The BBC has released the first promotional photo from its miniseries adaptation of Susanna Clarke’s Hugo-winning novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell! Here’s Bertie Carvel (Les Misérables) and Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes, The World’s End) in-character as dueling magicians Jonathan Strange and Gilbert Norrell.
Marsan is a bit younger than we would have cast as Mr. Norrell, but there you have it! The seven-part series also stars Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures), Marc Warren (The Musketeers, Wanted), and Charlotte Riley (Edge of Tomorrow).
The synopsis is likely for the first few episodes, as it seems to cover Volume I of the book:
Set at the beginning of the 19th-century, England no longer believes in practical magic. The reclusive Mr Norrell (Marsan) of Hurtfew Abbey stuns the city of York when he causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. With a little persuasion and help from his man of business Childermass (Enzo Cilenti), he goes to London to help the government in the war against Napoleon. It is there Norrell summons a fairy (Warren) to bring Lady Pole (Englert) back from the dead, opening a whole can of worms…
The press release says only that Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell will air in 2015, though rumor has it the miniseries will come as early as January. In the meantime, join our Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Reread!
Image: BBC
