#cast: lw

[lilac-hecox]

ngl im a bit disappointed with the first episode of lunchtime w smosh but mainly because i feel like erin’s energy just does not match ian and anthony’s, and i feel their conversations could flow better without her there ? i love erin’s humor whenever she’s in a video but the chemistry between their comedy styles just wasn’t there. hopeful for future episodes though because ofc they’re still trying to figure out this podcast structure and i’ll eat any ianthony content up. sorry i’m just rambling 😭

I was very worried prior to watching the first episode of LWS pod but once I watched it, I thought Erin did well in her part.

Do I also want just Ian and Anthony? Yes, but overall Erin didn't ruin it for me like I was worried. I like her but sometimes I just don't vibe with her.

BUT you're valid in your dislike and I'm interested how you felt about the second episode. (I haven't watched yet).

[chronotopes]

little house on the prairie the musical is probably not that good but it still fucking kills my adaptation analysis-loving soul that they never made a cast recording. there's at least two actors in it who are now super successful by broadway terms and they gimmick cast laura from the show as ma and DESPITE THAT nobody wanted to make an album???? it fucking sucks

[sun-3-160]

Found out that cary elwes was in a daily wire movie

[1shirt2shirtredshirtdeadshirt]

Sexism in TOS: Worst Offender, or Progressive in Retrospect in Comparison?

I see a lot of folks claim that TOS was the most sexist of the Star Trek shows by a landslide -- and while I agree that it definitely suffered from the sexism of the times, I also have other perspectives to share to give some food for thought.

I am of course not insinuating that TOS isn't sexist -- it is, but I have to ask folks to consider the breadth and depth of Berman's sexism in his run and ask yourself: Was Gene Roddenberry genuinely more sexist in his storytelling and delivery than Rick Berman?

I'm not telling you to feel one way or the other, but all I ask is that you hear me out and consider some perspectives and make your own balanced assessments. Nobody is obligated to share my opinion, but it means a lot just to have folks hear it and see their thoughts on the subject. So here is what I was originally responding to:

Someone's response to this photo:

"Devil's advocate. This was a part of the popular form of cardio during the production time of TNG. Yes, it was heavily sexualised by men, but so is literally every other way women work out. Men have been caught taking pictures of women while trying to do dead lifts, running on tracks and working on sled machines. They post them online to share too. The fact is, there is no way a woman can be shown working out without it going there. And yeah,t hat includes the combat forms of workout they do in Star Trek. Just look at how Dax dresses when she spars with Worf. Yes, they're dating, but still, same goes when 7 does and any other female.

Aerobics routines like this were made dirty and cringy. This was what women wore then by and large. This is how the workout was done. We make it cringy."

My response to them:

"I respect your take, but I disagree on a few fronts.

The miniskirt was chosen by the TOS female cast, not the male cast, specifically requested by Grace LW and affirmed by Nichelle and Majel who would go on to vehemently defend the miniskirt over the years as comfortable and embraced by them.

Grace said it was comfortable and seen as a symbol of female sexual empowerment during the 60s and thought it would be a progressive garment (and turns out that it was, as it was later adapted and worn by male crew as a skant on TNG) -- FYI those were designed by a gay man and Gene approved them.

This was also supposed to be Spock's TMP outfit:

Literally lingerie.

We saw both Uhura (who saves Kirk in from Marlena Mirror Mirror) and Yeoman Landon (the first to initiate combat with a classic Kirk-esque kick to help the Captain being attacked in The Apple) carry out their combat training in their Starfleet uniforms without ever being made to change into any ridiculous workout gear.

In fact, I'd argue Jim Kirk was sexualized even more than the ladies of the week on the show and I saw his naked body more than anyone else's on a fairly regular basis. He wore red yoga tights while topless in Charlie X while the women wore full length gymnastic suits that covered their entire body. If anything, it went out of its way to avoid sexualizing women practicing fitness in those scenes and instead focused on Kirk.

Gene confessed that he asked to have Shatner filmed in suggestive/provocative ways to "give something to the ladies", so he -- as he said -- liked to "film him walking away" or have him conveniently busting out of his shirts in just about every episode as it were, because Shatner apparently had great assets. LOL

Gene made an effort to at least sexualize both if he was going to sexualize one, and he carried that attitude forward in wanting the m/m and f/f scenes in the background on Risa for TNG. He also insisted that the men and women wear skimpy outfits on THAT TNG planet. You know the one. LOL I mean the dudes even had on less than the women:

Gene also gave permission to K/S shippers to have their conventions back in the 70s when he was asked for permission. Gene and Nimoy felt with all the skimpy outfits they had the ladies wear, why not let the ladies and gay men have their fun, too? It's how we ended up with moments like this:

Yes, those are two people dressed up as Kirk and Spock's penises doing interpretive dance. Gene didn't give two damns. LOL

In my eyes, that was a very progressive take on Gene's part for the 60s. It was actually PARAMOUNT STUDIOS who had the big problem with K/S stories and vehemently tried to shut them down. Gene literally hired slash authors on his payroll and even had several slash stories/writers published in his official Star Trek books (The New Voyages & The New Voyages II).

