Picnic at Hanging Rock (TV series)
| Company type | Television drama series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | May 6, 2018 |
| Founder | Fremantle Australia |
Key people | Jo Porter, Anthony Ellis, Penny Win (executive producers); Brett Popplewell, Antonia Barnard, Jo Porter (producers); Michael Rymer, Larysa Kondracki, Amanda Brotchie (directors) |
| Products | Television drama series |
Number of employees | 6 (episodes) |
| Website | www |
Picnic at Hanging Rock is an Australian television drama blending mystery and romance, which debuted on Foxtel's Showcase on 6 May 2018. This adaptation brings to screen Joan Lindsay's 1967 novel, focusing on the enigmatic disappearance of several schoolgirls during a trip to Hanging Rock. The musical score, crafted by Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski, earned the Screen Music Award for Best Music in a Television Series.
The six-episode production was developed by Fremantle Australia, with executive producers including Jo Porter, Anthony Ellis, and Penny Win. Producers Brett Popplewell, Antonia Barnard, and Jo Porter contributed to the series, while directing duties were shared by Michael Rymer, Larysa Kondracki, and Amanda Brotchie. The principal cast features Natalie Dormer, Lily Sullivan, and Lola Bessis. Episodes are presented in English with a duration of approximately 60 minutes each.
Plot
Hester Appleyard acquires a secluded estate nestled in the Australian wilderness to found an exclusive school for young women. After several months, Appleyard College flourishes. On Valentine's Day in 1900, during an excursion to Hanging Rock, three prominent pupils and their governess vanish without explanation. This event profoundly impacts the students, faculty, headmistress, and surrounding community, sparking rumors, revealing hidden truths, and intensifying panic that disrupts the lives of those involved.
Main
- Natalie Dormer portrays Mrs Hester Appleyard, the school's headmistress
- Lily Sullivan appears as Miranda Reid
- Lola Bessis plays Mademoiselle Dianne de Poitiers, instructor of French Conversation
- Harrison Gilbertson as Michael Fitzhubert
- Samara Weaving as Irma Leopold
- Madeleine Madden as Marion Quade
- Inez Currò as Sara Waybourne
- Ruby Rees as Edith Horton
- Yael Stone as Miss Dora Lumley, teacher of Deportment and Bible Studies
- Philip Quast as Arthur Appleyard, Hester's deceased husband
- Marcus Graham as Tomasetti
- James Hoare as Albert Crundall
- Mark Coles Smith as Tom
- Don Hany as Dr. Mackenzie
Production
Principal photography commenced in February 2017 across various Victorian sites such as Labassa (Caulfield), Mandeville Hall (Toorak), Rippon Lea Estate (Elsternwick), Werribee Park, Lysterfield Park, and Clunes within the Victorian goldfields region. Showrunner duties were undertaken by Larysa Kondracki, who also directed the initial three episodes.
Broadcast
The series first aired on Australia's Showcase in 2018. It later secured distribution through the BBC in the United Kingdom, France's Canal+, Ireland's RTÉ, and via Amazon Prime Video in the United States. Additionally, it was broadcast in Greece on the national network ERT.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2010s Australian drama television series
- 2010s LGBTQ-related drama television series
- 2010s mystery television series
- 2018 Australian television series debuts
- 2018 Australian television series endings
- Australian mystery television series
- Australian English-language television shows
- Fiction set in 1900
- Lesbian-related television shows
- Showcase (Australian TV channel) original programming
- Television series about missing people
- Television series by Fremantle (company)
- Television series set in the 1900s
- Television shows based on Australian novels
- Television shows set in Victoria (state)
- Films scored by Cezary Skubiszewski