On screen or off, Joely Richardson cannot fail to make an entrance. The daughter of the actress Vanessa Redgrave and the late director Tony Richardson, she has a luminous, dynastic quality; a natural presence. The Redgrave gene has been the omnipresent pivot of British acting for decades β Joely is the granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, niece of Corin and Lynn, sister of Natasha β which is not to say there is anything haughty or formal about her.
On the contrary, she is easy to laugh, thoughtful, self-effacing yet direct β no wonder her thespian career is having a rollicking resurgence which sees her, at 59, adding lustre to the drama series of several streamers all at once.
Set in the early 18th century, much of it in ye olde jolly beer-frothing taverns of candlelit England, complete with mouthy barmaids and drawling toffs, it is adventure-meets-fantasy. Being a Wainwright production, it is also a strong-woman tale: Nell Jackson, played with zing by Louisa Harland, returns from fighting β dressed as a man β in the Battle of Blenheim, only to find herself framed for murder and, with the aid of a magical spirit called Billy Blind winningly played by Nick Mohammed , becomes a notorious highwaywoman who may or may not be able to save Queen Anne from an evil plot.
Rediscover the interview as the family make headlines once more. There are traces of The Favourite and Game of Thrones , a dash of the magic of Harry Potter , wit and feminism all thrown into the tankard. It feels very that a woman should have played love interest to father and son.
It looks enormous fun; but it was shot in a summer heatwave somewhere east of Victoria Park. You have to breathe deep and eat some glucose. Of which more later. The dialogue on the page is quite tricky stuff, very quippy. She was funny and charming and it all trickles down from the top. She absolutely carries Renegade Nell. Joely sees her career in chapters β places, agents, life events.