I feel I saw Uhura and women in TOS engaged in more physical combat/altercations defending themselves that Troi or Bev were shown holding their own.

In fact, Kirk used to get furious when someone would "dress up" his female crew members without their consent (Trelane episode, Shore Leave episode) because like his male crew members, he wanted them to be treated professionally and to also have his male crew act professionally.

Berman brought some of his own personal biases into Star Trek that in some ways regressed it. While TOS had blatant sexism and was called on it time and again, that show was made in the 60s -- a solid 21 years before TNG. We as a modern audience understood why some of it was cringe/sexist due to the time period -- look at any other media coming out in the 60s and Star Trek was miles ahead of what other shows were doing.

Compare that to Berman who was churning sexist stuff out when women like Starbuck and Scully were simultaneously on screen on other programs airing, and we had already had Sigourney Weaver and other strong women in Holywood playing respectful roles.

In my eyes, there was no need of the sexism seen in TNG but especially VOY and ENT. There was no excuse for it when other shows were writing women far better and a number of those weren't even set in the future like Trek was, making it age even faster due to having those dated perspectives frequently highlighted.

In the Center Seat documentary as well as "The Fifty Year Mission" book you will find cast members, writers and other studio alumni who attest to this. Some discussions from "The Fifty Year Mission":

"First, Berman was supposed to have been a real sleaze ball . . . According to Terry Farrel, he would go on constantly about how her breasts weren't big enough, how she should do something about it, and how his secretary was a good example to follow as she had huge breasts. She even had to have fittings to get larger bras, and that was all done at his behest.

Later Berman and Braga developed a name for Jeri Ryan's character prior Seven of Nine. They originally called the character "perineum" which if you look it up it is the area between the anus and the scrotum. Later they floated the name "6 of 9". I mean, what does it tell you about where these two were coming from in the development of this character if they had names like that put forward in all seriousness for her?"

Gene Roddenberry also had some of his own more progressive ideas for TNG cut or watered down by Berman. Roddenberry agreed TNG should have homosexual relationships and representation at a con in the 80s and insisted on it in a meeting with his writers -- something Berman later would not honor. Gene wanted the AIDS episode, showing m/m and f/f in the Riza scenes -- these were some of Roddenberry's requests to include in TNG that Berman later stonewalled.

Berman's era was sadly dated by his own misogynist bias, IMO, to the point that it can somewhat hurt the shows he worked on through his cringe egoism and blatant disrespect toward his female cast.

There is a reason why Gene could keep female actresses working with him and Berman had a revolving door of women that he couldn't seem to keep working for him -- he was abhorrent to women, on and off set. Gene wasn't perfect at all, he had a lot of issues himself -- but Berman was a whole other level. Just look at what he did to poor Jolene Blalock, Marina Sirtis and his toxic commenting on her body weight which exacerbated her struggles with eating disorders, or how he treated and talked to Terry Farrell.

Anyway, just some food for thought. I'm not saying anyone is wrong regarding a take like that, but there are a variety of ways to look at this. Gene Roddenberry isn't a saint by any means, but it definitely bothers me how folks will tote the Berman era as if it were the lesser of two evils or the more progressive depiction of women when I felt there were far more concerning portrayals of women in his era with far less justification.

(P.S: I don't event want to go near the sheer amount of "creepy old dude/villain preys on innocent/naïve/scared young woman or little girl" stories there were in Berman's era, either. But that's a whole other can of worms I can write about in a part 2.)

[polin-erospsyche]

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the society doesn’t really seem to react or gossip about how close Pen and Colin sometimes are. Some have said it’s because of how Pen is perceived in society and a spinster so no one in the ton thinks that an eligible Bridgerton man could be interested in her romantically. I believe it’s the contrary. And I think this commentary kinda supports this idea:

“All these rules are to keep the marriage mart churning. But once you have performed your function and found your match, you are free.”

“It’s an intriguing perspective that, one assumes, much of the ton shares. It also casts a new light on Colin and Penelope’s interactions thus far. From day one, they’ve always been a little (or a lot) closer than society allows. They think nothing of being unchaperoned alone, talking about highly personal things, or even physically touching. There’s a casual intimacy there, and it only becomes a “problem” when the ton begins scrutinizing them more closely. Symbolically, they are already on the level of an old married couple, with the freedom and intimacy it allows.” Amanda Prahl - Scene Breakdown: Colin and Penelope’s Dance in Bridgerton’s “Old Friends” (Marvelous Geeks Media)

