1. hobbies and interests
2. paranormal phenomena

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May
BASED ON REAL EVENTS
Contents:
_________________
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Introduction
7
Overview
9
Interview:
Timothy Spall
10
Interview:
Juliet Stevenson
11
Interview:
Matthew Macfadyen
12
Interview:
Rosie Cavaliero
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Interview:
Eleanor Worthington-Cox
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Interview:
Kristoffer Nyholm
(director)
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Interview:
Adrian Sturges (producer)
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Contacts
Levitation, whistling
and barking noises
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INTRODUCTION
Antonia Hurford-Jones, Director, Sky Living
As soon as I read the scripts for The Enfield Haunting, I knew it
would be a great fit for Sky Living, and when the brilliant team at
Eleven brought together the outstanding combined talents of
Timothy Spall, Matthew Macfadyen, Juliet Stevenson and director
Kristoffer Nyholm, I couldn’t wait to share it with our customers.
It’s gripping, terrifying and extremely touching all at the same time,
an outstanding portrayal of the real-life events of 1977 in that
famous household in Enfield, with emotionally rich characters and
great storytelling. And it’s incredibly spooky.
The Enfield Haunting clearly demonstrates our commitment at Sky
Living to bring viewers the very best in compelling original UK drama
which can sit comfortably alongside our popular US shows such as
Elementary, Stalker and The Blacklist.
Everyone involved in this project has felt passionately about it from
the start and we couldn’t be more excited about its launch on
Sunday 3 May. I’m proud to have the series on Sky Living and I really
hope you enjoy it.
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BASED ON REAL EVENTS
The most-documented account of poltergeist
activity in British history
1977
284 Green Street,
Enfield, London
An ordinary house is gripped by extraordinary events in this three-part
psychological thriller starring BAFTA nominee Timothy Spall (Mr Turner),
Matthew Macfadyen (Ripper Street), Juliet Stevenson (The Village), Rosie
Cavaliero (Hunderby) and TV newcomer Eleanor Worthington-Cox. The
Killing’s Kristoffer Nyholm directs from a script by Joshua St Johnston
(Walking on Sunshine).
Amateur paranormal investigator Maurice Grosse (Spall) has more than
a passing interest in ghostly goings-on and the unexplainable, so he’s
instantly intrigued when he receives a phone call from the Society for
Psychical Research (SPR) asking him to look into a potential new case.
It’s a phone call that turns his world upside down.
A North London council house has apparently been hit by a series of
inexplicable oddities, from incessant knocking to furniture with a life of its
own. Fascinated, Maurice heads over to meet the family who live there, single
mum Peggy Hodgson (Cavaliero) and her four children, including 11-year-old
Janet (Worthington-Cox), the youngster at the centre of the happenings.
Photographic evidence captured by a pair of journalists from the Daily Mirror
point to the presence of a poltergeist, but, spending the night, Maurice
doesn’t witness anything abnormal and he starts to wonder whether the
entire hubbub is simply the creation of an imaginative child. Then he
experiences the handiwork of the home’s unwelcome guest.
Assistance arrives in the form of old-school supernatural sleuth Guy Lyon
Playfair (Macfadyen), who smells a sham. His scepticism only grows when he
learns more about Maurice’s personal life, the fact that he and wife Betty
(Stevenson) are struggling with the loss of a daughter in a motorcycle
accident. Is this why Maurice is so desperate to help Janet?
However, everything changes when Guy confronts the malevolent forces at
work, a poltergeist by no means ready to move on.
Adapted from Guy Lyon Playfair’s book This House is Haunted.
Produced exclusively for Sky Living by Eleven Film.
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CHARACTER:
Maurice Grosse, 58
PROFILE: Inventor and keen
member of the Society for
Psychical Research
_________________
Timothy Spall
What was it about The Enfield Haunting
that grabbed your attention?
When I first read the script, I actually turned
it down because it frightened me.
