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The Gallows Pole (TV series)

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The Gallows Pole
Genre
Based onThe Gallows Pole
by Benjamin Myers
Written byShane Meadows
Directed byShane Meadows
Starring
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producers
Production companies
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release31 May (2023-05-31) –
14 June 2023 (2023-06-14)

The Gallows Pole is a three-part television series made for the BBC by Element Pictures, Big Arty Productions, and A24. It is a Shane Meadows adaptation of the novel of the same name by Benjamin Myers.[1] According to Meadows, the series is a prequel to Myers's novel.[2] It premiered on 31 May 2023.

Synopsis

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The series tells the fictionalised story of David Hartley and the Cragg Vale Coiners at the onset of the Industrial Revolution in 18th-century Yorkshire. Hartley (Socha) assembles a gang of weavers and land-workers to embark upon a revolutionary criminal enterprise that will capsize the economy and become the biggest fraud in British history.[1]

Cast

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Production

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The project was announced for Meadows in May 2021 as his first television series with executive producers Piers Wenger and Tom Lazenby for the BBC.[3] The series is being produced for the BBC by Element Pictures with A24.[4]

Casting

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In September 2021, Socha, Tom Burke, Turgoose and George MacKay were announced to be cast. Meadows described going on an "open casting odyssey, watching over 6,500 self-tapes from unrepresented actors and actresses".[5] Burke and MacKay did not ultimately appear in the series.

Filming

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Principal photography was revealed to have started in September 2021.[6] Filming locations included the village of Heptonstall, near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.[7]

Music

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Music on the series comes from Swedish psychedelic band Goat.[8]

Additional traditional music from the period was researched and performed by cast member Jennifer Reid and fiddler Tom Kitching.[9]

The opening theme is "What Happens When You Turn the Devil Down" by The Mystery Lights.

Broadcast

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The opening episode was broadcast on BBC Two on 31 May 2023, with all episodes released on BBC iPlayer the same day.[2][10]

Reception

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Critical reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, The Gallows Pole holds an approval rating of 82% based on 11 reviews.[11]

Accolades

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For their work on the series Paul Harrison & Owen Hulme won in the Picture Enhancement category and Ed Kevill-Davies and Lucas Roche were nominated in the Best Design - Titles category at the 2023 Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cast announced for Shane Meadows' new BBC drama The Gallows Pole". BBC Media Centre. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "First-look images released of Shane Meadows' The Gallows Pole, coming soon to BBC Two and iPlayer". BBC Media Centre. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Shane Meadows to make first BBC series with period drama 'The Gallows Pole' (exclusive)". Screen Daily. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  4. ^ "A24 Boards Shane Meadows' BBC Drama 'The Gallows Pole,' George MacKay Among Cast". Hollywood Reporter. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Shane Meadows Adds Tom Burke, Thomas Turgoose, George MacKay And More To New Series The Gallows Pole". Empire Online. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Cast Revealed for Shane Meadows' BBC drama 'The Gallows Pole': Michael Socha, Sophie McShera, Anthony Welsh Amid Line-Up". Variety. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Yorkshire village of Heptonstall transformed for filming of new BBC period drama The Gallows Pole adapted by Shane Meadows". Yorkshire Post. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. ^ Jessop, Vicky (26 May 2023). "Pagans, folk rock and no script: the making of The Gallows Pole, the BBC's wacky new historical drama". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  9. ^ Wilks, Jon (1 June 2023). "Which traditional songs and tunes were used in The Gallows Pole?". Tradfolk. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  10. ^ Cormack, Morgan (18 May 2023). "Shane Meadows's new drama The Gallows Pole confirms air date on BBC". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  11. ^ "The Gallows Pole". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  12. ^ "RTS CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2023". RTS. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
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