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Press Releases
Moses Jones: Joe Penhall's first original drama for 91Èȱ¬ Two
starts shooting
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Moses Jones, Joe Penhall's first original series for µþµþ°äÌý°Õ·É´Ç,
made by 91Èȱ¬ Drama Productions, has begun shooting in London,
it was announced today.
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Penhall's TV credits include 91Èȱ¬ Two's
critically-acclaimed adaptation of Jake Arnott's novel The Long
Firm and the Olivier award-winning play Blue/Orange.
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His film
credits include Ian McEwan's Enduring Love and the forthcoming
adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road starring Charlize Theron
and Viggo Mortensen.
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Kate Harwood, 91Èȱ¬ Controller, Series & Serials, says: "Joe Penhall
is an amazing writing talent, and this is an incredibly exciting
project for 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production.
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"Moses Jones is a vibrant and
atmospheric thriller set in the heart of London, which will
capture the imagination of the µþµþ°äÌý°Õ·É´Ç drama audience."
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Shaun Parkes (The Mummy Returns, Casanova, Doctor Who, Blue/Orange) plays Moses Jones in his first leading role for television.
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Parkes heads up a cast of new and established talent which boasts Matt Smith (Party Animals, Ruby In the Smoke), Eamonn Walker (Oz, Othello), Dennis Waterman (New Tricks, Canterbury Tales), Indira Varma (Torchwood, Rome) and Jude Akuwudike (Silent Witness) – plus newcomers Wunmi Mosaku (Doctors) and Obi Abili (Afterlife). Ìý
The story, told over three 60-minute episodes, begins when a wave of violence
hits London following the discovery of the bizarrely mutilated
body of a man in the Thames.
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First appearances suggest a
witchcraft killing. But the dark reality is more complicated – and even more frightening.
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Assigned to the case is young, hopeful
DS Dan Twentyman (Matt Smith) and his senior partner DI Moses
Jones (Shaun Parkes), seconded from Scotland Yard due to cultural
links with the local community.
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But, confronted by a wall of
silence, Jones and Twentyman become increasingly confused as they
grapple with the various complexities.
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All roads lead to the
Afrigo Club, where kingpin band leader Solomon (Eamonn Walker)
plays with his band.
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As the search deepens, the violence
escalates and the investigation grinds to a halt.
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But one name
crops up again and again – a mysterious godfather figure rumored
to have both terror links and supernatural powers.
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Forced to
ask himself tough questions about his own sanity and cultural
identity, Moses Jones embarks on a frightening quest to track
down his man and redeem himself before the community
implodes... and the killer strikes again.
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Joe Penhall says: "Moses Jones is about the complexity of
humanity and the assumptions that make us who we are – and who we
aren't.
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"Cultural assumptions are blunt instruments, they tend to
be simplistic and dangerous – yet still we cling to them,
particularly in this country.
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"With much of the world at war, life
is increasingly cheap. Life is now as cheap here as it is in the
third world. But every act of violence, however banal, has its
own complex, often unfathomable origin."
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Filming in London this summer, Moses Jones is directed by Michael
Offer (The Passion, The State Within). The producer is Cameron
Roach (Bad Girls, Life on Mars) and executive producers are
Hilary Salmon (The Passion, Criminal Justice, Maxwell, The Long
Firm) and Joe Penhall.
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Moses Jones was commissioned by Jane Tranter, Controller, 91Èȱ¬
Fiction.
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The commission of Moses Jones continues the steady stream of
diverse productions from 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production. Led by Nicolas
Brown, recent successes include acclaimed series such as Criminal
Justice, The Curse Of Comedy, Cranford, Oliver Twist, The
Passion and Lark Rise To Candleford which returns to 91Èȱ¬ One
later this year.
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The 91Èȱ¬ One autumn drama schedule includes
treats such as Little Dorrit, Tess Of The D'Urbervilles and
Survivors.
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91Èȱ¬ Two's distinctive drama slate continues to grow, with Burn Up
and 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production's House Of Saddam and the long-awaited
second series of The Tudors recently transmitted to critical
acclaim.
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Later this year, viewers will be given the rare chance to see two television adaptations of acclaimed stage plays on the
channel – My Zinc Bed from David Hare, starring Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce (Pirates Of The Caribbean), and Caryl Churchill's
A Number, starring Tom Wilkinson (Eternal Sunshine Of The
Spotless Mind) and Rhys Ifans (Enduring Love).
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The diversity
continues with the highly-anticipated series three of Heroes in September. Ìý
AF
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