Inside The Cage

A high-stakes, high-energy BBC crime drama set in a Liverpool casino with two unforgettable characters at its heart, The Cage explores survival, addiction and the choices people make under pressure.

We speak to stars Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha, plus Barry Sloane, Geraldine James and creator Tony Schumacher, about filming on location, capturing the city’s voice and authenticity, and the real-life struggles driving the story

Words | Naomi Eden

A story of risk, consequence and survival driven by Tony Schumacher’s sharp, distinctive dialogue, The Cage navigates themes of addiction, desperation and shame, as well as fractured family dynamics and the lack of support for those dealing with loss – financial or emotional.

Following the death of her partner and under threat of losing her family home, Leanne (Sheridan Smith) begins stealing from the Liverpool city centre casino where she works as a cashier – taking cash from the ‘cage’, the secure hub where chips are exchanged and money is handled.

“She’s trying to juggle everything at once and not lose the house,” explains Sheridan. “You totally understand why she would go to such desperate measures to keep the family alive and well. I think anyone, myself included, would do anything for their kids.”

It turns out Leanne’s manager, Matty (Michael Socha), is also on the rob at the Envoy Casino. Battling a gambling addiction and dealing with mounting debt, he is caught between a strained family life and his own personal demons.

“Matty ultimately feels massively ashamed of himself and the person he’s become,” Michael says. “He finds it so difficult seeing – and maybe wanting – the idea of a normal family. After years of addiction and making the wrong choices, it’s a barrel he can’t quite climb out of at this point.

“It feels like the whole world is against him, both inside and outside the casino. He’s not doing himself any favours. Everybody is against Matty, including himself.”

The series has arrived at a time when its themes feel particularly resonant, tapping into the pressures facing many households today. “[Leanne and Matty] are definitely characters that people will relate to,” says Sheridan. “I think with the cost-of-living crisis, some people will sadly be in the same situation. Even though it’s a heavy drama and quite a lot of it is dark, there are light moments to hopefully bring a bit of joy and escapism.”

The casino owner’s son Gary, played by Barry Sloane, is often at the centre of these tonal shifts. The Liverpool-born actor characterises Gary as someone “spinning many plates” – a man of shifting identities and hidden layers – and notes that his connection to both the role and the production is grounded in a deep sense of ‘scouse pride’.

“Tony [Schumacher] knows the people, he knows the characters, he knows the story, he knows the world. It has passed the scouse test, if there ever was such a thing,” says Barry. “It feels real, it feels genuine. It’s a love letter to the city. The characters are well-rounded and not stereotypical cheeky chappy scousers, even though I can bring a little bit of that for free.”

 

 

The Liverpool setting allowed Barry to perform in his natural accent – something he has often avoided over a long career that most famously includes voicing Captain Price in the blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise.

“I very rarely played scousers. I learnt early that it was gonna be beneficial to my career if I could do more, because you can be pigeonholed with that accent in a very frustrating way. So to be able to work in your own accent was such a joy, such a pleasure.”

Barry beams as he recalls his time on set in Liverpool, which coincided with an unexpected spell of good weather. “Shooting at home, the city of my birth, was huge,” he says. “We filmed one of the scenes just around the corner from where my nan lived. It was lovely going round there. I had a little walk around, and there were loads of scallies on bikes up the top [of the road]. I walked up and had a little chat with them. It was fun to go back.

“It was the most beautiful period of sunshine when we filmed, and Liverpool in the sunshine is just golden. It was just scouse pride right the way through.”

Barry’s fondness for Liverpool is something Sheridan clearly shares. Having spent time here across several projects – including her acclaimed turn as Cilla Black in ITV’s Cilla – she recalls a warmth and sense of belonging that lingered long after filming wrapped on The Cage.

“I love Liverpool. It’s my favourite place to film. Everyone makes me so welcome,” she says. “One day people were bringing us cupcakes and coming out in their pyjamas going, ‘hey girl, come and have a cup of tea at ours’. I do feel like an adopted scouser.”

Taking on a Liverpool character of course also meant stepping back into a scouse accent – something Sheridan approached a little differently this time around. “I was told not to go too strong with the accent. With Cilla, it was very much put on, so it felt a bit strange going back to it. But all of our crew were scouse, so it’s something you naturally pick up when you’re there for months on end. I’m sure there are bits where scousers say ‘that’s not how we say that’, but hopefully it’s alright.”

Tony Schumacher, the Liverpool-born screenwriter and novelist behind the five-part series, echoed Sheridan’s enthusiasm for working in the city. “I like Liverpool, because I hate commuting to
London [laughs],” he says.

“I think stories should be universal. Liverpool is really important, and I love bringing people here and letting them see the city. “The director, Al Mackay, has worked here before, and he loves the way a city looks. He wants the city to be almost a character in the background. Liverpool definitely brought that.

“There’s a lot of warmth here as well, and everyone who’s not from the city enjoys it. It was special.”

Tony described finding Barry for the role of Gary as a rare, lightning-in-a-bottle moment: “He was recommended to me, and I knew who he was because you know who Liverpool actors are, but I didn’t realise how good he was.

 

 

“We got him in to read, and it was one of those magical moments where, within 10 seconds, you know he’s the character. He’s not just a one-dimensional gangster in the show; there’s a lot of complexity and internal weakness to his character. I can’t speak for Barry, but I think he enjoyed working in his natural accent.”

For Tony, character always comes first – his writing rooted in crafting layered, believable people shaped by the messy realities of life. “Years ago, when I was in the police, I knew a drug dealer who said to me one night: ‘I didn’t want to be a drug dealer, I never left school and said ‘I want to be a drug dealer’.

“It was always really interesting to speak to people and learn about how they ended up where they ended up in life.”

That sense of curiosity runs through his entire writing process, with each character offering a way to explore both the world around him and something more personal. “I’m interested in addiction, I’m interested in that world because I’m addicted to work. I’m very interested in any sort of flaw, and as a writer, you have to be interested in flaws because flaws are what you build your character around. You’re exploring your own map, almost.”

For Geraldine James, who takes on the role of casino owner Nancy, the experience of making the show was made all the more memorable by working alongside Tony.

“He’s a fantastic man. I remember always seeing him beaming [with joy] on-set.” Stepping into Nancy’s world, Geraldine found herself drawn to both the show’s focus on character and the sharply defined edges of the woman she portrays.

“It’s not about story, it’s about people,” she says. “It’s about getting to know a group of people really, really well, and I think that’s universal. The casino was such a genius set – it was so well constructed, and that made it very easy to believe in working and being in that place.

“Nancy’s hanging on to what she’s been taught about running a casino, and she sticks to it very methodically. She’s not affectionate, she’s not maternal, she’s certainly not a good grandmother – but she learns how to do that through the series.

“She’s quite complicated and very emotional. She’s a good person at heart but has had quite a tough life.”

The Cage is a drama rooted in Liverpool, shaped by a strong sense of place and authenticity. The city runs quietly through the story’s core – one centred on survival and the choices its characters make. For Tony, it’s also about pushing beyond expectations and resisting easy labels.

“I hope that people – like they did with The Responder, where some saw it as just a cop show – realise I’m not just writing that. I wanted to have lots of different elements in it, so the series can be something you can really immerse yourself in.”

All five episodes of The Cage are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now