As I have already established, I am often quite a firm fan of BBC drama, but make no mistake after watching episode one of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell I found myself thinking something along the lines of - "what the f**k is this?!"
This one was a particular shlow-burner for me, yet this rather bold and brave bounce into the magical, the fantastical, the period and the pomp of Susanna Clarke's barnstorming novel did eventually win me round with its unique blend of wit, mystery, majesty and madness.
However as I say this was not my position after the first episode. Moreover the sights of wittering Yorkshiremen, twittering bachelors, occasional magical effects and a mad man with wispy hair did not inspire me with much confidence at all, quite the opposite in fact. But unlike such progrmmes as the Interceptor (see my BLOG ARCHIVE) I did not see it as a total lost cause, I persevered and was quite enamoured by the end of proceedings.
It is an odd thing but I think what impressed me most of all about Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell was the texture. The feel of each scene, each movement and each gesture is like nothing I have ever seen before; the pattern, timbre and tone are pitched perfectly - rendering a world instantly believable and yet decidedly unbelievable at the same time. Of course, magic is key here, but this is not Harry Potter or Merlin - the magic of Strange and Norrell is distinctly earthy, dark, dank, and yet dastardly wonderful in all its glory. Some of the effects used are epically miraculous, but at no point do they seem even a tad too much. The miraculous and the plainly ordinary are woven tightly and supremely - giving instant weight to the historical, mythical and magical aspects of a story, all bound in a weathered, aged yet beautifully resilient tapestry.
Another beautiful aspect of this tale is the oodles of character, which in an oddly warped and faded way, stands out here more than most. This is a great ensemble piece, and whilst some fade into the background more than others, at no point does it seem forced or unnatural; every character is important and almost every one plays their part wonderfully in establishing the believability of this marvellous world.
Yes the story of Edward Hogg as John Segundus takes a little bit of a backseat after episode one, and yes Charlotte Riley as Arabella is an odd mix of shrinking and outlandishly over the top at times, but really this is a case of me being picky.
Eddie Marsan is nothing if consistent as Mr. Norrell; consistently great. He portrays the powerfully gifted yet socially awkward little Yorkshire magician to a tee. Bertie Carvel's performance as his enthusiastic yet powerfully wayward apprenctice Jonathan Strange he himself sums up towards the end of the series: "capital."
I'm not saying there is an outstanding casting jewel in this crown, but if there was it would probably be Marc Warren as the perfectly pitched, terrifcally timed and very villaionous Gentleman. I shall simply say to encapsulate his performance - "why are you firing walnuts at me?" (just watch it - its genius).
The character is there in plenty, though the plot was a big catalyst for my initial retisence. Simply put - it takes some getting used to. Twisting, turning, light and fluffy then deep and dark. It is a wonderful mishmash of emotion, but once you get used to its rhythm , for it is there (if quite fluid and disjointed) then the results will please you. And as I say, throughout the plot is populated with remarkable characters.
The TV series relied heavily on Susanna Clarke's novel, and rightly so. It ended as the book ends - rather mixed and deliberately open ended. This works for me. It is suitably different in not giving us a definitive forced happy ending, plus it tantalises at the possibility of more from Strange and Norrell some day. I for one would be thrilled to return to their own unique outlook on English magic.
