Actualités

In the cinematic landscape of war stories, the focus is often fixed upon the front lines. The Choral, however, tunes its narrative to a quieter, more domestic frequency. The film places us in a Yorkshire town in 1916, where the Great War is a constant, ambient hum of dread.

Telegrams arrive, young men disappear, and the community of Ramsden is left to grapple with the absences. The story finds its central metaphor in the local choral society, a tradition now threatened by a severe shortage of male voices.

The attempt to stage a performance becomes the town’s small act of persistence, a way to create something structured and beautiful while the world outside is collapsing.

The year is 1916. The setting is the (fictional) hamlet of Ramsden in the very real county of Yorkshire. The Military Service Act, which imposed conscription on British males ages 18 to 41, has not yet been put into action, but support for the war is already on the wane. While older folks might happily proclaim that they wish they could serve, it’s hard to really feel that way when the town’s volunteer servicemen who do return home come back hurt, haunted, and maimed.

For a still-smaller subset of Ramsden citizens, the war is but a backdrop to more pressing concerns: with so many young men off on the front lines, the town’s choral society is really hurting for members. And when its leader decides to enlist, things get even more dire. Silly as it might sound on the surface, the choral society offers the mildest of diversions for people who need it.

It’s almost impossible not to be won over by an actor like the great Ralph Fiennes. Just recently, he’s shown that he can bring gentle gravitas to a film about cardinals fighting over the future of their church just as he does a post-apocalyptic zombie movie that ends up becoming a moving meditation on death itself. He can be wearied yet witty, both melancholic and mischievous, all with a critical change in tone or expression drawing you in. Unfortunately, the meandering historical drama “The Choral” manages to do the impossible and almost entirely squander all of his talents as an actor. Despite gesturing towards big questions surrounding life,...

The full lineup for this year’s BFI London Film Festival has been unveiled with Noah Baumbach’s George Clooney-starring Jay Kelly and Chloé Zhao’s buzzy Shakespeare tale Hamnet among the additions.

On Wednesday, a total of 247 titles — comprised of features, shorts, series and immersive works — from 79 countries were confirmed to premiere at this year’s festival, running Oct. 8-19. Rian Johnson’s next Knives Out installment, Wake Up Dead Man, was previously announced as the opening gala and Julia Jackson’s 100 Nights of Hero is set to close the fest.

The headline galas are jam-packed with Hollywood’s top talent. Kicking off the American Express Gala is the U.K. premiere of the Brendan Fraser-led Japanese drama Rental Family from Hikari, while the Patron’s Gala at this year’s fest is H Is For Hawk from Philippa Lowthorpe with Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson.

La película tendrá su premiere mundial en Toronto. © Sony Pictures Classics

Sony Pictures Classics ha revelado el primer tráiler y póster de la película The Choral, dirigida por Nicholas Hytner (Lady in the Van) y escrita por su colaborador habitual Alan Bennett.

En The Choral, mientras la guerra arrecia en el frente occidental, la Sociedad Coral de Ramsden ha perdido a la mayoría de sus integrantes, reclutados por el ejército. El decidido comité de la Coral, empeñado en continuar, opta por reclutar a jóvenes locales para engrosar sus filas. También necesitan un nuevo director de coro y, pese a las dudas que despierta, la opción más prometedora es el Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes), un hombre enérgico, exigente y recién llegado de una carrera en Alemania. Conforme empiezan a llegar los llamamientos de reclutamiento, toda la comunidad descubre que la mejor respuesta ante el caos que arrasa sus vidas es hacer música al unísono.

Searchlight Pictures debuted a new trailer for ‘Rental Family’ from writer/director Hikari and starring Oscar Winner Brendan Fraser.

Set against modern-day Tokyo, the movie follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese “rental family” agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.

Directed, co-written and produced by Hikari. The film stars Academy Award® and Screen Actors Guild award winner Brendan Fraser with a supporting cast that includes Emmy® nominee Takehiro Hira (Shogun), Mari Yamamoto, Akira Emoto and newcomer Shannon Gorman.

Also in trailers – ‘The Choral’ trailer debuts: Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner reunite for stirring WWI drama about...

20th Century life, grief, and music collide in the moving first trailer for ‘The Choral,’ the fourth collaboration between legendary writer Alan Bennett and acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner. The BAFTA, Olivier, and Tony Award-winning duo behind ‘The Madness of King George,’ ‘The History Boys,’ and ‘The Lady in the Van’ return with a deeply human, quietly rousing story set against the backdrop of World War I.

