My Favourite TV: The Devil’s Whore

Historical drama is something that British TV does particularly well. The BBC in particular is world renowned for its costume drama and adaptations of classic literature such as Pride and Prejudice. Although not from the BBC this Channel 4 production is truly outstanding historical TV.

Following the life of fictional character Angelica Fanshawe through the turbulent times of the English Civil War it introduces us to the very human consequences of ideological conflict on a massive scale as the country is brought to its knees by years of internecine warfare. Angelica originally marries her childhood sweetheart who is a staunch Royalist but both an inexperienced lover and poor military commander. Confused by Angelica’s passion he accuses her of being a whore and wonders if she has been possessed by a demon she claimed to have seen in childhood. Forced into a battle he cannot win he later surrenders the family estate to the Parliamentarian forces causing Charles Stewart to have him executed. Angelica is thrown on her own resources and starving becomes prey to powerful men who desire her for her beauty. Not one to be beaten down by circumstance she finds herself in the Parliamentarian camp and in love with the radical revolutionary Thomas Rainsborough. This firebrand and potential leader of the new English state is at odds with his friend Oliver Cromwell who proposes coming to terms with the King. If things in Angelica’s life were not complicated enough her mercenary bodyguard Saxby is also in love with her after seeing her on her wedding night. Sworn to protect her no matter what he also changes sides after becoming disgusted with the Royalist side but quickly becomes equally disenchanted with Parliament after witnessing Cromwell’s Machiavellian manoeuvring and political assassinations. Finally forced to challenge Cromwell directly he seals his own fate – but not before it becomes entwined with that of Angelica.

This was probably, above all else, a love story told in a time of supreme upheaval. From another perspective it is a tale of the striving for freedom from tyrannical government in a time when Kings had a divine right to rule. It is also an interesting speculation of what might have been if Thomas Rainsborough had replaced Cromwell as the head of State during our brief flirtation with Republicanism. I must admit I did develop a great sympathy with Rainsborough and was delighted to discover that not only did he actually exist but that his views expressed in this four part production seemed to be those he held in real life. This was a violent, sexy, politically charged and more than occasionally funny insight into one of the most brutal periods in English history. It did admittedly gallop through the period at quite a pace and may have played fast and loose with some of the events (after all this is drama not documentary) but it was highly entertaining and apparently has prompted even school children to become interested in their own countries history – so it can’t be all bad. Needless to say I loved this for its intelligence, political cynicism and gritty realism. The cast of Andrea Riseborough (Fanshawe), John Simm (Saxby), Michael Fassbender (Rainsborough) and Dominic West (Cromwell) where superb. If you missed this when it was shown on TV I can only advise you to catch it on DVD. You’ll regret it if you don’t.