Eddie Marsan, Matthew Gurney, Lara Peake, Anne-Marie Duff and Rose Ayling- Ellis are to star in a ground-breaking new drama for BBC One.
Reunion is being made by Sheffield’s Warp Films and has been written by Sheffield-born deaf writer William Mager.
Filmed in and around the city, the 4 x 60minute drama is a thriller of revenge and redemption following the journey of Daniel Brennan, a deaf man determined to right his wrongs, while unravelling the truth behind the events that led him to prison.
The majority of cast and many members of the crew are deaf or will be using British Sign Language (BSL).
Matthew Gurney (Name Me Lawand, Theatre Ad Infinium, Coffee Morning Club) leads the cast as recently released prisoner Daniel Brennan. His only meaningful relationship is with his estranged daughter Carly, played by Lara Peake (How to Have Sex), who he has not had any contact with since his arrest over a decade ago.
“William’s scripts are electrifying and it’s a privilege to bring Brennan to life in this gripping tale of revenge, redemption and reconciliation,” said Matthew Gurney.
Anne-Marie Duff (Bad Sisters, The Salisbury Poisonings, Suffragette) will star as Christine, desperate to find Brennan and get to the truth of what he did, alongside Eddie Marsan (Back to Black, Ray Donovan) as Stephen Renworth, Christine’s protective boyfriend.
Rose Ayling-Ellis (Summer of Rockets, As You like It, EastEnders) will play Miri, her daughter.
“I am genuinely thrilled to be a part of this very exciting production,” added Anne-Marie Duff.
“It is rare to witness a narrative where the audience is taken on a journey with a very different set of senses. It’s about our need to acknowledge each other’s truths- both inside our own families and beyond. The team is so extraordinary. I feel very honoured to be rubbing shoulders with them”.
Mark Herbert for Warp Films said:
“Reunion stands as a testament to our commitment at Warp Films for genuine representation and thrilling inclusive storytelling that resonates with all audiences whilst amplifying the voices and talents of an often-overlooked community both on and off screen”.
The series is directed by Luke Snellin (One Day, Wanderlust), with Helen Ostler (The Last Kingdom, Crime) as producer, and Siobhan Morgan (Waterloo Road, Hollyoaks) as associate producer.
Mark Herbert (Four Lions, The Virtues, This is England) and Gwen Gorst (Unforgotten, A Discovery of Witches) are executive producers for Warp Films, alongside series writer William Mager, with Rebecca Ferguson and Jo McClellan for the BBC.
BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally.
“This fantastic cast underlines how extraordinarily excited we are about Reunion. Screen Yorkshire is so proud to support a show from homegrown talent that places inclusivity and representation at the heart of its storytelling and creative ambition,” said Caroline Cooper Charles, Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire, which is supporting the production.
