How do you move a piano across Australia? Tim Minchin stars in Upright, a new Sky original production

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When your most cherished possession is a battered upright piano, you only have one option if you need to travel across Australia: take it with you. Join Tim Minchin and newcomer Milly Alcock in a sharp-tongued and touching comedy drama set on a 4,000km road trip from Sydney to Perth with a piano in tow.

The eight-part series will air on Sky and streaming service NOW TV during 2019 and will be co-produced by Foxtel, with Screen Australia and Lingo Pictures. The story follows two misfits, thrown together by chance in the middle of the Australian desert, who forge the unlikeliest of bonds in their quest to get a precious piano from one side of the country to the other.

Lucky Flynn, played by Minchin, hasn’t spoken to his family in years. He’s broke, distant and damaged. He’s also a gifted pianist, whose talent for music is matched only by his talent for self-destruction. When he learns that his mother has only days left to live, Lucky sets off in a hire car to drive the 4,000km from Sydney to Perth to say goodbye, taking with him his only cherished possession in the world: a battered and scarred upright piano.

But what should have been a straightforward drive across the outback soon becomes a test of Lucky’s emotional fitness, when he quite literally runs into Meg, played Milly Alcock, a hilarious, tough-as-nails teenager, who we soon discover has plenty of scars and secrets of her own.

Tim Minchin said: “From the moment I heard about the idea for Upright, I knew it was the show I’d been waiting to make. I like stories that make me laugh and think and cry, I adore the landscapes of outback Australia, and I love music, and homecomings, and characters full of flaws. It’s awesome to be writing with this extraordinary team, and I’m looking forward to acting alongside Milly Alcock, who I think is a really special talent.”

Morwenna Gordon, Commissioning Editor Sky Comedy, said: “Sky Comedy is always striving to work with the best talent and on the most surprising, unique and beautifully crafted shows, so we’re delighted to be collaborating with the world class Tim Minchin on Upright. Alongside Milly Alcock (and a battered piano), we’re sure this is a road trip Sky customers will never forget.”

Jason Stephens, Lingo Pictures, said: “There are not many shows I’ve enjoyed developing as much as Upright. It’s been a joy having Tim back home and working with our talented team of writers scripting this beautiful and funny show. Matt Saville’s direction always delivers something special so I can’t wait to start shooting and bringing this story to the Foxtel and Sky audiences.”

Upright is created by Chris Taylor, with Taylor and Minchin writing the series together with writer-actors Kate Mulvany and Leon Ford. It will be directed by Matthew Saville with Minchin writing the music. The series will begin filming in Australia in October.

For more information please contact:

skyentpress@sky.uk

Notes to Editors

About UprightUpright is a Lingo Pictures production for Foxtel and Sky UK. Executive Producers include Tim Minchin, Penny Win and Helen Bowden for Lingo Pictures and Morwenna Gordon for Sky UK. Producers are Lingo Pictures’ Jason Stephens, Chris Taylor and Melissa Kelly. With production investment from Foxtel and Screen Australia in association with the South Australian Film Corporation. Financed with support from Create NSW and Screenwest. The series will be distributed worldwide by eOne and production
About Lingo Pictures

Launched in mid-2015, Lingo is owned by Helen Bowden and Jason Stephens, two of Australia’s most prolific and highly awarded television drama producers. Lingo is currently producing Lambs of God for Foxtel starring Emmy Award-winning actress Ann Dowd, (Handmaid’s Tale) Essie Davis, ( Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Game of Thrones) Jessica Barden, ( End of the F*****g World) and Sam Reid (Prime Suspect 1973.) Lingo is also making On the Ropes (SBS), a women's boxing drama starring Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nicole Chamoun, Igal Naor, and Jack Thompson. Last year, Lingo produced the mini-series Wake in Fright (Ten). The series received 7 AACTA nominations (2 wins); 2 Logie nominations and a Silver World Medal at the 2018 New York TV Festival.

Helen Bowden has twice received the Logie and the AACTA for Best Mini-Series in the same year – for The Slap in 2010 and for Devil’s Playground in 2015. Helen was a founder and the foundation Managing Director of Matchbox Pictures (which sold to NBC Universal in 2014).

Jason Stephens produced five television dramas between 2010 and 2014 under a joint venture with FremantleMedia: Killing Time (Foxtel); Devils Dust (ABC); Mr and Mrs Murder (Ten); Better Man, (SBS); and Schapelle, (Nine). As well as producing these shows, Jason was Director of Development at FremantleMedia from 2006 and Creative Director from 2010.

About Sky

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 22.5 million customers across seven countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. The company has annual revenues of £12.9 billion and is Europe’s leading investor in television content with annual programming spend of over £6 billion.

From exclusive partnerships with HBO and Showtime, to Sky Original Productions, Sky offers the best and broadest range of content along with the best viewing experience to suit each and every customer. Whether that’s through the multi-award winning next generation box, Sky Q, or Sky’s contract-free online streaming service, NOW TV, customers have access to the latest movies, drama, sports and kids entertainment wherever and whenever they like. This is all supported by Sky’s best in class customer service.

Sky’s success is not just based on what the company does but how it does it. Named as one of the Top 10 Green Companies in the World by Newsweek, one of the world’s most recognised rankings of business’s environmental performance, Sky ensures its responsible business strategy is embedded right across the group.

Sky has over 31,000 employees and is listed as one of The Times Top 50 employers for women. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

About Foxtel

Foxtel is one of Australia’s most innovative and dynamic media companies and home to award winning local drama plus the widest choice in live sport, hit international TV and movies and a host of complete TV seasons. Foxtel believes in the importance of telling Australian stories, and its ongoing commitment to creating the best in Australian programming has garnered numerous industry awards for its Foxtel Original productions. Foxtel has helped put Australian talent on the world stage with highly acclaimed international exports and it proudly invests in the people who help tell those stories by employing thousands of Australians directly and indirectly across Australia’s creative industry. It has also pioneered advancements in entertainment technology with the iQ3 set top box; the Foxtel app for mobile devices; streaming service, Foxtel Now and Foxtel broadband, home phone and entertainment bundles. Foxtel is owned by News Corporation (65%) and Telstra Corporation Limited ACN 051 775 556 (35%).

Source SKY

July 24, 2018 3:00am ET by SKY  

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