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He’s faced off against many movie characters over the years, including an army of Orcs and James Bond, and soon prolific actor Sean Bean will face another formidable foe in The Frankenstein Chronicles, a six-part miniseries set to air on ITV Encore. Bean will play Inspector John Marlott in the 1800’s-set show, a man assigned to capture a killer who melds body parts together in a manner reminiscent of Victor Frankenstein.

Press Release - “ITV today confirmed commission of The Frankenstein Chronicles, a thrilling and terrifying re-imagining of the Frankenstein myth as a six-part period crime drama to be produced by Rainmark Films.

Incorporating elements from the investigative and horror genres with an extraordinary hero at its centre, Inspector John Marlott, played by multi-awarding winning leading actor Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Accused) will be taken on a terrifying journey in pursuit of a chilling and diabolical foe.

Los Angeles — The last four years have been a whirlwind for screenwriter Graham Moore. After seizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tell the story of a childhood hero, his script based on Alan Turing's life — "The Imitation Game" — lit up the industry, landing at the top of The Black List (an annual compendium of hot unpublished screenplays). He was given the rare opportunity as a writer to see production all the way through as an Executive Producer, moving with the project in and out of the studio system, and in the mountains of Colorado last week, he witnessed the film catch fire after finally premiering at the Telluride Film Festival. Now the 32-year-old finds himself working alongside directors like Michael Mann and Marc Forster, living the dream after having the best possible alignment of stars on his first major industry experience. With "The Imitation Game" set for another big coming out...

Last night, Barrington Stage Company Bsc, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, Ma, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, presented Breaking the Code, Hugh Whitemore's biographical drama of Alan Turing, starring Bsc Associate Artist Mark H. Dold. Directed by Joe Calarco, performances of Breaking the Code are from today, July 17 through August 2, with a press opening on Sunday, July 20 at 5pm. Broadwayworld was there for the opening.

From Lorca and Euripides in a festival of chaos to breathtaking circus in a cathedral, our critics pick the best theatrical experiences of the spring

A Marvellous Year for Plums

Long before Iraq, Britain's 1956 invasion of Suez divided the nation and destroyed the reputation of the Pm. In those days it was Sir Anthony Eden, described by a colleague as "half mad baronet and half beautiful woman" and now played by Anthony Andrews in a new piece by Hugh Whitemore. Mb Chichester Festival theatre (01243 781 312), 11 May to 2 June. cft.org.uk

Posh

Time should have given new traction to Laura Wade's play about an elite Oxford dining club filled with arrogant young toffs who presume they are born to rule. First seen at the Royal Court shortly before the last election, it was thought by some to offer an exaggerated portrait of upper-class swagger. Now Lyndsey Turner's production, with many of the original cast,...

DVD Playhouse—December 2009

By

Allen Gardner

Public Enemies (Universal) Johnny Depp portrays legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger in co- writer/director Michael Mann’s take on America’s first “Public Enemy Number One.” Like many big studio releases today, Public Enemies has it all: A-list talent before and behind the camera, but lacks a heart or soul that allows its audience to connect with it. Film plays out like a “true crime” TV show with re-enactments of famous events cast with top actors and shot by the best technicians in the business, with little, if any, character or story development to hold it together in between. A real disappointment from one of our finest filmmakers and finest actors. The lone standout: the great character actor Stephen Lang as a hard-eyed lawman who’s seen a lot, but manages to retain a tiny piece of his heart. For a better take on the same subject,...

So the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards took place last night... did you tune in? I hear it was a good show even though a lot of the winners were pretty much a given. 30 Rock and Mad Men both took home the big awards, but the hardware was spread out a bit more among other shows than in previous years. At any rate, just in case you missed it, we've got the full list of major award winners right here for you to review. Do you agree with the majority of the choices? For those who did watch the show, what were some of your favourite moments? What did you think of Neil Patrick Harris as the host? Check out the list of winners after the jump. Comedy Series "Entourage" "Family Guy "Flight of the Conchords" "How I Met Your Mother" "The Office" Winner: "30 Rock" "Weeds" Drama Series "Big Love" "Breaking Bad...

The 61st Emmy Noms are here and some Oscar, Grammy, and Tony winners have been invited for the first time to the dance this year. While HBO’s series ‘True Blood’ was glaringly left off the list for Best TV Drama, it’s brilliant mini-series ‘Grey Gardens’ received a stellar 17 nominations!

Outstanding Drama Series

Big Love Breaking Bad Damages Dexter House Lost Mad Men Outstanding Comedy Series

30 Rock Entourage Family Guy Flight Of The Conchords How I Met Your Mother The Office Weeds Outstanding Made For Television Movie

Coco Chanel Grey Gardens Into The Storm Prayers For Bobby Taking Chance More nominees after the jump

Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming

Project Runway • Finale (Part 1) • Paul Starkman Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired • Marina Zenovich The Amazing Race • Don’t Let A Cheese Hit Me • Bertram van Munster This American Life • John Smith • Adam Beckman Top Chef • The Last Supper • Steve Hrynewicz Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries,...