In what sense?
It was just so convincing. What makes
it terrifying is the fact it is so normal.
The world it’s set in is not a Gothic castle
or an 11th-century cathedral, but a slightly
run-down council house in Enfield that’s
home to an ordinary family. They’re not
Satanists or anything. When scary
things happen in normal environments,
it amplifies the terror. If our horror is
served up in a Gothic bowl, it separates
us from it. A suburban home, though,
makes it seem possible.
So what made you change your mind?
I read it again and I realised it wasn’t a
negative story. In fact, it’s very positive. One
of the reasons it frightened me was because
it was so good and believable, but then I
read it from the point of view of the
relationships, of what caused these things,
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of what made it frightening, of what
frightened me. I understood it more. It deals
in mysteries, things that people don’t know
about themselves that suddenly manifest.
It’s beautifully written, too. Clever and
sophisticated without wearing those
qualities on its sleeves, which, to me,
is the best kind of writing.
It’s a nuanced drama that happens
to have a poltergeist in it, not a
straight-up horror.
I wouldn’t have done it if it was. It’s about
relationships and unusual connections,
tragedy and anger, unresolved problems
that surface and come together.
How much did you know about the
Hodgson case before you signed on?
Not a lot. Interestingly, though, I grew
up on a street in south west London,
in Battersea, and it turns out a woman
who lived four houses down from me has
since written a book about having a
poltergeist. I spoke to my mum about it
and she said, oh, yes, I vaguely remember
‘‘I believe that
a world that
doesn’t have some
kind of magic in
it wouldn’t be
worth living in.’’
whatshername having a poltergeist.
We didn’t make much of it.
Would you class yourself as a ‘believer’?
I don’t know. A question mark hangs over
the show, which makes it more interesting.
I’ve never seen a poltergeist, but I do believe
there is more than what we see, that there is
more than just this. I believe that a world
that doesn’t have some kind of magic in it
wouldn’t be worth living in.
What can you tell us about your
character, Maurice?
He is a man from another age, one of the
last Edwardian characters. He went through
the war and has old-fashioned standards,
but, being an inventor – he invented the
revolving bus stop advert – he is also very
forward-thinking. It’s a lovely mixture. He has
a wonderful open mind, a great warmth and
is a man of natural kindness. His life, though,
is coloured and scarred by a terrible loss. It’s
hurting him, it’s hurting his wife and it’s
hurting their relationship, but he’s putting a
brave face on it.
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CHARACTER: Betty Grosse, 55
PROFILE: Wife of Maurice.
Struggling with the recent
loss of a family member
CHARACTER:
Guy Lyon Playfair, 42
PROFILE: Paranormal
investigator with
experience in exorcisms
_________________
_________________
story, to this strange, unknown family. She is
terrified of losing him at the very moment
when she needs him most. She feels things
are spiralling out of control.
Juliet Stevenson
Why did you want to be a part of
The Enfield Haunting?
I’m very interested in the phenomenon. On
the face of it, I would say I don’t believe in
poltergeists, but I do believe something is
going on. Perhaps science just hasn’t caught
up yet. What persuaded me about the script
is that it is as much about ordinary human
lives as the extraordinary situation they’re
embroiled in. It’s a bewildering and thrilling
but also intelligent and humane look at the
story of all the lives involved and how they
became plaited together. I was excited
about working with Kristoffer Nyholm, too.
Had you heard about the ghostly goingson at the Hodgson house before the
script came your way?
No, I hadn’t, but I bought Guy Lyon Playfair’s
book and read chunks of that, although not
all of it because there’s quite a lot of detail.
I also went on YouTube and watched
interviews with the family at various stages
of their lives. It’s fascinating stuff.
What’s your opinion on the matter?
Do you buy the Hodgsons’ claims, or do
you think they’re bogus?