Like yes, when they’ve been written about in LW then there’s gossip, or when Colin interrupts that dance then there’s scandal, but the rest of the time? Not really, no. Like the willow tree? The sweet stand? The repetitive dances they have throughout the season? The fuckin “come with me”? There’s talk at the end of season 2 sure but for how close they are most of the time this is nothing. This is just some teenage boys being immature and unkindly teasing Colin (it is basically what that is). My guess is that Pen and Colin have always been so close that the ton doesn’t really question it. Of course young girls still throw themselves at Colin because he is eligible and of good fortune and that’s the horrible game they’re all playing. Try to catch the biggest fish in the pond. But what strikes me for example is when Cressida says “Eros and Psyche battling it out”. She says it so nonchalantly. There’s not a hint of a question or surprise. She acts as if it’s obvious and there was no other plausible situation. And you can argue that she says it this cause she’s Cressida or that it advantages her because then Debling is available, but I think that in that moment she’s probably voicing what everyone else in the ton is thinking. That it’s a given. That there was probably always something unspoken between Pen and Colin, thus allowing them to act as they have with the freedom and intimacy it allows. The unspoken but well known fact that these two were always meant to be for each other

[thoughtsthatgounnoticed]

Swept up in Expectations

As an anxious and curious person, I couldn’t help but check every now and then to see what the vibe was for P2 before watching it myself. After all the excitement during the wait between P1 and 2, nothing could have prepared me for the whiplash I felt reading disappointed and equally ecstatic posts from reactions to Eps 5 to 8.

Now that I’ve seen the episodes myself I’m trying to make sense of how I felt so I’m putting the figurative pen to paper and hope anyone as confused as I am can ruminate with me.

To put simply - I think we were all swept up in the excitement of Nic and Luke’s press tour (a whole other can of worms for some) and the many spoilers, speculations, and info from cast interviews during the wait between P1 and 2 that appeared to have been Polin positive. This energy then ballooned our expectations. I personally forgot that although Bridgerton is endearing and fun, it’s ultimately not a BBC or HBO production (I love Bridgerton but it’s no Pulitzer Prize winner in writing). So I think we expected more and are crashing from our collective highs.

Then there’s Polin and Penelope. As someone who didn’t personally enjoy S1 and 2 stories, S3 was going to be one I could truly enjoy and romanticize, and experience that Bridgerton brainrot everyone keeps taking about. Admittedly, it took me listening to some discourse and a second watch to truly appreciate P1. I’ve come away with so much love for Polin and their unfolding love story as well as Pen’s journey. The friends to lovers trope is beautiful, sweet, endearing, romantic, with a lot of history between two people. It had me singing along at the top of my lungs to Taylor Swift in the car even though it’s not my usual type of music. I was swooned and romanced.

But Part 2 was…. rough…. (Ramblings below)

At least after episode 5. It felt like I wasn’t watching the same season. I knew the weight of LW was going to put Penelope through the wringer before we can ultimately move on in peace. I expected the angst, it didn’t bother me, even if it meant seeing the worst of Colin’s anger temporarily.

I think what bothers me is the wasted potential of Polin’s season brought on by unnecessary side plots that could have given more time to Colin, Penelope and Eloise’s complex relationship and individual feelings. It was a season that absolutely needed to flesh out these characters alongside LW’s plot. Instead we got lengthy scenes of side characters with no payoff or stories that could have waited to be told next season. Polin felt like side characters in their own stories, their scenes so cruelly cut between other people’s dramas - I was swooning one second to wondering why we’ve jumped to sideplot A and B, then back to swooning over Polin again (their wedding dance for example 😭).

Then there’s the question of intimacy and how we would have loved to see more - probably brought on by a rumored missing montage. Instead after all the pain, the culmination of intimacy between Polin was the 5 second scene towards the end that looked like one of Anthony or Ben’s random brothel end-of-episode montage scenes in S1. I didn’t need plenty of intimacy scenes, I just wanted there to be growth in their intimacy evolving beyond what they had in Ep 5 and after all that drama.

Part 2 should have focused on how Colin, Penelope and Eloise came to terms with the LW revelation and the aching healing process it took to overcome that because the love they have for one another was stronger. I found myself thinking how in hell they could resolve all of this and it became progressively clear that the resolution was going to feel underwhelming and rushed. Especially, when the last episode alone had another wedding, Colin and Penelope still not communicating, and like 4-5 scenes of Ben and his mistress and their lover. We sat there in complete shock at how we kept going back to those scenes when the season had bigger fish to fry.

Although the show attempted to delve into Colin’s journey post revelation, the process of overcoming his sadness/jealousy was not fleshed out satisfactorily. I’m not saying it isn’t there (the very quick scenes of him looking through Penelope’s letters, listening to her speech at the end, his speech to Cressida, interactions with Kanthony/Eloise etc) but it lacked…something. Maybe it needed just a beat longer, a few more words, a bit more time. I don’t need it to drag, I just needed more within the depth of the scenes. Funnily, some of the side plot scenes lasted longer, which was so evil. Colin deserved a concise arc like Penelope’s. I hope Luke Newton’s back wasn’t hurting from carrying all the weight of Colin’s journey through his delivery and face acting because the writers were not giving him much to work with.

And so, the ending of the season felt odd. On one hand I was happy Polin got their happy ending and in theory their progression made sense, but on the other I felt like the show did a disservice by not taking us carefully and deliberately on that progression journey we wonderfully started in S1 and 2. I will always have ep 1-5 to look back on fondly and I was teary eyed when Colin delivered his ep 8 love speech to Pen. It felt like a glimpse of what we could’ve had and what they did have in P1. However, there’s this feeling of anti-climax that is so palpable given how impactful the press tour was. Am I still walking away from this season loving Polin and enjoying the scenes we did get of them? YES. Am I satisfied with it? NO.

