''Dreamland'' is a British comedy television series based on

Sharon Horgan Sharon Lorencia Horgan (born 13 July 1970) is an Irish actress, writer, director, comedian and producer who co-wrote and starred in the comedy series '' Pulling'' (2006–2009) and ''Catastrophe'' (2015–2019). She also created the HBO comedy ...

's 2017

Sky Arts Sky Arts (originally launched as Artsworld) is a British free-to-air television channel offering 24 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music (such as opera perfor ...

short ''

Morgana Robinson Morgana Robinson (born 7 May 1982) is an Australian-born English impressionist, comedian, writer and actress, who is best known for her comedy sketch programme ''The Morgana Show'', ''Morgana Robinson's The Agency'', appearances on ''The TNT Sho ...

's Summer''. It premiered on

Sky Atlantic Sky Atlantic is a British pay television channel owned by Sky Group Limited broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel is primarily dedicated to imported programmes from the United States, and holds the domestic rights to HBO ...

with NOW from 6 April 2023.

Synopsis

Set in the British seaside town of Margate, three sisters are about to have their world turned upside down when their other sister suddenly returns.

Cast

Main cast

Freema Agyeman Freema Agyeman (; born Frema Agyeman; 20 March 1979) is a British actress. She rose to fame with her role as the Doctor's companion Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series '' Doctor Who'' (2007–2010), and received further recognition f ...

as Trish *

Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Her music career began in 2005 when she made some of her vocal recordings publi ...

as Mel * Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Spence * Gabby Best as Clare *

Aimee-Ffion Edwards Aimee-Ffion Edwards (born 21 November 1987) is a Welsh actress and singer. She is known for playing Sketch in '' Skins'', Esme Shelby in ''Peaky Blinders'', Sophie in ''Detectorists'' and Abi in '' Loaded''. She also had a starring voice role ...

as Leila *

Frances Barber Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays '' Camille'' (1985), and ''Uncle Vanya'' (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gar ...

as Cheryl/Mum *

Sheila Reid Sheila Reid (born 21 December 1937) is a Scottish actress, known for playing Madge Harvey in the ITV sitcom ''Benidorm'' (2007–2016). An original member of the Royal National Theatre in 1963, she played Bianca in the National's 1965 film ver ...

as Nan *

Samantha Bond Samantha Jane Bond (born 27 November 1961) is an English actress, who is best known for playing Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan years, and for her role on ''Downton Abbey'' as the wealthy widow Lady Rosamund ...

as Orla *Jamie Bisping as Sammy *Eddison Burch as Jordan * Hugh Coles as Dom *

Emily Barber Emily Barber (born 26 September 1991 in Peterborough) is an English stage, television and film actress. Career Barber graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2014 and received critical acclaim for her professional debut as L ...

as Eva * Sam Fletcher as James *

Nigel Planer Nigel George Planer (born 22 February 1953) is a British actor, comedian, musician, novelist and playwright. He played Neil in the BBC comedy '' The Young Ones'' and Ralph Filthy in ''Filthy Rich & Catflap''. He has appeared in many West End mu ...

as Hamish *

Martina Laird Martina Laird (born 1971) is a Trinidadian British actress, director and acting teacher. Early life and education Martina Laird was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in 1971. Her interest in Drama began early, when she was seven years old, an ...

as Diane *Joy Richardson as Elizabeth *Ed Macarther as Liam

Support cast

* Alistair Green as the Mayor *Angela Sims as Simone Willmott *

Colin Hurley Collin Hurley (born 1957) is an English actor and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and the Shakespeare's Globe company, specialising in performing the works of William Shakespeare. Early career Born in ...

as Giant Rabbit man *Charlie Coletta *Dean Kirby as Barman *Géraldine Chevalley as Photographer *Guy Richardson as Delivery Man *Halema Hussain as Doctor Pranto *

Hywel Simons Hywel Simons (born 10 February 1970) is a British actor from Neath, Wales. Born in Neath, he was brought up in Porthcawl. He started acting while a pupil at Porthcawl Comprehensive School, before he went on to study at LAMDA. Simons first T ...

as Doctor Bencoe *Katy Poulter as Nurse *Kevin Yates as Iona Muff *Madeleine Bowyer as Doctor Yvonne Halcrow *

Nick Wilton Nicholas Wilton is an English actor and scriptwriter. He has appeared as Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' as a recurring character; he has also appeared in ''Carrott's Lib'' and ''Jackanory''. Early life Wilton studied English ...

as Doctor Beany *Rose Johnson as Photographer *Stephanie Fayerman as Sue *

Toby Longworth Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. He is originally from Somerset, where he attended King Edward's School, Bath. He has worked most often as a voice actor, however, notably in several science-fictio ...

as Cabbie

Episodes

Production

Development

A television adaptation of Horgan's short was in development as of July 2019. Ellie Heydon serves as lead director. ''Dreamland'' is produced by Horgan and Celia Mountford's Merman Films in association with

Sky Studios Sky Studios is a production company founded by Sky in June 2019 with assets from the now defunct Sky Vision. It develops, produces and funds original drama, comedy and documentary, and has investments in a number of production businesses in t ...

. Jane Bell produces, with Alex Moody of Sky as executive producer, and

Emma Jane Unsworth Emma Jane Unsworth (born 1979) is a British writer from Bury, Greater Manchester. She writes short stories and has had three novels published; ''Hungry, the Stars and Everything'', ''Animals'' and ''Adults''. Unsworth is also a screenwriter o ...

was named showrunner and associate producer. Gabby Best, Sharma Walfall and Sarah Kendall joined Unsworth in the writers' room. In June 2022, it was revealed

would make her television acting debut in ''Dreamland''. The following month,

was announced as Allen's co-lead. Gabby Best,

, and

would reprise their roles from ''Morgana Robinson's Summer''. Also joining the cast were Kiell Smith-Bynoe and

;

would guest star. Principal photography began on location in

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and Westbrook, Kent, ...

, Kent in summer 2022. Among the locations used were the town's tidal pool, the Dalby Cafe, and the Winter Gardens. Allen was spotted on set in July. Filming also took place in London.

Reception

Rachel Aroesti in

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

remarked that "Stretched out over a series arc, ''Dreamland'' is a paler, flabbier and altogether sunnier proposition than the lean, mean, spiky short it is based on. Brutal naturalism is out, misty-eyed warmth is in" and awarded it three out of five stars. Isobel Lewis in

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

also awarded three out of five stars.

References

External links

* {{Sky Atlantic 2023 British television series debuts 2020s British sitcoms Television shows about human pregnancy Sky Atlantic original programming Sky sitcoms British English-language television shows Television shows set in Kent Television shows shot in Kent