The first really successful fictional narrative specifically conceived for being filmed during the Coronavirus pandemic is the BBC comedy "Staged," which is now streaming on Hulu. It's a very short, six-episode sitcom featuring Michael Sheen and David Tennant playing versions of themselves during the lockdown, trying to rehearse for a new stage production of "Six Characters in Search of an Author." Simon Evans plays the director, who tries and mostly fails to keep the two of them on track. Tennant's wife Georgia, Sheen's girlfriend Anna Lundberg, and Evans' sister Lucy Eaton (is she his actual sister or just playing one?) also make regular appearances. Only one actress, Nina Sosanya, is playing a totally fictional character, the play's producer Jo.
Everyone in "Staged" is portraying themselves as a little worse than they actually are. Sheen and Tennant are petty and childish, constantly arguing over trivialities, including a great running gag about billing. Evans is clearly playing himself as more ineffectual and spineless than he actually is. However, there's that tantalizing dance with the line between fiction and reality. We know Tennant and Sheen are friendly in real life, having recently co-starred in "Good Omens" together. The series is shot entirely from the actual homes of the actors involved. Kids and other family members are kept out of sight, but it's a given that they're just off screen. Fans who have followed the careers of Tennant and Sheen will appreciate the many references to prior roles and productions, including everything from "The Pillowman" to "Unthinkable." Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to catch a glimpse of a mini-TARDIS in the Tennants' back garden.
All the action being confined to a series of Zoom calls and a few sparse "off camera" scenes should feel stifling and unnatural, except that this is how so much of our personal interactions are happening in the time of COVID. So, the format of "Staged" ends up feeling very relatable and immediate. Everyone is in little or no makeup, and dresses in a way that can be politely described as unkempt. Topics of conversation include cabin fever, trying new hobbies, warring with pests, and letting too much slide. The cameras stay entirely static, and production values are understandably minimal. I love how some of the humorous bits are clearly improvised from what the actors could scrounge up from their own homes. Tennant, for instance, is caught several times drinking from a mug with his own face on it.
The Tennant and Sheen friendship anchors the show, similar to how Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's friendship does with "The Trip" series. Both actors are so charismatic and play off each other so well, that their bickering and sniping at each other is more fun than exasperating. Six episodes feels like just about the right length, given the limited resources. Two episodes depend entirely on the participation of Very Special Guest Stars, who provide new opportunities for mutual humiliation. These are the two best episodes of the series, as the rest mostly tend to meander along without much real incident. The worries over rehearsing the play are low stakes, and the more serious bits of manufactured drama feel unnecessary. Still, there's a lot of enjoyment to be had from just watching two good actors having a go at each other.
Would "Staged" be so effective if we weren't stuck in lockdown? Probably not, but it's also heartening to see everyone in the show doing their best to be creative in tough times, and figuring out how to make the best of a tricky situation. We're going to be seeing a lot of pandemic themed media coming down the pipeline, processing the experience from many different angles. "Staged" takes the up close and personal approach, and it works. Sheen and Tennant are lucky people in unusual circumstances, but I expect there won't be many viewers who can't see a little of themselves in these two - stuck at home for too long, fighting off boredom, giving in to the impulse to behave badly too often, and in great need of someone older and wiser to give them a good scolding.
Depending on how long the lockdown goes on, it might be worth putting together another round or two of "Staged" to get us through.
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