Sarah Lancashire is undoubtedly one of Britain’s finest actors. The three-time BAFTA winner is renowned for her powerful and authentic performances and is the recipient of both an OBE and CBE for her services to drama.
But while the Oldham-born star is perhaps best known for her roles in acclaimed shows like Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, as well as her breakout role in Coronation Street, she also stars in another brilliant period drama, The Paradise, which is currently available to stream on U.
© ITV/Shutterstock
Keep reading to find out more…
What is The Paradise about?
Billed as an “intoxicating love story” set in a northern department store in 1875, the period drama tells the rags-to-riches tale of Denise Lovett (Joanna Vanderham), who arrives in the city to work at her Uncle Edmund’s shop, but when he’s unable to offer her a position, she finds work at The Paradise.
The synopsis continues: “This impossibly glamorous store provides the catalyst for her rags-to-riches story as she falls in love with the exhilarating and dangerous charms of the modern world.
© Jonathan Ford
“Entwined in this intoxication is The Paradise’s dashing and reckless owner, John Moray, a buccaneering capitalist, self-made and utterly modern man who inspires in Denise a passion and creativity she didn’t know she had.”
The series, which first aired in 2012, is an adaptation of Émile Zola’s 1883 French novel, Au Bonheur des Dames, about a young woman who begins working in sales in a department store.
Producer Simon Lewis described the drama as “Sex And The City in the 19th century,” adding: “I think a lot of the values are fairly contemporary. We’ve dressed it up in a very fancy setting and actually a lot of the dynamics that the characters face are really modern.”
Who stars in the series?
Joanna Vanderham (Outrageous) stars as Denise Lovett, alongside Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) as Miss Audrey.
© Nick Briggs
They’re joined by Emun Elliott (The Gold) as John Moray, Elaine Cassidy (No Offence) as Katherine Glendenning, Patrick Malahid (Luther) as Lord Glendenning, Matthew McNulty (Deadwater Fell) as Dudley and Stephen Wight (Screw) as Sam Rippon.
Is The Paradise worth watching?
The series, which holds a respectable 76 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, has been hailed by viewers as a “delightful” and “beautifully filmed” drama.
One person described the series as the “best ever,” adding: “Witty, moving, adorable, suspenseful, intriguing. This show had me from the first few scenes.”
© © BBC
A second viewer wrote: “The Paradise is full of love and hate, rivalries and partnerships, betrayals and reconciliations, intrigue and secrecy, a touch of sex and a little violence. Everything to make it a fun and interesting show to watch,” while another hailed Sarah’s performance as “amazing”.
How to watch The Paradise
Both seasons one and two of The Paradise are available to stream on U now.