This is 70% an emotional rant that may subside once the excitement dies down. I have thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s input and analysis and may have just been swept up in expectations.

[poomphuripan]

While waiting for MSI, I did look up and watched Lovely Writer. Up ATE the hell out of Ming OMGGGG. I did not realize how different it is until I watch his previous series. Damn that's 2 different men and I can't believe people still doubt his acting skill. I'm amazed

hi nonnie ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ

omg you took up Lovely Writer ༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ

I will always be grateful to LW because it is THE series that catapulted my full obsession with Up Poompat. Like even back then, I was always not a big fan of branded pairing, but when LW came out and made those sharp commentaries on BL industry and shipping, I was hollering every episodes.

but most of Up's fans/followers being from Lovely Writer era also posed a challenge to him being casted in My Stand-In because most fans were already used to seeing him as the cute grumpy writer in LW (especially fans who are fixated on Up playing uke roles), so a lot of people had doubts about him being able to pull off the arrogant cold beauty seme that is Yan Ming Xiu.

I personally think he's proven himself enough having played Put aka lite Ming in Step By Step. But I also get not everyone can be open-minded about an actor completely transforming and doing a 180 for a character.

I'm so glad that the series characterization of YMX into Ming has fitted Up perfectly because I think Up can pull off the obnoxious yet sometimes cute roles very well.

I'm also really proud that with only 5 episodes into the series, Up has generally been accepted by cfans/fans in the My Stand-In weibo supertopic even though there were so much uproar against this casting decision when it was initially announced. The producer Yuan and director Pepzi seem to be really proud of being able to cast Up as Ming (i bet @thasorns can attest to this when P'Yuan spoke about this as well at the IFYLITA screening in Berlin) after 9 months of looking for the right Ming and Joe.

But I think there are still a few similarities between Ming and Gene, like the hot temperament and jealousy ୧⁠(⁠＾⁠ ⁠〰⁠ ⁠＾⁠)⁠୨ but in very different fonts 🤣

all in all, yes yes yes. i absolutely agree. Up is killing it as Ming and i wouldn't have asked for any other actor to play ming. perhaps if the series had gone with trying to make Up play a character exactly like Novel!Yan Ming Xiu, i think it wouldn't have been as convincing tbh (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

but like i'm also up poompat defender so you can probably tell, my opinions are very biased <⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠>

[waltricia]

A list of what I believe are the main symbolic elements of Bridgerton S3

(I’ll try to keep descriptions as brief as possible)

1. Lighting. The first and last episode titles are “Out of the Shadows” and “Into the Light”. So, all lighting, particularly on Pen, will be very significant. Throughout seasons 1 and 2, she is often cast in shadow, while the Bridgertons shine in the light. In season 3, we’ll see more direct light on her.

2. Mirrors. Yes, I know, but it’s not just about sexy times. Mirrors have been used to tell us about Pen’s secret identity, LW. Her mirror self is the true, brave, witty, brilliant self that she keeps hidden. While you’ll often see the other ladies of Bridgerton checking themselves out in mirrors (in addition to the Featheringtons, I’ve also seen Daphne, Kate, Edwina, and Violet looking into mirrors), you’ll never catch Penelope doing so. That’s the deeper significance of the mirror sex scene- Colin encourages her to confront that self.

3. Greece. This is Colin’s big symbolic element. Greek mythology will be all over the costume and production design. Obviously, we know on a base level that he loves Greece. On a deeper level, Grecian symbols will be used to reference Ancient Greek stories and mythology that will add layers of depth to the love story. Ex) Homer’s The Odyssey is about a man who must journey throughout and around Greece in order to get back to his wife, Penelope. During his journey, Penelope has to fend off a bunch of suitors who are trying to get with her. Even though she thinks Odysseus is dead, she still loves him.

4. Yellow/Blue/Green. I mean, c’mon.

5. Swans. The Bridgertons are mute swans (the regular kind). Pen is a black swan.

Sir, that is a swan.

6. Flowers. Pen is a wallflower. And actually, the meaning of flowers have always been directly explained to us (lilacs, “symbolic of first love”, tulips “they symbolize passion”). Maybe we’ll get another quote about the symbolism of flowers in season 3?

7. Writing/letters/quills/journals. A Polin love language. 🪶💌📔 Literally though, when Pen first asks anyone about sex (yeah, it was Marina, awkward, I know but 🤷), she’s made to equate it with letters.

That’s all I got for now I think.

If you’re just watching Bridgerton because it’s pretty and cute and sexy, totally fine. Watch it however you want to watch it. If you want to go further, really feel things, maybe get a greater sense of catharsis, or at least get more of the ‘oh, damn!’ factor out of it, pay attention to the above elements. They will be shown and not told. If you are stuggling to understand what the symbols mean, hmu. I’m happy to help. I’ve only been on Bridgerton tumblr for a week and a half, but I can say I’ve already seen great analyses from @bingiessm @ktbeets & @sea-owl .

