New Australian comedy web series ‘Bruce’, co-created by Tony Rogers, launches tomorrow

A brand new comedy series that rewrites Australia’s convict beginnings with a wry, deadpan comic voice will be available exclusively online here from tomorrow, Thursday, November 24th. Bruce tells the story of Bruce Williamson (Offspring’s Richard Davies) whose simple plan of following his soulmate to the new land by getting arrested spectacularly backfires, trapping him in a violent prison camp at the edge of the world.

The gritty black comedy was co-created and directed by Tony Rogers (Wilfred, How to Talk Australians), produced by award-winning producer Jason Byrne (Sucker, How to Talk Australians) and written by Mat Blackwell (Good News Week, The Glass House) and Warwick Holt (The Project, Good News Week). Bruce was produced with the assistance of Screen Australia and Film Victoria. Edited by Tim Parrington and Richard Hamer, Sound Design by Paul Shanahan, Mastered by Jamie Scott, Art and Design by Vaughn Cornell, Casting by Fiona Dann and Music by Adnan Laala & Tori Holleman.

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Says Byrne: “Bruce has been a real labour of love, it’s so great to see the work come together on the online screen. It was a real pleasure working with Tony, Warwick and Mat.”

Bruce received multi-platform drama funding from Screen Australia and was developed with the assistance of Film Victoria.

Says Mike Cowap, investment manager, Screen Australia: “Bruce sets a new benchmark of quality for straight-to-web content. Most feature films would die for a cast this good, the production values are incredible, and it’s funny as hell. It’s testament to the quality of the material and the admiration for the team that a show this ambitious has proved possible. Bruce is an extraordinary achievement on every level.”

Joining the hapless Bruce in his convict colony share-house is irrepressible bogan Garry, played by Dave Lawson (Utopia, The Heckler) – who claims to be Bruce’s “best mate”, and Mick played by Angus Sampson (The Mule, Fargo), a well-read, philosophical, and sensitive monolith of a man, who is also possibly a brutal serial killer. Outside the tent, things don’t get much better as Bruce has to contend with the brutal marines, the incompetent leaders of the colony, and the mysterious local people who have had their way of life challenged.

Says Blackwell discussing Bruce’s plight: “In a way, Bruce is the only person on the entire continent who wanted to come here and he very quickly learns that he’s made a terrible, terrible mistake.”

Director Rogers agrees: “Man, what a shit hole it must have been.”

On why the creators chose comedy to tackle this particular part of Australia’s past, co-writer and creator Warwick Holt sums it up best: “England has dealt with its history through the period drama, while America used the Western. It’s about time Australia’s grim founding story was addressed in a distinctly Aussie fashion: the pisstake.”

Bruce will debut exclusively at www.brucetheseries.com and on YouTube with seven hilarious episodes that showcase the latest in 18th century multi-platform entertainment. Audiences are encouraged to binge the entire series in one sitting and immerse themselves in a brand new comedy that thrives by taking historical facts and rubbing them up against the modern sensibilities of this ensemble of funny, flawed, and ultimately endearing characters.

Says Holt: “It’s so thrilling to see this come to fruition after such a long time in development. I mean, 228 years has to be some sort of a record.”

Created by Warwick Holt, Mat Blackwell and Tony Rogers

Edited by Tim Parrington and Richard Hamer