BBC 1 will be starting the first of a three-part mini series of JK Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy on Sunday at 9pm. I’m delighted that the BBC have chosen to adapt it as a drama, and will be watching eagerly. I have a high opinion of the book: see my book review here.
I was fascinated to learn that the screenwriter Sarah Phelps has, with JK Rowling’s agreement, changed the ending; she says “it needs some kind of redemptive moment at the end”. This tuned in with my own observations in my review, where I wrote:
“However, although I enormously admire what JKR has done in this story, I still feel it lacks a strong enough spiritual message or act of redemption at the end; and the potential for that is very strongly present as the narrative progresses…. It’s only JK Rowling’s decision not to take the opportunity for a stronger redemptive message which prevents me from giving her book the highest possible rating.”
If you’ve read the book and struggled with the number of characters, here’s my own personal cribsheet of every named character in the novel. I created this list as I read the novel. Some of those named are not developed as characters at all, but are simply referred to. I hope you find this list helpful; though of course when you watch the mini-series you probably won’t have a problem keeping up with the characters, because the actors will make a big difference.
SC Skillman’s CRIB SHEET OF ALL THE CHARACTERS IN
A CASUAL VACANCY
by JK Rowling
Barry Fairbrother, “bearded little man”, Parish Counsellor, Bank Manager, who dies of an aneurysm at the beginning of the novel
His wife Mary, and their children Declan, Fergus, and twins Niamh and Siobhan
Miles Mollison, solicitor, in partnership with Gavin Hughes
Samantha, Miles’s wife
Their daughters Lexie and Libby who go to St Anne’s Independent School in Yarvil
Howard, Miles’s father, owner of delicatessan, Chair of Parish Council, 1st Citizen of Pagford
Shirley, Howard’s wife, Miles’s mother; she is a hospital volunteer, had hated Barry Fairbrother, and administers the Council’s website
Patricia, their daughter, Miles’s sister
Gavin Hughes, squash partner of Barry’s, solicitor in partnership with Miles
Kay Bawden, social worker, Gavin’s lover
Gaia, Kay’s daughter
Una, Alex and Mattie, Kay’s social services colleagues
Colin and Tessa Wall, friends of Mary and Barry. Colin is a Deputy Headteacher and Tessa is Head of Guidance.
Stuart their son, known as “Fatso”, who is best friends with Andrew Price, and has a sexual relationship with Krystal Weedon
Ruth Price, a nurse
Simon Price, Ruth’s husband, abusive and boorish to his family, runs a printworks, is particularly aggressive to his elder son Andrew
Their son Andrew who has a bad attitude to his father Simon, and who fancies Kay’s daughter Gaia
Andrew’s younger brother Paul
Maureen, Howard’s business partner in the Delicatessan, age 62, widow of Howard’s previous business partner Ken
Shona, Miles and Gavin’s legal secretary
Dr Parminder Jawanda, local GP, Parish Counsellor, had loved Barry Fairbrother
Vikram, her handsome husband, cardiac surgeon
Their three children: Jaswant, Sukhvinder and Rajpal
Mrs Shawcross, headmistress
Aubrey Fawley who purchased Sweetlove House in the 1950’s and had four children
Young Aubrey, his son, Pagford’s rep on the Yarvil Council, a merchant banker in London
Julia, Young Aubrey’s wife
Alison Jenkins, news reporter
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN or are associated with people who live in “THE FIELDS”
Terri Weedon, a drug addict and dysfunctional mother
Krystal, her daughter, problem pupil
Robbie, Krystal’s little brother (Terri’s son), in danger of being removed by social services
Anne-Marie, their sister, (Terri’s other daughter) no longer living with them
Obbo, drug-pusher, who sells drugs to Terri
Nikki, Jemma and Leane, Krystal’s schoolfriends
Nana Cath, Krystal’s great-grandmother, and Terri’s grandmother
Rhiannon, another of Nana Cath’s granddaughters (Terri’s cousin?)
John and Sue, Nana Cath’s son and daughter
Cheryl and Danielle, Terri’s sisters
Dane Tully, dysfunctional teen, his father and two brothers are frequently in prison
scskillman.com 