I’m totally puzzled by it. By nature, I would be
a sceptic in this situation. People don’t go
trailing around in grey rags, holding their
heads under their arms – I don’t believe in
that kind of ghost. I do believe, however, that
there are kinds of energy left behind in
buildings, a potent human experience,
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maybe, that remains. It’s especially
interesting that these stories often involve
young girls. There is a chaos in that
burgeoning sexuality, the coming into
adulthood, of a young girl caught between
childhood and womanhood, unplaced
energy in that transition of identity. I don’t
ultimately know what to believe, but I don’t
think it was fraudulent or hocus pocus.
How would you describe your
character, Betty?
Betty is a lovely person. Before tragedy
struck, she was very happy, outgoing and
popular, a loving wife and mum. Then she
lost her youngest daughter and, suddenly,
she and husband Maurice are thrown into
this lost, wretched phase of their lives. She’s
not only struggling with the loss of her
beloved daughter, but her husband, who
keeps disappearing into the vortex of the
‘‘It’s as much
about ordinary
people’s lives as the
situation they’re
embroiled in.’’
The great Timothy Spall plays your
on-screen husband, Maurice. Was he a joy
to work with?
I love working with Tim. We were at RADA
together all those years ago. I think I was
one year above, but I remember him vividly.
Then we worked together on a wonderful
film called Pierrepoint, which is about the
last executioner in England. I played his wife
in that, so we’ve been married before. We go
a long way back, which is lovely when you’re
playing man and wife. You get a lot of
marital history for free as it were. Tim is a
complete pro. When you’re playing a scene,
you look into his eyes and he simply is that
character. You don’t ever see any cogs
working. He’s funny off set as well.
Looking back over your career, can you
single out an actor or actress you’ve
learned the most from?
I’ve learned a huge amount from a friend
of mine, Paola Dionisotti, a wonderful
actress who is not so well known to the
public. She does a lot of theatre. Movieswise, Meryl Streep is a genius. She utterly
transforms herself from one role to the next.
A frequent grumble in the industry is
about the lack of meaty roles for
actresses over the age of 40. Do you think
the situation has improved or is changing?
I’ve talked about this a lot. It’s definitely true
that there is this extraordinary wasteland
when you get to 40, but I’ve been really lucky
and have kept working. I would say, though,
that the parts are often secondary or not as
interesting, in that you’re there to support
somebody else who is having the action.
I think it may be improving. Recently, there
has been a spate of stories written with
middle-aged or older characters at the
centre of them and I welcome it because
there is a huge audience who are that age,
who would like to see their experiences
told. Life goes on happening in a big way.
We don’t stop having fun or falling in love.
He’s an odd bod, eccentric and posh. We
wanted there to be a contrast with Maurice,
so even though he’s quite geeky, there’s also
something raffish about him. He rocks up in
a velvet jacket and long hair. He’s not
brilliant socially, though, especially with the
kids. The real Guy was very fond of Janet
and the rest of the family and he became
good friends with Maurice.
Matthew Macfadyen
What attracted you to the project?
Timothy Spall and Rosie Cavaliero, both of
whom I’ve worked with before. I worked with
Tim on a Stephen Poliakoff drama called
Perfect Strangers, and I did Little Dorrit with
Rosie for the BBC. It always comes down to
the script, though, which was well-written,
fascinating and properly scary.
Were they the sort of scripts you could
just rattle through?
That’s my litmus test, how quickly I can get
through them. You know it’s a chore when
you think, oh, I could be doing something
else right now.
The Enfield Haunting isn’t just a jolty
story about a mean poltergeist, either,
is it?
No, it’s nuanced and beautifully written. It’s
not a documentary, but a dramatic retelling,
so there are bits which are teased and
pushed in certain directions for the
purposes of telling a story. I love everything
to do with Maurice and his daughter. If it
hadn’t been so delicately handled, it could
have been quite naff.
How much did you know about the
Hodgson case before you signed on?
