time when the country was both politically and religiously divided, Angelica becomes part of the court of Charles I (Peter Capaldi), enjoying a life of carefree privilege. But England is changing and outside Angelica’s gilt-edged world, the people are poor, sick, hungry and angry. And now they are demanding that society and government change radically to ensure a better life for all.
The Royal Family are forced to abandon London and take refuge in Oxford. Finally, the long-threatened war breaks out, with the Royalists and Parliamentarians clashing at the bloody Battle of Edgehill. Finally, the Kingis put on trial for treason and Oliver Cromwell becomes the first head of the Republican Government.
Michael initially auditioned for the role of the radical anti-monarchist Colonel Edward Sexby but that went to John Simm and he ended up playing the political Roundhead firebrand Thomas Rainsborough. Dominic Wells played Cromwell.
In an official Channel 4 interview for the drama, Michael said,
I knew about Cromwell, having grown up in Ireland. I was aware of the destruction, the way he laid waste to Ireland, and that he was against the Catholic Church, but I didn’t actually know much about Charles I and the beheading, and the Roundheads and all the internal politics going on within the revolution.
Rainsborough was almost like Lenin, a radical revolutionary three hundred years before. He wanted to get rid of the monarchy and of the entitlement to vote through nobility and lineage. He felt every man should have the vote, and everybody should be free and should have a say in the running of their country. And Cromwell just thought that was crazy. Rainsborough was quite a dangerous man to have about.
Michael said that his history lessons at school had not taught him about the fighting for social justice during thisera. ‘I never knew that there was any of this sentiment in seventeenth-century England, with people fighting for the freedom of all men. They just wanted to sweep out the whole system. It would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if they’d got their way.’
The drama was filmed in South Africa, which offered cheaper production costs, and the money saved was put back into the drama. The costumes were particularly sumptuous and the cast was full of admiration for them. ‘I’d always thought the Roundheads stuff was a bit uninspiring,’ said Dominic West, ‘but when you actually put the kit on, all that leather and armour and thigh-length boots, it was just so sexy. You think the Cavaliers have a better look but they don’t – they look quite poncey.’ West saw the funny side of things too, adding, ‘In terms of clanking around in all that armour, I often felt I was in Carry on Cromwell . And Monty Python’s spectre is never too far away in these things either.’
For his role as Rainsborough, Michael grew his hair down to his shoulders and sported a moustache and goatee beard. On location, he, Simm and West formed a firm alliance, hanging out between breaks, chatting, laughing and recalling old times – more like the Three Musketeers than Puritan Roundheads. ‘I had more fun on this than anything I’ve ever done, mainly because of Michael and John,’ said West. ‘By the end, we were saying we didn’t ever want to do any role again that wasn’t on a horse. Sword fights, charging on horseback – it wasbrilliant, exactly what you always wanted to do from the age of six.’
Michael, as was becoming his custom, took his guitar with him to pass the time in the evenings and on days when he wasn’t required for filming but he was enjoying himself so much that John Simm got to play it more than he did himself. ‘Michael was out and I’d stay in, strumming away,’ Simm joked. ‘That’s how old I am. It’s over!’
The drama was shown in the autumn of 2008 and was well received by viewers and critics. ‘What marks this out from your average bodice-ripper is the quality of the
The Royal Family are forced to abandon London and take refuge in Oxford. Finally, the long-threatened war breaks out, with the Royalists and Parliamentarians clashing at the bloody Battle of Edgehill. Finally, the Kingis put on trial for treason and Oliver Cromwell becomes the first head of the Republican Government.
Michael initially auditioned for the role of the radical anti-monarchist Colonel Edward Sexby but that went to John Simm and he ended up playing the political Roundhead firebrand Thomas Rainsborough. Dominic Wells played Cromwell.
In an official Channel 4 interview for the drama, Michael said,
I knew about Cromwell, having grown up in Ireland. I was aware of the destruction, the way he laid waste to Ireland, and that he was against the Catholic Church, but I didn’t actually know much about Charles I and the beheading, and the Roundheads and all the internal politics going on within the revolution.
Rainsborough was almost like Lenin, a radical revolutionary three hundred years before. He wanted to get rid of the monarchy and of the entitlement to vote through nobility and lineage. He felt every man should have the vote, and everybody should be free and should have a say in the running of their country. And Cromwell just thought that was crazy. Rainsborough was quite a dangerous man to have about.
Michael said that his history lessons at school had not taught him about the fighting for social justice during thisera. ‘I never knew that there was any of this sentiment in seventeenth-century England, with people fighting for the freedom of all men. They just wanted to sweep out the whole system. It would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if they’d got their way.’
The drama was filmed in South Africa, which offered cheaper production costs, and the money saved was put back into the drama. The costumes were particularly sumptuous and the cast was full of admiration for them. ‘I’d always thought the Roundheads stuff was a bit uninspiring,’ said Dominic West, ‘but when you actually put the kit on, all that leather and armour and thigh-length boots, it was just so sexy. You think the Cavaliers have a better look but they don’t – they look quite poncey.’ West saw the funny side of things too, adding, ‘In terms of clanking around in all that armour, I often felt I was in Carry on Cromwell . And Monty Python’s spectre is never too far away in these things either.’
For his role as Rainsborough, Michael grew his hair down to his shoulders and sported a moustache and goatee beard. On location, he, Simm and West formed a firm alliance, hanging out between breaks, chatting, laughing and recalling old times – more like the Three Musketeers than Puritan Roundheads. ‘I had more fun on this than anything I’ve ever done, mainly because of Michael and John,’ said West. ‘By the end, we were saying we didn’t ever want to do any role again that wasn’t on a horse. Sword fights, charging on horseback – it wasbrilliant, exactly what you always wanted to do from the age of six.’
Michael, as was becoming his custom, took his guitar with him to pass the time in the evenings and on days when he wasn’t required for filming but he was enjoying himself so much that John Simm got to play it more than he did himself. ‘Michael was out and I’d stay in, strumming away,’ Simm joked. ‘That’s how old I am. It’s over!’
The drama was shown in the autumn of 2008 and was well received by viewers and critics. ‘What marks this out from your average bodice-ripper is the quality of the
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