Capital drama series covers London diversity
The BBC is acknowledging the diversity in their new 3 episode drama series program Capital which revolves around Pepys Road, to the outside world, the residents of Pepys Road have it all.
Adapted by award-winning screenwriter Peter Bowker from the critically acclaimed bestselling novel by John Lanchester, Capital is a witty and observant look at modern Britain, told over three hour-long episodes.
Peter Bowker says: “Capital is a novel that is about the way we live in modern cities, where poverty lives cheek by jowl with dazzling affluence and where tradition and modernity clash and coexist. It is both a mystery and a love story. The challenge has been to retain all those elements along with the spirit of the original – a kind of comic outrage – while using John’s cast of fascinating, funny and disparate characters, to explore our relationship with money.”
House prices have rocketed, creating a street of multi-million pound homes… However, life’s other problems don’t go away just because you’ve won the property lottery. Petunia is growing increasingly worried that her dizzy spells don’t seem to be going away, but doesn’t want to turn to her daughter Mary for help.
Meanwhile, Roger, banker and supposed family man, is hoping that this year’s bonus might bring him and his wife Arabella happiness – or at least be able to cover the cost of Bogdan and all the renovations he’s been doing on the house. Elsewhere, local shopkeeper Ahmed is hoping that his brothers Shahid and Usman might finally start to take some responsibility and make something of their lives. While Quentina, traffic warden and asylum seeker, is just looking to keep her head down – while being abused by the Pepys Road residents she is ticketing.
All of this is watched by the successful but secretive Smitty, an artist who shares his own personal connection to Pepys Road. Normal life on a normal street. At least, that is, until a mysterious note bearing the words ‘we want what you have’ is dropped through every letterbox. Who has sent the message? And are they still watching the residents? Before long, the ripples caused by the note will have touched every corner of the community – and the residents of Pepys Road will see their lives transformed.
The program should in the future move away from stereotypes such as the Asian shop keeper and have other Asian and Chinese families living amongst the residents so we have an insight of their behaviours and habits.
