From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The A Word | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Keren Margalit |
| Based on | Yellow Peppers by Keren Margalit |
| Developed by | Peter Bowker |
| Written by | Peter Bowker |
| Directed by |
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| Starring |
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| Composer | Rob Lane |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 18 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production locations |
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| Editor | Jamie Pearson |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 16:9 1080i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 22 March 2016 – 9 June 2020 |
| Related | |
| Yellow Peppers |
The A Word is a BBC television drama series, based on the Israeli series Yellow Peppers. The series follows a young boy and how his family cope with the revelation that he has autism spectrum disorder. Following filming in the Lake District from October 2015, a six-part series began airing on 22 March 2016. On 26 May 2016, the BBC announced that a second series of The A Word had been commissioned.[1] It premiered in the UK on 7 November 2017. The third series began airing on 5 May 2020.[2]
Synopsis[edit]
Five-year-old Joe Hughes displays clear signs of communication problems and consistently isolates himself by listening to pop music through large blue and black headphones. He has encyclopaedic knowledge of the songs he listens to and accurately sings along with the lyrics. His parents, Alison and Paul, seem oblivious to the disorder and wonder why Joe is ostracised by other children of the same age. However, it is later discovered by Joe’s grandfather, Maurice, that Alison and Paul have been taking him to hospital for his communication problems. Other family members know there is a problem, however, their attempts to intervene are met with obstruction from Joe’s parents. After originally believing Joe had hearing problems, their Ear, Nose and Throat consultant refers Joe to a specialist who diagnoses him as autistic.
The story then follows how the dysfunctional family, including Rebecca (who feels invisible), Eddie and Nicola (who are coping with their own relationship problems) and tactless grandad Maurice cope with Joe’s situation and their own apparent social disorders.
Cast[edit]
| Actor | Character | Role | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Vento | Joe Hughes | a child on the autism spectrum | 1– |
| Lee Ingleby | Paul Hughes | Joe’s father | 1– |
| Morven Christie | Alison Hughes | Joe’s mother | 1– |
| Molly Wright | Rebecca Hughes | Joe’s half-sister | 1– |
| Greg McHugh | Eddie Scott | Alison’s brother | 1– |
| Vinette Robinson | Nicola Daniels | Eddie’s wife | 1–12 |
| Christopher Eccleston | Maurice Scott | Joe’s grandfather, Alison’s and Eddie’s father | 1– |
| Pooky Quesnel | Louise Wilson | Maurice’s music teacher and lover | 1– |
| Leon Harrop | Ralph Wilson | Louise’s son | 1– |
| Matt Greenwood | Tom Clarke | Rebecca’s best friend | 2– |
| Thomas Gregory | Luke Taylor | Rebecca’s boyfriend | 2–6 |
| Daniel Cerqueira | Dr Graves | Family doctor | 1– |
| George Bukhari | Terry Norris | Worker at Paul and Alison’s cafe | 1– |
| Adam Wittek | David Nowak | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 1– |
| Tommie Grabiec | Pavel Kaminski | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 1– |
| Abby Ford | Sally | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 4 |
| Julia Krynke | Maya Petrenko | Joe’s babysitter | 2–5 |
| Lisa Millett | Maggie White | Joe’s speech therapist | 3 |
| Ralf Little | Stuart | Rebecca’s biological father | 5–6, 11, 14 |
| Jude Akuwudike | Vincent Daniels | Nicola’s father | 7– |
| Clare Holman | Grace Daniels | Nicola’s mother | 7– |
| Aaron Pierre | James Thorne | Rebecca’s boyfriend | 7–8 |
| Julie Hesmondhalgh | Heather | Joe’s teacher | 13– |
| Lucy Gaskell | Sophie Berwick | Worker at Paul’s Gastropub | 7–11 |
| Travis Smith | Mark Berwick | Sophie’s autistic teenage son | 7– |
| Sarah Gordy | Katie Thorne | Ralph’s wife | 13– |
| Nigel Betts | Steve Thorne | Katie’s father | 13– |
| Sherry Baines | Clare Thorne | Katie’s mother | 13– |
Production[edit]
Bowker drew on his own experiences and observations as a teacher and with his family to write The A Word.[3] Autism advocate Deborah Brownson served as an advisor on the production.[4]
Filming took place from October 2015 at locations in the Lake District, including Keswick, Broughton-in-Furness, Coniston, Thirlmere Reservoir, and at The Space Project studios in Manchester.[5][6][7]
On 24 May 2019, it was announced by the BBC, and then subsequently via press and social media publications, that a third series was in production. Returning cast members included Christopher Eccleston, Morven Christie, Lee Ingleby, Max Vento, Molly Wright, Greg McHugh, Pooky Quesnel, Matt Greenwood and Leon Harrop. Joining the cast as newcomers were Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sarah Gordy and David Gyasi.[8]
