[press release from Movie Extra]
MOVIE EXTRA is delighted to announce filming will commence on a new satirical comedy series, The Jesters, today in Sydney.
The Jesters stars Mick Molloy (Crackerjack, The Late Show), Emily Taheny (Comedy Inc), Deborah Kennedy (Bastard Boys, The Sum of Us, Neighbours), Susie Porter (Better Than Sex, Remote Area Nurse) and introduces a cast of up-and-coming Australian comedic talent Ben Geurens, Christian Barratt-Hill, Andrew Ryan and Travis Cotton. Centred around the day-to-day battles of a sketch comedy veteran turned producer, Dave Davies (Molloy) and his young would-be stars,
The Jesters is a satire about satirists – a behind-the-scenes show about making a satirical comedy TV series, in the spirit of Frontline, Entourage and The Larry Sanders Show.
The Jesters is a funny and dark look into the world of television comedy – from the writers’ room to the network board meetings – loaded with jealousy, pettiness, and treachery … all the things that make show-business so much fun. As Steve Martin once said, ‘Comedy is not pretty.’ The Jesters shows why.
General Manager, Marketing & Content Strategy for Movie Network Channels, Peter Jenetsky, says; ‘MOVIE EXTRA is incredibly excited about bringing another original and clever Australian comedy series to subscription TV audiences. We think the time is right and viewers will love us taking a poke at the satirical comedy genre. Australians love to make fun of their own and The Jesters offers audiences the opportunity to get behind the gilded curtain while exposing the hilarious inner workings of a comedy television series.
The Jesters is written by comedy veterans Kevin Brumpton and Angus FitzSimons who have spent the past ten years writing for television comedy shows including Comedy Inc, BackBerner, David Tench Tonight, Life Support, The Big Bite and Good News Week.
The Jesters is produced by their production company, Return Fire Productions. Ted Robinson (GNW TV) is Executive Producer for MOVIE EXTRA.
The Jesters will premiere on MOVIE EXTRA in the second half of 2009.