Midlands Review of Tawn-19
midlandsmovies • December 22, 2020
Midlands Review of Tawn-19
Directed by Tim Bryn Smith
2020
Actor's Workshop Nottingham
From The Actors Workshop Nottingham comes the timely and apt production of TAWN-19, a comedy of errors surrounding the UK’s response to a global pandemic and the subsequent conspiracy surrounding the vaccine.
TAWN’s main narrative focuses on an internet conspiracy theorist group called Infoclash, whose main goal is to sabotage the UK governments attempts to vaccinate the population as they believe the hidden agenda is to use the vaccine as a microchip, in a bid to control the state.
The sinister X-Files-esque credits sequence is soon replaced with heavy doses of satirical comedy, a formula the film gladly keeps throughout its runtime.
Soon after we are introduced to the inebriated Everett (Matthew Thomason) an Epidemiologist working on the UK’s vaccine and his Government handler Adeline (Becki Lloyd) who tries to educate Everett on what not to say before he is interviewed live on-air.
Enjoyably, writer Sara Bodinar seems to be having a blast as she sends up the current topics such as Covid-19, the 5G conspiracy theories and Boris’s many inconspicuous children.
Bodinar does not just rely on the pandemic to deliver clever insights into the modern human experience however, as the dialogue remains funny and sharp with parodies regarding dating apps and professional influencers scattered throughout.
Another major player within the film is the character Pandora (Claire Waterall) a dedicated member of Infoclash, she believes the vaccine is not in the country’s best interests and tries to recruit as many followers as possible. Her enthusiasm reaches the point where she organises the abduction of Gabe Carboni (Joe Kirton) who is selling his version of a vaccine to the highest bidder.
Pandora is the films anchor and is key to bringing most of the segments together, this is accomplished with a spirited performance from actress Claire Waterall.
The technical achievements of TAWN-19 are also noticeable, the post-production graphics would not look out of place in some prime-time television segments, whilst the editing by director & producer is authentic. The film never feels grandiose, keeping in line with the restrictions Tim Bryn Smith upholds an atmosphere that feels genuine, I think the nostalgia will resonate heavily with some of the audience.
Personally, I think the film suffers from the sheer volume of talent involved, I found myself hoping earlier characters and their chemistry would reappear like Everett and Adeline. Shortly after characters and segments are established, they disappear with most not being seen again which was disappointing.
The Actors Workshop Nottingham is an acting training facility dedicated to supporting performers of all experience levels to develop their craft. Filmed during the nation’s first lockdown, TAWN-19 has a reported 94 actors having time on screen, which is impressive in normal circumstances but is even more so when keeping with the current social distancing guidelines.
Ultimately though TAWN-19 is an impressive achievement, and a clear example of how inventive filmmakers can be when circumstances prevent them from creating.
Guy Russell
Twitter @ Budguyer
“These go up to 11”. WHo would have thought that from a humble 1984 mock/rock-umentary - itself spun off from a 1978 sketch show - this quote from a dumb guitarist has now become part of our global lexicon and beloved by millions.
A suitably pixelated retro computer font opens Arcade 1987, a new 10-minute short from writer-director Lee Dilley which takes us back to the long lost days of 80s video game arcades.
Something Is Growing... And It Needs You. A new Midlands short film Personal Growth aims to explore the lingering effects of grief and how not processing these feelings can lead to complications further down the line, asking what does this grief manifest into?
A new leading actor-training provider for underrepresented groups is expanding to Birmingham and is currently recruiting for September 2025 cohort.