• HBO will be pretty much competing against itself in all categories related to made for TV Movie for this year's 61st Primetime Emmys. Ross Katz (who is currently prepping The Amateur American) showed off Taking Chance during the Sundance Film Festival, while Michael Sucsy struggled for five years to get Grey Gardens off the ground. Both films grabbed noms in the directing, writing and acting categories. For noms in the TV movie cats take a look below, for the full list (Comedy, Drama and plenty of technical awards check out the list here). Outstanding Made For Television Movie Coco Chanel • Lifetime • Lux Vide S.p.A, Pamp Productions and Alchemy Television Group Grey Gardens • HBO • Specialty Films and Locomotive in association with HBO Films Into The Storm • HBO • Scott Free and Rainmark Films production in association with the BBC and HBO Films Prayers For Bobby • Lifetime • Once Upon the Times Films,

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Chicago – HBO’s “Into the Storm” is a different kind of WWII movie than audiences have recently become accustomed to seeing. This excellent drama is not about the people on the ground but about the powerful men that made the decisions that determined their fates.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0 In 2002, HBO aired one of their most critically acclaimed and beloved TV films, “The Gathering Storm”. The historical drama starred Albert Finney as Winston Churchill and Vanessa Redgrave as his wife Clementine Churchill. The film detailed the rise up to WWII, ending just before Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940, which is where “Into the Storm” opens.

Into the Storm

Photo credit: HBO Films

“Into the Storm” is the next chapter in the series, detailing Churchill’s time during the war and starring Brendan Gleeson as Churchill and Janet McTeer as his wife. Once again, the film has been produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott.

Thaddeus O'Sullivan's television drama 'Into the Storm' based on Winston Churchill's final days in office and starring Brendan Gleeson will premiere Stateside on HBO on Sunday May 31st. 'Into the Storm' is the follow up to Richard Loncraine's 2002 TV movie, 'The Gathering Storm', which detailed Churchill (played by Albert Finney) and his life prior to the war. Both dramas were penned by screenwriter Hugh Whitemore. Irish Costume Designer Consolata Boyle (The Queen) also worked on the production.

Richard Eyre's production of The Last Cigarette, adapted by Hugh Whitemore and Simon Gray from Gray's critically acclaimed The Smoking Diaries, is to transfer to the West End having previously opened the 2009 season at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Starring Felicity Kendal, Nicholas Le Prevost and Jasper Britton, who all perform as Simon Gray, The Last Cigarette will run at Trafalgar Studios from 21 April - 1 August, with opening night 28 April 2009. Designs are by Rob Howell with lighting and projection by John Driscoll and music by George Fenton.

Richard Eyre's production of The Last Cigarette, adapted by Hugh Whitemore and Simon Gray from Gray's critically acclaimed The Smoking Diaries, is to transfer to the West End having previously opened the 2009 Season at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Starring Felicity Kendal, Nicholas le Prevost and Jasper Britton, who all perform as Simon Gray, The Last Cigarette will run at Trafalgar Studios from 21 April - 1 August, with opening night 28 April 2009. Designs are by Rob Howell with lighting and projection by John Driscoll and music by George Fenton.

Oscar-nominated actress Janet McTeer has been tapped to star opposite Brendan Gleeson in Churchill at War, HBO Films/BBC Films' follow-up to The Gathering Storm, their much-heralded biopic of Winston Churchill.

Churchill, from Scott Free Prods. and Rainmark Films, picks up where Storm left off and explores how the traits that made Churchill (Gleeson) a great wartime leader during World War II were the same ones that resulted in his ouster within weeks of the war's end. Like Storm, Churchill will provide an intimate look into Churchill's marriage with wife Clemmie (McTeer). In Storm, the role of Clemmie Churchill was played by Vanessa Redgrave.

Thaddeus O'Sullivan is directing Churchill from a script by Hugh Whitemore.

Ridley Scott, Tony Scott and Julie Payne executive produce, while Frank Doelger, Tracey Scoffield and Ann Wingate serve as producers.

McTeer earned a best actress Oscar nomination for her role in 1999's Tumbleweeds. She also is appearing in HBO Films' upcoming As You Like It, Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the Shakespeare play that debuts in August, and HBO's five-part miniseries Five Days, which premieres in October.

What exactly does it take to get a break as a television writer in Hollywood, much less an Emmy nomination? Well, according to eight Emmy-nominated writers, it can take anything from years on New York's stand-up comedy circuit to having to create a fictitious talent agency just to catch your first break. On Wednesday night, several hundred people who packed into the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills were treated to a raucous, irreverent and expletive-ridden journey into the lives of eight of this year's Emmy-nominated writers. "When I started writing, I always considered plot to be an intrusion; what I like doing is writing the dialogue," said Aaron Sorkin, who admitted to writing the original play for his breakout hit A Few Good Men on cocktail napkins while working as a bartender at a Broadway theater. Sorkin received his 10th nomination for The West Wing this year. Fraternal writing team Robb Cullen and Mark Cullen (Lucky) said they scored their first network meetings by posing over the phone as the Coen brothers; Mike Royce (Everybody Loves Raymond) started out as warm-up act on The Maury Povich Show. "My man's got such a career now," panel moderator Dennis Miller said of Royce, "but he was once a fluffer for Povich." Other participants included Terence Winter (The Sopranos), Matt Warburton (The Simpsons), Jane Anderson (Normal) and Hugh Whitemore (My House in Umbria). The panel was sponsored by the WGA.