BFI The City and The City Preview Q&A

The City and The City Preview 12 March 2018

A new drama to air on BBC TWO.  TV preview and Q&A attended by actors David Morrissey, Mandeep Dhillon and writer Tony Grisoni.  With Preethi Mavahalli from Mammoth Screens. Adapted from the book by China Mieville.

A veritable apocalyptic or thereabouts setting for this new drama by Mammoth Screen productions to be aired on BBC TWO.  The first impression was very 1984 meets Blade Runner.  It really had an impact on the senses, especially visually: the squalor, suspicion and solitude of living in such a world.  East and West Germany, almost; two cities divided by nothing but a street, a piece of concrete, metal, stairs, as shown by the two lovers who could almost be Romeo and Juliet, not being able to talk, barely being able to hold hands.  Only stealing silent touches in the hopes they are not too conspicuous.

Tough scenes, plenty of swearing, used to comical effect, especially in the opening scenes as the lead character, Inspector Tyador Borlu (David Morrissey) of the Extreme Crime Force meets the policewoman, Constable Corwi of the Beszel Policzai, assigned to the case.  One of murder and even this develops further to provide much intrigue.  As it opens up old wounds for Borlu.

To anyone who hasn't read the book, it was stunning to see adapted, easy to follow and to get into.  Interspersed with narration/commentary from Borlu to explain the setting, life in these two cities.  The other city being Ul Qoma, as the murdered woman came from here.

Trust Beszel and how it identify Breach, they look just like you and me,Breach coming across as a military Big Brother type organization.  Also how there's tourist training for anyone coming into the cities.  Though why anyone would want to is beyond me.  As the murdered girl's mother says, it's a horrible place.

The cast really propels the drama forward and Borlu in his determination not to give up this case but also how it relates to the murder case of his wife, Katrynia (Lara Pulver) and how it remains unsolved.  Of course it will all connect and make sense as the eps air and the stories unfold, but it did seem haunting to watch.  A dystopian future that awaits, bleak.  The contrast between the two cities will be revealed later when the series gets underway.  Also similar to Dark Angel, I felt in that, it had different sectors and sector passes needed to travel.  This has travel documents which are needed to pass between cities.  The interesting aspect how a child's toy falls by Borlu's feet but he doesn't pick it up or throw it over, he just stands there and comments.  She waits til nightfall and then retrieves it herself as they wave to each other.  Adeptly described by David in the Q&A where he says how it's akin to living in the street but not knowing everyone on that same street.

A must see drama as far as the first episode went.  Lots of secrets to be revealed...

Q&A

This is the first time China's works have been adapted for the small screen and he attended the event.  Many came here cos they knew the work as did David.  Tony and David knew each other and was a fan of his work.  When David reads books etc; he thinks if they'll make good adaptations for the TV etc; and with this he just read the book which he stated was "wonderful and complex."

Tony didn't know this book but did know the other work and was sent the book and asked if he wanted to read it.  There's talk of the other city and there's much exposition.  The whole book is about what you choose to share and choose to tell.  He showed that in the script, only hear about it, discuss it and then start to tweak how you want it done.  The director was also the designer of the set, Tom Shankland, visually there's a crumbling city, multi-cultural. Ul Qomo is glass and steel, Beszel is crumbling.
Tom commented how he writes longer notes than the other Tom.

Had a huge respect for the actors and the sets and was incredible watching people get into the piece and how to interpret it, to get back into it.  There were pronunciation differences about the languages, which were adapted for this production.  Made up and resembled a little Polish and German thrown in.
Mandeep: didn't want to think about it, the story and just did the piece in terms of the production.

Audience Q: How did writer try to bring in the exposition and what would work and wouldn't.  Answer Tom: By asking about it and thinking to yourself if you want to do it, or include it.  Were many versions of the script and was very amazing and important everyone asking and helping.  He had read the book towards the end of 2013 and just finished writing the script now.

Q differentiate between the two cities and how the blurred look of the film was achieved?
David: special filter on the lens and were varied techniques.  Filmed with a filter but it was Manchester and Liverpool, because of the architecture, the modern city and also some Victorian structures.  Glass, metal.  He spoke of how we live in our houses and it's not such a big leap of faith to see people we know and those that live at the end of the street and we don't know.  The drama used the idea of not being allowed to interact with some certain people living right here and now and it's just accentuating that in this drama.
Ul Qomo is more militarized, more fine lines and cleaner city than Beszel: more industrialized.

Preethi said the language was developed for the production.  One asked how would you say "hello!"  David: "Hello."  David's character can't speak it but the actors were fantastic and they just came on and spoke it on set.
David respond to people emotionally inside the story and the restrictions they encounter emotionally.

Should air in April, although Preethi was keeping mum about it.
David: "I'm free from April that's all I'm saying."

David: golden TV drama is like the golden team of football, it's always been around.  TV become the place where writers express themselves and not seen as a poor relation of film. This show he gets a lot of scripts, this is addictive, raw not spooky but it's engaging.

David: A really different world see here is torment quickly and is reflected in the world around Borlu and he likes that.  Great to do this and for every department, asking questions always and was challenging in every aspect to do and he's very proud of it.

David: Loved book, knew it and loved Tom and the script and he loved Tom Shankland's work.  Fun challenging and worked to create that role.