Set in 1916 Yorkshire, the movie tells the story of a small-town choral society in Ramsden struggling to survive as its male singers are swept away by war. With the Western Front swallowing its youth and conscription looming, the choral’s ambitious committee refuses to disband. Instead, they rally to keep the music alive by recruiting younger local men and appointing a new chorus master. Enter Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), a stern, enigmatic figure just returned from a life in Germany. Though whispers swirl about his past,...

Nigel Hawthorne once wrote of his experience making Demolition Man opposite Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes – and it’d be fair to say he wasn’t a fan.

The late, great Nigel Hawthorne left behind following his death in 2001 a wonderful, cherishable collection of screen credits. What’s more, he wrote about them in his terrific memoir, Straight Face, that he completed shortly before his passing, and was published posthumously. The Madness Of King George and his role as Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister took pride of place in a terrific list of credits.

But one film that Hawthorne wasn’t a fan of was his Hollywood debut.

He devoted in the aforementioned book just three pages to his experience of working on the 1993 science fiction blockbuster Demolition Man, a movie for which I confess to having no little love. It was fair to say that...

The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival added several world premieres by prolific filmmakers including Netflix’s Rian Johnson threequel Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Sony Pictures Classics’ Nicholas Hytner title The Choral, Miramax/Paramount’s Derek Cianfrance caper The Roofman, Paul Greengrass’ AppleTV+ movie The Lost Bus, Searchlight’s The Rental Family from Beef episodic director Hikari as well as the Canadian premiere of Hament from Oscar winning Nomadland filmmaker Chloe Zhao.

In total TIFF unveils today 11 more Official Selections in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes. The fest, presented by Rogers, runs from Sept. 4-14.

“Since its inception, TIFF has championed global cinema that opens our eyes and brings us together,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “We are delighted to share 11 more titles from our Gala and Special Presentations programmes that showcase the remarkable originality and excellence of today’s most exciting and acclaimed directors.

Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Paul Greengrass’s wildfire dramaThe Lost Busstarring Matthew McConaughey,and Rian Johnson’s ensemble Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery led by Daniel Craig, are among 11 Galas and Special Presentations that will screen at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Apple Original Films’ The Lost Bus and the third Knives Out mystery at Netflix receive their world premieres at the festival’s 50th edition running September 4-14. The latter will go on to open the BFI London Film Festival in October.

Zhao’s period drama for...

The Toronto Film Festival has added to its 50th edition world premieres the latest films by Paul Greengrass, Rian Johnson, Hikari, Agnieszka Holland and Canadian auteur Clement Virgo.

Toronto programmers unveiled six news Gala titles on Wednesday, including world premieres for Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral, with the U.K. director reteaming with writer Alan Bennett for a First World War drama that stars Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent and has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics.

Also getting a first look in Toronto is Derek Cianfrance’s Roofman, an upcoming Paramount release that stars Channing Tatum as a real-life former Army Ranger who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs. And there’s a Canadian premiere for Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, an adaptation centering on William Shakespeare’s wife that stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn. Earlier picked up by Focus Features,...

Since 1947, the Tony Awards have recognized an array of remarkable shows with the coveted title of Best Play. From timeless classics like Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman to modern-day masters such as Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse. Through their captivating narratives and spellbinding performances, the plays remind us why the Tonys have a knack for recognizing the timeless magic that leaves audiences longing for an encore.

The most recent winner was Purpose, which won at the 2025 Tonys.

Scroll through the gallery to take a look back at all the Best Play winners.

Related: Tony Awards: Every Best Musical Winner Since 1949...

Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning actor known for such TV series as “Northern Exposure,” “Big Sky” and “Desperate Housewives” and films including “Sully” and “Seabiscuit,” has died. She was 71.

Mahaffey’s husband, actor Joseph Kell, disclosed that she died May 30 in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer.

“I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed,” Kell said.

Mahaffey won the supporting comedy actress Emmy in 1992 for her work as a hypochondriac Eve in the fictional Alaskan town featured in CBS’ fish-out-of-water dramedy “Northern Exposure,” which aired from 1990 to 1995.

Most recently, Mahaffey was seen in the Apple TV+ series “Echo 3” and the 2020 indie film “French Exit” opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges. For the latter, she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role as the optimstic Madame Reynard in Azazel Jacobs’ dark comedy.

