Black Narcissus (BBC-1 2018)

From BAFTA award-winning writer Amanda Coe (Apple Tree Yard) comes a new three-part BBC One adaptation of Black Narcissus, Rumer Godden’s iconic tale of sexual repression and forbidden love.

Returning this haunting love story to its original setting in the 1930s, as the western colonial order is about to explode into the crisis of World War Two, Black Narcissus follows Sister Clodagh and the nuns of St Faiths, who travel to Nepal to set up a branch of their order in the remote palace of Mopu.

In the unfettered sensuality of the so-called House of Women, Sister Clodagh finds herself increasingly attracted to the handsome and damaged land agent, Mr Dean. But as the repressed memories of Clodagh’s past become entangled with the tragic history of Princess Srimati, the Nepalese princess driven to madness and suicide in the palace after her own tragic love story, history seems doomed to repeat itself.

Are there really ghosts here in the Himalayas, or are the nuns just succumbing to long-repressed primal desires? And which of them is prepared to die – or kill – for love?

Coe says: “I’m thrilled to be adapting Black Narcissus for BBC One. It’s a truly extraordinary love story, as well as a brilliantly unsettling piece of 20th century gothic about the power of a place to get under your skin and the dangers of refusing to learn from history.”

Black Narcissus was previously filmed in 1947 by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

cast
No cast announcements yet

key behind the scenes crew
Amanda Coe as Writer
Rumer Godden as Original Author
Tom Winchester as Producer
Andrew Macdonald as Executive Producer
Allon Reich as Executive Producer
Lucy Richeras Executive Producer

show type
Period drama

broadcast from
Three parter in production for 2018.

network and production companies
BBC One – DNA Films