The team behind ABC1 comedies A Moody Christmas and Review with Myles Barlow has started production on a new sketch series: The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting.
The new 6 x 30 minute Jungleboys TV series began as an experimental online comedy program and is being filmed in Sydney and Melbourne.
It stars Patrick Brammall (A Moody Christmas), Brendan Cowell (The Borgias, The Slap), Phil Lloyd (Review with Myles Barlow, A Moody Christmas), Jane Harber (A Moody Christmas), Georgina Haig (Fringe), Craig Anderson (Next Stop Hollywood), Helen Dalimore (Laid), Janis McGavin (The Urban Monkey) and standup comedian Dave Eastgate.
The series also features a strong line-up of directing talent: Wayne Blair (The Sapphires, Redfern Now), Trent O’Donnell (A Moody Christmas, Review with Myles Barlow), Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren (Bondi Hipsters), Abe Forsythe (Mr & Mrs Murder, Laid), Craig Melville (John Safran’s Race Relations and John Safran Vs God), and Alethea Jones (Antomy).
ABC TV’s head of entertainment, Jennifer Collins said The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting would serve as an incubator for some of Australia’s best comedic talent. "This series goes to the heart of what ABC TV Entertainment should be doing – creating and nurturing the next wave of comedy writers, directors and performers. It’s a thrill to be working alongside the innovative creative team at Jungleboys,” she said in a statement.
The series will also feature the best material from over 2400 scripts submitted to Jungleboys, which put out a call for new material in December 2012.
Jungleboys executive producer Jason Burrows said: “The show will provide a really exciting platform to showcase the work of some really original comic writers, great actors, and talented top class directors. It is a fantastic original and collaborative show that could only be made with ABC TV.”
Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.