Maryland began life as a stage play at the Royal Court in 2021. It was described by writer Lucy Kirkwood as a ‘howl’ of rage against male violence, written over 48 hours following the violent, high-profile murders of several women in 2020/21. After its first performance, acclaimed documentary maker and director Brian Hill worked with Lucy to bring the script to life for the BBC.
Lucy has adapted the stage play into a screenplay, and the production features an outstanding cast, including Daniel Mays, Zawe Ashton and Hayley Squires. Whilst dealing with a very dark and difficult subject, Maryland has flashes of wit and humour that make it a compelling watch.
Zawe Ashton and Hayley Squires play the lead roles of two women, both named Mary, who meet at a police station in the aftermath of their respective sexual assaults. Guiding them through this world is PC Moody and his colleague PC Eddowes. They are supported by a cast of Furies, similar to a Greek chorus, who rail against the injustices the women face, both in the events of the play and in the wider world.
BBC Press Office has announced the TX date for Maryland – written by playwright Lucy Kirkwood and starring Daniel Mays, Zawe Ashton, and Hayley Squires. Premiering on Wednesday, 20 July on BBC Two and iPlayer.
First seen at the Royal Court in London in 2021 and a fictional artistic response to recent real-life events, the play grapples with the violence women are forced to reckon with in their everyday lives. This new 30-minute adaptation, co-directed with acclaimed documentary-maker Brian Hill, tells the story of two everywomen, both called Mary, and a chorus of modern day furies as they deliver their stories of assault.
Zawe Ashton and Hayley Squires play the lead roles of two individual Marys, who meet at a police station in the aftermath of their respective sexual assaults. They are supported by a cast of furies who rail against the injustices the women face both in the events of the play, and in the wider world. It will TX on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on 20 July at 10pm.
I urge you to watch this. An unflinching, searingly honest and important drama from Lucy Kirkwood. It airs July 20th 10pm @BBCTwo & @BBCiPlayer. https://t.co/AKeaJIH60Y
Lucy Kirkwood says: “I wrote the original play as a howl against the way we have normalised violence against women as something to be accommodated by women themselves, rather than protested by all of us. Against the way that women, especially women of colour, cannot at present even rely on the forces of law and order to protect or respect their bodies. Against the recent deaths of women including Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman and Sabina Nessa in particular, and the anxiety and fear which we culture girls to expect and accept in general.
“I hope the film will give new oxygen to that protest, but I wish it was not still such an urgent conversation.”
Suzy Klein, Head of Arts and Classical Music TV at the BBC, says: “Lucy Kirkwood is one of the most exciting voices in British theatre, whose work has won awards for its portrayal of issues around social justice, climate change and politics.
“Maryland brings Lucy’s searing, incisive vision to the issue of male violence against women and I’m really proud to have it broadcast on the BBC with this extraordinary cast. It’s not a piece that gives any easy answers to one of the most pressing social problems of our time, but it’s impossible to look away from this compelling play – a work brought to us by one of the most trusted and sensitive voices in contemporary drama.”
Full cast list:
Mary: Hayley Squires
Also Mary: Zawe Ashton
PC Moody: Daniel Mayes
PC Eddowes: Justine Mitchell
Furies: Zainab Hasan, Jennifer Joseph, Sarah Lam, Gabriella Leon, Sarah Woodward
Maryland is a Century Films production for BBC Film. The producer is Caroline Levy, the directors are Brian Hill and Lucy Kirkwood and the executive producers are Vicky Featherstone and Lucy Morrison for the Royal Court and Suzy Klein and Rose Garnett for the BBC.
We hope that you will watch this important and relevant film on Wednesday 20 July at 10PM on BBC Two.
The Inside No 9 episode we have all been waiting for- Kid/Nap starring Daniel Mays, Daisy Haggard, and Jason Isaacs along with Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton – premieres on Wednesday 18 May at 22:00 on BBC Two. Danny is also reunited with Code 404 director Al Campbell
Shane (Daniel Mays) and Clifford (Jason Isaacs) have a plan to abduct the wife (Daisy Haggard) of a wealthy hedge fund manager. If he won’t pay them the money, they’ll snip her ears off to prove they mean business. Everything in the plan depends on everyone playing their part right to the end. It’s totally foolproof – isn’t it?