She co-starred...

Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning actress known for her work on such shows as Northern Exposure, Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon and Dead to Me, died Friday. She was 71.

Mahaffey died in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer, publicist Jillian Roscoe announced.

Known for playing eccentric characters, Mahaffey received a Spirit Award nomination for her turn as widowed American expat Madame Reynard in French Exit (2020) opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges as mother and son.

From 1991-94, she appeared on five episodes of CBS’ Northern Exposure over three seasons and received a supporting actress Emmy in 1992 for portraying the hypochondriac Eve, wife of Adam Arkin’s character.

She played the manipulative Alma Hodge, ex-wife of Kyle MacLachlan’s Orson Hodge, on ABC’s Desperate Housewives from 2006-07; recurred as the teacher Victoria MacElroy on CBS’ Young Sheldon from 2017-20; and played Lorna Harding, Christina Applegate’s narcissistic mother-in-law, on Netflix’s...

Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling play unlikely lovers in this sweet and extremely revealing first time drama from Harry Lighton, adapted from Adam Mars-Jones’ Box Hill

Here to prove there’s nothing gentle about true love is an intensely English story of romance, devotion and loss from first-time feature director Harry Lighton, who has created something funny and touching and alarming – like a cross between Alan Bennett and Tom of Finland with perhaps a tiny smidgen of what could be called a Bdsm Wallace and Gromit. It’s basically what Fifty Shades of Grey should have been.

Pillion is adapted from the 2020 novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones: a shy traffic enforcement officer falls for the ultimate dominant alpha male – an impossibly handsome, strong, emotionally impassive biker who casually demands complete domestic obedience in exchange for the privilege of being reamed with athletic vigour and thrilling lack of sensitivity,...

Valuable documentary on the vigilant genius whose highly coloured 70s and 80s images revealed the white working class as never before

The beguiling work of English photographer Martin Parr is the subject of this brief, but thoroughly enjoyable study which sets out to introduce his extraordinary work, particularly the fierce brilliance of his colour images in the 70s and 80s celebrating the white working class on holiday.

Parr is an inspired combination of seaside-postcard artist Donald McGill and Alan Bennett, with a bit of American street photographer Vivian Maier, and a sliver of Diane Arbus, although the grotesques in which Arbus specialised are not what Parr has in mind. Everyone here is at pains to emphasise that Parr is never cruel or mocking, and, yes, it’s quite true. But as a real artist, Parr naturally has what Graham Greene called the splinter of ice in his heart. He knows...

Richard Griffiths is best known for his role as Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter series, but one of his most iconic and memorable performances actually came much earlier in his career. The veteran actor offered a wide array of characters, from the grumpy Uncle Vernon in Harry Potter to the cerebral Hector in The History Boys.

Harry Potter actor Richard Griffiths | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, despite his illustrious career and diverse roles, there was one character that continued to haunt him long after the credits rolled: Uncle Monty, the lascivious and flamboyant homosexual character from the cult classic Withnal & I. Griffiths shared that though he played characters of varied sexual orientations throughout his career, this particular role shaped people’s assumptions about him, especially regarding his sexuality.

Richard Griffiths discussed how Uncle Monty contributed to the misunderstanding of his identity

Released in 1987, Withnail & I became a defining movie for Richard Griffiths,...

On Friday 13 December 2024, BBC Two broadcasts Alan Bennett: 90 Years On!

Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Alan Bennett: 90 Years On” on BBC Two promises to be a heartfelt tribute to the celebrated playwright as he reaches the milestone of 90 years. Set to air in May 2024, this film offers a unique look at Bennett’s life, showcasing both his remarkable career and his personal reflections on growing older.

Viewers can expect a blend of candid conversations and nostalgic memories, as Bennett shares his thoughts on the ageing process. The episode will not shy away from the challenges that come with getting older, but it will also highlight the joys and adventures of youth that have shaped his journey.

This film aims to capture the essence of Bennett’s contributions to theatre and literature while providing an intimate glimpse into his life. With a mix of interviews, archival footage, and personal anecdotes,...

“Alan Bennett: 90 Years On” is set to air on BBC Two at 10:00 Pm on Friday, December 13, 2024. This special film marks a significant milestone, celebrating the life and remarkable career of Alan Bennett, one of Britain’s most cherished playwrights. As Bennett reaches the impressive age of 90 in May 2024, the film offers a unique blend of reflection and nostalgia.

