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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Suttonrog on Sunday 27 January 08 22:01 GMT (UK)
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Having read the book as a youngster I have not been watching the new BBC series. If you don't have it in your country yet, I'm sure you soon will.
I was visiting tonight and caught my first glimpse of it. The reason I mention it is that the costumes are fantastic. Set indeterminately about 1905 it really demonstrates the leg of mutton sleeves sitting comfortably with less fashionable dress, and the wealth of colours would be a great reference for restores.
There was a topic last week about purples - everything available from lilac to purple blue.
Recommended watching.
Rog
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I have wached it from the start and its my favourite programme at the moment.
Brilliant cast and as you say the costumes are fantastic. Definitely one to watch.
I hadn't read the book so the story is new to me, I didn't realise it was set at that time I thought it was earlier than 1905.
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When I saw that Lark Rise to Candleford was on the TV, I remembered reading it a long time ago, (around twenty years. I still have it. I have the illustrated Lark Rise to Candleford a trilogy by Flora Thompson. (Lark Rise - Over to Candleford - Candle Green). I am now reading it again.
Marihelen.
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I hadn't read the book and to tell the truth am a bit disappointed with the TV series. I expected a more realistic day to day life of the poor people and what we get is the postmistress and the magistrate making eyes at each other, obviously wishing they could be together although he's now married to someone else, two stuck up spinster dressmakers causing trouble and all in a different village to the poor people. I know Dawn French is a good actress, but surely if she was so poor and had lots of children to feed, she wouldn't have been so buxom.
Lizzie
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I thought it was absolute garbage - total falsification of the book. made the people in Lark Rise look like a load of ninnies. It's always summer there, too, if you've noticed. Can't fault the actors - they're all fine, even if the accents are a bit dodgy, but the writer & the director- grrr.
The book stands as a record/memorial of people living in a pretty bleak village, doing their best to keep their heads above water. They were the Ag Labs that most of us had as ancestors, & most of them had fairly grim lives. The TV production reduces them to jolly rustics living in heritage land.... There, I feel a lot better now. Glad other people have enjoyed it more :)
Maggott
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Lizzie the book is exactly like you expected (try and get it from the library). It is well worth reading. As a lot of my ancestors were ag labs I can relate with the book, but not the TV series. I have given up looking at the series because it does seem to relate to the book I am reading. Marihelen
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Maggott, I agree with you not like the book at all. I suppose if we hadn't read the book, the series would have been just another historical fiction. Marihelen
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I was looking forward to the series but I was very disapointed!
I have read the book.
They should re-name it the Dawn French show she just takes over, they should have picked another actor to play the part.
They even admit that they enlarged the part for Dawn French that the person was only mentioned once in the book.
French is too over powering ! totally spoilt the whole thing.
Lancsliz
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I have to confess I have never read the book. The TV series seems to be fairly undemanding Sunday evening viewing.
I find the Dawn French character fairly unbelievable: it just seems to be Dawn French doing her usual act rather than playing a character.
Am I alone in beginning to find Dorcas/Julia Sawalha rather sickening? Just too good to be true?
Another thing - the sun always seems to be shining.
Jennifer
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I read the book years ago but cannot remember anything about it but I LOVE the programme it's fab, the only thing I hate is that hat....that straw thing that perches on top of Laura's head like an inverted she-wee, I just want to rip it off and jump up and down on it because it looks so ridiculous >:(
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I didn't know the book at all and really enjoyed the first episode, but already, by episode 3, I'm losing interest.
The cast are fine- I especially like Brendan Coyle, who was also excellent in "North and South," but it's all very false somehow; - I feel it's been sanitised for gentle Sunday night viewing, but I want a lot more realism.
Am I alone in beginning to find Dorcas/Julia Sawalha rather sickening? Just too good to be true?
No, you're not alone - I feel she is under strain keeping up the genteel accent!
:-\
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Loved the book, enjoying the TV series in that it is undemanding typical Sunday night viewing.
However my complaint is that I loved the first book which was all about Laura's childhood in the hamlet as a small child but could you imagine how that 'boring' that would be seen as Sunday night viewing - poor people in a small isolated hamlet, ecking a living etc, realistic yes but TV bosses don't live in a realistic world - obviously ::) ::) ::)
It's not Laura's straw hat that annoys me it is the one her mother wears, tiny box perched on her head. However if you read the books, if I remember rightly there was a bit about the girls in the hamlet seeing the latest fashions and trying to copy them with their very very limited budgets.
Kerry
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I often wonder why they use a book, and then re-write the whole thing so that it bears no resemblance to anything from the book.
Too boring to think up a good title of their own I expect.
I watched the first week, and it was a bit twee, I thought. And they were all very clean (especially the kids supposed to be poor) and yes, the sun is always shining. TV doesn't really care about the factual details of no running water, and what there was from the pump was cold, washing clothes was a major operation, and so was cooking.
What do we prefer? A bit of authenticity, or fairytales?
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I read the book years ago but cannot remember anything about it but I LOVE the programme it's fab, the only thing I hate is that hat....that straw thing that perches on top of Laura's head like an inverted she-wee, I just want to rip it off and jump up and down on it because it looks so ridiculous >:(
;D ;D ;D
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Sit back; enjoy it for a bit of Sunday evening light entertainment is my advice.
If you've read the book ... forget it; this is something else !
Have you read the Pop Larkin books ? The sun always shone on the TV version of those stories too ... but very enjoyable, nevertheless !
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I have to agree Lydart, it is enjoyable Sunday night viewing - just the way I like it.