And if there’s anything I didn’t include, but should have, please let me know. I want to learn more, always. 💛

[bridgertonandchocolate]

Still living in my Polin era. Not leaving anytime soon. But since they announced Benedict will be the focus on season 4, which came as absolutely no surprise and didn’t really probably warrant an announcement at this point in time since we’ll be waiting forever for the next season, I decided to start making a list of potential spin offs that Shondaland and Netflix should take advantage of and make for us.

I hope they have something planned similar to Queen Charlotte but who knows. Queen Charlotte is definitely very different because it was more based off actual history and to me it still feels very separate other than bringing in Violet and Danbury that sticks more to the Bridgerton side of things.

Anyway here’s some ideas that could be added to the Bridgerton collection:

1. The Featherington story. I’d love to see Portia’s origin story. We got a big glimpse of it this season and I’d love to see her originally as maybe a very carefree debutante and realizing just what is expected of her and the choices she made. And maybe combining this with current timeline with a new heir. This would be more dramatic. I also wouldn’t mind seeing the Featheringtons in a comedy because they’re hilarious.

2. Edmund and Violets story. We know how this one ends and honestly I don’t know if this would ever be explored now because we have seen Edmunds death and we saw a young Violet so it just might not be an interest. Or it would’ve probably be a very long series. I think they could draw on the aunts and uncles of our Bridgerton siblings. We know Francesca stayed with her aunt in Bath and Julia Quinn does have her whole prelude to Bridgerton series so…I’m not opposed.

3. Bridgerton Christmas. I stole this idea from a few people I saw on TikTok. It wasn’t anything I had thought about before but it would be an easy way to keep production costs low. Would be more of a movie than a season with multiple episodes. Very similar to what shows like Downton Abbey have done that they have where they have a special I think this could be something fun to hold people over.

4. Lady Whistledown. Something. Season 3 had the opportunity to delve into the origin of LW and have some flashbacks and didn’t do it. They did explain why Penelope started the column but I think it would have been interesting to see more to see how in the world she created this empire. There was also mention of other gossip columns in the first episode of season 1 so the competitiveness of this. The danger Pen put herself in could lend itself to something. There probably isn’t enough here for this idea to become a spin off.

5. The servants. Anyone love Footman John? Yeah we all do. Want to know more about Varley or Wilson? Or season 3 MVP Rae?! Taking a note from shows like Downton Abbey this could be an interesting story to tell from the servant “downstairs” point of view. This would be unlikely. They haven’t delved much into this side of things so not many people probably do care about these side characters plus if they stick with Sophie being a ladies maid for season 4 that probably wouldn’t be likely at this point. Maybe after season 4 but they’d have to dig more into these side characters and bringing them into the more prominent storylines.

Kudos to you if you made it through that list. Mostly I just want more Polin so they could get their own spinoff, a film series, a travel series. Or just cast Luke and Nic in some rom coms for me so they can go on more press tours that’d be great.

[loveisnotfinite]

Gonna save this editings here as well cause they contains vids I can’t find and I just want to scream my delulu on my tumblr. Also because after watching these I am getting the weird feeling that either they are too good at PR or they are double playing us. But whatever works, you guys. I am gonna keep on loving you.

Highlights. 10 News First.

Question: Have you ever took any of your outfits Nicola?

Nic: Sadly no.

Luke: I wish.

Me: What did he say again?

Highlights 2. Brazil red carpet.

Nic’s face lighting up like she’s a ray of sun literally casting light into the galaxy as he compares her to Pen and LW saying she a strong indipendent woman, and that she’s compassionate and generous towards other people.

The edits on TikTok is really good. If you don’t have it, you should. Like gold good. Gives you a feeling of such happiness is like being on drugs. And having to come back for a second dose.

Has anyone got a Lukola folder to share? I missed so many bits. Like I would love to watch the first ones when they are standing up and doing IDK which game and she wears the red dress. Or the Brazilian red carpets one.

[insanityclause]

EXCLUSIVE: Sigourney Weaver will make her West End stage debut as storm-creating sorcerer Prospero in The Tempest and Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell will play sparring lovers Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing when director Jamie Lloyd returns Shakespeare early this winter to the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a landmark venue in Covent Garden owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Weaver, star of Ridley Scott’s Alien movies and James Cameron’s Avatar epics, last starred in one of Will’s plays when she played Portia in a 1986 off-Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice. 

As a sophomore at Stanford in 1979, she played Goneril in a traveling production of King Lear. 

The star once revealed that she pretended “I was doing Henry V the entire time” she was playing Ripley in Alien. “I thought, ‘Well, as a woman, I’ll never be cast as Henry V, so this is my Henry V,” Weaver told New York magazine in a 2012 interview. 

“Sigourney knows her Shakespeare, she knows theater, and I  could not be more excited that she has agreed to play this role,“ Lloyd told Deadline.

He also said that he’s “thrilled” that “my dear friends Tom and Hayley” are headlining the romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing in his Jamie Lloyd Company Drury Lane Shakespeare season.