The film dives into the themes of aging and the passage of time, showcasing Bennett’s candid thoughts on growing older. It highlights the challenges that come with age while also cherishing the vibrant memories of youth. Through interviews, personal stories, and clips from his work, viewers will get a glimpse into the mind of a creative genius who has touched many lives with his storytelling.

Bennett’s wit and wisdom shine through as he navigates his own experiences, making the film both poignant and uplifting. Fans of his work, as...

Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs and some bunting star in The Salt Path, a new film based on a true story. Here’s the trailer.

From Reese Witherspoon in Wild to Robert Redford as Bill Bryson in A Walk In The Woods, the juxtaposition between intimate, human conflict and the vast landscape of the natural world has provided the backdrop for some terrific films.

The latest is The Salt Path, which is based on a true story.

The synopsis reads as follows:

A married couple (Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs) receive a bad health diagnosis and are left homeless after legal trouble, so they embark upon the 630-mile (1010 km) South West Coast Path – the longest uninterrupted path in England, from Minehead to Poole around the coast of Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset.

The cast also includes James Lance and Hermione Norris.

Theatre director Marianne Elliott, who previously directed the National Theatre Live...

In his 10th decade, the writer is as prolific as ever with a war film in the works and a new sex-fuelled novella set in a home for the elderly. He talks about mourning Maggie Smith, turning down a knighthood and what he makes of Donald Trump

Alan Bennett never expected to be writing in his 90s, with a novella published next week and a film in post-production. There was a time when he didn’t expect to reach 70. In 1997, a cancerous growth was found in his colon that had already begun to spread. “The surgeon didn’t think I’d got a chance, really,” recalls Bennett, 27 years on. “So yes, it is a slight surprise that I’m 90.”

He attributes these bonus decades to two younger men: his partner, the magazine journalist Rupert Thomas, 58, and the director Nicholas Hytner, 68, with whom he has worked on 11 theatre and screen projects.

Beloved actor Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89, it has been confirmed. The news was announced by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin in a statement. “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” it reads. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

Smith’s career spanned several decades, across both stage and screen – she began her theatre career in the early 1950s, while her screen career began in earnest with 1958’s Nowhere To Go. Her cinematic breakout role came in the 1965 adaptation of Othello, in which she played Desdemona – and was nominated for an Oscar. The film also starred Michael Gambon...

Maggie Smith, the two-time Oscar and four-time Emmy winner whose work in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Downton Abbey — plus everything before and after — made her one of the most formidable British actors of all time, died Friday. She was 89.

Her sons, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, told the BBC that she died “peacefully in hospital … an intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.”

Best known in recent years for matriarchal roles in seven of the Harry Potter films and the ITV-pbs series Downton Abbey, Smith earned early acclaim with a best actress Oscar...

British stage and screen actress Maggie Smith, the “Downton Abbey” and “Harry Potter” star who numbers two Oscars, three Emmys and countless stage awards to her credit, died Friday in London. She was 89.

“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.”

In her late 70s, Smith drew an entirely new legion of fans thanks to her starring role in...

Charles Dance is set to play Italian artist Michaelangelo in new BBC docu-drama “Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty.”

Dance’s casting in the three-part series came as the BBC unveiled its arts and culture slate across television and radio at a dedicated event in London on Wednesday evening. “Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty” is a co-commission with PBS exploring an era of violence and power politics that produced some of the Western world’s greatest works of art.

Other highlights on the slate include Simon Schama’s take on the culture wars in “The History of Us,” the return of archaeological series “Civilisations” with a new iteration tentatively titled “Civilisations: Rise and Fall,” and a docu-drama about Jane Austen to mark the 250th anniversary of her birth next year. “Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius” will include interviews with writers, actors, and biographers.

A series of new films...

On Tuesday 3 September 2024, BBC Four broadcasts Patricia Routledge Remembers!

Talking Heads Season 1: Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Patricia Routledge Remembers,” titled “Talking Heads,” promises to be a delightful exploration of one of the most celebrated series in British television history. Airing on BBC Four, this episode focuses on Alan Bennett’s unique tele-plays, which were crafted for a select group of talented actors, with Patricia Routledge being one of the standout stars.

