Pandaemonium
Set in England during the early 19th century, Pandaemonium evokes late-1960s America in its depiction of the relationship between Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Linus Roach) and William Wordsworth (John Hannah). Instead of going to Vietnam, Wordsworth goes off to fight against the French while Coleridge stays at home and promotes utopianism. After the war, the poets live and work together with Coleridge's wife, Sara (Samantha Morton), and Wordsworth's sister, Dorothy (Emily Woof). At first this communal arrangement works to the advantage of Coleridge--who does some of his best writing while Wordsworth stagnates--until Coleridge becomes addicted to opium. Wordsworth, meanwhile, doesn't find his voice until he abandons his friend. In 20th-century vernacular, Wordsworth is the yuppie, Coleridge the hippie.
Drama, Foreign
Arts Council of England
Linus Roache as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Hannah as William Wordsworth, Samantha Morton as Sara Coleridge, Emily Woof as Dorothy Wordsworth, Andrea Lowe as Edith Southey, Dexter Fletcher as Humphry Davy, Andy Serkis as John Thelwall, Samuel West as Robert Southey, Colin McCredie as Messenger, John Kane as Jones, Emma Fielding as Mary Wordsworth, Michael N. Harbour as Walsh, William Scott-Masson as Tom Poole, Clive Merrison as Dr Gillman, Guy Lankester as Byron, Jacqueline Defferary as Miss Holland, John Standing as Rev Holland, Andy de la Tour as Andrew Crosse, Glyn Owen as Fisherman, Peter Harkness as Journalist, Niall Vincent as Hartley Coleridge, aged 4, Jason Quick as Hartley Coleridge, aged 18 months, Miles Quick as Hartley Coleridge, aged 18 months, Eleanor Russell as Hartley Coleridge, aged 2 months, Rowena Gaukroger as Edith Mae Southey, Leo Temple as Herbert Southay, Erik McKay as Darcy Sinclair, Mark Tilley as Rebel, Juno Temple as Emma Southey