Produced by BBC Studios Comedy Productions and broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, the new series of Inside No. 9 will feature six stand-alone stories, once again inviting viewers into Shearsmith and Pemberton’s world of the extraordinary and macabre.
Headlining series seven are Daniel Mays (Line of Duty, Good Omens), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, The OA), Sophie Okonedo (The Escape Artist, Britannia), Jessica Hynes (There She Goes, W1A), Diane Morgan (Mandy, Motherland), Daisy Haggard (Back To Life, Breeders), Annette Badland (EastEnders, Doctor Who), Siobhan Redmond (The Replacement, Unforgotten) and Ron Cook (Hot Fuzz, The Salisbury Poisonings).
Also set to feature in the upcoming series is Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s fellow co-creator, writer and star from The League of Gentlemen, Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula).
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton say: “We hope you’ll join us and another incredible cast of actors for more surprises that will make your jaws drop and spines tingle. Heads might even roll, and if not heads, definitely eyes.“
Produced by BBC Studios Comedy Productions and broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, the new series of Inside No. 9 will feature six stand-alone stories, once again inviting viewers into Shearsmith and Pemberton’s world of the extraordinary and macabre.
Headlining series seven are Daniel Mays (Line of Duty, Good Omens), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, The OA), Sophie Okonedo (The Escape Artist, Britannia), Jessica Hynes (There She Goes, W1A), Diane Morgan (Mandy, Motherland), Daisy Haggard (Back To Life, Breeders), Annette Badland (EastEnders, Doctor Who), Siobhan Redmond (The Replacement, Unforgotten) and Ron Cook (Hot Fuzz, The Salisbury Poisonings).
Also set to feature in the upcoming series is Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s fellow co-creator, writer and star from The League of Gentlemen, Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula).
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton say: “We hope you’ll join us and another incredible cast of actors for more surprises that will make your jaws drop and spines tingle. Heads might even roll, and if not heads, definitely eyes.“
Gregor Sharp, Commissioning Editor at the BBC, says: “Inside No. 9 is a crown jewel of comedy and we can’t wait to see what twisted gems Reece and Steve have in store for us in the new series.”
Josh Cole, Head of Comedy, BBC Studios Production, says: “It’s a joy to be back in the Inside No. 9 saddle. Reece and Steve are comic masters, and their new scripts are better than ever. Which really is saying something when the last bunch won Best Comedy at the BAFTAs!”
Since its launch in 2014, Inside No. 9 has received widespread critical acclaim and has won an enviable étagère of awards, including the comedy prize at the 2016 Rose d’Or, two RTS Awards and two BAFTA TV Craft Awards (including Comedy Writing), South Bank Show and Writers’ Guild awards. In addition to this, Steve Pemberton won the Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme at the 2019 BAFTA TV Awards and the series won Best Scripted Comedy at the 2021 BAFTA TV Awards.
All previous episodes of Inside No. 9 are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer and series seven will premiere on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in 2022.
Inside No. 9 is a BBC Studios Comedy Production created and written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. The Executive Producers are Josh Cole (Good Omens, Sally4Ever, Crashing) and Adam Tandy (The Thick Of It, Detectorists). The Producer is Kim Crowther (Midsomer Murders, The Worst Witch). The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.
Check out the news from Elliot Gonzalez over at I Talk Telly
We will have more on this exciting project for Danny in the near future!
Spandau Ballet global superstars Gary and Martin Kemp are to star in a new one-off spoof documentary, playing themselves recording a new album.
Made by BBC Studios, The Kemps: All True will see Rhys Thomas OBE interview the pair about their lives and careers following Spandau Ballet’s 40th anniversary celebrations in December. As part of Spandau Ballet, the pair have sold more than 25 million albums with 23 hit singles worldwide, and in 2011 they received a BMI award after hit single True became one of the most played songs in US history.
