Love is in the air…

As BBC One’s winter warmer, Lark Rise To Candleford, based on the novels by Flora Thompson and adapted by Bill Gallagher, continues, Olivia Hallinan, who plays Laura Timmins, tells Programme Information how her character has grown up and deserves to find true love.
In the last series viewers saw Laura mature into a young woman. Are there any big storylines and surprises in this third series?
“There are too many to mention! Laura has grown up a lot since the last series and has taken on more responsibility – she is more confident in herself. A journalist (played by Ben Aldridge) arrives in episode one and viewers will see the relationship between him and Laura develop through the series. They have their ups and downs, that’s all I am saying, but I do think Laura deserves to find true love.
“Some brilliant guests join us this year with some really exciting storylines surrounding them. Every script made me laugh and well up a bit. There are some hugely comic moments but be prepared for shocking and tragic ones, too. That’s what I love about the show, you can be laughing one minute and crying the next!”
How are Laura, Dorcas, Minnie and Thomas adjusting to having young Sydney living at the post office?
“Sydney is one of the family and has settled in nicely. Edward Darnell-Hayes who plays him is a lovely boy and we are all very protective of him. I think the character adds another dynamic to the family. He has an effect on Dorcas (played by Julia Sawalha) – she really takes on the maternal role and seems very fulfilled.”
Laura was seen as a sister figure to Minnie – what is her relationship like with Sydney?
“I don’t have too many scenes on my own with Sydney, but it is lovely when we have dinner scenes together as a family and we can all have a natter. Laura looks out for Sydney and is aware that he is still quite vulnerable. He helps us out in the post office sometimes, which is fun. Laura continues to take on a sisterly role with Minnie, looking out for her and offering advice – I love working with Ruby (who plays Ruby Bentall).”
Does Laura still have a strong relationship with her father, Robert, and the rest of her family in Lark Rise?
“Laura is, and will always remain, fiercely loyal to her family and her Lark Rise roots. Although her career is on the up and she is settled in Candleford, she relishes spending time in Lark Rise with her family. Robert is always there to offer advice and Laura has inherited the Timmins streak of defiance from him. They are both very strong willed but she would do anything for her father. Emma is aware that Laura has turned into a young woman and teaches her to stand on her own two feet a lot more in this series. Although she is always there when Laura needs her, she knows that only she can sort out certain problems for herself. Laura will do anything to make them proud of her because family is more important to her than anything.”
Young journalist Daniel Parish arrives in Candleford – what effect does he have on Laura?
“Laura is immediately taken with him. He is a journalist and she is fascinated by the fact that he is a real writer. Obviously, they share a passion for writing. I think she likes the fact that he is ambitious and has made such a success of himself and she certainly looks up to him. The relationship develops quite early on but, after Laura’s heartbreak over the departure of Fisher Bloom last year, she is definitely wary of getting hurt and does not want to rush things.”
Laura had started to develop her own style rather than wear hand-me-downs from Dorcas. What are her costumes like in this series?
“Better – I had more of an input this year. I think Laura is looking a little more sophisticated which reflects the change in her. I felt it was important that the audience see her as a more mature young woman as opposed to the rather naive and childlike Laura who arrived in Candleford two years ago. The costume designer has used more colours this year, too, which is great – I love dressing up. I have even got used to the corset this year – I’m going to feel quite lost without it.”
Why do you think viewers enjoy the show so much?
“It’s an hour of escapism every Sunday evening when it’s cold and rainy outside! Audiences like to be transported into the past and the period is fascinating. It looks beautiful and is very heart-warming.
“I think the characters are endearing and, most importantly, nobody knows what will happen next as opposed to most period adaptations that have a definite ending. Flora Thompson wrote about ‘the long-lost secret of being happy on little’. I think that is something that strikes a chord with modern audiences. Even though it is set so long ago, we still deal with the same moral dilemmas that many of the characters find themselves in today.”
You are filming for most of the year – are there any anecdotes from filming?
“It’s a seven-month shoot, which is crazy. All the weeks merge into one. We make sure we enjoy ourselves and we really are lucky to have the nicest cast and crew. There have been lots of rainy days – audiences would never guess when they watch it but the mud can drive us all mad sometimes. And my feet tend to freeze so I will let you in on a secret: I am well known for wearing my boots under my skirt! Sometimes I get the giggles, particularly in the post office. Mark Heap always has me laughing, as does Ruby (Bentall), her facial expressions are absolutely brilliant.”

BBC One’s winter warmer, Lark Rise To Candleford, based on the novels by Flora Thompson and adapted by Bill Gallagher, returns this week and continues to chronicle the lives of the hamlet folk of Lark Rise and the wealthier inhabitants of neighbouring Candleford. At the end of the last series, James Dowland (played by Jason Merrells), rode off into the sunset, leaving Dorcas, who owns and runs the local post office, to adopt his son, Sydney. Julia Sawalha, who plays Dorcas, tells Programme Information what the new series has in store for her character.
