Debbie Isitt

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Debbie Isitt
Born (1966-02-07) 7 February 1966 (age 58)
Birmingham, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Writer, film director and performer
Known for Nativity! film series
SpouseNicky Ager
ChildrenSydney Isitt-Ager

Debbie Isitt (born 7 February 1966) is an English comic writer, film director, composer and performer.

Contents

Early life and education

Isitt was born in Birmingham. She went to Our Lady of Fatima Primary School and Lordswood Girls Secondary School and is a cousin of the footballer Darren Wassall. [1]

Career

Isitt is best known for her Christmas comedy films, the Nativity! series, of which she has written and directed four to date. [2] Prior to that, she wrote BAFTA award-winning television adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's book, The Illustrated Mum , [3] the stage play The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband , and the feature films Nasty Neighbours [4] and Confetti .

Isitt studied for two years at Coventry Performing Arts. After graduating in 1985 she joined the Cambridge Experimental Theatre company and toured Europe for a year performing Shakespeare. She then founded the Snarling Beasties company and spent the next 15 years writing, directing and performing in plays they took around the world. In 2001, she adapted Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians for the stage. [5]

Nativity! , Isitt's third feature film, starring Martin Freeman, was released in November 2009. It became the most successful British independent film of the year. The sequel, Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger , starred David Tennant. Released in November 2012, and was also a financial success, making twice the amount at the UK box office as the original. Two further sequels, Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? and Nativity Rocks! , were released in 2014 and 2018 respectively. They were financial successes, but received mixed reviews from critics. [6]

In 2017, Isitt wrote, directed, and composed the music for a stage musical based on the first film in the Nativity! with her partner Nicky Ager. Nativity! The Musical ran from 20th October until 6th January and starred Daniel Boys, Simon Lipkin and Sarah Earnshaw. [7] The show returned for a second tour in 2018. [8] Simon Lipkin returned in the lead role as Mr. Poppy, joined by Scott Garnham and Ashleigh Gray. [9] Garnham and Gray for a third tour in 2019, with Scott Paige playing the show's comic lead. However, Lipkin returned to reprise his role for the Hammersmith Apollo run of the show. [10] The musical ran at the Birmingham Rep for the 2022 Christmas season, after initially being postponed from 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [11]

Isitt also directed the ITV series Love and Marriage, and more recently wrote and directed the family comedy Christmas On Mistletoe Farm for Netflix. [12] [13] [14] The film stars Scott Garnham, Scott Paige and Kathryn Drysdale.

On 21 March 2023, it was announced that I Should Be So Lucky , a jukebox musical making use of the songs by Stock Aitken Waterman, was due to open later in the year at the Manchester Opera House and then proceed on a UK tour. The original story and script was written by Isitt and she will also direct the production. [15] [16]

Controversy

Actors Robert Webb and Olivia Colman publicly criticised the film Confetti upon release. [17] The pair play a couple of naturists planning their wedding, and claim they were misled about the amount of nudity involved in the film. [18] Webb said in an interview that Isitt had told them their genitals would all be pixelated in the final film, and was not aware until the screening that this was not the case. [19] [20] Colman and Webb started legal proceedings against the filmmaker, but these were eventually abandoned when the actors concluded it was too late and the lengthy process would prevent them from "pretending it didn't happen". [21]

Related Research Articles

Stock Aitken Waterman are an English songwriting and record production trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman. The trio had great success from the mid-1980s through to the early 1990s. SAW is considered one of the most successful songwriting and producing partnerships of all time, scoring more than 100 UK top-40 hits, selling over 150 million records and earning an estimated £60 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamsin Greig</span> British actress

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Colman</span> English actress (born 1974)

Sarah Caroline Sinclair, known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, four BAFTA Awards, two Emmy Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Jensen</span> Scottish actress and narrator (born 1969)

Ashley Jensen is a Scottish actress and narrator. She is best known for her role as Maggie Jacobs in Extras (2005–2007), in which she was nominated for an Emmy, Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), Agatha Raisin in Agatha Raisin (2014–present) and DI Ruth Calder in Shetland (2023–present).

<i>Confetti</i> (2006 film) 2006 British film

Confetti is a 2006 British mockumentary romantic comedy film released on 5 May 2006. It was conceived and directed by Debbie Isitt and stars many acclaimed British comedians, including Jessica Stevenson, Jimmy Carr, Martin Freeman, Mark Heap, Julia Davis, Robert Webb and Olivia Colman. It follows a bridal magazine competition for the most original wedding, the ultimate prize being a house, and the three couples who are chosen to compete. The film follows the contestants in a fly-on-the-wall documentary style, akin to The Office. The script was entirely improvised. The film was a box office success, grossing $4.9 million on a budget of $2 million.

Daniel Boys is an English musical theatre actor, who was a contestant on the BBC talent series Any Dream Will Do in 2007 before becoming known as a stage actor in various musicals including Avenue Q, Spamalot and Falsettos.

<i>Nativity!</i> 2009 British film by Debbie Isitt

Nativity! is a 2009 British Christmas musical comedy film directed by Debbie Isitt and released on 27 November 2009 and the first instalment in the Nativity film series. The film stars Martin Freeman and Ashley Jensen. In the film, teacher Paul Maddens (Freeman) lies to his rival that Hollywood are coming to watch his school's Christmas nativity, but after the lie gets out of hand, he must resolve the issue fast. The film was written by its director, Debbie Isitt, but was also partially improvised. The film premiered on 23 November 2009 in the SkyDome Arena, Coventry, England.

