The new TV show Grantchester will be airing their pilot on PBS January 18 as a part of their “Masterpiece” time-slot.
An odd duo of Clergyman Sidney played by James Norton and policeman Geordie played by Robson Green work together to solve crimes within a little village near Cambridge called Grantchester. The TV series takes place in the 1950’s and is intense yet humorous. Grantchester’s screening for PBS showed only 25 minutes of the pilot and left the audience clenching for more. Lead actors James Norton of “Happy Valley” and Robson Greene of “Strikeback,” executive director Dederick Santer and script writer Daisy Coulam happily shared their insights on making the film and working all together. The TV show is originally adapted from the three-volume book series “The Grantchester Mysteries” by James Runcie. His source of inspiration for this series was from his childhood. His father was a clergyman. The happy clergyman Sidney Chambers in the series studied theology coincidentally just likes James Norton who played his role in the TV series. Daisy Coulam based the script on the book and did not stray far from the source material. Their fabulous team is now waiting to hear if their second season will air on PBS and continues to drive towards success for their Masterpiece timeslot on Sunday nights.
Before the screening began Rebecca Eaton, award-winning executive producer of MASTERPIECE, gave an introduction:
This is Masterpiece’s 45th season and it is a growing. We struck lightning twice; that detective show, “Sherlock “and another show about the family, “Downton Abbey.” So what do you do when you have a time-slot 9 o’clock Sunday night? … You expand the footprint of Masterpiece. Which is what we’re here to celebrate. Truly it is a celebration and I want you to meet the people who have made it possible. But first just a quick explanation: Masterpiece is so solidy supported by Ralph Lauren and Viking River Cruises and we’ve just been cruising along and all of a sudden and we’ve had all those four titles alone … what is kind of special about them, which is different as you can see as they are, they are from the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 in England. And all you Englafiles, who know what’s going on in England, that means they are from a complete spectrum from public broadcasting so everybody is high end programming. We’ve had this idea to expand the program and it absolutely having support from WGBH, my mother’s station, to having us support the Masterpiece trust, some of whom are here this evening and our heartfelt thanks to them. That would’ve been fine but we would’ve been able to do the big thing without the full undivided attention and support of Beth Hoppe, the chief programing officer of PBS who instantly understood this concept and she and her colleagues came around to support it but then we couldn’t have done it without Viking River Cruises.
The executive producer of “Grantchester” Diederick Santer. He was the executive producer of the show “EastEnders,” the most popular show for years and years in England. But he also was the producer of “Jane Eyre.” We did a lovely “Jane Eyre” with Ruth Wilson. Just a few years ago, he was the producer of that. Then he went onto his own company, Lovely Day Productions, which I think is one of the best names of any British production company I’ve ever heard. Diederick Santer was the executive producer and he hired Emma Kingsman-Lloyd to be the producer. She was the one who actually did all the work. She also produced a show that’s not on Masterpiece but you might’ve seen “DCI Banks.” It’s on some public televisions here. Daisy was the adapter of the book … She also has worked on “EastEnders” and “Casualty.” Another huge British show. So these people know how to make real television. Weekly television has people coming back and back and back. Then they had to cast it.
After the screening, there was a Q&A. Check out the highlights below:
But I would start by throwing a question to Robson. Ok Robson, wake up. Tell me about the story you told me last night, you thought, “ok my acting career is over, I’m never going to do anything again. Your agent sent you a script and you said I don’t want to do this…”
Robson: The reason why I thought it has ended because I was doing “Strikeback” and we were filming in Thailand and they had a terrible incident, where the lead actor had a terrible accident. We thought we were in danger to end the shoot there. So I thought, “I’ll just stick to fishing, oh no…” Then my agent, for the first time, got me a job! Cause he takes 90% of my salary, you see. He said “have a read at it, you’ll love it.” And yeah, it was the script, and when people say, “tell me about Grantchester, what is it about.” And in a nutshell, its actually (simple) in the writing and Daisy brought this creation which is so clear and the relationships are so wonderful. And it had been awhile since I’ve come across anything like that. And I don’t know about you James, but when I was doing the six episodes, I never actually changed a word. And I have never done that in 30 years in my career.
Is that true?
Robson: Not a word.
You said that you wanted to audition for it and your agent said, “don’t you understand, they’re offering you the part” but you said “no, that you still wanted to audition for it.”
Robson: Well I thought it was a bit of a fraud when they go, “it’s yours” and I know they’re interested to see other people. But I wanted it so much because the story was so clear and especially this very unlikely and endearing relationship with the very charismatic member of the clergy. Which was so revealing. But I was doing an interview today and they said, “you know, what was it about that relationship” and the only analogy I can use is that I go to the theatre a lot and you see a couple of characters come on be at cantour or serious playing and you just look forward to those characters coming back on. “Oh Sidney and Geordie’s back on, this is going to be good.” “Oh they’re coming back on! I really like it.”
Like an “Abbott and Costello” kind of thing?
Robson: Yeah but don’t knock on my boat. It was the writing, it was the relationship and that’s the thing about “Grantchester,” it’s so clear, it knows what it is. It really does know what it is and I think it’s a testament of its writing.
So how did you find your Sidney?
James Norton: I had to audition.
Diederick: James was the first of a number of actors that we met for the part. In the first meeting in the casting, he was a fantastic actor, James Norton. I had not heard of him, this was just over a year ago. And James came in and we got talking and we knew we needed someone charismatic, sense of humor, sense of dalliance as well. And of course “Happy Valley” hasn’t shot at that point. I think you came in as a Viking, I think you were filming a Viking movie.
James Norton: I had hair down to my shoulders.
Diederick: So I had to squint slightly. But then you told me you have a theology degree from Cambridge University and your read the script beautifully. So although we subsequently met a few other people, I knew from that first meeting, I wanted it to be James.
So talk about that theology degree. Do you believe in God?
James Norton: Well it was a great thing to drop in the first meeting to say that I have a theology degree cause Sidney … also studied Theology, obviously different college and different era. But I think it was a great thing to drop. And obviously since then, the press have loved that and asked me a lot “have you ever thought of becoming a man of the clergy”?
-Jenny Sung
