Actress Indira Varma was totally gripped by Unspeakable script
Has my boyfriend sexually assaulted my daughter? That’s the horrendous question at the heart of a new drama
When actress Indira Varma read the script for Unspeakable – an agonisingly tense one-off drama about what happens after a mother of two, Jo, receives an anonymous text alleging a sexual relationship between her younger boyfriend and her 11-year-old daughter – she was as gripped and divided as viewers will be.
“I didn’t know whether he’d done it,” says Indira, 44. “There was a lump in my throat every single step of the way. You’re thinking as you read and watch it: ‘F***ing say something, Jo! Tell him! Confront him!’”
“It’s a potent topic and one that’s been in the media a lot in the past few years,” admits Luke Treadaway, who plays Danny, the man under suspicion.
“But however much some people would like it to be, this drama is not making a comment on whether we should trust an accusation. It’s about relationships and when someone is terribly suspicious of something awful.
It could be about anything – an affair, for instance.
How do we as humans go about confronting someone? It asks loads of questions the whole way through.”
Like hit dramas Liar and Doctor Foster, Unspeakable focuses on uncovering the truth and what happens to everyone next when things start to unravel.
For Jo, the time bomb comes by text, but it could just as easily have been on social media. Both actors have their reservations when it comes to Twitter and Instagram.
“Everything is available now, especially on the internet,” says Indira.
“So whatever we’re worrying about, we see it everywhere and it becomes paranoia. My daughter [aged 10] doesn’t have a phone, but I do let her play a game where she can send something to a friend.
"It is all very controlled, but I had to say to her: ‘You do know that anyone can watch this?
"This dance that you won’t even show me can be seen by all the people in your year and all the people in your school.’ I had to explain what that number meant.”
“I’m really glad that I got to the age I did before social media was invented,” adds 33-year-old Luke.
“At least I still remember a version of life without it. You work with 20-year-old kids these days – screenagers,
"I call them – and they’re basically on it the whole time. I sound like an old codger, but I do think it is an intense addition to the world we live in.
"I do follow it for news but I’m not sending pictures of: ‘Look at me, I’m having my breakfast.’”
Luke did use it, however, to complain about the Twitter account of someone he thought was violating various conduct codes – namely the President of the United States of America.
“I did report Donald Trump to Twitter,” says Luke, “but I haven’t heard anything back. I thought: ‘Hold on a minute, mate, this is hate speech.’ If it was anyone else, I think his account would have been closed.”
Twitter spats aside, Indira – who played Ellaria Sand in Game Of Thrones – says she had only one concern about the role of Jo.
“This was a wonderful opportunity to play someone who hasn’t got a funny accent or a theatrical costume,” she says.
“But I was nervous about: ‘What if Jo’s unlikeable?’ She’s there on screen the whole time. I don’t want people to go: ‘Oh, f***ing shut up!’ and turn over within the first five minutes.”
Luke laughs: “That’s not gonna happen…”
Indeed, you will be gripped.
NEW! Unspeakable Sunday 9pm C4