<i>Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger</i> 2012 British film by Debbie Isitt

Nativity! 2: Danger in the Manger is a 2012 British Christmas comedy film written and directed by Debbie Isitt, an improvised Christmas comedy and the second instalment in the Nativity film series. The film focuses on Donald Peterson, an anxious primary school teacher, who embarks on a wild and heartwarming adventure with his class and teaching assistant, the childlike Mr Poppy, as they travel to Wales to perform in a Christmas singing competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Garnham</span> English actor

Scott Garnham is an English actor. Notable credits include Billy Elliot The Musical, Les Misérables, Made in Dagenham directed by Rupert Goold, and Pompidou by Matt Lucas for the BBC.

Sarah Earnshaw is a British actress known for her work in musical theatre.

<i>Nativity 3: Dude, Wheres My Donkey?</i> 2014 British film by Debbie Isitt

Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?! is a 2014 British Christmas comedy film which serves as the third instalment of the Nativity film series and was directed by Debbie Isitt. It stars Martin Clunes, Marc Wootton, Catherine Tate with Celia Imrie and Jason Watkins. Like its predecessors, it was distributed by Entertainment One.

Jemma Churchill is an English television, theatre, film and radio actress, best known for her roles as Nanny Lyons in Upstairs Downstairs, and Ms Fellows in Waterloo Road.

The Nativity film series is an English film series of family Christmas films.

Simon Lipkin is a British actor, best known for his work in musical theatre. He has originated roles in several major West End musicals such as Avenue Q and Rock of Ages. His television work includes The Amazing World of Gumball and Doctor Who. He has acted in small roles in film as well as in the starring role in 2018 comedy Nativity Rocks!.

<i>Nativity! The Musical</i> 2017 stage musical written and directed by Debbie Isitt

Nativity! The Musical is a stage musical written and directed by Debbie Isitt, based on Isitt's 2009 film of the same name.

George Dyer is a British musical director, supervisor and orchestrator.

<i>Nativity Rocks!</i> 2018 British film by Debbie Isitt

Nativity Rocks! is a 2018 British Christmas comedy film and the fourth and final instalment of the Nativity film series by Debbie Isitt. It stars Simon Lipkin, Celia Imrie, Craig Revel Horwood, Helen George, Ruth Jones & Daniel Boys. Like its predecessors, it was distributed by Entertainment One. The only people who reprised their roles in this film were Celia Imrie and Jessica Hynes.

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is a musical comedy by Harry Hill and Steve Brown based on the life of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair.

Christmas On Mistletoe Farm is a 2022 British Christmas comedy musical film, written and directed by Debbie Isitt. It was released on Netflix on 23 November 2022.

I Should Be So Lucky is a British jukebox musical written by Debbie Isitt, which uses the music of the pop writing team Stock Aitken Waterman.

References

  1. ↑ "The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband being served up at Oldbury Rep". Halesowen News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Black, Claire (13 November 2014). "Interview: Debbie Isitt - 'I'm proud to say we knocked Jim Carrey and Disney off their spot'". The Scotsman.
  3. ↑ "Children vote Shrek 2 best film". BBC News.
  4. ↑ "Debbie Isitt: Executive Profile". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Moorhead, Joanna (16 December 2017). "From Coventry with love: Debbie Isitt's Nativity! story". The Guardian . Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Young, Graham (17 November 2014). "Coventry film director Debbie Isitt hits back after Nativity 3 is panned by critics". Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 1 December 2014. Distributors Entertainment One commissioned a third movie after Nativity 2 grossed more than £10million in the UK alone.
  7. ↑ "Casting announced for Nativity! The Musical | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "Nativity! to return for UK tour and London run in 2018 | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  9. ↑ Wilma (7 September 2018). "Cast announced for the UK Tour of NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL". West End Wilma. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "Nativity the musical announces London cast for Christmas 2019". British Theatre. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  11. ↑ Mullen, Enda (16 January 2022). "Nativity the Musical is returning in 2022". CoventryLive. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Love And Marriage - Production Details". comedy.co.uk. British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  13. ↑ Kendall, Paul (5 June 2013). "Love and Marriage, ITV, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Netflix gets into the Christmas spirit early with announcing new family film". Paudal. 26 October 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "I Should Be So Lucky, based on the catalogue of Stock Aitken Waterman hits, to premiere this autumn | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Stock Aitken Waterman musical I Should Be So Lucky to open this year". The Stage. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  17. ↑ 10 questions for Mitchell & Webb Archived 31 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine , from That Mitchell & Webb Log; originally featured on the BBC Two web site.
  18. ↑ Dempster, Sarah (18 June 2007). "'Fame is quite scary'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "BBC One - The Graham Norton Show, Series 6, Episode 2". Bbc.co.uk. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  20. ↑ "Mitchell and Webb's Rants on Smoking, Coffee and Nudists - The Graham Norton Show Preview - BBC One". YouTube. 9 October 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  21. ↑ Hattenstone, Simon (9 September 2011). "Olivia Colman takes on the Tyrannosaur". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 October 2012.


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