February 15, 2010
Lady Adelaide returns to Candleford as the period drama based on Flora Thompson’s novels continues.
The locals are rehearsing for their annual production of St George and the Dragon. They long to perform the play for their squire, but their letter to Sir Timothy in London has gone unanswered.
Twister, meanwhile, is in Queenie’s bad books. He’s refusing to relinquish the role of St George to a younger man, and an exasperated Queenie has moved out of their cottage and set up home in the woods.
When Dorcas hears that Sir Timothy has finally returned, she waits nervously for him to come to the post office. As the days go by, and he doesn’t arrive, she decides to pay him a visit. She finds not Sir Timothy, but Lady Adelaide. A tense meeting between the former rivals for Sir Tim’s affections leaves Dorcas none the wiser as to his whereabouts.
Laura, meanwhile, has been called back to Lark Rise to help nurse her father, who is confined to bed with an injured back. Being back at home is unsettling for Laura – she’s reminded of her humble beginnings, and worries that she is not worthy of the sophisticated Daniel. Pearl only exacerbates the problem by encouraging Daniel to play hard to get. Minnie, though, is thrilled at being allowed to deliver mail in Laura’s absence.
With the play fast approaching, and still no sign of Sir Timothy, Dorcas becomes increasingly concerned that all is not well in the squire’s household. And when she hears rumours of a mysterious correspondence between Lady Adelaide and a man in London, it only fuels her anxiety. Finally, Lady Adelaide arrives to announce that the squire will not be returning, and Dorcas persuades her to attend the play in his place.
While rehearsals for the play are in full swing, Queenie is enjoying the independence and solitude of her new home in the woods. But when she hears that the Lark Risers are struggling to cast a dragon to play opposite Twister’s St George, Queenie seizes the opportunity to teach him a lesson once and for all.
Lady Adelaide dutifully accompanies Dorcas to the play, and afterwards, in an emotional confrontation between the two women, the mystery of the missing Sir Timothy is solved, and Dorcas and Lady Adelaide finally put their past history to rest.
Lady Adelaide is played by Olivia Grant, Twister by Karl Johnson, Queenie by Linda Bassett, Dorcas by Julia Sawalha, Laura by Olivia Hallinan, Daniel by Ben Aldridge and Minnie by Ruby Bentall.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
February 8, 2010
When Daniel learns that Old Peg Leg, a Crimean war veteran who has been visiting Lark Rise for years, has received no pension despite his war injuries, he starts a newspaper campaign protesting against this injustice, as the period drama based on Flora Thompson’s novels continues.
Laura is delighted that Daniel has settled in Candleford and even her parents are pleased at the commitment he is showing. But when Daniel presents Laura with his grandmother’s brooch as a token of his affection, she finds she is not ready for such declarations and refuses to accept it.
Thomas meanwhile, inspired by a self-help book, sets about trying to transform himself into a “thrusting” success, though Margaret, it turns out, likes him just the way he is.
Daniel’s campaign on Peg Leg’s behalf has attracted huge attention and a London newspaper has come to take a photo of the veteran for their front page. But just as Peg Leg’s plight looks set to become a cause célèbre, Emma discovers a large sum of money hidden inside his wooden leg – he is not the destitute beggar they all thought, but a rich man.
Emma is devastated by his betrayal, and when Daniel learns of it, he feels he must expose Peg Leg, even if it ruins his reputation as a journalist. Dorcas though, points out that there is a greater cause at stake.
The dishonest veteran flees Candleford and hides in the woods but when Dorcas, Emma, Laura and Daniel finally track him down, he explains the painful reason behind his decision to hoard his money and never settle down. The trauma of lying injured on the battlefield has left him with a deep fear of staying in one place.
Meanwhile, Laura is still struggling to understand her reaction to Daniel’s gift until Dorcas helps her see that she should just enjoy young love for now, until she is ready for more.
Ben Aldridge plays Daniel, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura, Mark Heap plays Thomas, Sandy McDade plays Margaret, Claudie Blakley plays Emma and Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
February 2, 2010
Everyone in Candleford is talking about the mysterious recluse Mr Reppington, played by special guest Tom Conti, who has been hiding himself away in the Golden Lion Hotel for months, as the period drama based on Flora Thompson’s novels continues.
Dorcas is fascinated by the lonely existence of Mr Reppington, so when he sends her a cipher inviting her to meet him at midnight in the hotel gardens, she is thrilled to accept. But when she questions his solitary lifestyle, he brings their rendezvous to an abrupt end. It isn’t long before Daniel uncovers that he is, in fact, missing celebrated concert pianist William Bourne. The story could be a big scoop for Daniel but Laura urges him to do the decent thing and not reveal Bourne’s secret.
Ruby and Pearl, meanwhile, are planning a fashion show to increase business. While Minnie is helping the Pratts with the preparations, she is horrified to realise that Ruby is planning to run away, and is anxious about the hurt that Ruby’s sudden departure could cause.
