TO PREMIERE
IN MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL
EARLY THIS YEAR !!Phillip Leyland in the 21 January 2008 issue of movieScope Magazine says that Northern Cowoys will premiere on the big screen in Manchester and Liverpool early this year along with ten other shorts.The Digital Shorts special screening will take place at Manchester’s Cornerhouse and Liverpool’s FACT independent cinema. And film fans are being invited to watch the films for free!
Filmed just last year in March, Northern Cowboys was produced in Lancashire (where Stephen grew up!) According to the North West Vision website:
'Northern Cowboys tells the story of Deano (played by Stephen Billington), a self-obsessed Country and Western singer, who dreams of stardom. Together with his group, The Finger Lickin' Five, they enter a Country Music 'Battle of the Bands' where they must compete with arch rivals, 'The Undertakers', for the prize of a lifetime, a trip to Nashville.'Also, according to the NC website, there are hopes to turn it into a feature film. (Fingers crossed!!) You really should take a look at the Northern Cowboys website. [Click the tab, at top, that says 'Photos'.] They have some very nice photos, especially the ones of Stephen singing.
And there are mp3s of the music from Northern Cowboys at this URL: http://www.babyfacemedia.co.uk/#news!!! So go have a listen! :) [The URLs are just to the right of the photos from Northern Cowboys, just under the BBC Radio Mersyside logo.]
WEBSTER FAMILY ALBUM ON ITV
According to Corrie Blog, on Friday, November 16 at 10:00 on ITV1 in UK there was a half-hour special called 'Coronation Street: The Webster Family Album'. Cast members, past and present, commented on their trials and tribulations, and Stephen is one of contributors! If you are in Canada or Australia, you can keep an eye out for the special on your Granada-friendly channels. The rest of us can start campaigning for a boxed set!! :)
JONATHAN CREEK -- Season Two
Yay!! Jonathan Creek -- Season Two, the season that has Stephen's two episodes, The Problem at Gallows Gate, is now available for Region 1 !! You can order a copy from amazon.com at this URL. [Bless you BBC, for making it available !!!! :) ]
Stephen was just recently in a new romantic comedy! It is called O Happy Day. Stephen's character's name was David. It was directed by Ian Poitier, and ran 96-100 minutes (BFI says 96, IMDb says 100). IMDb says the plot goes something like this:
'Two guys battle through the consequences of having had a one-night stand just before they started working together, and learn that to make a relationship work, you have to reveal everything: even if it means getting naked in front of 100 people and a gospel choir singing "Oh Happy Day".'
******* Of Oh Happy Day, Jonathan Keane at BFI said:
'Oh Happy Day is a fun, sexy and beautifully shot British romantic comedy - and an assured first feature - with great performances and wicked comic one-liners from British director Ian Poitier.'
MUCH ADO ABOUT
NOTHING
Stephen was just in a Shakespeare play!! In Much Ado About Nothing, Stephen played Claudio. The play was at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, and it ran from the 13th April and until the 5th May 2007.
Also in the cast were Stephen Boswell, Peter Bygott, Ruth Everett, Ally Holmes, Simon Merrells, Howard Saddler, Faz Singhateh, Perri Snowdon, Sally Ann Triplett. It was being directed by Phil Willmott.
Leonato (Peter Bygott), Stephen Billington (Claudio) and Howard Saddler (Don Pedro)
in *Much Ado About Nothing*
******* What Peter Grant, at The Stage, had to say about 'Much Ado About Nothing':
Director Phil Willmott ... clearly knows how to deliver Shakespeare that is both magical and accessible.Ruth Everett’s Hero and Stephen Billington’s Claudio are outstanding strong leading players... . Like Kenneth Branagh’s joyous screen adapation, this production is nicely-paced and beautiful to look at. ...This is a vibrant lively production you can not help but fall in love with from start to rewarding end.
******* What Philip Key, at Liverpool Daily Post, had to say about 'Much Ado About Nothing':
'To slightly misquote a famous advertising slogan, the new production from the Liverpool Playhouse looks good, sounds good and, by Jove, it does you good!Looks good? Director Phil Willmott has set Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing at the VE celebrations in 1945 Britain. Designer Christopher Woods has outdone himself with these scenes, with the sets changing into other places as well, a church vestry and garden included. Costume supervisor Marie Jones has also come up with some great 1940s outfits, no more better displayed than at a masked ball. In short, it looks like an opulent production.
Sounds good? Even before the show opens we get 1940s dance music playing away. The cast also deliver their lines with clarity and a sense of fun that comes right out into the auditorium.
And it does you good? This is Shakespeare as it should be played, accessible, funny (Shakespeare knew how to write a sitcom) and totally delightful.'
Stephen was in a new film called 'City of Birds'
!! It was directed by Vladimir Michalek (Amerika) and was filmed in the Czech republic, UK, Italy, and Israel. The production page synopsis says that the film is a bitter-sweet romance. Also starring in the film are Dominic Cooper, Mark Strong and Saskia Reeves.Stephen's character's name is Denis.
CUSTER'S
PLAN
The 50-minute docu-film, that Stephen was in, was called 'Custer's Plan' and is one of the episodes in the 'The Wild West' series, that was filmed entirely on the South Dakota [USA] prairie.
Stephen played a Captain, based on a real person that actually fought at the Little Big Horn, named Frederic Benteen. And Stephen gave him a Southern accent!! And if you think that sounds lovely, you're absolutely right!!
