ABC begins production on Sam Simmons sketch show Problems
Production has begun today on a new ABC sketch comedy series from comedian Sam Simmons, a former Triple J presenter and finalist of Edinburgh Comedy Festival’s top award in 2011.
Called Problems, there will be four initial episodes with the series slated for late 2012.
The production company behind the show is Guesswork Television, the production arm of Token Group, one of the main talent management firm for comedy in Australia.
Kevin Whyte, EP for Problems and MD for Token Group, told Encore: “Each episode will have a story arc from Sam and built around that will be characters and sketches, some in Sam’s ‘world’ and others in a world of their own. It will be set in the suburbs but is not a riff on suburban life, Australia is the suburbs and their cream brick endlessness provide a great backdrop for our odd little world.”
Trent O’Donnell, a key member of production company Jungleboys, who directed Review with Myles Barlow as well as episodes of Laid, is directing the series with the Jungleboys supporting in production.
While Simmons has written much of his own material, Declan Fay is head head writer with a team of comedians; Kate McCartney, Nick Maxwell, Rob Hunter, Ray Matsen and Chris Kennett.
Joining Simmons in the cast are comedians Lawrence Mooney, Anthony Morgan, Ronny Chieng, Laura hughes, Kate McCartney and Nick Maxwell.
Simmons was previously on the ABC in The Urban Monkey with Murray Foote, a five minute per episode comedy series run in 2009.
He recently performed at TedxSydney.
Whyte and Guesswork Television also are behind the forthcoming Please Like Me, written and performed by Talkin’ ’bout My Generation’s Josh Thomas, and Woodley.