In “Talking Heads,” Patricia reflects on her experiences with the scripts that highlighted her exceptional comic talents. The episode features her memories of three distinct characters: from the sharp wit of A Woman of No Importance to the poignant storytelling in A Lady of Letters, and the quirky charm of Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet. Each character offers a glimpse into the versatility and depth that Patricia brought to her performances.

As she shares her journey,...

“Patricia Routledge Remembers” is set to premiere its first season with a special episode titled “Talking Heads.” This exciting show will air at 11:45 Pm on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, on BBC Four. The episode dives into the world of Alan Bennett’s beloved series of tele-plays, showcasing the incredible talent of Patricia Routledge.

In “Talking Heads,” Patricia shares her experiences of receiving scripts that perfectly matched her comic style. She reflects on her roles in three memorable stories: “A Woman of No Importance,” “A Lady of Letters,” and “Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet.” Each character presents its own unique challenges, and Patricia offers insights into the creative process of bringing these figures to life on screen.

Fans of Patricia Routledge can look forward to a heartfelt and humorous journey as she recounts her memories of working with Alan Bennett. This episode promises to be a delightful blend of nostalgia and wit,...

Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral headlined by Ralph Fiennes, Paul Andrew Williams’ The Nest starring Andrea Riseborough and Jan Komasa’s Jeremy Thomas-produced Good Boy are among the projects backed by the Yorkshire Content Fund and in production across the summer.

The Yorkshire Content Fund, administered by Screen Yorkshire, has been supporting local production since 2012. It was initially set up with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (Erdf), which was awarded through the now-defunct regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward.

Following the demise of the regional development agency structure in 2012, the Yorkshire Content Fund continued to support production in...

The Thin Blue Line actor David Haig is adapting his World War II thriller play Pressure into a film. Here are the details.

While David Haig is perhaps best known for his role as Inspector Grimm in Ben Elton’s The Thin Blue Line, he also an acclaimed dramatic actor, delivering the astonishingly dark Playing Sandwiches monologue in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads series.

Haig is also a prolific playwright, however. He penned the 2004 play My Boy Jack, about Rudyard Kipling’s son fighting in the first World War. He adapted into a television film in 2007, in which he also starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Kim Cattrall.

Pressure premiered in 2018. Haig wrote and also starred in the production, which chronicled the story of the decision makers behind the D-Day landings, the tiny window of opportunity they were afforded in choosing between June 5th or June 6th 1944 and the pressure cooker environment in which they worked,...

Warning: this Inside No. 9 review contains spoilers.

Alfred Hitchcock and co. needed just shy of two hours for Rear Window; Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith and director Al Campbell nailed their version in under 29 minutes and got a great gag in at the end.

Inside No. 9 perfection? I’d argue so. Show me one second wasted in this expertly constructed half hour. From Larry’s “best to use a brick” introduction, all the way to the Netflix punchline, this was pretty unassailable storytelling. It had comedy, tension, surprise, very decent guest stars and a formal experiment that was no gimmick, but integral to the story’s suburban satire.

Less Rear Window than Front Door, “Mulberry Close” was told almost entirely through the static frame of a video doorbell. Val and Damon (Vinette Robinson and Shearsmith) were newcomers to the close, having just moved into No. 9 next door to Larry...

Playwright Alan Bennett has written original screenplay The Choral, which will begin filming this summer.

There’s a reason a remake of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologues (pictured above) was one of the first things put into production when the pandemic started in 2020. Not only were they easy to film with a single cast member, but the texts are also regarded as modern classics of drama, each story a masterpiece in construction and storytelling. You only have to watch the original versions to see the astonishing power of David Haig in Playing Sandwiches or Dame Thora Hird in A Cream Cracker Under The Settee.

The Choral, meanwhile, is Alan Bennett’s first original script written for the screen in forty years, after 1984 comedy A Private Function. The synopsis reads as follows:

Set in Ramsden, Yorkshire in 1916, the plot centers on the chorus master and most of the men of the ambitious local Choral Society,...

Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent and Simon Russell Beale are starring in 'The Choral'.The actors have signed up to feature in the latest collaboration between director Sir Nicholas Hytner and writer Alan Bennett following on from 'The History Boys' and 'The Lady in the Van'.Unlike the pair's previous films, 'The Choral' is an original script rather than an adaptation of one of Bennett's plays.The movie is set in Ramsden, Yorkshire in 1916 and follows the chorus master and the men in the ambitious local Choral Society, who have volunteered for the frontline during World War I.Under the guidance of the demanding Dr. Guthrie (Fiennes), the Choral recruits a group of teenage boys and girls who discover the joy of singing while the new boys come to terms with the fact that they will soon be serving their country.The film explores the humour and humanity in a community that faces an uncertain future.

