Gormenghast (miniseries)
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Based on the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake, this four episode mini series was produced by the BBC.
[edit] Cast
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Steerpike | Jonathan Rhys Meyers |
| Lady Gertrude | Celia Imrie |
| Lord Groan | Ian Richardson |
| Lady Fuchsia | Neve McIntosh |
| Flay | Christopher Lee |
| Swelter | Richard Griffiths |
| Titus (12 years) | Cameron Powrie |
| Titus (17 years) | Andrew N. Robertson |
| Dr. Prunesquallor | John Sessions |
| Irma Prunesquallor | Fiona Shaw |
| Nannie Slagg | June Brown |
| Clarice Groan | Zoë Wanamaker |
| Cora Groan | Lynsey Baxter |
| Professor Bellgrove | Stephen Fry |
| Barquentine | Warren Mitchell |
First broadcast shortly after Christmas in 2000, this BBC miniseries of the celebrated modernist fantasy by Mervyn Peake was designed for an early evening time-slot in much the same vein as the earlier adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia. Although Peake, a talented and visionary artist, has left numerous drawings concerning his work, the creators preferred a new approach that injected a good deal more colour and humour into what is, on the page, a very dark and exhausted world; a place of shadows, dust, rust and nettles.
The BBC conception was based on the idea that Peake's early life in China had influenced the creation of Gormenghast; thus, the castle in the series resembles the Forbidden City of Peking as well as the Holy City of Llasa in Tibet. This idea has basic validity, particularly as regards the 'bright carvings' of the wood-working outer dwellers, but purists might consider the entire production rather lighter than the books, which author Anthony Burgess regarded as a great classic of the Twentieth century and an allegory of the two World Wars. An atmosphere of fairy-tale, rather than Gothic expressionism, hangs over the whole production.
Steerpike, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, is played as a far more expressive psychopath than the cerebral Machiavellian of the books.
Fuschia, Neve McIntosh, is not the ugly, gauche, passionate adolescent of the book, but a classically beautiful, if slightly immature, princess.
Gertrude, Celia Imrie is fairly close to the imperious Lady Groan of the novel, though she lacks her huge imponderable gravitas and implacable will.
Sepulchrave, Ian Richardson is finely played.
Swelter, Richard Griffiths is played as a piggish brute, with little of the character's cold sadism and metallic premeditated murderousness.
Flay, Christopher Lee closely follows the book's conception, albeit without his distinctive clicking knee-joints.
Cora and Clarice Groan, Zoë Wanamaker,Lynsey Baxter are appropriately depicted as mindless geisha dolls, in a nod to the Asian influence adopted for the dramatization.
Doctor Prunesquallor, John Sessions perhaps lacks the character's intense physical grace and powerful intellect. He also does not have the Doctor's uncontrollable whinnying laugh; a key aspect of the character.
Barquentine, Warren Mitchell the filthy and foul-mouthed Master of Ritual is substantially 'cleaned up' for this version, with his father, Sourdust, not appearing at all.