I didn’t know anything about it and, stupidly,
I didn’t read The House is Haunted, the book
by Guy Lyon Playfair that the series is based
on. I came straight from Ripper Street on to
this and was a bit frazzled. They kindly
organised for me to meet the real Guy,
though, which was interesting.
What did you make of him?
He’s in his 80s now and absolutely
fascinating. It’s always daunting when you
play someone who is real, although I’m not
doing an impersonation, that’s not the gig.
I’m just taking what I fancy. Saying that,
I hope Guy isn’t too horrified at what he
sees. I’ll have to write a letter of apology.
The Hodgsons’ story is very divisive.
Some people believe them, others think
they made the whole thing up. What’s
your take?
I have an open mind. I think the sensible
stance to take in this situation is to
be agnostic and go, I just don’t know.
I’ve never experienced anything like it,
but I know plenty of people who have and
they’re not gullible. There was definitely
something going on, it’s just unexplained.
I’m certainly not in the ‘that’s all cobblers’
camp. That would be very short-sighted.
Going back to your character, how would
you describe Guy?
My Guy is not the same as the real Guy.
What is Guy and Maurice’s
relationship like?
It’s fairly antagonistic at the beginning
because Guy comes in under the pretence
that he’s helping the Hodgsons out when,
in fact, he’s been sent by the SPR, the
Society for Psychical Research, to debunk it.
Then he realises that something is indeed
going on.
How impressed have you been with
the younger members of the cast,
especially Eleanor?
We were talking about this the other day,
the grown-ups that is. Eleanor and Fern
[Deacon], who plays Margaret, are superb.
They make me feel like an old ham.
.
Did you find any aspects of the shoot
particularly challenging?
It hasn’t been challenging, it’s been fun
because the writing is so good and you’re
working with fantastic actors. Big scenes
can be tough, like the time we shot a
seven-page scene, but, then again, you tend
to overthink shorter scenes. If you’re
allowed to have a three or four-minute take,
it feels like you’re doing a play. You forget
the camera.
Talking of the camera, how did you feel
about the man behind it, director
Kristoffer Nyholm?
He’s a great fella and has got the loveliest
energy about him. You can tell he actually
likes actors. He’s interested and wants to
talk. The shoot never felt rushed, like we
were being shoehorned into a certain block
of filming.
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CHARACTER:
Peggy Hodgson, 40
PROFILE: Hard-working
single mum of four
CHARACTER: Janet Hodgson, 11
PROFILE: Schoolgirl who
claims to have been plagued
by a poltergeist
_________________
_________________
How would you describe
The Enfield Haunting?
It’s a very contained story but, for me,
it was just an amazing experience.
Why did you sign on to The Enfield
Haunting? What sold it to you?
The script, which is brilliant. I loved it.
Then, obviously, the actors involved.
You’ve worked with Timothy and
Matthew before, right?
Yes, I worked with Matthew on Little Dorrit
about six or seven years ago, and Tim and
I did a film together called Topsy-Turvy.
We didn’t have any scenes, but we crossed
paths. He’s an amazing actor.
How much research did you do into the
Hodgson story?
I wasn’t aware of it until I read the script
and they said it was based on a real-life
story. I looked at a few old documentaries
and reports and tried to get some footage
of Mrs Hodgson, but I didn’t want to do too
much digging because the series is a
dramatic retelling.
Is there more pressure playing someone
who lived and breathed, rather than a
completely fictitious character?
There was a responsibility. I’ve been told
that Peggy was a wonderful woman.
Completely unruffled. Nothing ever fazed
her. She wasn’t emotional, so you’ve got to
use a bit of creative licence because it’s
such a dramatic story. If I’d played it
completely unfazed, it might be a bit dull.
It must have been tough for her, being a
single mum.
She had to cope on her own. I remember
reading the script and thinking, gosh, how
could she let all of this happen? Then I
thought, well, she didn’t have a lot of
options. She didn’t have money, she
couldn’t re-house, she couldn’t move, and
she didn’t have a husband to help her out.