General Custer was played by Toby Stephens. Also in the cast, was Roger Clarke as Captain Thomas Weir, Alan Cox as Mark Kellogg, a reporter that rode along with the Cavalry, Nigel Whitmey as Major Marcus Reno, and James Jordan as scout, Mitch Boyer.
'Custer's Plan' was directed by Dave Stewart ('The Human Face' documentary with John Cleese, not from the Eurythmics.) And it is reported to be, the most accurate portrayal of the old Frontier Army in the field, filmed yet - to date.
Evidently it has already aired in UK, and BBC has taken pity on the rest of of who want to see it, because it is posted, in parts, over at YouTube. It is also supposed to air on the Discovery Channel later this year, in the States. You can order one for Zone 2, at the BBC Shop at this URL or at amazon.co.uk, at this URL. But while you wait for your copy to arrive in the mail, you can go over to YouTube and watch it right now! They are all listed under 'Custer', and the URL's are as follows:
Listed
AsURL Run
TimePart 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_uZNd2EZkE 5:12 Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xofAYSRwQts 6:04 Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBB3QpgoRT0 6:38 Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc0LgEi8dZM 7:12 Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSapL-Npugg 5:46 Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOj7_HIXppI 6:30 Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h97iYjrGvKk 7:05 Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m32BJrOGEIQ 3:59 Part 9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krt-jE_CYw4 4:44
DOCTORS
Greener Grass
News of new work!! Airing the 4th of September 2006, Stephen guest-starred in an episode of BBC's 'Doctors'. The episode was called 'Greener Grass' and Stephen played a character named Colin Tierney. According to tv.com, the plot goes like this:
'When a woman is told she is pregnant it gives her the strength she needs to make some changes in her life. A curious Michelle tries to find out everything about new doctor Joe.'Unfortunately, it does not give us any insight into Stephen's character Colin Tierney. Anyway, thought you'd want to know, so that you could keep an eye out for it. The episode will probably cycle back up on re-runs, and probably turn up later as part of a boxed set.
Stephen Billington
is teaching at
The Method Studio London UK
Are you an aspiring actor or actress? Do you think that Stephen is the best? If you think you have what it takes to pass the personal interview at The Method Studio London UK, you could take classes directly from him ! So let your fingers do the walking, and get your browser over to the Admissions page to look at their requirements HERE. And then, straight to the Contact page HERE. And if you want to look at Stephen's page there, (why wouldn't you?!?), it is HERE.
Stephen had a new short film that he was in, called THE UN-GONE. In it, Stephen plays Julian Salinger.
Commissioned as one of the 2005 UK Film Council/Screen West Midlands 'Digital Shorts', it was filmed in England, shot on HD on a Panasonic Varicam, and runs 8 minutes. The website for THE UN-GONE ( http://www.theungone.co.uk/) says their idea for the short was:
'Matter transporters are a reality, and the Trans-Trip Corporation, controllers of this technology, provide the gateway to a new life for Julian Salinger and his wife Maya (Linette Beaumont.)But this apparent golden age of travel without boundaries has its shadow side. And when the system malfunctions, Salinger discovers a less palatable future behind the corporate facade.
Written and directed by Simon Bovey, THE UN-GONE is an intriguing science fiction thriller. Its story is quite simple, a matter transporter malfunctions causing the duplication of a traveller. But at its heart is a big idea - that being an individual is really the only true freedom we have. '
THE UN-GONE premiered at the Curzon Cinema in Soho for the culmination of the 2006 Short Film Summer School festival in London. It was selected to screen there in its original HD format, which looks absolutely stunning on the big screen.
There are at least two other screenings coming up in September. Sweden has a screening scheduled during the Lund Fantastisk Film Festival (www.fff.se) on the 21st-30th of September. Los Angeles has a screening scheduled for the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (www.lashortsfest.com) at the Arclight Cinema, Hollywood on the 5th-14th of September. You should look up both websites for the details.
Speaking of looking up websites, by all means, do go visit THE UN-GONE website (http://www.theungone.co.uk/). It is a very nice website and there are some new pictures of Stephen, which I know you will like.
amazon.co.uk now has several sources for Region 1 DVD's for Dracula II: Ascension listed at at this URL Dracula II: Ascension
now available
for Region 1
THE BUCCANEERS
is available
in US at amazon.com
The Buccaneers is now available on DVD at amazon.com. You can order it HERE. [ I searched amazon.co.uk, as well, but it doesn't show up there yet, and that is what the grids at IMDb, for The Buccaneers, show, as well.] This DVD is for Zone 1.
CORONATION STREET: SECRETS
and
CORONATION STREET: MORE SECRETS
now available from Canada's amazon.ca
Coronation Street: Secrets is now available through amazon.ca. Stephen's episodes on these discs are called 'Love Cheats', and 'Villains'.
And Coronation Street: More Secrets is also now available. On this set, Stephen's episode is on Disc 2, and is called 'A Nightmare on Coronation Street'.)
HIGHLANDER: THE RAVEN
available in US at amazon.com
Highlander: The Raven (the entire series, including Stephen's episode) is available on DVD at amazon.com. You can order the series here. [ I searched amazon.co.uk, as well, but it doesn't show up there yet.] This DVD is for Zone 1.
Last updated: 22 March 2008
