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| other_names =
| other_names =
| occupation = Writer, [[film director]] and performer
| occupation = Writer, [[film director]] and performer
| known_for = [[Nativity! (film series)|Nativity]]
| known_for = [[Nativity (film series)|Nativity]]
| spouse = Nicky Ager
| spouse = Nicky Ager
| children = Sydney Isitt-Ager
| children = Sydney Isitt-Ager

Revision as of 14:56, 25 December 2022

Debbie Isitt
Born (1966-02-07) 7 February 1966 (age 58)
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Writer, film director and performer
Known forNativity
SpouseNicky Ager
ChildrenSydney Isitt-Ager

Debbie Isitt (born 7 February 1966) is an English comic writer, film director, composer and performer.

Early life and education

Isitt was born in Birmingham. She went to Our Lady of Fatima Primary School and Lordswood Girls Secondary School and is a cousin of the footballer Darren Wassall.[1]

Career

Isitt's work includes her Christmas comedy films Nativity!, Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? and Nativity Rocks!.[2] She is also known for her Bafta award-winning teleplay The Illustrated Mum,[3] the stage play The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband and the feature films Nasty Neighbours[4] and Confetti. Most recently Isitt directed the ITV series Love and Marriage.[5][6]

Nativity!, Isitt's third feature film, starring Martin Freeman, was released in November 2009 and became the most successful British independent film of the year. The sequel, and her fourth film, Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, starred David Tennant. Released in November 2012, it was a financial success, making twice the amount at the UK box office as the original film. Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? was released in 2014.[7] A fourth entry, Nativity Rocks!, was released in November 2018.

In 2017, Debbie released a stage musical based on the first film in the Nativity! series called Nativity! The Musical. The show, that she wrote, directed and composed the music for alongside her partner Nicky Ager, ran from 20th October until 6th January and starred Daniel Boys, Simon Lipkin and Sarah Earnshaw as Paul Maddens, Desmond Poppy and Jennifer Lore retrospectively.[8] After the success of this run, the show returned for a second tour in 2018.[9] Again, Simon Lipkin starred as Mr. Poppy but this time round he was joined by Scott Garnham and Ashleigh Gray as Mr. Maddens and Jennifer.[10] Garnham and Gray returned once again for a third tour in 2019. Scott Paige was the actor who played the show's comic lead of Mr Poppy on this tour. However, Simon Lipkin returned to reprise his role for the Hammersmith Apollo run of the show.[11] Debbie is due to take her hit musical back to the venue where it all started, The Birmingham Rep, for the 2022 Christmas season after the run was postponed from 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

On November 23rd, Debbie is due to make her Netflix debut with a feature-length Christmas film she has written and directed called Christmas On Mistletoe Farm.[13] The film will star Scott Garnham, Scott Paige and Kathryn Drysdale among others.[14]

References

  1. ^ "The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband being served up at Oldbury Rep". Halesowen News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. ^ Black, Claire (13 November 2014). "Interview: Debbie Isitt - 'I'm proud to say we knocked Jim Carrey and Disney off their spot'". The Scotsman.
  3. ^ "Children vote Shrek 2 best film". BBC News.
  4. ^ "Debbie Isitt: Executive Profile". Bloomberg Businessweek.
  5. ^ "Love And Marriage - Production Details". comedy.co.uk. British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  6. ^ Kendall, Paul (5 June 2013). "Love and Marriage, ITV, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  7. ^ Young, Graham (17 November 2014). "Coventry film director Debbie Isitt hits back after Nativity 3 is panned by critics". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2014. Distributors Entertainment One commissioned a third movie after Nativity 2 grossed more than £10million in the UK alone.
  8. ^ "Casting announced for Nativity! The Musical | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Nativity! to return for UK tour and London run in 2018 | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  10. ^ Wilma (7 September 2018). "Cast announced for the UK Tour of NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL". West End Wilma. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Nativity the musical announces London cast for Christmas 2019". British Theatre. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  12. ^ Mullen, Enda (16 January 2022). "Nativity the Musical is returning in 2022". CoventryLive. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Netflix gets into the Christmas spirit early with announcing new family film". Paudal. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Watch Christmas on Mistletoe Farm | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Retrieved 28 October 2022.