This England

I’m not going to lie to you –This England is not an easy watch.

I thought I was about to watch a bio-drama of fallen Prime Minister Boris Johnson. But it’s largely a bio-drama of the pandemic through the eyes of the PM and his cabinet.

This doesn’t leave it less interesting, but there are those who may not be ready to face it just yet. Heck, I can barely even bring myself to watch The Hundred with Andy Lee because it reminds me too much of Zoom.

But make no mistake, Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson is uncanny. The voice, the make-up, the walk… it’s an award-worthy performance.

The story begins with Johnson’s election campaign to “Get Brexit Done” and a swift victory for the Conservative Party in 2019. Initially, directors Julian Jarrold and Michael Winterbottom wisely keep Branagh in wide shot to lull you into a dramatic acceptance of this TV Prime Minister. By the time you get up close to Boris you’ve already become used to his delivery and style.

His partner Carrie, is played by Ophelia Lovibond, who devours newspapers and looks after their pet dog when she isn’t palming him off to an advisor to walk.

Chief advisor to the PM is Dominic Cummings (Simon Paisley Day) who drives his staff with such ferocity as to constantly be hanging a Sword of Damacles over their heads. Another key role is Matt Hancock as Andrew Buchan as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

This England lands like a docudrama as pandemic news footage is woven between drama scenes at 10 Downing Street. They emerge via a wet market in Wuhan, and some early concerns by the Brits watching China react with draconian measures. By January 2020 the market has been shutdown and China is literally building a hospital in days.

“We’re keeping an eye on it,” Boris is told by his team.

Within weeks cases emerge in Italy, but the Brits are confident -initially- that they have matters under control.
There’s a lot of meetings in this tale, whether as Civil Contingencies Committee aka COBRA, Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies or Cabinet. In between, Boris spends time with Carrie, who gave birth nine months after he takes office (!), constantly leaving messages for his absent adult children and brilliantly quoting Shakespeare. Who knew Branagh would be doing such in a messy white wig and make-up, rather than decked out as Hamlet?

By February the predictions are 80% of Brits will have been infected and 500,000 will have died, yet there is procrastination over whether a full lock-down is really necessary while the advice is to avoid shaking hands (something Boris can’t even maintain himself) and wash regularly. But it’s hard not to feel some sympathy for these dealing with the unknown, and hindsight nearly three years on from the comfort of an iso-couch is an almost wonderful thing.

It’s important to note that by episode two the drama includes frontline workers, those tireless NHS workers who, like our own in Australia, were dealing with limited PPE and staffing numbers and skyrocketing cases. Again, these scenes are confronting stuff.

History shows that Johnson’s term would be dogged by poor decision making -notably around social gatherings while commoners were in lockdown. Shakespeare may not have crafted scenes that reflected such modern matters, but he did address failures in leadership constantly.

While this may be ‘dry’ in its style, This England is very convincing. The recreations behind government doors are expansive and realistic, anchored by Branagh in a superb performance. But it won’t be an entertainment for everybody.

I’m reminded that when the musical Hair was released in 1979 as a pretty outstanding film there were those who said it was too soon, and those who said it was too late.

This England may face a similar dilemma, but Branagh’s star will shine bright regardless.

This England screens 8:30pm Thursdays on BBC First.