She just had to get on with it. I think she
was a straightforward woman, not analytical.
That generation didn’t talk about feelings
– put the kettle on and let’s have a cup of
tea. Fundamentally, Margaret was a kind
woman who wanted the best for her family.
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Yours is a very tricky part. What was your
take on Janet?
She’s bright, bubbly, highly intelligent, a bit
cheeky and very brave. More than anything,
she was great fun to play.
Rosie Cavaliero
Did you enjoy working with your onscreen daughter, Eleanor?
She’s absolutely amazing. What a difficult
part. She embraced it and got stuck in
straight away. She’s an example to all of us.
The set is incredibly detailed. Did it
feel like you were taking a trip down
memory lane?
Definitely. Things like the sheets and
blankets on the bed – there were no duvets
– the nicotine-yellow walls and the oldness
of everything because, in those days, you
wouldn’t just throw everything out and buy
something new. You kept it and washed it
over and over again. Every little shot had
something in there.
How do you feel about the validity of the
Hodgson case?
I’m open-minded about it. My instinct would
be to be cynical, but if someone tells me
they’ve had an experience, I’d like to think I’d
be open to believe that person. Some
people are more sensitive and susceptible
to things. That’s just the way they are.
Are you quite a spiritual person?
I was brought up in a very Catholic house. I
wouldn’t say I’ve completely lapsed because
I think, once you’ve had that in your life, it’s
always there, always part of you. I took
refuge in church when my mum died
because she was a strict Catholic, so I used
to enjoy going there to think about her and
remember her, but, no, I’m not really a
practising Catholic any more.
Have you ever been to see a medium or
anything like that?
I’ve had a couple of experiences. A friend
had a little party, invited a few of us and
got this guy in to ‘read’ everyone. It was
nonsense, comical. I remember he arrived
late and said, I’m sorry, I’ve had a stubborn
exorcism in Cornwall. That just set me off.
I once watched a female spiritualist doing
the rounds and that was interesting. A lot
of the stuff she was getting through from
the other side was quite mundane, like,
the shed is messy again. When she talked
about my mum, though, she did say her
name, Mary, and there was no build-up or
anything. She said, she’s holding your dad’s
feet, and my dad at that point had an
infection on his legs. I’m definitely open to it,
I’m not shut off.
At one point you have to speak like
a demonic old man. That must have
been tough?
I had to be Joe Watson and do a scary
voice, which was hard. But in the end
it worked out well. I didn’t get a sore
throat or anything.
There are a lot of clips and old interviews
with Janet on the internet. Did they
inform your performance in any way?
I watched a couple of YouTube videos, like
an interview she did with This Morning. I
wanted to see what she’s like now, but I
didn’t watch anything of her as a child
because I didn’t want to go on set
overloaded with preconceived ideas.
The story, though moving, does deal with
a disturbing subject matter. Did you or
your parents have any reservations about
accepting the role?
We sat down as a family and had a talk
about it. I told them it was a fantastic script,
a wonderful story and an amazing
opportunity. Plus, it’s acting and acting is
the thing I love most in the world.
Do you believe the Hodgsons
were haunted?
I would love to believe in the supernatural,
but I just don’t. However, I do respect
people who have those views because
people are entitled to have their own beliefs.
That’s another exciting thing about the
story. You just don’t know what happened.
Are you afraid of anything?
Freefalling in space. I really liked the film
Eleanor Worthington-Cox
Gravity, mind, even though it made me
feel nauseous.
The Enfield Haunting has got a cracking
cast, from Timothy Spall to Juliet
Stevenson. How did it feel to be a part of
such a classy company of actors?
They were the most amazing people to be
around, so fantastic to work with.
They were equally complimentary. Indeed,
a lot of them said they felt like they were
learning from you.
