Little Dorrit, a major 91Èȱ¬ One Dickens adaptation
James Fleet plays Frederick Dorrit
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James Fleet was gripped by this adaptation of Little Dorrit the moment he opened the script.
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"It's such a rattling good story," enthuses the actor.
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"They sent me all 14 scripts, and I read them extremely quickly. They're such page-turners. I kept thinking, 'what an amazing story'. It's so full of great characters. I kept saying to myself, 'that's a fantastic part. I wonder who's playing that?'"
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The actor, who is perhaps best known as the naive Hugo in The Vicar Of Dibley, takes the part of the good-natured but weak-willed Frederick Dorrit, the brother of William and the uncle of Amy and Fanny.
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James laughs that his character is quite spineless.
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"There are times when you want to give Frederick a good slap and say, 'stop being so weak and moany. Stand up for yourself!'
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"He is one of a panoply of weak men in Dickens that people find charming - think of Newman Noggs in Nicholas Nickleby. Their hearts have often been broken in the past, and that has turned them into these men who can't fight their own corner."
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There is a very clear distinction between Frederick and William.
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"They are certainly not equals," reckons James, who has also appeared in Four Weddings And A Funeral, A Cock And Bull Story, and Sense And Sensibility.
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"Frederick is the shy brother who never puts himself forward. William is not a very nice person. He is constantly bossing Frederick around."
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The actor believes that the half-hour format is ideal for Little Dorrit.
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"It's the perfect length, and it mirrors the page-turner aspect of the book. Every episode ends on a cliff-hanger. You also need lots of episodes because there are so many characters. There are 15 different plots going in 15 different directions."
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James adds that the series looks a treat, too.
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"The technical expertise on this drama is phenomenal. There is so much wonderfully detailed work going on in the design, costume, hair, and make-up departments. Even the supporting artists are spot-on.
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"There are impoverished men with birth marks and these haunting pale faces and fallen women with ravaged demeanours. I feel very privileged to be working in this company."
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The compelling look reflects the abiding theme of the book.
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"Watching this, it's not hard to imagine yourself in a world where it's disastrous to be poor," James avers.
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"The overriding idea is: whatever you do, don't be poor. After all these years, Dickens never fails to move us with his compassion."
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The actor closes by underscoring the captivating quality of this production.
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"I think this serial is going to be great," he beams.
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"The acting's fantastic. Every time I watch a scene, I just go, 'wow!'"
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