| Synopsis: In 1811, when England's
King George III was declared mad, his son, the Prince Regent (later George
IV), assumed the throne. The prince had always had an extravagant and
dissolute lifestyle. Obsessed with fashion and women, he had many mistresses
- mostly married ladies - quite upsetting his father's strict moral code.
His lavish habits were unbridled - in 1791, he owed the equivalent of
over three million dollars to his tailors alone - and set the tone for
an era of decadence. Now, in the tradition of THE 1900 HOUSE, MANOR HOUSE,
FRONTIER HOUSE and COLONIAL HOUSE, PBS presents REGENCY HOUSE PARTY, a
series of four episodes in which 10 modern-day men and women get in on
the romantic action and the way of life that typified the Regency era.
REGENCY HOUSE PARTY airs on PBS Wednesdays, November 3-24, 2004. For nine
sunny summer weeks, a group of eligible bucks and buxom ladies takes up
residence in a magnificent country estate for a house party exactly like
those hosted at the height of the Regency. But will 21st-century folk
who are really looking for love manage to navigate the strict social protocols
of the day? "I think the Regency period really was a lot like today's
reality dating shows," said executive producer Jody Sheff. "During the
Regency, people were thrown together under intense and prescribed circumstances
and in a very short time, with very little to go on, they had to find
a match. The big difference is that now the romance lasts until the programs
air. Back then, your decision was for the rest of your life." The Regency
lasted a mere nine years - from 1811 until 1820 - but the period left
a huge impression on modern history. The opulent era introduced the world
not only to the works of Coleridge, Keats and Wordsworth, but also to
personal trainers, the tabloid press, fashion icons and celebrity "attitude."
Most people know a little about the period from the luminous fiction of
Jane Austen. But what was it really like to live and love during the Regency,
with its social stratification and its formal courtship rituals? What
was the experience of trying to find a mate in a world where a man was
not even allowed to call a woman by her first name until they were married?
Viewers will find out as they follow the trials and triumphs of the REGENCY
HOUSE PARTY. From the moment they arrive at the grand house, the heroes
and heroines of this electrically charged social experiment are immersed
in the world of the Regency. The house has been restored to its period
splendor, electricity and plumbing have been stripped out and an authentic
interior provided - right down to the 32 chamber pots, including the unisex
pot used right in the dining room. All modern-day conveniences - from
razors and deodorants to mobile phones - have been barred from the house.
In the highly competitive, hot-house atmosphere of the house party, marriage,
money and morals are all up for grabs. The status and fortune of each
of the young men and women are keys to their eligibility and desirability.
The most fortunate of the male participants is real-life ad executive
Mr. Gorell Barnes, who, as master of the stately home, is host of the
party. His rivals are the charming and good-natured Mr. John Everett,
a theater designer from West London; former dot-com millionaire Jeremy
Glover, who takes on the role of Royal Naval Captain; hairdresser and
self-confessed hell-raiser Paul Robinson, playing an army officer; and
Mr. Foxsmith, a secondary school science teacher who has traveled back
in time as an amateur scientist. Visitors to the house sent in to stir
the pot include the singer-songwriter James Carrington, the Regency House
"gentleman composer"; and Zebedee Helm, an artist and vagabond who turns
up as the estate hermit. The gentlemen are joined by five young women,
each with a chaperone, of course. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh Griaznov, a real-life
countess, is the highest-ranking female guest, but her lofty position
at the party belies the fact that she is of very little means. Miss Victoria
Hopkins comes with a sizeable fortune but not a shred of social standing.
Two middle-class beauties, Miss Lisa Braund and Miss Hayley Conick, are
worth little more than loose change, but the least fortunate of the bunch
is Miss Francesca Martin, who, as a "lady's companion," has no means at
all and is thus condemned to the status of unpaid servant. Adding some
spice to the party is the provocative Miss Tanya Samuel, who, upon arrival,
takes precedence over all the other women. Over the course of the summer,
the houseguests dine nightly on sumptuous feasts of peacock, turtle and
game, under the flickering light of 10,000 candles. The gentlemen are
dressed and shaved by footmen and enjoy days of shooting pistols, riding
and other outdoor activities. They also engage in the usual activities
of the era: heavy drinking, gambling, illicit bare-knuckle boxing and
carousing with erotic dancers. For the women the days are quite different,
marked by needlework and dancing classes that do little to alleviate the
constraints of corsets and social mores. Tantrums, fights, an engagement
and other surprises get this party started. Over the course of the summer,
the house party builds to an explosive climax - an unchaperoned masquerade
ball where carefully fettered passions are finally unleashed. |