Sony Pictures Classics has taken worldwide rights to Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral, written by Alan Bennett, and set to star Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent and Simon Russell Beale.

This is the fourth feature collaboration between Bennett and Hytner after The Lady In The Van, The History Boys and The Madness Of King George. Unlike those films,The Choral is based on an original screenplay rather than a play.

Hytner will produce the film alongside Kevin Loader and Damian Jones. Backing comes from Sony Pictures Classics, BBC Film and Screen Yorkshire, and shooting will commence in Yorkshire this May.

Executive producers include Caroline Cooper Charles,...

Director Nicholas Hytner and writer Alan Bennett are collaborating again, with The Lady in the Van, The History Boys and The Madness of King George duo set to team on The Choral, which will star Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent and Simon Russell Beale. Production begins in May in Yorkshire, according to Sony Pictures Classics, which said Wednesday that it has acquired all worldwide rights to the pic.

Unlike their previous collaborations that were based on Tony-winning playwright Bennett’s stage plays, this is an original screenplay. Set in Ramsden, Yorkshire in 1916, the plot centers on the chorus master and most of the men of the ambitious local Choral Society, who have volunteered for the front. Under the direction of the demanding, driven Dr. Guthrie (Fiennes), the Choral recruits a crop of teenage boys and girls. Together they discover the joys of singing and the urgency of desire as the new...

The BBC is celebrating the art of the literary adaptation by screening a variety of classics on BBC Four. More details here.

The BBC is quite rightly celebrated for its rich history of book to screen adaptations, such as the iconic 1995 version of Jane Austen’a Pride And Prejudice to Cbbc’s hugely successful adaptation of Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker series.

It has now put together a season of 14 adaptations from the BBC archive, some of which have rarely been seen since their original broadcast.

The dramas are:

The Great Gatsby

Toby Stephens, Mira Sorvino and Paul Rudd lead the cast in this 2000 BBC adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel on the American dream in the jazz age.

Small Island

Naomie Harris, Ruth Wilson, David Oyelowo, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ashley Walters star in this 2009 TV version of Andrea Levy’s novel focusing on the lives and...

There are numerous laugh-out-loud moments in Saltburn, Emerald Fennell’s darkly comic and voyeuristic exploration of the British aristocracy being released on Friday by Amazon MGM Studios. Despite the hugely impressive efforts of Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant, however, most don’t belong to the lead cast, but to Paul Rhys.

As Duncan, the imperious and terrifying butler, the Welsh actor silently steals scenes from under the toffee noses of both those he dutifully serves at the Saltburn mansion (including Pike, Grant, Jacob Elordi and Alison Oliver) and the lower-class interloper he’s keeping a beady eye on (Barry Keoghan) each time he appears with hilariously po-faced magnificence.

And it’s a face that crops up again in another starry title landing late in the awards season corridor. In Ridley Scott’s much-anticipated biopic Napoleon, out Nov. 22 via Apple Original Films and Sony Pictures, Rhys plays Talleyrand, the crafty...

Film-maker who directed the 1984 classic A Private Function, starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith

In a small Yorkshire town in 1947, a pig is being illicitly reared to provide meat for a forthcoming banquet of local dignitaries celebrating the marriage of Princess Elizabeth. That is, until a timid chiropodist (Michael Palin) pig-naps the animal, urged on by his grasping wife (Maggie Smith), who sees it as a possible ticket out of their glumly austere lives and up the social ladder.

So begins A Private Function (1984), originally titled Pork Royale, Alan Bennett’s first script for cinema. With finely rendered performances from Palin, Smith – who is hilariously sour as what Time Out called “a Lady Macbeth of the aspidistras” – and a host of British talent, the film’s tone teeters on the brink of unwholesomeness without ever quite tipping over.

Paxton Whitehead, the prolific and acclaimed actor whose career stretched from 17 Broadway productions, a recurring role on the hit 1990s sitcom Mad About You and a memorable turn as a snooty professor who takes an instant disliking to Rodney Dangerfield’s crude self-made man in 1986’s Back to School, died June 16 at a hospital in Arlington, Va. He was 85.