The first preview of The Tempest is December 7, and it runs through February 1.

The first Much Ado About Nothing preview is on February 10, and that runs until April 5.

Built in 1763, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane became a popular venue for performances of Shakespeare. David Garrick and the ancient thespian greats played the Bard’s work there.

Lloyd Webber and his LW Theatre company spent an estimated $77M on a superbly realized restoration of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and he’d noted several times that he wanted Shakespeare back at The Lane, as it’s affectionately known, because he fondly remembers at age 9 being taken to see Gielgud in The Tempest “and it clearly made an impression on him,” said Lloyd.

The two men formed a close bond when they worked together on the now-Broadway-bound Olivier Award-winning Sunset Boulevard starring an incandescent Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond.

“Andrew told me the story about Gielgud snapping Prospero’s staff on the last night and announcing that The Lane would be lost to musicals forever,” the director said.

Oklahoma! and other shows had preceded The Tempest, and it was to be immediately followed by My Fair Lady and many other musicals since.

One day, unexpectedly, the composer and impresario told Lloyd ,”Look, I’ve always wanted Shakespeare back at Drury Lane.”

Lloyd was shown around the theatre, was open to exploring “all the possibilities” and felt excited to be the first company to bring Shakespeare back to The Lane.

It made sense that The Tempest needed to be the one that marked the return.

Lloyd told us that he had an epiphany one night that Sigourney Weaver playing Prospero would “create theatrical electricity.”

He fired off an email Weaver’s agent, who responded that it was unlikely that she’d want to engage because Weaver hadn’t performed Shakespeare in public for over 30 years, and the last time she was on a stage was when she did Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike in NYC in 2012.

The very next morning, Lloyd continued, ”There was an email in my inbox with the subject, “Hello from Sigourney.” And she wrote me this amazing email — really passionate, excited email. We got on Zoom straight away, and we had an amazing, inspiring conversation. She’s such a lovely, witty person. So insightful. She’d read the play, especially from a perspective of a woman playing Prospero. And that really excited her and it made sense and illuminated the play in new ways. And so she’s coming to make her West End debut at Drury Lane playing Prospero in The Tempest.”

He added that he kept coming back to Weaver’s performances “in all those iconic movies — Ghostbusters, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, all of them.” 

Lloyd went a little bit fanboy and told her that he’d seen “Alien more times than any other movie. And I just thought, ‘How amazing would it be to work with someone that you’ve admired since you were a kid?’ Oh, wow. And to bring her to London. And again, it just feels like such an event.” 

The director believes that Weaver’s “commanding presence, huge charisma and that amazing power” is perfect to play Prospero. And that she can “clearly get into the complexity of the role” of this person “with delusions of vengeance, this kind of ruthless revenge against the people that have sent her away, to learning about forgiveness and love and compassion. There’s a real journey in that, isn’t there? And there’s a real internal struggle. And we talked about how a shipwreck can become a new kind of hope. Can’t there? I mean, really, that’s my sort of key thinking about the entire season, is that I just want this to be a really joyful season. And both of the plays are about the hope of the future and not dwelling on the past, maybe,“ he said. 

Lloyd added that he felt “honored” that Weaver even responded to his email because he thought “it bode so well in terms of just a direct email straight away; it’s very personal. As we know, sometimes people kind of do things through their teams and managers. But actually, she knows what theater is, and she knows it’s about relationships.”

Lloyd’s well aware of that too. 

He goes way back with Hiddleston, even further with Atwell.

Back in early 2019, Lloyd directed a hauntingly sublime version of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal with Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox at the Harold Pinter Theatre. It quickly transferred to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre for a limited run, where it was nominated for four Tony Awards.

Lloyd has remained close to his cast ever since.

Similarly with Atwell, who he directed in Alexi Kaye Campbell’s 2011 play The Faith Machine at London’s Royal Court Theatre. They reunited two years later in a revival of Kaye’s The Pride, in which Atwell excelled, at the Trafalgar Studios. The drama was an early example of Lloyd’s then-nascent Jamie Lloyd Company, which at the time was in partnership with ATG Entertainment.

He added that it’s “very meaningful” in terms of the season for him to be working with “those two old collaborators, they’re Jamie  Lloyd Company alumni. And I think they’re both two of the finest of our generation, aren’t they? And they know each other well. So there’s an instant chemistry between the two of them, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with for Benedick and Beatrice.”

Lloyd’s enjoyed watching Hiddleston and Atwell on screens both big and small. He mentioned Hiddleston’s performance in The Night Manager — he’s in the midst of shooting its sequel — and the actor’s adventures playing Loki in the various levels of the Marvel Universe. “And he still comes home to the theatre whenever he can,” Lloyd marveled.

Atwell soared in the Marvel Universe as well, plus she has been starring with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One and its follow-up Mission: Impossible 8. She was remarkable in a a revival of Rosmersholm, directed by Ian Rickson at the Duke of York’s in 2019, the year before she played Isabel for director Josie Rourke in Measure for Measure at the Donmar Warehouse. 