Wow! I didn’t know they said that. I was just
completely starstruck to be around them.
They were the loveliest people to be around.
You share the bulk of your scenes with
Timothy Spall, who was recently
nominated for a BAFTA for his role in Mr
Turner. Did he give you any advice?
What an actor. We never really talked
about tips, but we did put the world to
rights. He’s a lovely person and, on our
very last day, he gave me something
that now takes pride of place in my
bedroom, a Lord of the Rings-style fantasy
landscape with a personal message that
he’d hand drawn. I love reading and I’ll read
anything I can get my hands on. One of the
things we talked about was books and he
knew I was a big fan of the Rings books and
The Hobbit.
When did you realise you wanted to act?
Honestly, I can’t remember a time I didn’t
want to act. It’s always been something I’ve
wanted to do. From the age of two I’ve gone
to the Formby School of Dancing and
Performing Arts and they’ve helped me
become the actress I am today.
You’re only 13 years old, but have
already achieved so much, like being the
youngest ever winner of the Best Actress
Olivier Award for theatre smash Matilda.
Is there anything you’re absolutely
rubbish at?
Sport.
Where would you like to be in
10 years’ time?
To be lucky enough to keep on getting
opportunities like this one. There is no
specific role that I’m after. I just want to
keep on working. I love it.
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NAME: Adrian Sturges
PROFILE: Producer
PREVIOUS: The Escapist,
Albatross, The Disappearance
of Alice Creed
NAME: Kristoffer Nyholm
PROFILE: Director
PREVIOUS: THE KILLING,
ENDEAVOUR, AT THE FABER
_________________
_________________
When you took on the project, were you
aware of the Enfield poltergeist?
I Iive in Copenhagen. I don’t think the
story hit my town in the same way it hit
London and the UK. They say the Enfield
case had some influence on Poltergeist the
film, so from that I was secretly drawn to
this mystery.
Where did you get the inspiration for the
look and tone of the show?
My first thought was, looking back, that the
1970s was a tough period. You could look at
it as if people were under a certain pressure
at the time, especially the Hodgson family. I
decided it was important to have them
there without being victims: meeting them
at eye-level coming into their house and
not making it a dark place or into a
predictable mystery.
The nice thing is, things happen in our
lives when we don’t expect them to happen.
It would be very easy to frame the family in
‘genre’ terms. So from the start I wanted
them to be happy, a typical family with lots
of colour. They are living their lives in the 70s
and when you live through a tough period
you don’t necessarily think, ‘oh it’s tough’. I
wanted to go in there, film the colours and
light of the time.
I compare it to the Great Barrier Reef. You
dive down there and it’s a beautiful world
when the sunlight shines. But at the same
time there are places the light doesn’t get to
and there is darkness and shadow. I used
this principle while filming. We used one light
source in order to cast shadow, hidden
darkness and areas you can’t see.
Have it bright, let the sun in, but have a clear
idea about the darkness and how it figures.
The Enfield case is heavily documented.
Did you refer to the real case material?
Not directly, but in some ways there were
inspirations. We didn’t try to copy it but we
tried to be honest in a certain way as to not
make it something totally different.
We simplified the interiors of the sets. We
didn’t want to make them look like a
museum. We went with items from the 70s
but without going over-the-top.
14
Kristoffer Nyholm
The still pictures from the case reminded us
that some of the strongest emotions can
come from something that is not moving. A
still picture can be a dramatic thing.
Something happened before and after the
picture and you are looking at a captured
moment. This principle had an influence on
the way we filmed. We didn’t move the
camera a lot. We tried to keep it in a fixed
spot and wait for things to develop.
Can you talk us through some of the
special effects used in the drama?
We wanted to keep things simple. Anything
is possible these days and effects can look
very realistic but at the same time they can
make things harder to believe. So we wanted
things to move in an organic way. If a
cupboard was going to move we would have
a man moving it. When the teapot moves,
we had a puppeteer flying it into the air
before crashing it down. These are effects
you could easily create with a computer but
doing them in a simple way adds something
more human.
