British Network Television
‘Staged’: S2.E5. “The Warthog and the Mongoose: Part 1”
Auditions for David Tennant and Michael Sheen begin
The Warthog and the Mongoose: Part 1, written and directed by Simon Evans, opens with Michael Sheen suggesting David Tennant needs to see a therapist. This suggestion doesn’t go down well. David, because he was Dictionary Corner on Channel 4’s Countdown twice, feels he’s an intellectual.
Simon, tired of both David and Michael taking the credit for Staged, wants them to remind auditionees he wrote the series. Both David and Michael have to audition talent. Considering what happened with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, neither David nor Michael have any choice.
Christoph Waltz, reading for Michael, has no real interest in the part. Christoph, not liking the way Michael is presented, doesn’t care for Simon’s writing.
Hugh Bonneville, another Michael-hopeful, likes to rely on the writer’s work. Hugh, unable to work without a script, finds improvisation disrespectful to Simon because he wrote Staged.
Ewan McGregor, reading for David, believes Simon is anti-Scottish. Ewan can’t get past the terrible writing. Simon is equally incapable of writing Scottish characters as he is with female roles.
