Jamie Dornan is reteaming with BBC Two and The Fall creator Allan Cubitt for Death And Nightingales, a three-part drama based on Eugene McCable’s modern Irish classic. The Americans‘ Matthew Rhys will star along with Dornan. They are joined by Irish up-and-comer Ann Skelly (Kissing Candice, Red Rock) in the project from Imaginarium Productions and Soho Moon. Filming begins this summer in Northern Ireland.
A story of love, betrayal, deception and revenge, Death And Nightingales is set in the haunting countryside of Fermanagh in 1885. It’s a world of spies, confessions and double dealings where neighbors observe each other and inform.
The tale takes place over a desperately tense 24-hour period. It’s Beth Winters’ (Skelly) 25th birthday and also the day she has decided to join the charming Liam Ward (Dornan) to escape from her limited life and complex relationship with her Protestant landowner stepfather Billy (Matthew Rhys). As decades of pain and betrayal finally build to a devastating climax, Death And Nightingales sees a woman struggling to control her own destiny and will ultimately illuminate tensions that tear both families and nations apart.
Fifty Shades‘ Dornan previously starred in Cubitt’s award-winning serial killer drama The Fall for BBC Two. He says, “I’m thrilled to be reunited with Allan and his brilliant scripts to play such an intriguing character like Liam Ward and to return to Northern Ireland and BBC Two.”
Rhys is next in Warner Bros’ live-action Mowgli while Season 6 of The Americans concludes on FX tomorrow night.
Breathe‘s Jonathan Cavendish is producing Death And Nightingales. Executive producers are James Mitchell for Soho Moon and Tommy Bulfin for BBC Two. Red Arrow Studios International will distribute worldwide.
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