Upcoming TV Adaptations

Angela Macmillan made contact to point out that the BBC is working on several interesting-looking TV adaptations of eighteenth and nineteenth-century novels. Cranford Chronicles combines several novels by Elizabeth Gaskell and sports an all-star cast:

Francesca Annis, Eileen Atkins, Michael Gambon, Philip Glenister, Lesley Manville, Julia McKenzie, Imelda Staunton and Greg Wise are set to star alongside Judi Dench in Cranford Chronicles, a new five-part period drama created by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin for BBC One and written by Heidi Thomas (I Capture The Castle, Madam Bovary, Lilies).

Based on three Elizabeth Gaskell novels – Cranford, My Lady Ludlow and Mr Harrison's Confessions – this witty and poignant story follows the small absurdities and major tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford during one extraordinary year.

Writer Andrew Davies is involved in an adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Jane Tranter, Controller, BBC Fiction, had this to say:

This adaptation of Sense And Sensibility is classic Andrew Davies: his writing goes straight to the heart of Jane Austen's novel and together they create a piece of work that is bold, original, authentic and powerful.

And as if that wasn't enough it sounds like Davies' new adaptation of Fanny Hill will steam up the nation's TV screens this winter:

Alison Steadman, Hugo Speer and Samantha Bond lead the cast in a raunchy new version of John Cleland's saucy 18th century novel Fanny Hill.

Adapted by Andrew Davies for BBC Four, Fanny Hill is the story of a young country girl who falls into prostitution in bawdy 18th century London. Forced to take a succession of lovers to survive, she slowly rises to respectability but only after enjoying wholeheartedly the fruits of her labour.

Considered the original erotic novel, Cleland wrote Fanny Hill whilst in debtors prison in 1748 and it has remained a firm literary favourite ever since.

Posted by Chris