I had to laugh last night though, the scene at the pageant at the end when Queenie forgot the words and they joined in with the melodian reminded me of my childhood, Sunday morning services at the old Brethren chapel my grandparents were at, old fashioned organ and the singing much the same except a lot slower!!! ;D ;D ;D
BTW for anyone interested I have just looked up in the book, according to the Timeline Laura went to Candleford in 1891 aged 14 to work at the Post Office, so early 1890s.
Kerry
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As I am researching my and my husband's ancestry, I would like these historical series with a bit more of real life situations. It would give a better insight into how they lived, dressed etc. especially the clothes. After a day in the fields, most would come home with very grubby clothes. In the book, only 3 out of the 30 homes had running water, all the rest had to fetch their water from a well half a mile away, and they also all had water butts on the side of the houses and used that water too, but they were hardy folk and managed. We all have different tastes and some will like the series to resemble the book as closely as possible (that's me) and other's won't mind if it only resembles the book vaguely. I am going before I am lynched :) ;D Marihelen
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"There are seven more episodes to Lark Rise to Candleford. Can there be many more non-events to cram into this dainty soap opera? ... It's lacking in incident." That comes from the Radio Times!
I really enjoy the slow pace and gentle charm. But it shows what the BBC really wants to broadcast, more fast paced rubbish full of unbelievable events! Lark Rise is a highlight of the week.
meles
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Well said !
Its not the book, but its lovely to watch ... and that's enough for me !
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me tooo Lydart.... just a lovely relaxing watch at the end of the weekend.... ;D
i loved Laura's deep blue velvet coat she was wearing .
Debz
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I am going before I am lynched
Marihelen
You won't be lynched, it seems the majority of the replies agree with me and you. I've reserved the book from my local library, not surprisingly it's already out on loan.
Lizzie
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I was under the impression that the stories were set in the 1880s – not 1905.
For me, it’s too squeaky clean – a very “chocolate-box picture” programme, light-weight viewing and something that you don’t have to think about – reminds me of “muzak”- it’s just in the background. However, I do like the two sisters who run the store, they remind me of Hinge and Brackett, and I keep expecting them to break into song! However, much as I like Dawn French, she seems hopelessly miscast; she is just playing Dawn French – no characterisation.
John
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I do like the two sisters who run the store, they remind me of Hinge and Brackett, and I keep expecting them to break into song!
Er - there is a VERY significant difference between those sisters, and Hinge and Brackett.... ;)
meles
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Slightly off topic
Er - there is a VERY significant difference between those sisters, and Hinge and Brackett....
Yes, Meles one of them is dead. :'(
Seriously though, they were one of the few acts I actually saw live, many years ago in Cheltenham. Brilliant - and clean.
Lizzie
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Really?! That is very sad - they were very enteraining.
Not on their website, though....
http://www.hingeandbracket-official.co.uk/
meles
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www.hingeandbracket-official.co.uk/tribute.htm
Try the above version of the "Official website". It states - The drag artist Patrick Fyffe, who has died of cancer aged 60, was Dame Hilda Bracket to George Logan's Dr Evadne Hinge.
If you scroll down it states he died on 11.5.02
He was the smaller blond one.
Lizzie
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It's my absolute favourite programme on tv at the moment ;D
I haven't read the book, so I can't compare it. Maybe I'm the only one, but I think Dawn French takes a really good part - I'm sure there were women like her in those days as well. There have always been people who land on their feet, and live life to the full.
It's my highlight of the week - my OH hates it, and thinks it's the worst programme on tv at the moment.
Kingdom's one of my favourites as well, with Stephen Fry. Not for the acting or storylines, but the location. My mam's branch of the family were from Swaffham, where it's set, so I'm glued to it looking for places that they may have walked etc.
Rosemary
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Seriously though, they were one of the few acts I actually saw live, many years ago in Cheltenham. Brilliant - and clean.
Lizzie
Off topic!
I interviewed them (for the Talking Newspaper) some years ago when they were at my local theatre. When we made the recording, I sat with George and Patrick - but the Dear Ladies replied!
John
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I am going before I am lynched
Marihelen
You won't be lynched, it seems the majority of the replies agree with me and you. I've reserved the book from my local library, not surprisingly it's already out on loan.
Lizzie
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Pleased to see I won't by lynched. I know that curiousity killed the cat, but why Lizziedripping? I ask because my uncle Mick was nicknamed Mickydripping because when he was younger his favourite food was bread and dripping with a sprinkle of salt, and everyday when he came home from school that is what he always asked for. Marihelen
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(Lizzie Dripping was a girl who had a friend who was a witch, in Helen Cresswell books and i remember watching the series :-[ showing my age http://www.thechestnut.com/lizzie.htm)
I liked Hinge and Bracket, but the two ladies in the shop I could just slap ::)
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Marihelen
I was called Lizzie Dripping by my family and schoolfriends, (in the 1940s/50s) long before the Helen Cresswell books were written, but I don't know where the name came from. Strangely if you go to the website given by madpants and look at the photo of the actress who played Lizzie Dripping, I used to have my hair like that too.
I used it as my name on here for some time, until I found there was another Lizzie Dripping, but I think she had quotations marks or some slight difference. Anyhow, I changed to Lizzie Not So Busy instead, although if you look at my profile (which I presume you did) it shows my user name as Lizzie Dripping.
Lizzie
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My family called me Skinny Lizzy when I was little, because I was so fussy with food, and stick thin. I soon made up for it, in size anyway. I'm still quite picky, and don't eat vegetables, apart from carrots, turnip and mushy peas
Rosemary ;D