Episodes[edit]
Series overview[edit]
Series 1 (2016)[edit]
Series 2 (2017)[edit]
Series 3 (2020)[edit]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
BBC One began airing the first six-part series in a Tuesday 9pm slot, replacing Happy Valley, on 22 March 2016. SundanceTV acquired rights for broadcasting the show in America, and it premiered there on 13 July 2016.[10] A second series began in the UK on 7 November 2017 remaining in its Tuesday 9pm slot. A third series was filmed in May 2019 and the entire series was released on BBC iPlayer on 5 May 2020. On the same day it also began broadcasting in its usual weekly slot on BBC One.[8][11] BBC First airs the series in Australia. Disney+ picked up the programme for all three series across all of Europe, except the UK.[12]
Overnight figures revealed the first episode was watched by 4.7 million viewers and had a 23% share of the audience.[13] BARB later reported a consolidated figure of 5.91 million.[9] Reaction to the first episode was mostly positive among viewers. Many people have praised the show on social media, partly for the quality of the acting but also for the way it dealt with the subject of autism.[14]
Home media[edit]
Series 1 was released on DVD in September 2016, and series 2 in December 2017. The third series was released on DVD in July 2020.[citation needed]
Spin-off series[edit]
In August 2020 it was announced that a spin-off series Ralph & Katie, following the married life of the protagonists, had been commissioned by the BBC.[15] The six-part series, which included a writing team made up predominantly of people with disabilities,[16] was broadcast in October and November 2022, with all episodes available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer.[17] The series will also be available on Disney+ in some regions.
References[edit]
- ^ «BBC Drama announces three new commissions for BBC One and BBC Two». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 26 May 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Tatum, Kris (24 May 2019). «Filming starts on series three of BBC’s The A Word in Cumbria». Times & Star. Workington, Cumbria. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (22 March 2016). «Autism Drama Writer Talks BBC, Sundance’s ‘The A Word’«. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Burns, Judith (29 December 2017). «MBE for author of ‘instruction manual’ for autism». BBC. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ «Filming begins on The A Word, new six-part drama for BBC One». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 26 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «The A Word filming in Keswick». Time & Star. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Clarke, Tom (26 October 2015). «‘THE A WORD’ GOES INTO PRODUCTION AT SPACE STUDIOS MANCHESTER». The Space Project. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b «Filming commences on The A Word series three». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 24 May 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d «Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018)». Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (8 January 2016). «SundanceTV Acquires BBC, Keshet Autism Drama ‘The A-Word’«. Variety. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Kalia, Ammar (5 May 2020). «TV tonight: the third series of The A Word gets under way». The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Middleton, Richard (17 October 2022). «Disney+ strikes ‘Ralph & Katie’ & ‘The A Word’ deal across Europe». TBI Vision.
- ^ Johnson, Niall (23 March 2016). «BBC One’s autistic family drama The A Word opens with 4.7m». Mediatel. Retrieved 23 March 2016.[dead link]
- ^ Debnath, Neela (23 March 2016). «The A Word: Viewers praise Christopher Eccleston drama tackling autism». Daily Express. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «BBC One announces Ralph And Katie, a spin-off of Peter Bowker’s hit drama The A Word». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 24 August 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Hogan, Michael (9 October 2022). «Interview | Jordan Hogg: ‘In 15 years, I’ve never come across another disabled director’«. The Observer. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «Ralph & Katie». BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
External links[edit]
- The A Word at BBC Online
- The A Word at IMDb
- The A Word at epguides.com
THE A Word actor Christopher Eccleston has opened up on the difficulties of re-watching his role as grumpy grandad Maurice Scott, admitting he is «struggling» with playing the character.
The former Doctor Who frontman, 56, takes on the role of five-year-old Joe’s grandparent, who strikes up a close relationship with his loved one as he battles with autism.
3
Christopher has previously branded himself a «dinosaur» compared to others in the BBC role and he has now opened up on how playing Maurice leaves him a little out of his depth.
