Bruce.
The team behind How to Talk Australians will launch their new black comedy, Bruce, exclusively online tomorrow.
The seven ep web-series is set in “an ordinary Aussie share-house that just happens to be a prison tent in Sydney Cove, 1788”.
It follows Bruce Williamson (Offspring’s Richard Davies), whose plan of following his soulmate to Australia by getting arrested spectacularly backfires. Dave Lawson (Utopia, The Heckler) and Angus Sampson (The Mule, Fargo) also star.
Bruce was co-created and directed by Tony Rogers (Wilfred, How to Talk Australians), and produced by Jason Byrne (Sucker, How to Talk to Australians). Mat Blackwell (Good News Week, The Glass House) and Warwick Holt (The Project, Good News Week) wrote the script.
“Bruce has been a real labour of love,” said Byrne. “It’s so great to see the work come together on the online screen. It was a real pleasure working with Tony, Warwick and Mat.”
As to why the creators chose comedy to tackle Australia’s past, Warwick Holt said: “England has dealt with its history thorugh the period drama, while America used the Western. It’s about time Australia’s grim founding story was addressed in a distinctly Aussie fashion: the piss-take.”
The series was the recipient of Multi-platform Drama funding from Screen Australia and was developed with the assistance of Film Victoria.
“Bruce sets a new benchmark of quality for straight-to-web content,” said Screen Australia investment manager Mike Cowap.
“Most feature films would die for a cast this good, the production values are incredible, and it’s funny as hell. It’s testament to the quality of the material and the admiration for the team that a show this ambitious has proved possible. Bruce is an extraordinary achievement on every level.”
Bruce will debut free tomorrow on www.brucetheseries.com and on Youtube.