John McKay’s Dead Dad Dog to play in double bill with sequel Sunny Boy in London and Edinburgh
John McKay’s Dead Dad Dog, the Scottish comic smash hit from 1988, in a double bill with the world premiere of a specially commissioned brand new sequel, Sunny Boy opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season from 3 October 2023 (Press Nights: Thursday, 5 October and Friday, 6 October 2023), prior to a run at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, as part of their 60th Anniversary celebrations.
Dead Dad Dog
Edinburgh in the mid 1980s.Young Alexander Dundee – Eck to his friends – is sharply ambitious, sexed-up and in a hurry, and eagerly awaiting the job interview which will change his life.
Little does he anticipate the sudden appearance of the spectre of his long dead father, Wullie, a lugubrious ex-Hoover salesman – a flare-trousered 1970s picture of Caledonian cheesiness.
When they discover they can’t be further than a few feet apart without painful consequences, Eck is plunged into a blackly comic nightmare as he tries to survive the day with his dead father in tow…
Storming the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, in 1988, and immediately transferring to the Royal Court Theatre, Dead Dad Dog was a comic smash hit, embodying the new Scottish optimism of its time – loud-mouthed, hip and sharply-suited.
Sunny Boy
It’s 2023.
Now Eck is older than the ghost of his dead father, and has a troublesome 22 year old son of his own, Bob, whom he is dropping in on as part of his plan to return – the conquering hero – to his homeland.
After all, Eck’s not old yet, is he? And he’s a much better father than Wullie ever was, right? And no one’s haunted by the ghosts of old Scotland anymore, right?
Fast, scandalous, and heartfelt, new play Sunny Boy takes the world of Dead Dad Dog and turns it – like contemporary Scotland – arse upwards.
In a blur of music, fast talk, unexpected nakedness, and poorly judged fashion choices, Sunny Boy twangs the nerve of permanent adolescence and parental guilt that is so familiar to the 1980s generation – who were supposed to grow up to inherit the world, and somehow failed to do so.
Directed by Liz Carruthers. Designed by Alex Marker. Lighting by Rachel Sampley. Sound Design by Julian Starr.
Presented by Old School and Stories Untold Productions in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre.
Cast: Liam Brennan. Sam Graham. Angus Miller.
Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED
Book online at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk
Box Office 020 7244 7439
No booking fees
Tracy Breaks the Internet!
The Beaker is Back! In a stunning debut on February 14th 2021, John McKay’s movie special re-launch of CBBC’s most beloved fiesty hellraiser – and her daughter – reached CBBC’s biggest ever opening audience after trending no 1 on Twitter, with the nation’s twentysomethings eager to know what had happened to their childhood heroine – and her arch frenemy Justine Littlewood!
KATY wins International Emmy!
At a glitteringly socially-distanced ceremony in April 2020, KATY has capped off its amazing BAFTA- and Rocky- winning run with victory at the International Emmys – taking the prize for Best Kids Drama. Congratulations from director John McKay to writer Tom Bidwell, producers Jonathan Wolfman and Spencer Campbell, and amazing rising star Chloe Lea on the astonishing success of this tv movie adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel.
Look into my Eyes!
Prepare to lose control as John McKay’s reboot of the classic UK YA sci fi series hits screens this spring, in a paranoid new adaptation by writer Emma Reeves, starring Nicholas Gleaves (The Bodyguard) as the school principal you DON’T want get a merit from!
Katy Launches Today!
With a wonderful central performance from Chloe Lea as the plucky girl who suffers a terrible spinal injury, and terrific support from Simon Trinder, Lettie Butler and BAFTA Rising Star Ruth Madeley, director John McKay’s moving series of Jacqueline Wilson’s KATY starts today at 5pm on CBBC, Iplayer – and as a 90 min movie here.
KATY comes to BAFTA
This February, upcoming BBC drama KATY, adapted from the novel by Jacqueline Wilson about a spirited teenage girl, was given a special screening at BAFTA Piccadilly – and director John McKay brought his own rebellious early teen tearaway to record the event for her Youtube channel.
You can catch KATY from Tuesday 13th March – and see the trailer here
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Tina and Bobby starts this Friday
Behind every great man… is a world-class defender! Michelle Keegan and Lorne Macfadyean star in the three-part miniseries, directed by John McKay, starting this Friday in the UK on ITV1 at 9pm.
Introducing 1745
John McKay makes his debut as producer with 1745, a New Talent Short recently commissioned by the Scottish Film Talent Network. Written by Morayo Akande, and directed by BAFTA Scholar Gordon Napier, 1745 tells the harrowing story of two African slave sisters who escape into the wilderness of 18th century Scotland…
Follow the film on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1745movie
Support the production on Indiegogo: https://igg.me/at/1745
Wrapping on TINA AND BOBBY
Director John McKay wound up in the ocean last week on wrapping 3 hour miniseries TINA AND BOBBY with Michelle Keegan and Lorne McFadyean…
Burns!