He told the Radio Times: «I’m an actor who really – my comfort zone is in serious drama.
«I find my performance in The A Word a little too broad and very difficult to watch.
«I have to say, I think you can see an actor still struggling with how to play comedy.
3
«But I’m very grateful for the opportunity to try.»
Explaining his self-depricating attitude, which may come as a surprise since he has played the character since 2016, Christopher added: «I find it a bit face-pull-y.
«It’s not a performance I can particularly look at, and it’s a performance that some of my close friends and family have questioned.
«It’s a difficult watch for me, Maurice – what I’m doing as Maurice.
3
MOST READ IN TV AND SHOWBIZ
«But with other people it seems to have registered… I’m glad that some people enjoy it.»
Christopher has previously talked himself down during his telly project in a candid chat with the Telegraph when he said: «I’ve been in the industry a long time.
«Stories about men shouldn’t be at the centre of things anymore and hopefully the industry is changing.
«It gets a bit dull, doesn’t it? Tuning in and it’s a load of blokes again.»
Christopher Eccleston opens up about his eating disorder and how it started as a child on Lorraine
BBC
Christopher Eccleston as Joe’s grandfather, Maurice Scott
The warm six-parter about a family dealing with the autism of its youngest member has the ex-Doctor Who star playing his first grandfather and also doing comedy, in stark contrast to most of his roles.
The A Word has a variety of tones and tries to span how it feels to be a member of a large and dysfunctional family
Christopher Eccleston
In real life, 52-year-old Christopher’s children, Albert and Esme (with his ex-wife, Mischka), are both under five, so he’s far from grandfather-hood. But in The A Word he plays Maurice Scott, a vibrant 56-year-old widower and father of two adult kids, Alison (Morven Christie) and Eddie (Fresh Meat’s Greg McHugh).
A successful businessman who owns a Lake District brewery, Maurice is an alpha male whose straight-talking ways result in him coming across as insensitive. At the same time, his bluntness provides comedy in an otherwise serious drama.
BBC
The Hughes family
It’s an aspect of the role that Christopher found challenging.
“There’s a comedic element to the character and I’m not somebody who’s been in a great deal of comedy dramas,” he says. “I tend to do more intense drama, so that’s been a challenge for me. It’s interesting – there are clearly some comic lines in this script, but if you play them as comedy, they’re not funny.” As far as comic acting goes, he says modestly, “I have no idea how to do it.”
The rest of The A Word’s characters deal with the heavy emotional troubles that form the drama’s central theme. Alison and her husband, Paul (Inspector George Gently star Lee Ingleby) have failed to face up to the behavioural problems of their five-year-old son Joe (Max Vento)– he has obsessive traits and trouble socialising with other children.
The couple are put under more strain when Alison’s brother, Eddie, and his wife, Nicola (Sherlock’s Vinette Robinson), move into their house after Nicola’s affair has prompted a fresh start in Cumbria for the pair.
The A Word: Trailer
It’s Nicola, a GP, who notices the signs of autism in Joe. And when Alison and Paul eventually get Joe tested and the diagnosis is positive, it puts pressure on their marriage.
“They have completely different approaches,” explains Morven, 34, currently on our screens in Grantchester. “Paul is all, ‘Oh, it will all be fine,’ the avoidance thing, while Alison is over-engaged and obsessed, and that is divisive. Paul is trying to pull Alison in his direction and Alison is trying to pull Paul in hers, because ultimately I don’t think they really agree with how the other is handling it.”
For his part, Lee based Paul on his own father, Gordon.
“The family dynamic is of a strong matriarch and then a quieter man with this eternal optimism, like my own dad,” muses Lee, 40. “I used that in Paul, that attitude of, ‘It’ll be fine – we’ll sort it,’ which I find completely admirable.
But sometimes you have to face facts.”
Facing facts is Maurice’s specialty, and he wants to get Joe’s situation sorted before his parents are ready to deal with the situation. Christopher explains it’s partly because Maurice, widowed only a year ago and recently retired after handing control of the brewery over to Eddie, is at a loose end.
“Maurice can be extraordinarily insensitive to other people’s feelings, but he’s also enormously well-intentioned,” explains Christopher. “He’s a passionate fell runner, so he’s quite fit for his age, and he’s overly dominant. He goes on a journey – he has to learn his new place in the world during the course of this series.”
