Gripping, passionate, and a little bit gory: Channel 4's forthcoming four-part drama series, New Worlds, has a winning combo (and the cast aren't too bad either)...
Beautifully shot and politically astute, the show focuses on four youths - in their relative social circumstances - navigating the turbulent Restoration period on both sides of the Atlantic.
The magnetic cast stars lead, Jamie Dornan, Alice Englert from Beautiful Creatures, ' Joe Dempsie, and Freya Mavor from Sunshine on Leith.
Set in the 1680s, New Worlds captures the political chaos following the English Civil War, the ramifications of colonisation in New England, and what do you know? It manages to squeeze in a little romance (two boys, two girls; it had to be done).
In the show, former ELLE Man of the Week, Jamie Dornan plays rugged Robin Hood-type character, Abe Goth. Here, he talks wigs, politics and love:
So, we've noticed in the show that the male characters have slight additions to the lengths of their hair ?
Thats actually my hair on top, my real curly bap and then we added a sort of eighties rock thing to the side.
Do you think this programme will make young people engage with politics more?
Thats what you hope, and thats a massive reason for making the drama.
In the show we see some romantic tensions, how easy is it to integrate those elements into a show that has so much else going?
Love is very important, and everyone relates to it. (In the show) its an essential part, and it highlights even more the difference in Abes world and (Freya Mavors character) Beths world. Its just a classic star-crossed lovers situation.
The series is set to air on Channel 4 in Spring, make sure you catch our Q&A with the Irish actor in ELLE's March issue.
