TVDRAMA
The BBC has commissioned the new crime drama The Cage, written by Tony Schumacher (The Responder), for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Starring Sheridan Smith (Cilla, The C Word, Mrs Biggs) and Michael Socha (The Gallows Pole, Showtrial), The Cage centers on Leanne and Matty, who discover they are both robbing from the safe at the inner-city casino they work in. Their lives end up on a collision course with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from and the police.
The five-part drama is being directed by Al Mackay (Kidnapped, Without Sin) and filmed in and around Liverpool and Merseyside.
The Cage is produced by Element Pictures (Normal People, Conversations with Friends, Dublin Murders), a Fremantle company. Executive producers include Hilary Martin for Fremantle; Christopher Aird, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures; Lucy Richer for the BBC; and Schumacher and Smith.
Fremantle will be handling global sales of the drama.
“Coming back to the BBC with my second major show and being able to work with such talents as Sheridan, Michael and the teams at Element Pictures and the BBC is such an honor,” Schumacher said. “On top of that, having a director of Al’s caliber really is the cherry on the big Liverpool drama cake we’re baking together. I’m hoping people will find it funny, dark, but most of all full of love, life and entertainment, and I can’t wait for the world to see it.”
Element Pictures’ Aird and Fremantle’s Martin commented, “We’re excited to be producing Tony’s unique drama for the BBC. Tony writes characters from the heart that break your heart, and we’re thrilled Sheridan and Michael are going to be playing Leanne and Matty. The Cage is a crime show, a show about family and a love story of sorts. It is by turns funny, poignant, thrilling and sad; we know Al Mackay will bring his love of real-world characters to tell Tony’s story with verve and energy.”
“The Cage is character-driven, hugely entertaining and full of heart, and I’m delighted that Tony has chosen the BBC to be the home of his second series following on from the success of The Responder,” added Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “With Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha leading the cast, Al Mackay directing and the team at Element Pictures producing, viewers are in for a treat.”
