The Assembly review – Michael Sheen is grilled by 35 neurodivergent young people … and it’s pure TV joy
The blog post starts with a question about the first ever crush. The answer is about John Taylor from Duran Duran. The person describing their crush thinks that John Taylor was the most beautiful person they had ever seen. They were impressed with his hair. The Assembly is a collection of questions being asked to Michael Sheen. He is an actor from Wales who has won awards for his acting. The questions come from 35 people who have autism, who are neurodivergent or who have learning disabilities. Michael Sheen has been interviewed many times over the last three decades. He has never been asked about Tom Jones who is a celebrity. One of the questions asks Michael Sheen if he knows anything about Tom Jones. This leads to an anecdote about Michael Sheen spending time with Tom Jones’ sister in a hospital. The two share a bond over a broken toe. This story is not something you would find in Sight and Sound magazine.
I am really fond of the idea for this broadcast that will air during Autism Acceptance Week. It comes at a time when more people are being diagnosed with autism and support can be hard to come by. The message of the show is both straightforward and poignant. As a parent of a 10-year-old boy with autism, I can attest to his curiosity. He asks me about 100 questions a day, and this week, his top two have been "Can we go skiing?" (we never have) and "Are you wearing tights?" (due to sensory issues). My son is just as interested in asking specific questions as those in power, but he struggles to answer them. For years, he didn't answer any questions at all, and now he only answers a few. Open-ended questions can be particularly overwhelming or confusing for him, or maybe he has a completely different reaction to them that I don't yet understand.
The Assembly is a British show based on the French program Les Rencontres du Papotin, where President Emmanuel Macron and Camille Cottin interviewed journalists with neurodivergent conditions. The show became very popular and the UK version is produced by Rockerdale Studios. In today's world, interviews have become excessively serious and dull, failing to address important questions and holding the wrong people accountable. Even celebrity interviews have become tedious and predictable. The Assembly is a refreshing change of pace and puts disabled individuals at the forefront.
The Assembly isn't just centered on disability. It focuses on a particular topic, such as Sheen's experience. This approach is unique and effective in creating an engaging and interesting atmosphere. Instead of making a documentary about the upsetting employment gap faced by autistic people in the country, which is only 22%, the show features an autistic woman discussing how her community is constantly rejected from jobs and asking for advice from the actor on how to deal with rejection. This conversation leads Sheen to talk about his decision not to play a character with cerebral palsy anymore, because it's not right for certain communities to be excluded from opportunities in the industry due to their life experiences.
Don't be fooled into thinking that The Assembly is a serious and dull show. In fact, it's charming and can be quite amusing at times. The star of the show, Michael Sheen, is known for his irresistible charisma. After portraying Tony Blair twice and still being adored by all, it's no wonder that he's so likable. He's not afraid of being put on the spot and always has a pleasant, caring demeanor even when faced with difficult questions - like when he was asked what it's like to date someone who's five years younger than his daughter. Ouch! But the interviewer who asked him that question couldn't resist being mischievous all the same. Later, when Sheen was asked about giving back his OBE, the same interviewer prodded him with another great question: "If you could replace two members of the royal family, who would you replace them with?" Sheen's answer was spot-on: he swapped Prince Andrew (who he is portraying in the Prime Video series A Very Royal Scandal) for Joe Lycett, and Queen Camilla for David Attenborough.
During my time with Sheen, I've unearthed a plethora of information about him that I never thought I wanted to know. For instance, he has a soft spot for the Disney film Moana and is a big fan of egg and chips. Surprisingly, Sheen sheds tears each day and often has bats flying into his house in Wales and taking refuge in the curtains. He harbours a deep fear of being alone, and can even beatbox the opening theme of the TV show Dynasty. Additionally, the Good Omens star has no qualms about diving into the details of his passionate on-screen kiss with David Tennant and the group assembled around him offer impromptu support, share additional tidbits about themselves, and even break into song. A rendition of the Beatles classic Here Comes the Sun leaves Sheen in tears.
I really enjoyed a specific part during this interview. One of the interviewers, Leon, was getting ready to ask a question but was struggling to do so. Sheen kindly told him to take all the time he needed, and everyone waited patiently. After a bit, Leon managed to ask his question without any trouble; it was about Sheen's personal connection to the work of Welsh writer Dylan Thomas since both are Welsh. Then, another person stood up and gave an incredible performance of Thomas's poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night." Sheen became emotional once more.
The Conference was broadcasted on BBC One and can be accessed on BBC iPlayer.
