THE team planning a new blockbuster TV series set in Victorian Glasgow say it could be the ‘new Outlander’.
Wax Fruit, Guy McCrone’s famous trilogy of books which traces the rise of the Moorhouse family, is being turned into a lavish period drama by Little White Rose Films.
A seven-minute trailer featuring an all-star cast, including Ashley Jensen, Shirley Henderson, Martin Compston, Molly Windsor and Elaine C Smith, has already whipped up interest, and a petition to help spread the word in the hope of attracting a commission, is gathering signatures.
The show has already secured support from Creative Scotland, with the first episode ready for production, explains executive producer Sarah Purser.
"It’s an epic, like Dynasty in tartan, fuelled by passion, black humour, raucous laughs, malt whisky - and a frightening dose of ambition," she said.
"Our characters, particularly the formidable women of the Moorhouse clan, are bold, beautiful, and unapologetically Scottish, taking on the world with wit, intelligence, style and a wicked sense of humour.”
The Glasgow Times revealed Elaine C Smith’s role in the drama earlier this year. The Two Doors Down star will play Mrs Barrowfield, a doctor’s wife and formidable matriarch.
“I think that’s what’s been missing from Glasgow – a good Victorian saga,” she told us. “There are lots of stories told about the city on TV and in film, and it’s drugs and violence and Taggart, which is all very good. But I do think it’s time for a new type of drama about Glasgow.”
She added: “When I read it, I thought oh, this is brilliant. This is different. I get feelings in my water about things, and I think this will be fabulous.”
The team have up to five seasons, each of 10 episodes, of material ready to go, says Sarah, who adds: “It could be massive.”
Sarah first came across Wax Fruit, which was an international bestseller when it was first published in 1947, when she moved into an attic flat on Grosvenor Terrace in the West End.
“The previous owners left us a bottle of wine, a lovely card and a copy of Wax Fruit,” says Sarah, smiling. “It was opened at the page where Bel, played by Molly Windsor, has finally moved west, and the card simply said ‘you’ve made it’. The house Bel moved to was on Grosvenor Terrace.
“I was telling my dad and he said Guy McCrone was his godfather. There are so many lovely connections.”
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She adds: “Also, the world of Victorian Glasgow is disappearing, so many buildings from that era are crumbling or being lost to fire.
"This series would shine a spotlight on those amazing architectural gems, and on a period of time when Glasgow was absolutely the centre of the world, and bring that to life. Glasgow is not the backdrop in the show, it's front and centre."
Sarah believes Wax Fruit could be a huge boost to the Scottish economy and global profile.
“Between 2014 and 2020, Outlander drew around 1.9m visitors to Scotland, contributing more than £120m to its economy and sparking global interest in its heritage,” added Sarah.
“Wax Fruit can equally raise Scotland’s profile and create lasting employment in its film, hospitality, and tourism industries.”
To support the Wax Fruit campaign to attract the attention of TV commissioners, head to the Change.Org website to sign the petition.
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