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Hey Lady!

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Hey Lady!
Jayne Eastwood in character as Lady, handcuffed in the courtroom scene, overlaid with title.
Promotional image featuring Jayne Eastwood as Lady
Genre
  • Comedy
Created byMorris Panych
Written byMorris Panych
Directed by
Starring
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Morris Panych
  • Sarah Polley
  • Tara Ellis
  • John Buchan
Producer
  • Jessica Jennings
EditorDavid Wharnsby
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time41 minutes (total)
Original release
ReleaseFebruary 14, 2020 (2020-02-14) –
 ()

Hey Lady! is a Canadian comedy web series that is directed by Adriana Maggs, Will Bowes and Sarah Polley, and airs on CBC Gem.[1] The series was created by playwright Morris Panych for Jayne Eastwood and is Eastwood's first leading role in her 50-year-long career. Eastwood portrays Lady, a wild and foul-mouthed woman in her 70s who is constantly getting into trouble with her friend Rosie (Jackie Richardson).

The series premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was well received by critics, who described it as a senior citizen's spin on Fleabag.[1] Critics noted the talented cast, which includes Christine Horne as Lady's daughter Lassie, Zachary Bennett as her son Rover, Grace Lynn Kung as her daughter-in-law Molly, Raoul Bhaneja as her parole officer, and Don McKellar as her psychiatrist.

The series received five Canadian Screen Award nominations and four Directors Guild of Canada Awards nominations.

Plot

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Lady is a septuagenarian who constantly acts out and creates chaos, and is often accompanied by her friend Rosie. When Lady is ignored in a park, she puts lipstick on a baby and is subsequently placed under house arrest. She protests this by having a plumber reverse the faucets in her son Rover's house and sets dogs loose to experience freedom. Lady insists a low-budget series about her, with which she is not very impressed, is being filmed; whenever Lady is distressed or bored, she orders the series to move to the next scene. She is forced to see psychiatrist Dr. Wolfe and ignores his advice to stick with something to see where it goes.

Lady and Rosie cause a disturbance at a country club, and leave Lady's daughter Lassie to settle the bill. After numerous other incidents, two police calls and an intervention by her children, Lady appears in court. Prosecutor Lassie recommends jail but Lady is sentenced to community service. Undaunted, Lady sends snakes to her parole officer while Lassie prepares to move Lady into a seniors home.

Lady poses as a real estate agent and tries to sell Rover's house. Wolfe becomes unsettled and Lady tells him he loses his mind in the last episode. While playing bridge with three elderly women in a sitting room, Lady becomes bored and cuts to a strip club with Rosie, where they launch into another prank. Wolfe is increasingly troubled, especially when Lady orders a cut to another scene and disappears from his office. In an ill-maintained park for old people, Lady sits on a bench proclaiming her importance and insisting the camera continues filming while a public address system is heard advising residents of a meeting to register for aquafit classes.

Cast

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Main cast

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Supporting cast

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Production

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Playwright Morris Panych wrote Hey Lady! specifically for Eastwood,[5] who initially rejected the script and stopped reading at the scene in which Lady disrobes and sexually propositions a plumber. Eastwood, who is a founding member of the sketch troupe Women Fully Clothed, has a noted disdain for the oversexualization of older women for comedic effect, believing it has been overdone. Director Sarah Polley, who worked with her on Slings & Arrows, persuaded Eastwood Lady is rebelling in the scene and that there is more to the character.[6] Eastwood subsequently embraced the screenplay and called it "a miracle script for [her]".[2] She found stepping into the role, which is a comically exaggerated version of herself, easy.[7] Lady is Eastwood's first leading role in a five-decade-long acting career.[8]

Episodes were directed by Polley, Will Bowes and Adriana Maggs. The show was produced by Jessica Jennings of TJ Content with executive producers Panych, Polley, John Buchan and Tara Ellis.[5] The series was filmed by Iris Ng[9] and edited by David Wharnsby with production design by Ciara Vernon.[10] Filming was done in July 2019, with one day of filming in Cobourg and the rest in Toronto, Ontario.[11] Sound was edited and mixed by Sim Post Toronto.[12] Each of the eight episodes are about five minutes long,[13][2][4] with a total running time of 41 minutes.[10]

