Polly (Sarah Lancashire)

Sarah Lancashire proves a tour de force in this fearless Channel 4 four-part drama, set entirely in Wales, and for which she had to perfect her Welsh accent.

    
 POLLY (Sarah Lancashire) is standing outside. ANGELA (Joanna Scanlan) comes and joins her,               then GRETA (Eiry Thomas)

The story opens as a local community gets on with the day to day struggles of life, set against the town’s St David’s Day celebrations, in the shadow of a building project that local councillors believe will regenerate their town.

A group of 15 – year olds, who think that they are adults, but are really just kids, break into the building where an explosion causes the accident of the title and the catalyst for families and friendships to be tested to breaking point.

Written by Jack Thorne, whose earlier television credits include the ground breaking ‘Skins,’ shares many of its themes with the Grenfell tragedy. ‘The Accident’ is the third part of Thorne’s trilogy and looks at class, corporate manslaughter and restorative justice.

  HARRIET (Sidse Babett Knudsen) walks across    the hotel.

The main characters are so well drawn, that we the viewer, instinctively feels a part of this Welsh community and know how they will react until that is, they are faced with raw grief.

The families are looking for answers and seeking someone to blame as this chilling and thought – provoking drama unfolds.

Viewed from the point of view of the affected families, the local community, the politicians and the faceless corporate developers, it is hard not to wonder how we might react in similar circumstances.

Powerful, gripping and yes, harrowing, this is a drama worth setting the recorder for on 24th October.

Photos: Copyright © Simon Ridgway, 2019