Over in Lark Rise, Emma feels the romance is ebbing from her marriage and a wink from a soldier momentarily turns her head. When Daniel – quite by chance – sees the encounter, Emma worries he will tell Laura. When she receives an anonymous love letter, she assumes Daniel and the soldier have been playing a joke on her.
Dorcas is determined to entice Bourne out of his lonely existence and arranges for a piano to be taken to the hotel for him to play. Though he refuses, he reveals the reason for his withdrawal from society: he is grieving over the recent death of a woman, originally from Candleford, whom he loved but gave up for his career.
In a last, desperate attempt to engage Bourne with the world again, Dorcas takes him to Lark Rise, hoping that he will be moved by the music he hears there. But is it enough?
Tom Conti plays Mr Reppington, Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas, Ben Aldridge plays Daniel, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura, Victoria Hamilton plays Ruby, Matilda Ziegler plays Pearl, Ruby Bentall plays Minnie and Claudie Blakley plays Emma.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
January 26, 2010
It’s harvest time and, when Alf is crowned “king of the mowers”, he vows to bring in the harvest in record time, as the third series of the period drama based on the novels by Flora Thompson continues.
Every man, woman and child in the hamlet is employed cutting the wheat and collecting the “leazings”, or leftover wheat, which will feed them through the winter. Dorcas decides a day of fun with the Lark Rise children at the harvest is just what her serious little boy, Sydney, needs.
Alf sets his workers off at a cracking pace and Dorcas is delighted to see Sydney making mischief with Archie Arless. When Dorcas takes Sydney home, he is glowing after his day in the sun with his new friends.
Daniel pays a surprise visit to Candleford. Despite his passionate feelings for Laura, he has come to announce that he has taken a new job in Cambridge. The distance is too great for regular visits and Laura is left perplexed and disappointed at Daniel’s sudden change of heart.
The following morning, Dorcas goes to wake Sydney and finds him dangerously ill with measles. She puts the Post Office into quarantine and devotes herself to nursing Sydney, terrified that her beloved boy will be taken away. Over in Lark Rise, Frank and Annie Timmins are also sick, and before long most of the children in the hamlet are infected. Daniel is leaving Candleford in a coach when he comes across Sally Arless struggling to carry her poorly brother, Archie, home. Daniel steps in to help and, putting thoughts of leaving to one side, he offers his support to the Lark Risers as they struggle to deal with a measles epidemic.
With nearly all the children sick and the women occupied in nursing them, the hamlet faces a grave problem. With too few people in the fields bringing in the wheat, they won’t have enough food to prevent starvation in the winter. But Robert refuses to allow the epidemic to beat them and, in a rousing speech to the hamlet folk, he persuades them of a scheme which just might avert disaster. The children will be nursed together in Queenie’s cottage, while those who can work in the fields will pool their wheat among all the families in the hamlet.
But Daniel quickly realises that there are simply not enough people to go round, and he rushes off to Candleford with an idea. In a speech which echoes Robert’s in Lark Rise, Daniel makes a heartfelt appeal to the people of Candleford to help out their neighbours in Lark Rise. Laura looks on with pride. But will the Candleford gentlefolk rise to the challenge?
The epidemic finally passes, but it leaves the two communities changed for ever.
John Dagleish plays Alf, Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas, Edward Darnell-Hayes plays Sydney, Harry Miles plays Archie Arless, Ben Aldridge plays Daniel, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura, Sophie Miles plays Sally Arless, Brendan Coyle plays Robert and Linda Bassett plays Queenie.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
January 19, 2010
When Alf secures a “man’s wage” from the farmer, enabling him and his siblings to move back into the family cottage, he couldn’t be prouder, and throws a party to celebrate. Laura intercepts a letter addressed to Alf from prison – fearing it may contain bad news from his ma, she decides to delay its delivery so his special day isn’t spoiled. As the beer and the merriment flow, Alf sings a song he learnt from a traveller. Its haunting words have a profound affect on his guests.
For Edmund, the song means freedom. He tells his parents he wants to leave school and work on the land. Emma is devastated – she always wanted more for Edmund, and when she discovers he has passed his school exams with top marks, it only fuels her determination to change his mind. But when she confronts Edmund in the Wagon and Horses, her argument against a career which she thinks is beneath him only makes him dig his heels in further, offending Alf and his fellow drinkers in the process. Edmund storms off to lodge with Queenie, where he feels he will be treated as a grown up.
Over in Candleford, the words from Alf’s song have got Dorcas thinking about love and family. She decides that Minnie is destined to one day be a wife and mother, and sets about giving her the necessary skills, sending her to Emma to learn baking and to the Pratts for sewing lessons. One day, a special delivery arrives from Caroline in prison – the “little something” she had promised Alf in her letter turns out to be his baby sister, Patience. When Minnie takes delivery of the baby, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to hone her maternal skills (and relieve Alf of an extra burden) and recruits Sydney to help her look after the infant in secret. The song has also cast its spell elsewhere in Candleford – Pearl and Ruby are at war over how to economise; while Thomas and Margaret have their first marital tiff.
