, 13th June 2020Staged review
At times though, Staged can feel like a lockdown sitcom merged with reality TV show taking place in the homes of the celebs rather than a serious look at the difficulties faced by the theatre as viewed through the medium of a postponed Pirandello. At others, viewers get a glimpse of the issues that concern thespian types. For example, in episode three, Evans finds himself compromised by innate weakness after effectively offering the same role to two distinguished actors, allowing a very funny cameo appearance from the USA by Samuel L Jackson, while subsequently a similar, unresolved plotline involves Adrian Lester.
Philip Fisher, British Theatre Guide, 12th June 2020Staged review
How lockdown locks turned an ex-Doctor Who into Joan of Arc.
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail, 11th June 2020Staged review
BBC One's delectably meta lockdown comedy featuring David Tennant and Michael Sheen.
The Stage, 11th June 2020TV review: Staged series 1 episode 1
There's been quite a few comedies that satirise actors and their quirky ways and this offers up nothing new.
Alex Finch, Comedy To Watch, 11th June 2020Review: Staged
I don't know what was more alarming. David Tennant using the c-word or David Tennant wearing an Alice-band.
Aidan Smith, The Scotsman, 10th June 2020Staged, review: thank goodness this was short
The best thing about Staged is that it only lasts 15 minutes.
Anita Singh, The Telegraph, 10th June 2020