Eddie Marsan on challenging aspect of The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe
The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe starts tonight.
- Helen Daly
Published: Sunday, 17 April 2022 at 11:00 am
Get ready to delve into the world of The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which starts tonight on ITV.
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The four-part series tells the bizarre and unique story of Anne and John Darwin, a couple from Hartlepool who hit headlines in the 2000s.
John faked his own death by attempting to paddle out into the North Sea with his canoe, but when his canoe was discovered and his body wasn't, he was declared dead and Anne could claim life insurance money needed to pay off their extortionate debts.
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The story is undoubtedly comedic by its bizarre nature, but the ITV retelling offers more balance, showing the darkness Anne (played by Monica Dolan) went through and having to live the lie every single day.
For John Darwin actor, Eddie Marsan, the complexity of this reimagining added to the pressure of taking on The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Marsan said in The Big RT Interview (out today), that Chris Lang's script and Richard Laxton's direction helped him to find the light and shade of the piece.
"I did [feel pressure taking on a true story]. But it was alleviated a lot, because a lot of the work had been done by Richard and Chris before I came on board," he explained.
Monica Dolan as Anne Darwin, Eddie Marsan as John Darwin and Jorge Albuquerque as Mario Vilar. ITV
"The challenge of the whole piece is that it's tragic, it's unbelievable, and it's funny. And some writers and directors find it very hard to write something that incorporates contradictory elements. But great writing always does.
"So by the time I came on, it was already taking shape. It already had all those elements in and it was finely balanced. So all I really had to do was not mess it up. Really I just had to do whatever Chris had written and whatever Richard wanted me to do.”
Read more:
- Anne Darwin is “unreliable narrator” in new drama, says Monica Dolan
- Monica Dolan, Eddie Marsan recreate infamous John and Anne Darwin Panama pic
- The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe true story: What Anne and John Darwin series is based on
The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe starts tonight at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub. If you’re looking for more to watch, take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide.
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Authors
Helen DalyDeputy Digital Editor
Helen Daly is the deputy digital editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.
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