Death and Nightingales
Real-life friends Jamie Dornan and Matthew Rhys on starring together in a dramatic tale of secrets and lies…
On a glorious Summer’s day, TV Times has been invited to a small castle in Northern Ireland. We’re here to watch Jamie Dornan (star of The Fall and Fifty Shades…) and Matthew Rhys (The Americans) filming scenes for BBC2’S new drama Death and Nightingales.
Based on Eugene Mccabe’s acclaimed 1992 novel of the same name, the three-parter is set in 1885 in County Fermanagh, a community rife with suspicions, religious differences and political division.
The story takes place over a tense 24 hours, as spirited Elizabeth Winters (played by Red Rock’s Ann Skelly) marks her 23rd birthday by escaping her troubled life with her stepfather, Protestant landowner Billy (Matthew), who’s cared for her ever since she was orphaned as a young child.
Elizabeth has made a secret plan to run off with a Catholic merchant, Liam Ward (Jamie), but he has mysteries of his own. Elizabeth has fallen for Liam, but her fateful decision to leave her stepfather is a huge risk and leads all three into a terrifying series of events…
As we sit down to chat with Jamie, 36, who hails from Belfast, and Cardiff-born Matthew, 44, during a break in filming, both are sporting eccentric whiskers from the era. But while Jamie’s still in Victorian clothes, Matthew’s swapped his costume for shorts and a stripy T-shirt!
Here they tell us why this drama has been a joy to work on…
How was working with each other? Matthew: There was a lot of cooing on set whenever Jamie’s name was mentioned – mainly from me! We’ve only had one day filming together, really. I think they kept us apart so I didn’t fall in love with him! Jamie: I’ve known Matthew for about 15 years and we’ve met up to watch rugby. I’ve always been a big admirer of his work – he’s a real class act as he nails every scene. He called me about Death and Nightingales because he was panicking about his accent, but it’s unbelievably good.
I have some actor friends who I’d never want to work with because I have a fear that it wouldn’t be a good experience and that a different side of them would come out at work, but with Matthew it’s been lovely.
Jamie, your character, Liam, isn’t all he seems…
Jamie: He comes in and turns Elizabeth’s world around; he’s the catalyst for every major turning point and dramatic event within the story. It’s not all deceit and danger – there are nicer aspects to him – so it’s fun to play those. I
hope viewers warm to him.
Matthew, what’s
Billy like?
Matthew: He’s a very staunch Protestant who’s raised this girl on his own. But the way that came to pass and his marriage to her mother are besieged with a
number of obstacles from the past that Billy is still firmly anchored to.
Having lived a relatively workobsessed life, where in a physical situation it’s just him and Elizabeth, that hasn’t aided the more complex emotions he feels towards her.
The village is a melting pot of gossip, with political spies everywhere… Matthew: In small communities there’s not much excitement going on, so gossip is paramount. There are a lot of curtaintwitchers and wicked whispers
– it adds to a ripping yarn!
Are you enjoying filming in Northern Ireland?
Jamie: It’s my home country, so I will always want to work here. I’ve been back a bit since we finished filming the third series Rocky romance: ann and Jamie as Elizabeth and Liam of The Fall, but not enough really. That’s mainly because my dad comes over to England all the time, and most of my mates that I grew up with now live in London, so it’s left me with less of a reason to be here as often as I’d like. Working here is brilliant, though, even just finishing work early and going out and playing nine holes of golf by myself.
It’s very good for the soul! Matthew: I enjoy the craic over here, and the irreverence is much greater here. Your craft isn’t treated as a religion, which I think is very healthy. It’s just a lot of fun; I enjoy the banter enormously.
There are a lot of curtaintwitchers and wicked whispers – it adds to a ripping yarn! MATTHEW RHYS