Emma, meanwhile, is at loggerheads with Robert over her handling of the Edmund situation; Edmund is refusing to back down; and Alf is still smarting over Emma’s insult. Twister’s misguided efforts to bring harmony back to the hamlet only make matters worse, so it falls to Alf to set things right. He writes a new final verse to the song, and peace is finally restored. But what will Alf’s reaction be when he discovers he has yet another mouth to feed?
John Dagleish plays Alf, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura, Thomas Rhys Jones plays Edmund, Claudie Blakley plays Emma, Linda Bassett plays Queenie, Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas, Ruby Bentall plays Minnie, Matilda Ziegler plays Pearl, Victoria Hamilton plays Ruby, Mark Heap plays Thomas, Sandy McDade plays Margaret, Brendan Coyle plays Robert and Karl Johnson plays Twister.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
January 11, 2010
Sunday 17 January
8.00-9.00pm BBC ONE
Daniel Parish returns to Candleford to try to win back Laura’s affections, as the series based on the novels by Flora Thompson, and adapted by Bill Gallagher, continues.
The first person he encounters is Robert, who challenges him to make amends with the people he has offended. Daniel promises not to see Laura until he has completed his task.
Thomas, meanwhile, can barely contain his excitement at the news that the Bishop is coming to Candleford to consecrate the new church font. But when Queenie notices a local tree starting to “bleed”, and the hamlet becomes rife with talk of witchcraft, Thomas is horrified – it could ruin the Bishop’s visit.
The tree seems to cast a spell over the whole community as everyone is starting to behave strangely. Twister is hearing voices; Robert is too unsettled to work; even the ever-poised Dorcas loses her composure, confusing Pearl Pratt for her sister Ruby, and letting out the shocking secrets each one has been concealing from the other.
With the Bishop due to arrive any day, Thomas employs increasingly desperate measures to try to restore order. When he discovers that Queenie intends to hold a pagan ritual to set free the spirit in the witch tree, he decides that he must put an end to this superstitious nonsense once and for all.
Daniel’s honest efforts to win the forgiveness of the community, meanwhile, are beginning to work. Emma, though, is not so easily won over. She wants him to promise to leave Lark Rise for ever, but can he turn his back so easily on his deepening relationship with Laura?
Ben Aldridge plays Daniel Parish, Brendan Coyle plays Robert Timmins, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura Timmins, Mark Heap plays Thomas Brown, Linda Bassett plays Queenie Turrill, Karl Johnson plays Twister Turrill, Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas Lane, Matilda Ziegler plays Pearl Pratt, Victoria Hamilton plays Ruby Pratt and Claudie Blakley plays Emma Timmins.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
Love is in the air…
December 25, 2009
BBC One’s winter warmer, Lark Rise To Candleford, starring Julia Sawalha, Olivia Hallinan, Brendan Coyle and Claudie Blakley, returns for a third series. Based on the novels by Flora Thompson, and adapted by Bill Gallagher, the new series continues to chronicle the lives of the hamlet folk of Lark Rise and the wealthier inhabitants of neighbouring Candleford.
Daniel Parish, a handsome and ambitious young journalist, arrives in Lark Rise with exciting news for the Timmins family. Emma’s aunt has died, leaving her a large inheritance. All Daniel seeks in return for this information is permission to write their rags-to-riches story for his newspaper.
The legacy, however, seems too good to be true. It could buy them a whole new life in Candleford, and Robert a business of his own, yet Emma is troubled by this potential windfall and worries that Robert desires this new life more than she does.
Laura and Daniel, meanwhile, find a connection through their shared love of writing. She opens her heart to him and shows him her private journal. But Dorcas is suspicious of Daniel’s motives and challenges him to write about love and community instead of sensation. When Daniel’s article is published, Laura is devastated to discover that Daniel has used the contents of her journal to mock her family and friends.
As the plans for the move to Candleford gather pace, Emma and Robert hide their growing unease about leaving their home. So when they discover that Emma is one of several claimants to the money, and stands to inherit only a tiny sum, they celebrate remaining in Lark Rise and the life they love there.
Daniel, too, has come to value the way of life in Lark Rise and desperately seeks to make amends. But can he convince anyone, especially Laura, to trust him again?
Ben Aldridge plays Daniel Parish, Claudie Blakley plays Emma Timmins, Brendan Coyle plays Robert Timmins, Olivia Hallinan plays Laura Timmins and Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas Lane.
Lark Rise To Candleford is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC’s High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
December 24, 2009
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.”
December 21, 2009
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.”
October 29, 2009
A special episode of Lark Rise To Candleford will be included in this year’s Children in Need, in which Sir Terry makes a guest appearance at the village Post Office.
The seven-hour show, live from BBC Television Centre, features some of the UK’s top TV, musical and theatrical personalities and acts.