The imposing Lake District scenery acts almost as an additional character in the piece, with its stark hills and gloomy sky, and many scenes are played against a backdrop of bucketing rain. Morven points out that the landscape reflects Joe’s world view.
“Joe is a child who is afraid and anxious of a lot of things, so I think it’s nice that the world appears a little bit threatening,” she says. “The first shot we see of him is in that giant landscape, while he’s tiny. It’s something of a metaphor for the whole thing. If the weather had been idyllic with blue skies, it wouldn’t have reflected the drama.”
Ultimately, The A Word depicts a family in crisis.
“There are moments of great pain and great drama, and also moments of great humanity and comedy as well,” says Christopher. “The A Word has a variety of tones and tries to span how it feels to be a member of a large and dysfunctional family.”
The A Word, Tuesday, 9PM,BBC1
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Here is a first look at the new BBC drama, The A Word, which stars Christopher Eccleston and is due to air at the end of March.
Christopher Eccleston, is set to play a grandad in the new drama, which is scheduled to air at the end of March. Written by Peter Bowker, whose impressive CV includes Blackpool, Occupation and Capital, the six-part drama tells the story of the Hughes family; an aspirational family that is like many others until six-year-old Joe is diagnosed with autism.
Alongside Eccleston, the cast includes Lee Ingleby (Our Zoo), Morven Christie (Grantchester), Greg McHugh (Fresh Meat), Vinette Robinson (Sherlock) and newcomer, six-year-old Max Vento. It is being directed by the twice Academy-nominated director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty, Rev) and produced by Marcus Wilson (Doctor Who, Life On Mars).
52-year-old Eccleston plays Maurice, the grandad of the family, but he’s definitely not a pipe-and-slippers type grandad and he’s the first to realise that there may be more to Joe’s behaviour than anyone realises.
Bowker, who taught children with learning difficulties before becoming a screenwriter, has said how pleased he is to be able to make a programme that is funny, tough, realistic and inventive about contemporary family life and autism. Based on his remarkable body of work to date and his uncanny ability to give a voice to modern families, we can’t wait for The A Word to air.
The A Word will be executive produced for Fifty Fathoms by Patrick Spence, Peter Bowker and Jenny Frayn, and by Sara Johnson and Avi Nir for Keshet. Lucy Richer will executive produce for BBC One. It is being directed by the twice Academy-nominated director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty, Rev) and produced by Marcus Wilson (Doctor Who, Life On Mars).
Details of the confirmed airing date to follow.
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Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston plays grandfather Maurice in The A Word, BBC One’s new drama about a family whose youngest son is diagnosed with autism.
Adapted by Occupation writer Peter Bowker from the Israeli series by Prisoners of War creator Keren Margalit, the new six-part series is a funny and thought-provoking series about parenthood and childhood and what it’s like to have a child who doesn’t fit the mould.
> Like The A Word on Facebook.
The A Word is airing at 9pm on Tuesday nights on BBC One. Here Christopher Eccleston chats about the show…
What first drew you to the script for The A Word, and to the role of Maurice?
“When I first read my first reading of The A Word, obviously I liked the scale of the story. I think the first scene that appealed to me, from an acting point of view, to play, was when Maurice sings the Gordon Lightfoot song, ‘If You Could Read My Mind’.
“The lyrics are very poignant for the man, the character, at that point in his life, and it’s also a song that I’ve always loved. I thought it was very clever of Pete to give it to a man who was not going to sing it particularly well, and to give it to a character who, in many ways, is a stranger to his own heart. I thought it was very romantic, moving, almost tragicomic scene which is almost the tone for the whole series.
“There are moments of great pain and great drama, and also moments of great humanity – well, drama is humanity – and great moments of comedy as well. That’s one of the other things that drew me to the script of The A Word – it is not just one thing, it’s not just one tone. It has a variety of tone and tries to span exactly how it feels to be a member of a large and dysfunctional family.”
Can you tell us a little bit about your character?
“Maurice is 56. He is recently widowed, in the last two years – lost his much-loved wife, his one and only partner through life, with whom he’s had two children – and he’s definitely still in the process of grieving. It’s not overt, it’s not something that we deal with in a dramatic way, but it’s present in him.
“He’s a little bit lost in life, he’s trying to find a role, and he probably makes things more difficult by giving up his job at the brewery for his son, his returning prodigal son.
