From the pen of Sarah Waters, who wrote Tipping the Velvet, Affinity is set in a Victorian prison in London and stars Zoe Tapper, Anna Madeley and Amanda Plummer.
Madeley plays Margaret Prior who, after the death of her father, decides to volunteer as a visitor to the female inmates of Millbank – one of London’s most notorious gaols.
Among Millbank’s murderers and common thieves, Margaret becomes increasingly fascinated by one inmate, the enigmatic spiritualist Selina Dawes (Tapper). She is serving time for assaulting a young girl after being possessed by a malevolent spirit during a séance.
Margaret is at first cynical about Selina’s so-called gifts but sympathetic to the plight of the beautiful girl. She offers guidance and friendship during her visits.
But it’s not long before Selina begins to hold sway over Margaret with her piercing insight into her character and predicament.
Margaret’s domineering mother has been pressing her to marry a man who sees himself as her perfect match but Selina’s increasing influence awakens feelings in Margaret she has been struggling to suppress.
Soon things – impossible things – start to happen which suggest Selina may be telling the truth about her ability to communicate with and command the dead.
The drama evokes the twilight world of séances, unruly spirits and unseemly passions, building up to a romantic mystery with an explosive conclusion.
production details
UK | ITV1 | 1×120 minutes | 2008
Director: Tim Fywell
Script: Andrew Davies, Sarah Waters,
cast
Zoë Tapper as Selena
Anna Madeley as Margaret
Anna Massey as Miss Haxby
Anne Reid as Mrs. Brink
Sarah Crowden as Ada
Domini Blythe as Mother
Amanda Plummer as Miss Ridley
Caroline Loncq as Ruth Vigers
Vincent Leclerc as Theophilus
Ferelith Young as Helen
Sara Lloyd-Gregory as Madeleine
Kenneth Hadley as Prison Porter