As well as looking back at their musical history, The Kemps: All True sees the Kemps other passions: Martin attempts to launch a new film franchise and Gary plans a new Vegan meat-substitute, Wonge. Daniel Mays stars as himself, taking the role of Dick Turpin at a read-through of Martin’s movie script.
Perry Benson (The Real McCoy, Operation Good Guys, Benidorm, Oh You Rang M’Lord?) features as their brother ‘Ross Kemp’. The Kemps: All True also features Simon Day (The Life Of Rock with Brian Pern, The Fast Show), Anna Maxwell Martin (Line Of Duty, Motherland), Daniel Mays (Line Of Duty, Good Omens), Alan Ford (Snatch, Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels), Shirlie Holliman (Pepsi & Shirlie), Lucy Montgomery (Tracey Ullman’s Show, The Life Of Rock With Brian Pern, The Fast Show), Tony Way (Extras, Black Books, After Life) and Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who).
Q&A with Martin & Gary Kemp– Gary Kemp says “we have the great Daniel Mays. I’ve seen a lot of his stage work and love him. I met him backstage when I did Pinter’s The Homecoming.”
Tune in Sunday 5 July at 10PM on BBC Two and catch up on BBC iPlayer!
Get ready for the apocalypse! Good Omens has it’s UK television premiere this evening at 9PM!
Described as equal parts humor and horror, fantasy and drama, Good Omens takes place when the Apocalypse is near and Final Judgment is set to descend upon humanity. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, and tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan — except that Aziraphale, a somewhat fussy angel, and Crowley, a fast-living demon, are not looking forward to the coming war, and someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist.
Daniel Mays stars as Arthur Young the unwitting father of the antichrist and David Tennant (Crawley) and Michael Sheen (Aziraphale) play the demon and angel trying to stall the end of the world as they know it.
Commenting on his casting back in August 2017, Daniel Mays said that he was: “Beyond overjoyed to be jumping on board Good Omens. It’s not everyday you get to play the father of the antichrist! Neil Gaiman’s scripts are out of this world and the cast they’ve assembled are second to none.”
Good Omens airs weekly every Wednesday at 9PM on BBC Two. The series is also still available to watch on Amazon Prime Video world-wide.
Mother’s Day aired on Monday 3 September on BBC Two and was met with critical and audience acclaim. This important and emotional drama about the events surrounding the 1993 Warrington bombings starred Daniel Mays, Anna Maxwell Martin, Vicky McClure.
On the day before Mother’s Day 1993, Colin and Wendy Parry’s lives are torn apart when their youngest son Tim is killed in a terrorist attack by the IRA in Warrington’s town centre. The attack shocks ordinary people on both sides of the Irish Sea.
Review roundup:
Telegraph: ★★★★★ Maxwell Martin and Mays gave performances of exceptional depth and power: she a mother struggling to grieve privately for her lost child; he a father convinced some public good must be mined from so senseless a loss.
Guardian: ★★★★ Daniel Mays is also excellent as Colin Parry, channelling his grief in a different direction, towards ensuring his son didn’t die for nothing, and instead becomes a symbol of peace.
The Times: ★★★★ [Mays] put in potent, restrained performance, conveying a man who found catharsis in speaking to the media, reminding people what a “cracker” Tim was.
Warrington Guardian: the couple are portrayed brilliantly by Daniel Mays and Anna Maxwell Martin.
Independent: Powerfully nuanced performances by Anna Maxwell Martin and Daniel Mays as Tim Parry’s parents.
iNews: Moving performances from Anna Maxwell Martin and Daniel Mays.
Express: Anna Maxwell Martin and Daniel Mays portray a convincing couple.
Mother’s Day is available to watch online until March 2019.
We encourage you to visit and suppport the organization that the Parry family started as a way to honour the life of their son Tim: Peace Centre.
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