“Maurice is quite alpha, he feels quite spare, he’s quite interfering, he can be extraordinarily insensitive to other people’s feelings, but he’s also enormously well-intentioned. He’s a passionate fell runner, so he’s quite fit for his age, and he’s overly dominant, and he has a journey – he has to learn his new place in the world during the course of this series.”
What challenges has playing Maurice brought to you as an actor?
“I think the challenge of playing Maurice, one of the things, is not to soften him, because he can be really quite hurtful, unintentionally. I think the temptation, as an actor, is to apologise for that or to sweeten it. I’ve tried not to do that, but I’ve also tried to locate where that lack of insight into other people’s feelings comes from.
“I think there’s a comedic element to the character – I’m not somebody who’s been in a great deal of comedy dramas, I tend to do more intense drama, so that’s been a challenge for me. It’s very interesting, there are clearly some comic lines in this script, but if you play them as comedy, they’re not funny.
“I sound like Alan Alda now, in that Woody Allen film: if it bends it’s funny; if it breaks, it’s not funny. Eccleston expounds on comedic acting. I’ve no idea how to do it, so that’s been one of the challenges.”
How have you found working with Max Vento, who plays Joe?
“Great. My heart’s gone out to him, because it’s such a challenge for anybody – for any actor of any age – to play somebody on the autistic spectrum. He’s a young boy and it’s a massive, overwhelming thing to be involved in a production like this, and he’s done a fantastic job. It’s been a pleasure to work with him.
Maurice starts seeing his singing teacher, Louise, played by Pooky Quesnel. What has been your favourite scene with Pooky?
“All of my scenes with Pooky Quesnel have been my favourites. Pooky and I have known each other since 1980. We were in a play together, when we were students, called Lock Up Your Daughters, before either of us were professional actors.
“It was an amazing coincidence when they told me that Pooky was going to be playing this role, because we have a very strong friendship and she’s an actor that I particularly admire. Also, there’s a great deal of trust between us. So all the scenes, really. I liked singing ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ to her. The storyline between myself and Pooky Quesnel is a real gift from Pete Bowker.”
How important is the Lake District setting to the story?
“It’s essential. It gives us a sense of place, it gives us a sense of scale and natural beauty, it gets us out of the traditional urban setting that we’re so familiar with, with drama. Scale, and an opportunity to introduce dramatic elements as the story develops. So it’s been integral, obviously.”
What have been the challenges of filming in the Lakes so far?
“I’ve shot up here before. You get sudden changes in weather. The DOP, the cameraman, will tell you that they get sudden changes in light which can be an issue for continuity. You get micro-climates, you get extreme weather, as we all know, Cumbria got, just before Christmas.
“We had a week at the gastro pub location, which was very cold and very challenging for the cast and crew. We’ve had continuity issues because we’ve had snow when we didn’t want snow, we’ve had rain when we didn’t have rain. You’re more vulnerable to that when you’re in a rural setting. So plenty of challenges, but all positive because it all informs the texture of the drama and it bonds the crew.”
You’ve collaborated with writer, Peter Bowker, a lot. What is it about his writing that you particularly enjoy?
“This is the third thing I’ve done with Pete. I did The King and Us, which was on BBC Three or BBC Four, in about 2000, and then I did Flesh and Blood, which was on BBC Two, in 2001.
“I think Flesh and Blood, Marvellous and The A Word are very personal to Pete, I think there’s a connection between the three in their themes. I just like his writing, really. He’s a brave writer, he writes a great deal about humiliation and embarrassment and awkwardness, and he gives it a lightness of touch and a humour. He’s interested in the normal, everyday minutiae of family life, and the difficulty of being a human being and communication.”
A central theme in The A Word is communication. What would you hope the drama communicates to audiences, both in the UK and internationally?
“I would hope that the drama, The A Word, communicates enjoyment. I hope it communicates them to tune in next week and sit there for all six episodes. I think the drama’s about a number of things: a family coming to terms with a child on the autistic spectrum; there’s a period of denial, there’s a period of anger, there’s a period of acceptance.
“I think Joe’s challenges create challenges for all the individuals that surround him. I think it changes all the individuals around him, the way they look at the world, the way they look at themselves, and hopefully the audience will see themselves in any number of the characters.”
Why do you think viewers will respond to The A Word?
“I hope the viewers like it because we’ve put a huge amount of effort into it. There are some very, very skilled technicians, some very skilled actors, apart from me, I had to come along just to drag it all down to my level. I think it’s a nice blend of comedy and drama. I think it reflects how we all get through life.”