Embedded Files
Volume 1 | Issue 1 - Conflict
Article by Amy Calladine. Edited by Claire Stratton. Additional Research by Robyn Hall.
Channel 4 recently aired its own take on the period drama in the shape of The Devil’s Whore, a four part series telling the story of fictional character Angelica Fanshawe and her life amidst the spiralling conflict of the English Civil War. This gritty, uncompromising depiction of Early Modern life is a welcome move away from the gentle Sunday night offerings usually associated with the genre. Compelling, and at times claustrophobic, the viewer is taken onto the battlefield and through the streets of London in the company of soldiers, radicals and royalists. It is refreshing to see that the past has not been excessively glamorised for the high-gloss entertainment industry, with many of the scenes tackling the dirty, bloody horrors of warfare in a powerfully frank way. The weaving of fact and fiction gives the drama an accessible, human edge, whilst rooting it firmly in the tense reality of historical events. It is certainly easy to get swept up in the political treachery and fraught allegiances of the times.
There are some great performances from a strong cast including the brilliant John Simm as soldier Edward Sexby and Maxine Peake as the resolute wife of Leveller John Lilburne. Dominic West breathes new life into the role of Oliver Cromwell; no small task considering the legacy of a man easily painted (warts and all) as infuriatingly puritanical and unflinchingly cruel. West plays the role in a bold and exciting way, being strangely enigmatic as well as intriguingly complicated.
Apart from the dubious CGI “devil”, the visual impact of the series was impressive, as well as the credible depictions of some of the more brutal aspects of this period in history. The infamous execution of Charles I is tackled with a sense of reluctant empathy; which is testament to the quality of scriptwriting and acting in the series.
The Devil’s Whore is not factually watertight, and nor does it claim to be. It would be impossible to present a comprehensive history of the Civil War over just four episodes, not least without sacrificing some of the raw emotional power of the story. Instead, this is a sharp, challenging production which transcends its historical setting and manages to feel fresh and relevant to a 21st Century audience. Scriptwriter Peter Flannery, most famous for the 1996 series Our Friends in the North, has definitely succeeded in creating a striking evocation of ordinary life played out against extraordinary circumstance. So get online and log onto 4OD – there may be no Mr. Darcy, but this is one period drama you won’t forget in a hurry!
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