Release

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Hey Lady! had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival[14][5] on 28 January 2020, as part of the Indie Episodic Showcase.[15] It was chosen from over 10,000 works submitted to the festival.[5]

The series had its streaming premiere on CBC Gem on 14 February 2020.[16] According to data from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Hey Lady! was among the six most-watched comedy programmes on CBC Gem from March to August 2020.[17]

Reception

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Critical response

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Critical response to Hey Lady! was generally positive. John Doyle of The Globe and Mail praised the series as "a journey from zany to lawless comedy raucousness", "the most extraordinary creation on Canadian TV", and perhaps the funniest show ever produced by the CBC.[18] Following his initial review, Doyle recommended it as one of three short-form streaming shows to binge-watch[19] and included Eastman's portrayal of Lady as one of eight great performances on Canadian television in 2020.[20]

Several critics favourably equated Eastman's Lady to a septuagenarian version of Fleabag's title character.[21][4][1] Debra Yeo of the Toronto Star noted the series for its standout cast.[21] TV critic Bill Brioux wrote the "edgy and hilarious" series measures up to its "deep bench of talent" and called Eastwood "Canada's secret weapon of comedy".[4] Writing for Now, Radheyan Simonpillai described the series as a showcase for the cast's comedic talents but found the breaking of the fourth wall – while initially hysterical due to its flawless, in-character execution – to be overly repetitive in the short format.[1]

Amelia Gaudreau of Le Devoir noted the creativity of the directors and said the series is more than an "old bitch comedy" as Lady cheerfully tramples over the fourth wall to control the narrative of her story.[22] Ben Travers of IndieWire recommended the series to international distributors, describing it as "a meta lark" and "entertaining throughout", and hoped a potential second season could give Lady more of a backstory.[23]

Nominations and awards

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Hey Lady! was nominated for five Canadian Screen Awards[24] and four Directors Guild of Canada Awards.[25] Eastwood was nominated for Outstanding Performance – Female by ACTRA Toronto.[26] In March 2020, Polley was named ACTRA's Woman of the Year for her artistic and advocacy work.[27]

Year Ceremony Category Nominee or recipient Result Ref
2020 19th Directors Guild of Canada Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series Adriana Maggs, Sarah Polley & Will Bowes Nominated [25][28][29]
Best Production Design – Comedy or Family Series Ciara Vernon Nominated
Best Picture Editing – Comedy or Family Series David Wharnsby Nominated
Best Sound Editing – Comedy or Family Series David Caporale, David McCallum, Krystin Hunter Nominated
2021 19th ACTRA Awards in Toronto Outstanding Performance – Female Jayne Eastwood Nominated [26][30]
9th Canadian Screen Awards Best Web Program or Series, Fiction, Independent Production Fund Tara Ellis, John Buchan, Sarah Polley, Morris Panych Nominated [24]
Best Direction, Web Program or Series Episode 3 – Adriana Maggs, Sarah Polley, Will Bowes Won
Best Writing, Web Program or Series Episode 3 – Morris Panych Nominated
Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series Jayne Eastwood Won
Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series Jackie Richardson Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Simonpillai, Radheyan (11 February 2020). "TV review: Hey Lady! is a great showcase for Eastwood". Now. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Hey Lady! Jayne Eastwood on Playing a Mischievous, Swearing Senior in New CBC Comedy". Everything Zoomer. Toronto, Ontario: ZoomerMedia. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b Jaksic, Vanja Mutabdzija (14 February 2020). "A 75-year-old in terrible teens: Why Hey Lady! is binge-worthy". CBC Television. Toronto, Ontario: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e Brioux, Bill (13 February 2020). ""Hey Lady!" is a true CBC Gem". brioux.tv. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Townsend, Kelly (11 December 2019). "CBC Gem series Hey Lady! to world premiere at Sundance". Playback. Toronto, Ontario: Brunico Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  6. ^ Woloshyn, Ted (15 February 2020). February 15, 2020 – Hey Lady!. Saturdays with Ted. Toronto, Ontario: Newstalk1010 (iHeartRadio / Bell Media). 3.3 minutes in. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  7. ^ Sponagle, Michele (13 February 2020). "Canadian Actor Jayne Eastwood On Aging, Acting, And Her Latest Role In The Web Series, Hey Lady". YOUAREUNLTD. Oakville, Ontario: Veteris47 Inc. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Jayne Eastwood on the joys of playing a shockingly shameless senior citizen". CBC Radio. Toronto, Ontario: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Reelworld Presents the 2020 Trailblazer Award Recipients" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: Reelworld Film Festival. 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Hey Lady!". Sundance Institute. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  11. ^ Wisniewski, Dominik (15 July 2019). "New CBC digital series 'Hey Lady' filmed in Cobourg". Northumberland News. Cobourg, Ontario: Metroland Media Group. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Sim Post New York, Toronto and LA, Prepare Four Independent Films for Sundance Premieres" (Press release). Sim International. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  13. ^ Thatcher, Leslie (29 January 2020). Director Tara Ellis & Principal Actor Jayne Eastwood, HEY LADY!. The Sundance Reel (podcast). Park City, Utah. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  14. ^ "2020 Sundance Film Festival: Indie Episodic, Shorts and Special Events Announced" (Press release). Park City, Utah: Sundance Institute. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Sundance Film Festival 2020 Printable Program Guide" (PDF). Sundance Institute. 7 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  16. ^ Renwald, Kathy (3 February 2020). "Hollywood in the Hammer: Actress Jayne Eastwood lives in Hamilton's North End". The Hamilton Spectator. Hamilton, Ontario. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  17. ^ Larocque, J. P. (24 August 2020). "These Were the Most Watched Shows & Movies During Lockdown". Flare. Toronto, Ontario: St. Joseph Communications. ProQuest 2436913900.
  18. ^ Doyle, John (9 February 2020). "Hey Lady! Prepare to be startled by raucous comedy celebrating old age". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  19. ^ Doyle, John (21 July 2020). "A trio of summer short-shorts: Watch these gems: Short-form storytelling can be as powerful as bigger, more elaborate productions". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. ProQuest 2425641403.
  20. ^ Doyle, John (14 December 2020). "Great Canadian TV performances of 2020". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  21. ^ a b Yeo, Debra (8 February 2020). "Eight things to do in Toronto this week". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario. ProQuest 2352334404.
  22. ^ Gaudreau, Amelia (7 February 2020). ""Hey Lady!": quand mémé mène" [Hey Lady!: When grandma leads]. Le Devoir (in French). Montreal, Quebec. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  23. ^ Travers, Ben (29 January 2020). "Memo to Distributors: Buy These 2020 Sundance TV Series". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  24. ^ a b Furdyk, Brent (30 March 2021). "Television Nominees Announced For 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, 'Schitt's Creek' Leads The Pack With 21 Nominations". ET Canada. Corus Entertainment. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Nominees Announced for 19th Annual DGC Awards". Canadian Newswire (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: Directors Guild of Canada. 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  26. ^ a b "ACTRA Toronto Announces 19TH Annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto On-Camera and Series Ensemble Nominees". ACTRA Toronto (Press release). Toronto, Ontario. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  27. ^ Malyk, Lauren (5 March 2020). "Sarah Polley named ACTRA's Woman of the Year". Playback. Toronto, Ontario: Brunico Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  28. ^ Malyk, Lauren (4 September 2020). "Daniel Grou, Nathan Morlando among DGC TV noms". Playback. Toronto, Ontario: Brunico Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  29. ^ Malyk, Lauren (26 October 2020). "Schitt's, Heartland, Transplant earn DGC directorial prizes". Playback. Toronto, Ontario: Brunico Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  30. ^ "Winners: The 19Th Annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: ACTRA Toronto. Canadian Newswire. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
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