“So she’s the real deal,” Lloyd declared. “Both are, and they’re also both very witty people. … They’ve got this great intelligence, this great wit,” Lloyd observed, perfect qualities for Much Ado About Nothing, which he called “a joyful play.”

Although he complained that he has seen it played a touch too “broad.”

He said that it doesn’t need to be played at a “slapstick pace” to be fun. “The language in its own right is funny. I think they’ll be amazing sparring partners but also hint at that kind of tenderness under the surface.”

Both productions of The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing will be stripped back, and he will ponder with frequent collaborator Soutra  Gilmour on how the shows will look and feel. 

There’s a shipwreck in The Tempest, but Lloyd won’t reveal whether he’s tempted or not to place one on the Drury Lane’s boards.

However, unlike his Sunset Boulevard and Romeo and Juliet productions, he won’t be using video as part of the performance for the Drury Lane shows.

“They’ll be stripped down, but no video. I’m saving all the video energy for Sunset��Boulevard on Broadway,” he explained.

The two Shakespeares will run between Disney’s Frozen, which closes September 8, and musical Hercules, which begins performances in summer 2025.

“That’s why the Shakespeare season is a strictly limited total of 16 weeks,” said Lloyd. He added that there have been no discussions about the plays being captured by the National Theatre’s NT Live cameras, nor has there been talk of transferring to Broadway. 

“I always just make something for the theatre in which it’s meant to be performed, and then we see the after that,” Lloyd said during a conversation at the Jamie Lloyd Company offices located in a wing of Somerset House on the Strand, literally a stone’s throw from the Drury Lane.

We first touched base about the possibility of Shakespeare at Drury Lane late last year and have kept talking, on and off, since.

All kinds of names were bandied about by a few in the know. “Tom Hanks,” someone gleefully told me. Wrong Tom, old boy.

“Margot Robbie,” another boasted. 

“It’s so funny. I’ve heard these names, “ said Lloyd, “but no, not true. I mean, I would love to work with Margot Robbie on a play. I think she’s remarkable, isn’t she? And she came to see A Doll’s House that we did with Jessica Chastain. And that would be a dream come true to work with her.”

However, he revealed that he had spoken to Robbie “a couple of times” but “not” about Shakespeare.

“I think, as I say, one day, she’d like to explore the idea of doing a play, but let’s see what happens,” he cautioned.

Lloyd soon heads back to New York to begin rehearsals for Sunset Boulevard.

He and Weaver plan to meet up while he’s there to discuss her Prospero. He noted that the name won’t switch gender to Prospera as happened with Julie Taymor’s 2010 film of The Tempest, where the revengeful noble magician was played by Helen Mirren.

“It will remain Prospero,” Lloyd insisted.

Rehearsals for The Tempest will begin in London on October 28, “literally a week after we open Sunset on Broadway,” Lloyd said. 

His Jamie Lloyd Company will produce the season alone without the participation of ATG Entertainment.

The 16-week Shakespeare season will feature 25,000 tickets for £25 [US$32] and they’ll be “ring-fenced exclusively” for under-30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits. He said that he’s “well aware” that in the past wealthier folk who can afford to pay steeper prices have taken unfair advantage and gobbled up specially priced cheaper seats.

“These are good seats too,” he beamed. But they will introduce new methods to ensure the cheap seats go to the “right people.”

Working on The Tempest at Drury Lane will sort of complete a circle of coincidence for Weaver. 

She’ll be taking on a role last performed there by Gielgud.

Her first Broadway credit in 1975 was to work on a revival of W. Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife, starring Ingrid Bergman.

Weaver worked as an assistant stage manager and understudy.

The production was directed by John Gielgud.

[moxiebrown]

My initial reactions to Bit City and what I think it means for the future of Smosh programming.

Note, grad school is starting back up next week and work is really busy, so I won’t have time to grab sources, so disclaimer these are my opinions only.

Given how often and how early Ian and Anthony have said they wanted an SNL like approach to showcasing the cast, I am very happy they’ve been able to make it happen after only a year post reunion. I think making the Main channel “TV lite” is a smart play that fills a niche that’s currently missing from YouTube creators

These bits will be easy to clip for short form content and there will be opportunities for cross-overs from the other channels to increase audience engagement

Alé mentioned they had instituted a incentive model where anyone internally could pitch an idea. I think you will see additional shows from the cast (many of whom have writing experience) if Bit City is successful

This is also smart because they may have to compete with other entertainment companies (like Star Kid and Dropout) for talent. My understanding is the LA improv scene is relatively small, and providing the opportunity to have your own series is a great way to retain audience favorites

I don’t see LWS as a podcast series that will go on long-term. I think it’s a transitional play to engage the Ianthony core audience while they figure out how much time I&A will have to be on camera

Erin D. as show runner for Bit City shows they have confidence in her leadership and creative skills. I think they are grooming her to eventually be the Director of Main (if she so chooses) and things like the podcast and Bit City are great opportunities for her to grow her skills

Now that they are in the process of merging Anthony’s channel, I can see him step away from individual appearances on Smosh to give himself more time crafting the long term vision for Pressalike with Alé, Kiana, and potentially have Nicole become the channel director

I still would like to see improvements to the SmoshCast strategy, but again, that’ll be dependent on the capacity of the current team to work on it

[bridgertonnteas]

Is it true that Netflix and Shonda do understand/appreciate the value that Nicola has brought to the show?

