'Dickensian' update

"Think Dickens does The Avengers," says the Evening Standard of Dickensian in this article. It features a nice big picture of many of the cast members with their characters' names (so I was able to update our cast list!). I note that Compeyson has been given the first name "Meriweather," which seems a just punishment for his sins.

Comments

[John]

In addition to 'Dickensian', Dickens has turned up as a character in the new 6 part series 'The Frankenstein Chronicles' currently showing on 'ITV Encore' in the UK (I believe A&E have the series for the USA).

The series starts with Inspector John Marlott (Sean Bean) finding what looks like a child's corpse on the banks of the Thames, however, the corpse has been stitched together from eight different children. Marlott is commissioned by Robert Peel (Tom Ward) to investigate.

In the first episode, Marlott goes along to the public gallery of the House of Commons to hear a debate about The Anatomy Act and he notices a young man in a very colourful waistcoat and cravat feverishly recording the debate in a notebook. In the second episode, Marlott again sees the young man scribbling away in a notebook at a lecture on galvanism, held in an operating theatre, complete with a demonstration on a corpse. Marlott catches up with the young man in a nearby pub, and he introduces himself as'Boz' (played by Ryan Sampson). From the discussion with Marlott, it seems that Dickens will play a larger part in the forthcoming episodes.

I was very impressed with the two episodes I have seen of this series so far, particularly the atmospheric depiction of a grimy Victorian London, and the chilling storyline. There is an attention to detail, such as Boz writing in shorthand. The series weaves in depictions of other historical figures, including William Blake (Steven Berkoff) and Mary Shelley (the always excellent Anna Maxwell Martin).

[Gina]

I didn't know that, John. Thanks for the tip!