His death has been confirmed by his son Charles Whitehead, with many friends and colleagues sharing their memories on social media.

Actor Dana Ivey wrote: “We first worked together in My Fair Lady in 1964, and the last time was in Importance of Being Earnest in 2010 — friends for 59 years. I loved him so. Heartbroken.”

Tony-nominated for his performance as Pellinore in the 1980 revival of Camelot, Paxton, born in English village of East Malling, made his Broadway debut in a short-lived production of Ronald Millar’s The Affair. His next Broadway show — Beyond the Fringe...

To mark the release of Allelujah arriving for Premium Digital Ownership and Premium Digital Rental from 17th April and will also be available on Blu-Ray and DVD from 29th May, we have 3 Blu-Rays to give away!

Allelujah is directed by Richard Eyre from a screenplay by Heidi Thomas (Call the Midwife, Cranford), and based on the stage play by Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The Lady in The Van). It is a warm, humorous and deeply moving story about surviving old age:

When the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local community: they invite a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital’s most distinguished nurse. Allelujah celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients whilst paying tribute to the deep humanity of the medical staff battling with limited resources and ever-growing demand.

What do the 76th annual Tonys have in common with the 17th annual awards?

Stephen Sondheim.

The late, great influential composer is represented in this year’s Tonys with the acclaimed, popular revivals of his 1979 classic “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Street” earning eight nominations and 1987’s “Into the Woods” receiving six.

Sixty years ago, it was Sondheim’s musical comedy “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” which dominated the Tony Awards with six wins: best musical, best producer for Harold Prince, best director for George Abbott, best author for Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, leading actor for Zero Mostel and featured actor for David Burns. Ironically, Sondheim failed to earn a nomination for best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theater. He would not win for his tunes until “Company” in 1971. Vying in that category were “Stop the World I Wanted...

There are no bad episodes of Inside No. 9 – Steven Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith’s brilliantly inventive anthology show telling half-hour stories set in single locations – which is one problem when choosing favourites. Another is that every single ranking seems to be topped by the same episode – series two, episode two, ‘The 12 Days Of Christine’. You’ll get no argument there – that episode is a masterpiece blending comedy, spookiness, drama and an emotional final act revelation that brings the whole thing together. But it does rather overshadow the other 43 episodes so far aired, many of which are also excellent and worthy of more notice.

As Inside No. 9 returns for the rest of series eight, we present: 15 of its best Inside No. 9 episodes that are *not* ‘The 12 Days of Christine’.

15. Misdirection

Considering the reputation this series has for surprising twists, it’s perhaps strange that it took until series five...

When you’ve stolen Glastonbury, defined an era, released the album of the decade and exploded Michael Jackson’s cheesy pop pomposity on the global stage, what exactly do you do for an encore? Such was the dilemma facing Jarvis Cocker – arch Britpop voyeur, poet laureate of the fumbled bra-strap and Jesus sandal, once memorably described as a cross between Alan Bennett and Barry White – as he sat in hotel rooms on the tour for 1995’s masterpiece Different Class. There he was, shrouded in the anonymous dark, watching pornographic films and relating deeply to the blankness in the eyes of the performers.

“I found it fascinating wondering what happened to these porn stars,” the frontman of Sheffield alt-legends Pulp – who reform for a run of major festival and arena shows this summer – told NME in 1998. “People have a voracious appetite for porn, they need to see new faces all the time,...

On the surface, Allelujah looks like standard Mother’s Day weekend fare; sweet and a bit twee with a rousing clap for the heroes spirit and the thrilling need to shove a hankie up your sleeve just in case Dame Judi dies at the end.

This is not that film.

It all starts off predictably enough; The Beth is a small Yorkshire hospital under threat of closure and the vulnerable patients in its respected geriatric unit have the most to lose if the battle to save it should fail. Figuratively and literally holding their hands through this turbulent time are Sister Gilpin (Jennifer Saunders) and Dr Valinder Singh Vashish (Bally Gill), who generously adopted the moniker Dr Valentine after patients repeatedly failed to pronounce his name. Dr Val also serves as our narrator.

The inhabitants of the precious beds on the ward are a checklist of sweet and sour, cheeky and confused archetypes,...

