Life and Death in the Warehouse
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| writer = Helen Black
| director = Aysha Rafaele
Joseph Bullman
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| executive_producer = Aysha Rafaele
| producer = Tracie Simpson
| music = Roger Goula
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| runtime = 59 minutes
| network = BBC Three
| released = {{Start date|2022|03|07|df=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00157z7|title=BBC Three - Life and Death in the Warehouse|website=BBC|access-date=4 December 2022}}
| company = BBC Drama Productions
}}
Life and Death in the Warehouse is a 2022 British television drama film, inspired by real stories of warehouse workers in Britain and the poor conditions they work in.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/life-and-death-in-the-warehouse-bbc-three-miscarriage-true-story/631803|title=Life And Death In The Warehouse miscarriage scene is a true story|first=Christobel|last=Hastings|date=8 March 2022|website=Stylist|access-date=4 December 2022}} It is written by Helen Black, and stars Poppy Lee Friar and Aimee-Ffion Edwards.
Plot
Floor worker Alys (Friar) works in a distribution centre, under a demanding sixty-hour week on top of being pregnant. When her old friend Megan (Edwards) joins the team as a trainee manager, Alys hopes their shared history will benefit her. But, desperate to keep her new job, Megan is soon pushing Alys' work (her 'pick rate') to a dangerous extent.
Cast
- Poppy Lee Friar as Alys
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Megan
- Aled ap Steffan as Devon
- Natalia Kostrzewa as Nadia
- Maja Laskowska as Karina
- Leon Charles as Craig
- Darren Evans as Ricky
Casting by Leigh-Ann Regan Casting Associates (LARCA), led by Leigh-Ann Regan. Casting associate Oliver Williams.
Production
Black had met Aysha Rafaele and Marco Crivellari at BBC Studios, at first developing a legal drama series. Subsequently, she was asked to work on a factual drama with director Joe Bullman, drawing from his research into warehouse employees.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/entries/75014424-f0b8-4135-8585-47e348446fdd|title=Writing 'Life and Death in the Warehouse'|date=3 March 2022|website=BBC|accessdate=4 December 2022}}
Reception
Lucy Mangan of The Guardian awarded the film four out five stars, praising its examination of worker conditions, remarking 'Black's drama does this perfectly, aided by fine performances (including Aled ap Steffan as Alys's friend, co-worker and brave union rep Devon). It covers a lot of sociopolitical ground without forgetting to make us care about the people – those 1 million and counting – who are suffering as its footsoldiers.'.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/mar/07/life-and-death-in-the-warehouse-review-the-terrible-true-cost-of-online-shopping|title=Life and Death in the Warehouse review – the terrible true cost of online shopping|date=7 March 2022|website=the Guardian|accessdate=4 December 2022}} Anita Singh in The Telegraph also gave it four out five stars, calling it 'cutting'.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/life-death-warehouse-should-strike-guilt-next-day-delivery-junkies/ | title=Life and Death in the Warehouse should strike guilt into all next-day delivery junkies | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=7 March 2022 | last1=Singh | first1=Anita }}
Awards
The film has been nominated at the 2022 BAFTA Cymru Awards for Television Drama.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/awards/cymru/nominations-2022|title=BAFTA Cymru Awards: Nominations 2022|date=7 September 2022|website=www.bafta.org|accessdate=4 December 2022}}
References
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