Peter Capaldi to Star in BBC Christmas Ghost Story 'Martin's Close'
This Christmas season will include a special present for Doctor Who fans, particularly those who loved Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor.
The former Doctor will reteam with Who writer Mark Gatiss for Martin’s Close, an adaptation of the M.R. James story of the same name. The thirty-minute holiday drama will air on BBC Four, and Gatiss will both adapt and direct the tale.
The story follows the 17th century murder trial of a man named John Martin, who is accused of killing a young woman with learning disabilities with whom he had engaged in a one-sided romance. Her death, however, was apparently not the end of their connection, as her ghost is reportedly tormenting him and appearing at will to her former neighbors.
Spooky, right?
Capaldi stars as the barrister Dolben, and he’ll be joined by several other familiar faces, including Game of Thrones’ Wilf Scolding, Four Weddings and a Funeral’s Sara Crowe, A Very English Scandal’s Fisayo Akinade, Simon Williams, Elliot Levey and more.
“After the delightful success of last year’s The Dead Room, it’s a fantastic privilege to continue the tradition of the Christmas Ghost story on BBC Four – and what better than one of my favourite stories by the master of them all, M.R. James?” Gatiss said in a statement.
It all sounds creepy and delightful obviously – apparently ghost stories during the holidays are a still a thing in England, thanks a lot Charles Dickens, I guess – but I’m particularly here for this latest evolution in Capaldi’s expansive and amazing onscreen hair journey. This wig is something else, y’all.
Very delighted to say I have another Christmas Ghost Story coming to @BBCFOUR A personal favourite: M.R. James' 'Martin's Close'. Starring Peter Capaldi, Sara Crowe, Simon Williams, Fisayo Akinade, Elliot Levey, James Holmes, Wilf Scolding and Jessica Temple. pic.twitter.com/81Li25pBc6
— Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) August 21, 2019
Do we even need to know what this show is about when this is the image they give us? It’s like the grumpiest version of Twelve with the biggest of all possible hairstyles. (I know it’s a wig, just let me live for a minute, y’all.) Sign me up.
Martin’s Close will broadcast on BBC Four this holiday season, and all our fingers are crossed they manage someone to show it to American audiences too.
Am I the only one who will literally watch PCap do anything? Let’s discuss.
