Written by Dennis Kelly and directed by Stephen Daldry, Together is set in the UK from the first days of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 until present day.
Described as a "searingly funny and painfully poignant love story", Together tells the story of a family, who like so many, have found a way to survive, together. It is the hilarious and heart-breaking story of a husband and wife who are forced to re-evaluate themselves and their relationship through the reality of lockdown.
SHE, played by Horgan is a charity worker, a co-ordinator for all of Europe at a refugee charity. She’s the daughter of a dentist father and an ‘old socialist’ mother - the only grandparent still around.
HE, played by McAvoy is a self employed, self-made man who runs a boutique computing consultancy. He’s been forced to furlough his staff and take up growing vegetables - something he’s very proud of.
ARTHUR/ARTY is their 10 year-old son and the one thing that has kept his parents relationship together. Until lockdown.
Speaking about the new film, James McAvoy said "Dennis writes so wittily for these characters and his script had me within the first few pages. When I heard Sharon was involved with Stephen Daldry directing it was a no brainer. It’s a hilarious, heartfelt, entertaining and unconsciously funny exploration of a relationship and a couple facing real tragedy across a year we have all lived through."
To which Sharon Horgan added "I think everyone who got involved in this film had no intention of doing a Covid drama but then we read Dennis’ script and changed our minds. We shot this in ten days so it was a beautifully stressful experience. Working with Dennis again. -and Stephen Daldry and James McAvoy both of whom I’ve admired for years was a joy."
"But it also felt like we were making something important. And the fact that it feels like news means that the covid death toll, the tragedy of so many lives lost unnecessarily has not been talked about enough."
And writer, Dennis Kelly said "Together is about a couple who totally hate each other, but have somehow found a way of existing together by not talking to, thinking about, noticing, communicating with or being in the same room as each other - then lockdown happens."
"It’s about how humans negotiate their shared experiences when they think they have nothing in common other than staying alive, and it's about how you can hate what you love and love what you hate. And Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy are brilliant in it."
Together is a Shoebox Films and Sonia Friedman Productions film for BBC Two and BBC Film, produced by Guy Heeley and the multi-award winning West End and Broadway theatre producer Sonia Friedman and directed by Stephen Daldry.
Together will air on BBC Two
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