How did you create the scene in which the
curtain attacks Janet?
That scene was played backwards. The
curtain was lowered, tied around Eleanor,
who plays Janet, and then pulled off her. By
playing it backwards you create the illusion
of a curtain coming down and attacking her
in a very organic way. It’s an example of how
we tried to do the effects: simple, organic,
but hopefully scary.
Have you made the drama scary?
Is that important?
We tried to go with the deepest emotions
of the characters. These are people you
get involved with so when things that
are unpredictable, bad and scary happen,
you experience them too. You are thrown
into the darkness.The key was to make
a story with a human interest. If you are
not part of these people’s lives you won’t
care about them when things go wrong.
It’s a beautiful script that allows this to
happen. It was the main reason I said yes
to the story.
Have you worked with anyone who was
involved in the original case?
I have met Guy Lyon Playfair, who is the real
Guy who wrote a book about the
happenings. The book is scientific. He talks
about it in a very straightforward way with
no mystery. It’s about what he experienced.
He was very relaxed and pleasant about this
project.
Has anything supernatural ever
happened to you?
Not to my knowledge. A lot of things happen
but perhaps I have been too naïve or
ignorant. I have not experienced anything
like this, though [The Enfield Haunting]. You
have to be open to it. The poltergeist reacts
to your emotional behaviour so some
people are more exposed than others. I
don’t think I am that exposed… but maybe I
am wrong.
What was your gut reaction to
The Enfield Haunting?
I’d read one of the early drafts of the first
episode and was fascinated by the way the
writer had approached the subject. I didn’t
know much about the Hodgson case prior to
reading, but I was immediately interested in
telling such an unusual real-life story in a
dramatic, emotional and entertaining way.
Did Sky give you a brief in terms of what
it wanted?
Sky loved the fact it was a ghost story and
that it had real-life elements, that it was
exciting but also moving. The real story took
place over 18 months, so we had to find a
way to condense it and make it work as a
dramatic piece over three episodes. By
necessity that involves some departures
from the real-life story but Sky encouraged
us to be in touch with the people involved in
the case who were still alive, and Eleven Film
secured the rights to Guy Lyon Playfair’s
book, which is the key text on the subject.
What separates the series from other
supernatural-themed dramas that have
been made?
There are lots of rules that people follow –
for example, the haunted house is often a
big mansion in the woods. What’s
interesting in our story is that it’s an
ordinary council house in Enfield in the
70s. That’s something that people can
relate to. A lot of the paranormal activity
comes from an ordinary place, like a chest of
drawers, a teapot or a lamp. It’s not demons
jumping out at you. I remember coming
home from work one night and finding my
wife at the top of the stairs. She was upset
about the fact that someone had drawn all
over the walls. My four-year-old daughter
was adamant it wasn’t her but ‘something
else’. It unsettled me as we’d just filmed a
very similar scene in the programme…
Which camp do you stand in with regards
to the Hodgsons? Were they telling the
truth or spinning a tall tale?
I’m fairly sceptical as a person. When I first
read the script, I thought, is it going to be a
problem that I probably don’t believe it.
But, actually, I don’t think it is. The fact
that all these people believed it is in itself
interesting. That’s really the story we
get into. There are certainly a lot of things
that are unexplained that I couldn’t explain
and I don’t think it is right to just dismiss
them. You have to ask the question.
Guy maintains that, one day, science will
be able to explain it all. There is a subtle
difference between the supernatural and
the paranormal and I’m still open to the idea
of something paranormal.
Does the series take a line on
the subject?
We’re not trying to pass judgement and
we’re not saying that they did all of it. Nor
are we saying it was made-up. We want the
audience to make up their own minds, for it
to be the starting point of a discussion.
What preparations did you make
before shooting?
