Premiere attraction
Exclusive By Andrew McCreaddie
LITERATURE enthusiasts in Knutsford could be among the first to see clips of a new BBC television drama.
Scriptwriter Heidi Thomas has been asked to give a talk and describe images from Cranford Chronicles during this year’s Knutsford Literature Festival.
“The television programme will be just about to go out at the time,” said organiser Joan Leach.
advertisement
“We’re still working on the details, but we hope we’re going to be able to show parts of it during the talk.”
Knutsford Heritage Centre has helped researchers working on Cranford Chronicles, which is based on three Elizabeth Gaskell novels.
The volunteers were inundated with queries about life in the town in the 19th century.
Mrs Leach, who is also a Gaskell Society member, helped researchers to find historical documents and pictures.
During the discussions she asked if producer Sue Birtwistle, who created the Pride and Prejudice series, would visit the literature festival.
“She couldn’t do it because she is going to be very busy with the Cranford Chronicles going out at the time,” said Mrs Leach, of Chester Road, Tabley.
But the BBC said Mrs Thomas, who wrote scripts for TV series Lilies, could attend the event in October.
“We’ll be very interested to hear how she’s brought the three stories together,” said Mrs Leach, a former teacher. “They’re trying to set it in one year, but Cranford is backward-looking and forward-looking and there isn’t really a timescale in it.”
Mrs Gaskell, who lived in Gaskell Avenue and is buried at Brook Street Chapel, wrote Cranford more than 150 years ago.
Although the book does not mention Knutsford by name, it features landmarks from the town.
The television series will also be based on two other novels – My Lady Ludlow and Mr Harrison’s Confessions. Filming for the five-part drama is taking place this year at specially-designed sets in the Cotswolds and London.
The programme will star Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty Jenkyns.
Producers also recently revealed Sir Michael Gambon, who plays Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, and Imelda Staunton, who starred in Vera Drake, had joined the cast.
“The BBC tell me they hope to show it at the end of October,” said Mrs Leach.
Comment from neil
Time 16 August 2009 at 3:56 pm
Good programme it was