Why do you think Dorcas and Sydney formed such a close bond?
“I think what bonds Dorcas and Sydney is they both have a strong need to give and receive love. Dorcas has a tremendous ability to nurture, which is just what Sydney needs after being locked away and abandoned for so much of his life.”
At the end of the second series, Sydney was finding it hard to be a child, hence his nickname “Little Man” – does he come out of his shell more in this series?
“It takes Sydney a while to come out of his shell. He gradually becomes a little more free-spirited, but he is still reserved. He has nightmares, which means there is still a residue of unknown damage that Dorcas cannot tap into. It takes a child time to adapt and trust, but he is slowly finding his feet within the post office family.”
What do you enjoy most about working with Edward (Darnell-Hayes, who plays Sydney)?
“I adore working with Ted. He has a very dry sense of humour and has fitted in with everyone. He is a very astute and clever boy. He is well-mannered and works very hard. He is a natural professional. He takes direction extremely well. I haven’t once heard him say: ‘No, I can’t do that.’ He always has a go and does really well. He deals with the technical side of things brilliantly, which can be very daunting. He is also a naturally generous actor – he listens, looks you straight in the eye and instinctively responds. Most refreshing of all, he has hobbies outside of acting, he loves school and is not precocious in any way at all.”
There is very much a family feel on screen in the post office with Minnie (Ruby Bentall), Laura (Olivia Hallinan), Thomas (Mark Heap), Sydney and Dorcas – is there a similar dynamic between you all on set?
“We are a family in the sense that we have a strong bond as a group of colleagues. We know each other’s temperaments and how each individual likes to work, so there is a healthy mutual respect both on and off set between us.”
You’ve read all of Flora Thompson’s books – were they helpful in terms of context and characterisation?
“Of course a book is always helpful and if I lose my way and need to get a sense of Flora Thompson’s world I will often refer back to it. But once you are up and running with a well-oiled machine like Lark Rise To Candleford, the writers and directors give it a life of its own, which is rich with detail and plots.”
Is your portrayal of Dorcas or any of her mannerisms based on anyone you know?
“There are a few little things that I observed from a very special lady who owns a shop in Bath; in fact, it is my favourite shop in Bath, but I am not going to reveal who or where she is. That would not be fair on her.”
Is there anything you’ve always wanted Dorcas to do that she gets to do in this series?
“I have always wanted Dorcas to lose her cool, even for five seconds. In one of the episodes she buys a new cooking range, which she has trouble getting to work – and she does, for once, lose her rag. It was very odd performing it, because I thought, how does Dorcas do angry? It felt so wrong, and I felt so unkind shouting at Minnie and Laura, so it was indeed a challenge!”
Does Dorcas have any new costumes in this series?
“She does have some new frocks, though we are in series three so I have quite an extensive collection already but, as the more wintery episodes approach, some new ones will make an appearance. I bought my own hair combs/accessories from a little antique market in Bath. So everything you see in my hair is original; you never know, it may even have belonged to the real Dorcas Lane!”
Do you liaise with the costume department about the type of outfits Dorcas wears?
“I do liaise about my frocks. I am very lucky with costume designer Pam Downe – she is very receptive to suggestions and has a vast knowledge of the period. She has an incredible flare for texture, colours and tones. I absolutely love the whole process of looking through a book with her, she then shows me a sample of cloth, the next thing you know you are having a fitting with the maker, two fittings after that and around seven days later a stunning frock has been made.
“I try not to be too vain and want to be as authentic as I can regarding the costumes, but I don’t think it was a particularly flattering period, I can’t bear anything being too high up around my neck and I like to have a decent length train on the back of my skirt, which probably wasn’t practical for a post-mistress, but Pam has a wonderful talent for tweaking and adding things here and there which give the character’s clothes an individual style, whilst staying true to 1896.”
What do you enjoy most about working on the series?
“I just love doing costume dramas, I am very lucky, as I see myself as a part-time time traveller.”
What are your aspirations for Dorcas in the future?
“I don’t really think about the future for my character, though the writer is very generous and does always ask what my thoughts are. It is an ensemble piece, therefore, I feel the most interesting episodes for my character are when there is plenty of emotional conflict, whether that be that positive or negative between the other characters.”
Why do you think the series is so popular?
“I really don’t know why Lark Rise is so successful, it is not for me to say. The fact that there is social and emotional conflict is always fascinating to watch, especially as they are the same sort of things that we will experience in 2010. It is also pretty to look at. I like the fact that there isn’t a laptop or mobile phone in sight. A lot of people do say they like it because there is no violence in it, and it is something they can watch with their grandparents and grandchildren. But really, I don’t know, that is a question for our audience.”