John McKay is to write the screenplay of a major new ROBERT BURNS biopic for Lionsgate UK via Gerard Butler and Alan Seigel’s G-BASE and Vadim Jean’s The Mob companies… A rollicking and scandalous tale of the poet’s time in the scottish capital Edinburgh at the height of the Age of Reason, the movie seems ideal for a handsome scots star in his prime…
Ordinary Lies Rocks the Ratings!
Michelle Keegan grabbed the nation’s attention in a breakout serious drama performance as Tracy, a young party girl out of her depth – putting on half a million viewers from week one, and prompting The Independent to say: “Keegan holds your attention for every single moment of this episode. Ordinary Lies is one of those rare shows where you really don’t know what to expect – this drama will definitely keep you on your toes.”
ORDINARY LIES starts tonight BBC1 9pm
Award-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst’s latest portrait of very human failings and evasions debuts tonight on the UK’s biggest channel for drama.
The stellar ensemble cast, including Jason Manford, Michelle Keegan, Max Beesley, Jo Joyner, Sally Lindsey and McKenzie Crook worked with director John McKay to present the daily lives and loves of a used car showroom in the North. Like a used car, our lives may be shiny on the surface, but what lies beneath?
Opening episode sees troubled salesman MARTY (Jason Manford) impulsively tell a lie to avoid dismissal. He expects terrible and immediate consequences. But the thing is, his life actually starts to get better, and he begins to enjoy the benefits his big lie has brought him…
Wrapping on ORDINARY LIES
Shooting wraps on the premiere episodes of ORDINARY LIES, an intriguing new 9pm drama from Red productions for BBC1, written by Danny Brocklehurst and starring Michelle Keeghan, Jason Manford and McKenzie Crook – with a host of others.
John McKay and STICK selected for EIFF New Talent
John McKay extends his work as a writer-producer, bringing his US-set horror-thriller script to EIFF as part of the New Talent Lab 2014, which taps up-and-comers for pairing with experienced partners and mentors on promising feature projects.
For more info and other participants see here
Victory for Scotland!
Powerhouse 2-part BBC documentary The Quest for Bannockburn is previewing now ahead of its UK tx on 2nd and 9th of June – with epic battle scenes directed by John McKay and amazing post-FX from Glasgow coders Once Were Farmers. Catch a sneak preview of the action below:
NAHE lights up CIFF!
No photos please! Director John Mckay gambols with festival director Marcie Goodman and board president Mark Smith as Not Another Happy Ending makes its US debut in front of 2000 delighted festival goers in Cleveland
Not Another Happy Ending Opens CIFF
Not Another Happy Ending has the honour of opening the Cleveland International Film Festival this Wednesday 19th March – see you there!
SHETLAND rocks the ratings!
After a pilot story last year, brooding crime thriller Shetland returns to BBC1, with director John McKay drafted in to supercharge the bleak Scandi look and feel of the show ready for its first series run. Something worked, because the most remote archipelago of the UK grabbed the lion’s share of the nation’s viewers when it premiered on March 11th.
“A gripping police drama. And beautiful to look at.” said Sam Wollaston in The Guardian
Where to see NAHE from October 11th in the UK
For details of where to see fabulous wee scots romcom Not Another Happy Ending from next weekend, click here – and bring a gaggle of friends!
NAHE wins UK distribution!
Following its gala debut at the Edinburgh International Film Festival Not Another Happy Ending has signed a UK distribution deal with Kaleidoscope Entertainment.
The movie opens nationwide on October 11th – in what promises to be a bumper month for Scottish cinema.
Not Another Happy Ending Premieres!
The cast and crew of Not Another Happy Ending joined Karen Gillan and Stanley Weber on the red carpet at Edinburgh’s amazing Festival Theatre on Sunday night, as the movie’s premiere gala closed the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2013.
With a great response from two capacity screenings, they then went on to have a good time at the closing party – in the traditional scottish sense!
Not Another Happy Ending gets its first trailer
Headed for its world premier on June 30th, NAHE unleashes its first trailer, with storming music from soundtrack stars Huevo and the Giant and Teen Canteen
Not Another Happy Ending to close EIFF 2013!
Just announced – breezy indie romance Not Another Happy Ending is to receive the honour of being the closing gala film of this year Edinburgh International Film Festival…
We’ll Take Manhattan nominated for PRS Music Award
Composer Kevin Sargent’s elegant, swingin’ jazz score for We’ll Take Manhattan has been given the big nod from the PRS for their awards on 21st February – congratulations to the man!