Nic people liked it or not became the face of the show. Pen/LW is almost like the Meredith Grey of Bridgerton, even Shondaland account liked a comment that says that directly

To be fair it was both her & Jonathan, but after s3, Nic's popularity grew and Netflix has been liking that + they know a big part of the appeal of the show is her & LW as a character. Netflix like Nic & JB the most from the cast ( before anyone brings up s2 lack of promo, both things can co-exist that Shondalnd/Netflix like Jonny and that s2 lacked promo)

Netflix has been bragging about s3 doing well & Officially admitted that they gained many subscribers due to s3, so they know polin & Nic power, she is very valuable to them even more now

[undercover-bro]

He's so busy bts nowadays (and I'm not doing LwS), I honestly forget how much I like Ian and his relationships with the cast. Making my way through the old Smoshcast eps (fic research) makes me appreciate him when he's chill and vibing. He and Court are especially sweet. 2019-2020 Ian, I'm a fan.

[dairymistress05]

Some thoughts after the new trailer…

I can’t wait! This moment will be so important for them. Colin has always been rather aimless and trying to find his purpose. This is going to be so special because at this point I know he feels that She IS his purpose. However, he will come to learn that being the Hero is not as important as he thinks.

There is a different between he ‘needing him’ because he’s a “big strong man” or whatever society has taught them to believe, and for her actively ‘choosing him’. Poor guy doesn’t yet know just how lucky he is that she doesn’t “need” him. 🥹

THIS is why they are my favourite couple and we haven’t even gotten to that point yet in the show. The way they ❤️ each other, challenge each other, and help one another grow as individuals. Them as a couple are some of the best parts of their story, including the LW reveal. And even with the changes, I am still so excited to see the reveal and how he navigates it. I don’t think it will break their relationship at all, it will actually just help them once again to communicate with each other and see their partner in a new light. She will help him find his purpose outside of “just being her husband” and He will help her to let go and be loved and “taken care of” in the way she needs. I’m eagerly waiting to see it come to life on screen. Lastly they are my favourite couple by far but also I feel that the casting has been spot on. These two actors really know their characters and I couldn’t fathom anyone else in these roles, they just embody Colin and Penelope perfectly.

[somedayillbepeterpan]

FOR BONUS POLINWEEK

DAY ONE | Favourite Season 3 scene: The Butterfly ball

I have bitten more than I can chew but I am determined to get all the parts out of this analysis if only to free up my head. Now, I just hope I could get out all the stuff I want to put out for each day of Polinweek too 🤣

PART 4: THE FEATURED SONG AND DANCE - Lights by Ellie Goulding

This song is hinged on this line that Pen says on S3E8 (“But I was careless with that power. It was easy to cast aspersions in the dark.”)

And the line while Pen was talking to Genevieve in S3E7 (“I'm relieved... in a way. It has been painful carrying that secret.”) Added also the obvious parallel of the titles of Episode one: Out of the Shadows and Episode 8: Into the light. 

I also looked into what Ellie Goulding said about this song and she said it’s about her fear of the dark, a childhood trauma, where she couldn't sleep without the light on. And while that explanation about this very catchy pop song seem to be very common, when I look at how it parallels to Pen's life and how she has been in the shadows most of her young life-- overlooked, ridiculed in her own family for prioritising her mind over her "prospects", unintentionally treated more like a soundboard than a person than her best friend, and forced to bury her affection turn love to her other best friend.

LW was a light in Pen's mind. Scientifically, the brain is fully active when you write on complex subjects and LW is definitely a complex one. When Pen used LW as more than just a scandal sheet but also a critique on how their society works effectively challenging the Queen, it became a true exercise of power when Pen affected and effected public opinion (there's a line on S1 where Anthony said something along the lines of how every one is swallowing everything that LW was publishing).

[I want to highlight this dance too because it looks like bugs flying around. Jack Murphy is an absolute genius.]

It is this power that Pen gets drunk on and made her feel that it is the only thing she can use to be properly heard thereby making the controversial decisions about Colin and Eloise's situations.

The funny thing about her abuse of power is that she used it for (and unintentionally against) the two people who actually WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HER. I know that we saw her "try" to reason to both of them but she never said the truth. Which is the opposite of what she says in LW ("But gossip I might, I always tell the truth.")

This clouding of her judgment tainted the light that writing LW brought. And unless she came into the light, that clouding would have eaten her alive and I for one am glad that she finally owned up to her mess.

PART 5: BLOCKING AND WHERE COLIN WAS WHILE PEN WAS REVEALING HERSELF AS LW.

PART 1: THE VENUE AND A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT PART 2: THE COLOURS, THE FEATHERS, AND THE NUMBER 8 PART 3: THE FLUORESCENT FEATHERINGTON DRESSES