The biggest source for us was Guy, who
was a consultant on the project as well.
We met him several times and he also
met with Timothy Spall and Matthew
Macfadyen as part of their preparation.
I also spoke to some of the other witnesses,
including the photographer and the
two journalists who visited the house.
Mrs Hodgson and Johnny are both sadly
no longer with us, but we’ve been in
touch with Janet and Margaret. They
acknowledged the existence of the
project, but they didn’t want to be involved
directly. It’s something that dominated
their lives and understandably they don’t
want to keep talking about it. Janet is still in
touch with Guy, though. The programme is
not a drama documentary, it’s a drama, but,
where possible, we tried to make use of
what’s available from the real story.
From a stylistic point of view, how would
you describe the look of the show?
We wanted a look and feel that was of
the period, so it’s 70s but not flares and
big hair – there’s a danger you can go into
Austin Powers territory – much as I love that
film, this is something different. We used
lots of deep browns, reds and yellows.
It’s dark, but also quite beautiful thanks to
our brilliant designer Jacqueline Abrahams,
who won a BAFTA for her work on Wallander.
The set supports the creepiness and
strangeness of the story. We designed the
corridors so that they had unusual corners
around them; people could creep about and
the camera would follow them in a
continuous motion.
Did you pull on any film or
TV references?
We looked at a lot of earlier horror films
and thrillers, like Rosemary’s Baby and
The Haunting, mainly to avoid copying
them. We didn’t want it to feel like
anything else directly.
What was the biggest challenge during
filming? The effects work?
They were a big part of it and needed a
lot of planning because we wanted to do
the bulk of the effects in camera. There’s a
big scene featuring a chest of draws and
that was puppeteered from the inside.
Practically, though, the biggest challenge
was the fact we had a lot of kids in the
cast, so we were shooting shorter hours
than you’re normally allowed or used to.
We were very ambitious.
If you had to pinpoint what director
Kristoffer Nyholm brought to the party,
what would it be?
A really strong vision. Kristoffer was a
great choice because what he did with
The Killing is exactly what we were
looking for here. This is the first time
he’s worked in this genre, but he embraced
it and really threw himself at it in a really
exciting way. The actors loved working
with him as well.
Can you tell us more about the casting?
How happy were you to land Timothy
Spall, fresh from his acclaimed
performance in Mr Turner?
I was so delighted and we were very
lucky because he’d just won the Cannes
Best Actor prize. I knew we had a high
quality script, though, and he really
responded to the story. We were shooting
while he had to fly around the world to
promote Mr Turner, so he was working
all hours, but he was completely dedicated
and great fun.
And Eleanor? She’s a great find.
Janet was the hardest part to cast by a
long way because it’s such a demanding role.
You have to be an innocent child and then,
at the flip of a switch, speak with the voice
of a 70-year-old man. It’s an incredible range
of emotions at play. Eleanor actually came in
right at the end, off the back of someone
I know who had seen her in Matilda the
Musical. I remember very clearly her coming
into the casting office, beginning her
audition and looking across to Kristoffer
and us both realising we’d found our Janet.
She’s very natural and has a great future
ahead of her.
15
CONTACTS
Jakki Lewis
jakki.lewis@bskyb.com
020 7032 1494
Dominic Collett
dominic.collett@bskyb.com
020 7032 4892
_________________
DVD requests
Emily Trant
020 7032 1505
emily.trant@bskyb.com
Image requests
Stills department
020 7032 4202
stillsdepartment@bskyb.com
ON DEMAND
available to
Episode 1 will be
orning of
download on the m
Monday 3 May.
meanwhile,
,
3
d
n
a
2
es
d
o
is
p
E
demand
can be watched on
ener has
after the series op
aired on Sky Living.
IN STORAGE
ers
1 x chest of draw
1 x teapot
1 x set of marbles
FURTHER NOTES
?
Who is Joe Watson