Well, what did you expect this entry to be about?
Theatre
Year: 2013
Random Acts
Random Acts: Scarlett Johansson plays charades, Ali Larter goes boar hunting and Amber Heard… God knows what Amber Heard is up to
Normally, Scarlett Johansson would clean up in the ‘random acts’ stakes by her slightly random decision to play charades with Jimmy Fallon, Tariq from The Roots and Drake. I mean, who would have seen that coming?
She even tried to do interviews in a New Jersey accent for an extra bit of random.
But surprisingly, Ali Larter came out of left field to temporarily steal the lead by talking about her experiences of boar hunting in Germany:
“It was a very traumatic experience for me. But it’s ceremonial, and they roast it and it’s a whole thing. So I did try it.”
And, again, normally that would be enough to get our Ali the title in the random prize fight. But then Amber Heard, currently here in London – Brixton to be exact, obviously relishing our delightful Autumn weather as she films an adaptation of Martin Amis’s London Fields – decided to bring along an entourage so random, it blew everyone else out of the water.
No, I have no idea what’s going on here.
Charley says: Learn to read with Bob Hoskins in On the Move
It’s not something that people talk about much these days, but not all adults can read, even those who’ve been to school. But back in the 70s, adult literacy was a pressing concern for a government concerned about social mobility and the white heat of technology.
In 1975, in conjunction with a national government campaign, the BBC did its own little bit by creating a TV show, On The Move, that starred Bob Hoskins in one of his first TV roles. Written by Points of View presenter Barry Took, the series of 50, 10-minute episodes saw illiterate removal man Hoskins driving his van around and learning to read, in various combinations, while the likes of Nigel Stock and Patricia Hayes provided the viewer with various exercises. Along the way, various other future notables, including Martin Shaw, popped up to demonstrate the value of reading.
The show spawned two sequels, Your Move, and Right Away, but you can view some of the original Hoskins show below. The catchy theme was sung by The Dooleys, in case you’re wondering.
Tuesday’s “A Walking Dead spin-off, Rob Lowe’s Sex Tape and Starhunter returns” news
Film
- Chiwetel Ejiofor and Joe Wright adapting A Season In The Congo
Film casting
- Laurie Holden joins Dumb and Dumber To
- Rob Lowe joins Sex Tape
- Carey Milligan, Michael Sheen, Juno Temple et al join Far From The Madding Crowd
- Mark Strong joins The Imitation Game
- Lily Gabe joins Hunger Games: Mockingjay
Trailers
- Trailer for Grace of Monaco, with Nicole Kidman
Canadian TV
- Starhunter to return as web series
- Craig Olejnik to guest on Haven
UK TV
- Sky to invest £1bn in Irish content over the next five years [subscription required]
UK TV casting
- Harry Enfield and Samantha Spiro to guest on Bad Education
US TV
- Sunday cable ratings: Breaking Bad gets best ever ratings
US TV casting
- Paul Johansson to guest on Beauty and the Beast
- Christian Serratos to play Rosita on The Walking Dead
- Angela Kinsey, Max Greenfield and Kirstie Alley to guest on Hot In Cleveland
New US TV shows
- AMC developing Walking Dead spin-off
- HBO green lights: The Leftovers
- NBC developing: My Parents Are Too F**king Happy…
- …and adaptation of Conspiracy
- Lifetime orders: pilot of The Lottery
- Fox developing: adaptation of Unthinkable
- Trailer for ABC Family’s Ravenswood
New US TV show casting
- Billie Piper joins Showtime’s Penny Dreadful
- Iggy Pop joins Once Upon A Time In Wonderland
- Jacki Weaver to guest on Super Fun Night
Monday’s “Dylan Moran’s US sitcom, Arrow casts The Flash and scenes from The Tunnel” news
Doctor Who
- Peter Davison confirmed for 50th anniversary celebrations
- Watch acquires BBC America Doctor Who documentary
Film casting
- Julianne Moore joins Hunger Games series
Trailers
- Trailer for Vikingdom, with Dominic Purcell
UK TV
- Carnival Films developing drama about young Winston Churchill
- BBC4 acquires: SVT’s Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves
- BET International acquires: Being Mary Jane
- Thursday ratings
New UK TV shows
- Images from Sky/Canal+’s The Tunnel
New UK TV show casting
- Philip Glenister, Bernard Hill et al join BBC1’s From There To Here
- Casting on BBC1’s Jamaica Inn, BBC2’s A Poet in New York and ITV’s Lucan
US TV
- Promo for season six of Parks and Recreation
- Promo for season three of New Girl
- Rizzoli & Isles show runner steps down
- Thursday ratings
- Thursday cable ratings: Burn Notice ends with 5m viewers
- Friday ratings
US TV casting
- Grant Gustin to play The Flash on Arrow
New US TV shows
- ABC developing historically tone deaf, alternative reality show The Thirteen
- Dylan Moran to write and star in ABC sitcom
- Fox orders: The Middle Man from Glenn Gordon Caron and Ben Affleck
- NBC developing CIA comedy
New US TV show casting
- Danny Glover to guest on NBC’s Ironside
- Lisa Edelstein to star in Bravo’s The Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce