Categories Our Kind of Traitor Print Media The Escapist

Coming To BritBox UK January 2022

The Escapist and Our Kind of Traitor

by Or Goren | Cord Busters | December 28, 2021

The new year brings with it quite a few additions to BritBox in the UK: From Steven Moffat’s classic comedy series – Coupling, to the final two series of The Saint, along with beloved old-school TV programmes for kids, a long list of British films, and more.

BritBox UK (it’s not the same as the US version) is a streaming subscription service owned by ITV and the BBC. It curates British TV programmes and classic films from ITV, BBC, Channel 5 and Channel 4.

The subscription normally costs £5.99/month or £59.99/year, and you can usually get a free trial (See my updated review of BritBox UK here). BritBox is currently running a promotion until January 10 – where NEW subscribers can get 50% off, so £2.99/month for up to 3 months. You can get the discount by subscribing either via Amazon Prime Channels, or directly with BritBox with the coupon code WINTER2021. As always, some content may be added later in the month, but these are the highlights for the month of January 2022:

January 1

The Escapist (2008)
Frank’s 14 years into a life sentence when he decides to break out of the London prison to set things right with his ill junkie daughter. He plans an ingenious escape requiring 4 inmates with different skills.
Starring Damian Lewis, Joseph Fiennes, Liam Cunningham, Dominic Cooper and Brian Cox.

January 6

Our Kind of Traitor (2016)
A couple finds themselves lured into a Russian oligarch’s plans to defect, and are soon positioned between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service, neither of whom they can trust.
Starring Ewan McGregor, Damian Lewis, Stellan Skarsgård and Nadine Harris.

Read the rest of the original article at Cord Busters

Categories Homeland The Escapist

Producer Talks more ‘Homeland’


  • Homeland Producer Howard Gordon had some nice things to say about Damian in an interview with TheFutonCritic.com.

    JH: Switching gears to “Homeland,” as I read the script it was so easy to see Claire Danes in the lead role of Carrie Anderson.

    HG: When we sat down to write it, “Temple Grandin” (the HBO TV-movie that won Danes an Emmy and many other awards) was on that week and we started calling the character Claire when we were breaking the story. We were really picturing her in this part so the fact that we actually got her turned out to be really fantastic and, aside from being a pleasure to work with, she really investigated the role. We’re cutting it right now and I think we’ll know from Showtime probably in early March at the latest whether we’re going forward.


    JH: How was it different for you to write a female lead after writing Jack Bauer all those years?

    HG: That’s a good point and I think it’s one of the big distinguishers and it’s one of the things that we’re sensitive about is not doing “24.” “24” is this adrenalized, compressed thing, pedal-to-the-metal suspense thriller and this is a willfully slower story with a very different character at the center of it. Jack had a family and that was something that always pulled at him and this is a woman who is very much alone in the world in the context of being a woman of a certain age who hasn’t made those connections. She’s a very different character and we approached her differently. She’s bi-polar, which presents its own set of problems in terms of her work but it’s also this double-edged sword. It’s a very different construction. And then, of course, the family drama of Brody’s return – and we have Damian Lewis from “Band of Brothers” and “Life” – the guy is unbelievable. He’s really, really one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with.

    Source.

  • The Escapist will broadcast on Showtime Extreme in March. Click here at the Showtime site for dates and times. Thanks to Connie.

Categories Band of Brothers The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre

Fan report, ‘Band of Brothers’ press mentions



  • The Misanthrope‘s run ends this Saturday! 😥 I hope everyone who wanted to see it, got a chance to attend a show – and chat with Damian Lewis afterwards! Click here for another ‘meeting Damian’ story at the Yahoo! group. (Thanks to Anette of Germany for sharing her story!)

  • Reviews are starting to come in for HBO’s The Pacific, the new 10-part WW2 mini-series that begins this Sunday, and Damian Lewis is still drawing high praise for his performance in Band of Brothers:

    Alan Sepinwall in The Star-Ledger:

    There’s no performance quite on par with Damian Lewis’s star turn as the quiet, decent company leader in “Band,” but the three leads all take advantage of their showcase roles to craft characters that transcend both war movie cliches and the actors’ own mixed backgrounds. Seda (Falsone from the later years of “Homicide”), like Lewis in “Band,” finds a way to make his characters’ innate heroism and super-competence into something absorbing.

    Maureen Ryan in the Chicago Tribune:

    “The Pacific” focuses throughout on the experiences of Robert Leckie (author of “Helmet for My Pillow”), Eugene Sledge (author of “With the Old Breed”) and decorated Marine John Basilone. But, as was the case with “Band of Brothers,” the most memorable characters in “The Pacific” are the ones played by the actors with the most charisma (“Brothers'” Richard Winters could have seemed impossibly prim and perfect had he not been played by the effortlessly interesting Damian Lewis).

    Robert Philpot in the Star-Telegram:

    Two things The Pacific lacks that Band of Brothers had: a strong lead character (Damian Lewis was fabulous in Brothers as Maj. Richard Winters) and a sardonic observer (Ron Livingston did some of his best work as Capt. Lewis Nixon), although Leckie does fill that role to an extent. But these are nitpicks when The Pacific does such a strong job of standing aside its slightly superior predecessor.

  • A few other press items:

    Rob Thomas reviewing The Escapist in Madison.com:

    The talented cast of British actors play it very straight; Cox is terrific as a tough inmate who knows the danger of betraying any sign of weakness to his fellow inmates, even as he aches for his daughter on the inside. Lewis, who usually plays good-guy roles on “Band of Brothers” and NBC’s “Life,” is fantastic as the effete, terrifying gangster who comes close to learning about the escape plan.

    In an brief chat with InStyle, Keira Knightley says some nice things about Damian:

    So how was it treading the boards with the gorgeous Damian Lewis as your co-star? ‘He’s an absolute sweetheart!’ she gushed. ‘As it was my first time on stage, the whole cast, especially Damian, was so supportive and patient with me.’

Categories Events Gallery The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre Video

More pics, new vids, ‘The Escapist’ reviews

  • Gallery update: Click here at the gallery for pictures of Damian Lewis leaving Comedy Theatre and at The Ivy restaurant on Saturday.

  • Click below for Youtube videos of Damian at The South Bank Awards Show last Tuesday.

    At the 1:20 mark:

    At the 2:15 mark:

    Damian leaving the Comedy Theatre last week:

    Thanks to Ann and G for the headsup!

  • A couple more positive reviews for The Escapist which was released on DVD in the US this past week:

    Amy Longsdorf of The Record

    Brian Cox, so good as Hannibal Lecter in “Manhunter,” goes behind bars once again for a gritty prison drama with a whooper of a twist ending. Cox plays a lifer determined to break out of a London penitentiary in time to save his estranged junkie daughter from certain death. Brutally violent, the film benefits from fine performances by Dominic Cooper, Joseph Fiennes, Steven MacKintosh and Damian Lewis.

    David Roark of Pegasusnews.com

    The Escapist, however, exceeds the confines of its genre by relying on its characters and their realism rather than the formula, though without fleeing from stock elements, resulting in a raw and believable film that leaves you thinking. … Beyond realistic characters, Wyatt takes the genre a step further with metaphor. Though it’s subtle and slightly ambiguous, this element adds an interesting twist. Not to mention, the way it plays out is captivating.

Categories Events Gallery The Escapist

The South Bank Awards Show, ‘The Escapist’ reviews

  • Gallery updates: Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory attended The South Bank Awards Show on Tuesday. Click here at the gallery for pictures of the pair looking gorgeous!

  • A reminder: The Escapist dvd was released in the US on Tuesday! Click here for links. Some press reviews:

    Tom Russo of The Boston Globe:

    What immediately grabs you about first-time filmmaker Rupert Wyatt’s British jailbreak flick is the fresh cast: Sympathetic lifer Brian Cox makes a dash for it with a group that includes Joseph Fiennes and Dominic Cooper (The History Boys). (Damian Lewis of Life is the bippy-topped kingpin of their gonzo, Mad Max-imum security pen.) What will keep you intrigued is their commitment to minimalist dialogue, which makes a terrific puzzle out of the story’s jumps back and forth between planning and execution.

    Chris Ball of The Plain Dealer:

    A convict serving a life sentence in a decrepit London prison becomes determined to break out when he learns his estranged daughter is terminally ill. He recruits some trustworthy inmates and hatches an elaborate scheme, but the biggest threat to his plan comes not from the corrupt guards but from the psycho prisoners who run the joint. This smashing 2008 thriller culminates in a satisfying surprise ending.

    Billy O’ Keefe of the McClatchy-Tribune

    Is there room for another no-nonsense prison escape film in a world that’s already seen so many? If it receives the level of care this one receives, then yes, yes there is. … All that energy instead goes toward assembling a roster of deeply engaging characters (Damian Lewis, Seu Jorge, Joseph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper, Liam Cunningham, Steven Mackintosh) who embody characteristics one expects from hardened convicts while still managing to avoid the usual stereotypes and pratfalls that undermine so many prison films.

Categories Gallery The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre Your Highness

Outside the Comedy Theatre


  • Visit the Warehouse for new photos of Damian Lewis outside the Comedy Theatre on January 8, 2010 after a performance of The Misanthrope.

    There aren’t many men that manage to look sexy in a rumpled, checkered shirt! 😀

    Click here for more onstage photos of Damian and Keira Knightley.

  • Click here for the first still photo from Your Highness; Damian isn’t in this picture but the set and the costumes look terrific!

  • Thanks to Monique for the news that French television network Cinecinema Frisson has been broadcasting The Escapist with Damian Lewis; check your local listings.

Categories Gallery The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre

‘Soldier, Husband, Daughter, Dad’ video clip


  • Click above to view a clip (posted on YouTube by stephharviecampbell) from episode 1 of Soldier, Husband, Daughter, Dad; this documentary series about British soldiers serving in Iraq and their families is narrated by Damian Lewis and originally aired on BBC One in 2005.

  • Spoilers! Click here for Just A Mon’s blog about The Misanthrope starring Damian Lewis.

  • Visit the Warehouse Gallery to enjoy new images of The Misanthrope at the Comedy Theatre in London’s West End district.

  • Critics and film buffs are currently compiling lists of the “Best Films of 2009” and The Escapist with Damian Lewis is appearing on some of these lists; click here and here for 2 examples. The film will be released in the US and Canada on Region 1 DVD on January 26, 2010.

Categories Download Events Gallery Radio The Escapist




  • New photos of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory taken at the October 15, 2009 gala screening of Men Who Stare at Goats have been added to the Warehouse.


  • Cover art is now available for the Region 1 (US and Canada) DVD of The Escapist with Damian Lewis. The DVD is currently available for rent from Blockbuster and will be released for sale on January 26, 2010.
    DVD Planet is offering the film at the discounted price of $14.16 (US).

  • Click here to listen online to “And Drugs Won” episode 2 of season 3 of Number 10, the BBC Radio 4 “Afternoon Play” featuring Damian Lewis as the newly-elected Prime Minister, Simon Laity. You can also download this episode in mp3 format from the Multimedia page thanks to Kaz! (Note: Damian does not appear in this episode of the 5-part series.)

Categories Gallery Life The Baker The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre


Categories Supported Causes The Escapist Theatre


  • The Photostage.com site features photographs by Donald Cooper including pictures of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory in a number of stage productions. Available images of Damian Lewis include pictures from Cymbeline, Pillars of the Community, Five Gold Rings (with Helen) and several photos from the 1996 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Much Ado About Nothing that have been added to the Warehouse.

  • Kaz reports that Ambassador Tickets have released additional seats in February and March for The Misanthrope starring Damian Lewis.

  • The region 1 (US and Canada) DVD for The Escapist with Damian Lewis will be released on January 26, 2010 and is now available for pre-order.

  • In this review of The Escapist DVD, Sam J Turner’s comments about Damian Lewis’s performance include:

    Prior to its almost-perfect conclusion, two things stand out in The Escapist; Brian Cox and Damian Lewis…Lewis’ role amounts to hardly anything more than a cameo. As Rizza, the quiet and calculated, gangland style, leader of the inmates, he is the perfect antithesis to Perry (Brian Cox). Where Perry answers problems with philosophy and considered actions, Rizza, as you would expect, takes quiet delight in exacting violence and intimidation. The stand-offs between the two are short but there is enough subtle excellence from Lewis in Rizza to let us know who’s boss, without needing to see him shouting and swearing front and centre.

  • Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory, and other celebrities have donated items of clothing to support an environmental awareness initiative co-sponsored by the Camden Council and TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) to raise public awareness and reduce the amount of textile waste dumped in landfills. “Wardrobe Re-Vamping Workshops” will be held at the Swiss Cottage Library and Gallery on November 12, 2009 to provide tips for restyling and updating used clothing items. Celebrity clothing, including the jackets donated by Damian and Helen, “will be restyled and turned into high street fashion pieces and fashion accessories.” Click here and here for more information.

Categories News The Baker The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre


  • Damian Lewis is quoted in Metro.co.uk discussing Keira Knightly, his co-star in The Misanthrope:

    Damian Lewis is positive that Keira Knightley will do a terrific job when she makes her debut on the West End stage. The Band Of Brothers star will be appearing alongside the British actress in the West End production of Moliere’s comedy The Misanthrope, which opens in December. “She’s got quite a successful acting dad and playwright mum, so she can handle herself – Keira is fabulous, she’s an absolute sweetheart – she’s looking forward to it as well so we’re going to have fun,” he said.

    He added: “I’m very excited about doing The Misanthrope – massively. We did the photo call for it the other day, and it made it very real, very exciting.” And Damian joked that he wouldn’t mind the paparazzi attention. “If I can get in and out the stage door every night without fighting, I’d feel hurt – I’d be insulted,” he quipped. The Misanthrope will be at the Comedy Theatre from December 17.



Categories News The Baker The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre


  • Thanks to Thann for the news that Damian Lewis will star onstage in The Misanthrope which will run at The Comedy Theatre in London’s West End from December 7, 2009 through March 13, 2010! ➡

    Damian Lewis leads an outstanding ensemble with Tara Fitzgerald, Keira Knightley and Dominic Rowan in Martin Crimp’s blistering version of Molière’s greatest comedy, The Misanthrope.

    Transported from 17th century Paris to modern-day London, Alceste (Damian Lewis) is a famous British playwright disillusioned and angry with the hypocrisy, shallowness and vanity of the contemporary world. Vowing to reject society, Alceste’s plans are derailed when he falls madly in love with Jennifer (Keira Knightley). An ambitious American film star and darling of the social scene, she may prove to be his biggest challenge yet.

  • Baz Bamigboye’s column in today’s issue of the Daily Mail featured a story about The Misanthrope that included comments from Damian Lewis and Director Thea Sharrock:

    Keira Knightley has cancelled her close-ups in front of movie cameras for a while so she can make her stage debut in the West End in December…the Oscar-nominated actress was said to be ‘terrified but excited’ about appearing in a modern-day version of Moliere’s 17th century masterpiece The Misanthrope, in which she will play a flirtatious Hollywood film star, joining an ensemble cast led by Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre actor Damian Lewis, who plays the title role.

    Tara Fitzgerald and Dominic Rowan will also star. Rehearsals start the middle of next month, with preview performances at the Comedy Theatre from December 7 and an official opening night on December 17…As Damian, her future leading man, noted: ‘She’s been surrounded by theatre all her life. ‘She also knows of the importance of being part of a company of actors. ‘It’s not the bloody Keira Knightley show,’ she joked to one friend. That point was underscored by director Thea Sharrock…’Keira’s right – it’s not the Keira Knightley show. She’s the leading lady because she has the biggest female role, but she’s not the lead part. This is Damian’s show…

    ‘I signed up to work with Damian Lewis because it’s brilliant to get him back on stage. And along the way we happened to get Keira Knightley, which is fantastic and I’m very excited but, you know, it’s in that order.’

    However, both Damian and Sharrock were clearly thrilled to be working with Keira because, however small her name is on the marquee, her star power will bring in punters…

    The actors will work from a version of The Misanthrope shaped by Martin Crimp 15 years ago and first performed at the Young Vic with Ken Stott. Damian explained that it’s an entirely updated version of the play, originally written in 1666, where Moliere was venting his anger at the ‘insincerity and vacuousness and shallowness of society around him. ‘These are people who live to be seen at the latest play, to be wearing the latest fashion, to be generally complimenting and flattering anyone they see in order to further their way up the greasy social pole,’ he said.

    Crimp has taken Moliere’s characters and turned them into a playwright (Damian’s character, Alceste), a critic, an agent, a journalist and others on the social whirl, plus an actress, known as Celimene in Moliere’s original but now called Jennifer (the role Keira will play).

    ‘Jennifer’s a young American starlet and everyone within the play is going: “Why on earth are you in love with her? She’s sh**ging everything that moves. ..”‘ Damian explained.

    The actor observed that there has always been a need for ‘what’s current, what’s fashionable’. ‘It was true in 1666. It was true when Martin Crimp’s version was written 15 years ago and it’s true now,’ said Damian, who was speaking from the set of the movie Your Highness, which is shooting in Belfast…

  • Bill Iddings’ review of the IFC International Film Festival in Muskegon, Michigan this weekend includes these comments about Damian Lewis’s performance in The Escapist:

    “The Escapist,” a compelling prison-break yarn with an ensemble cast led by Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes and a redheaded actor who should be typecast as the Devil, Damian Lewis…

    To my eye, the best of the bunch is “The Escapist,” rookie British director Rupert Wyatt’s compelling drama about a group of convicts plotting to bust out of the joint…

    The wild card in this deck is a King of The Cell Block (Lewis), a sinister man of few words, who has no interest in rotating back to the real world, where he is nothing. Given his appearance, Lewis does not have to say a thing to establish himself as one of the most ominous presences to be seen on screen this year…

    As for Cox, his performance personifies the kind the reason they give Academy Awards, but don’t. That’ll make more sense after seeing “The Escapist.” a movie that burrows underground, and perhaps into the mind of a man who might or might not be dead. Early candidate for line of the year: “You got one thing going for you: You’re too old to die young.”

  • The Baker starring Damian Lewis will open at the Glenwood Arts Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri on October 9, 2009.
  • Click here to view a new video titled “Easy Company Real Veterans/Soldiers, With the Band Of Brothers Actor’s” that was posted on YouTube by Distancian.