I used to think that directing was all about commanding – about knowing the answers to all the questions,” says Richard Eyre. “Now I feel the opposite.” Eyre, one of the titans of British theatre since the 1970s, has of course done his share of commanding in the past. Of Ian McKellen in one of the definitive stagings of Richard III. Of Daniel Day-Lewis in Hamlet, which saw the actor walk off stage mid-performance and never return. Of the National Theatre, throughout his 10-year stint as creative director between 1987 and 1997, when he championed the work of firebrand artists such as David Hare and Howard Brenton.

On screen, he cut his teeth on Play for Today before moving on to films such as 2006’s Notes from a Scandal and the BBC’s 2018 King Lear starring Anthony Hopkins and a cusp-of-stardom Florence Pugh. Now 79 years old, Eyre speaks to me over video chat...

With the NHS and healthcare in general never far from the headlines, the arrival of Richard Eyre’s Allelujah couldn’t be more timely.

Based on Alan Bennett’s stage play and set in the geriatric wards of much-loved hospital, The Bethlehem – known to the community at “The Beth” – the film follows the staff and patients as they cope with the possibility of closure and the many pressures and challenges of working or living there. Some confront personal problems, others find themselves questioning their beliefs and, ultimately, the hospital is rocked by an unexpected event. It’s a heartwarming drama with a serious side.

Director Richard Eyre, together with actors David Bradley and Bally Gill spoke to us about the making of the film, and especially how the cast and crew were more like a family. Eyre had worked with many of them before – particularly Judi Dench – and recalled a wonderful atmosphere on set.

Dame Judi Dench has opened up about how her degenerative eye condition has led to eyesight loss.

In an appearance on The Graham Norton Show that aired Friday, the Oscar winner said her vision has made it difficult to remember her lines.

In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died In 2022

“It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” Dench said.

The actress first announced her macular degeneration diagnosis in 2012, saying she struggled to read scripts and see other people’s faces.

Macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe eyesight loss among people over 50. Because only the center of vision is affected, people rarely go blind from it, instead only losing the ability to see small details. However, as it worsens, people lose the ability to drive,...

Dame Judi Dench claims that her eyesight is getting so bad that she is struggling to continue acting.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show Friday, the 88-year-old actress said an age-related degenerative eye condition is affecting her ability to remember lines.

“It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines, but also tells me where they appear on the page,” Dench said. “I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them. I could do the whole of Twelfth Night right now.”

Dench has had macular degeneration for more than a decade now.

“You find a way of just getting about and getting over the things that you find very difficult,” she said. “I’ve had to find another way of learning lines and things, which is having great friends of mine...

Judi Dench has been quite open with fans over the last several years about her degenerative eye condition, which has made it increasingly difficult for the 88-year-old Oscar winner to learn her lines. In a new interview on “The Graham Norton Show” (via People magazine), Dench said it’s now become “impossible” to learn lines because of her eyesight loss. The actor has long prided herself on having a photographic memory when it comes to scripts, but she can no longer rely on it.

“It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” Dench said. “I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them. I could do the whole of ‘Twelfth Night’ right now.”

During a 2021 conversation with the Vision Foundation,...

Judi Dench has opened up about the challenges her eyesight condition has brought on, revealing that it’s become “impossible” for her to read scripts.

Years ago, the award-winning actor revealed she had Amd (age-related macular degeneration), a common condition that usually occurs in people’s fifties and sixties and affects vision.

Amd doesn’t cause total blindness, but can make reading and recognising faces difficult, according to the NHS website.

Last October, the 88-year-old Belfast star said the condition was “bad enough”, admitting she “can’t see”.

Now, during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Dench said “it has become impossible” for her to read scripts (via Entertainment Tonight).

“Because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” she explained.

“I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them.

Judi Dench is opening up about her continued struggled while losing her vision due to advanced macular degeneration (Amd).

The Oscar-winning actress, age 88, joined “The Graham Norton Show” in an episode airing Friday when – joined by Hugh Jackman, Michael B. Jordan, Eugene Levy, Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Pink – she shared that reading scripts and learning her lines has become an “impossible” uphill battle since being diagnosed with Amd in 2012.

“It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory,” she said. “I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page.”

Also Read:

‘The Crown’ Star Helena Bonham Carter Thinks It’s Time for the Netflix Series to End: ‘It’s Very Different Now’

She added that due to her photographic memory, memorizing lines never used to be a hurdle for her. “I used to...