‘Fleabag’ star set to lead Simon Stephens’ ‘Sea Wall’ film adaptation
Andrew Scott is returning to a stage role he originally performed in 2008 for a new feature film version of Simon Stephens’ ‘Sea Wall.’ The project will take a different approach to the usual stage-to-screen adaptation, capturing Scott’s live performance alongside footage from backstage and the theater audience.
The film will be shot across 19 performances at Off-Broadway’s Studio Seaview from October 16 through October 30. Tina Satter, who created and directed ‘Is This a Room,’ will direct the project. ‘Sea Wall’ centers on Alex, a young photographer and father living in London.
A devastating incident during a family trip to the South of France forces him to confront grief and the sudden loss of an idyllic life. Stephens originally wrote the piece as a solo monologue for Scott. The actor first performed it at London’s Bush Theatre in 2008 before taking the production to Edinburgh.
The production team describes the film as a story about the creation of theater rather than a straightforward recording of a stage show. Cameras will capture the performance, backstage activity, and moments inside the theater.
The audience will play a key role in the finished film, giving the project a connection to the live performances that traditional stage recordings often lack. This will mark the second filmed version of ‘Sea Wall’ featuring Scott. A 30-minute adaptation arrived in 2012, with Stephens and producer Andrew Porter directing the project.
The play later reached the U.S. stage in 2019. Tom Sturridge performed the solo role in a Broadway production at the Hudson Theatre. The Broadway run followed an Off-Broadway staging at the Public Theater. It appeared as part of a double bill with Nick Payne’s ‘A Life,’ which starred Jake Gyllenhaal. Scott’s new production will arrive shortly before his upcoming theatrical project ‘Elsinore,’ which is scheduled for release in November.
Seaview, Spencer Ross, Steven Demmler, Linden Productions, Both/And Productions, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra, and Stephen Della Pietra will produce ‘Sea Wall’ on stage. Isabella Byrd handles lighting design, with Ben Williams on sound. Paul Yee serves as director of photography for the film, while Parker Lutz will advise on production design.
Andrew Scott is best known for playing the Hot Priest in ‘Fleabag,’ a role that earned him widespread acclaim. He later starred in films including ‘1917,’ ‘All of Us Strangers,’ ‘Ripley,’ and ‘Catherine Called Birdy.’ His other credits include ‘Spectre,’ ‘Black Mirror,’ and ‘His Dark Materials.’
