''Mayflies'' is a two-part British television drama starring Martin Compston and Tony Curran, adapted by

Andrea Gibb Andrea Gibb is a Scottish screenwriter and actress. Early life and education Andrea Gibb was born in Greenock, Scotland. She studied drama and sociology at Glasgow University and then did a post-graduate teaching degree at Manchester Polytechn ...

from Andrew O'Hagan's 2020 novel of the same name, and directed by Peter Mackie Burns.

Synopsis

Tully and Jimmy have been friends since 1986 after meeting in Scotland. Thirty years later, Jimmy received a heartbreaking phone call from Tully that he has terminal cancer.

Cast

* Martin Compston as Jimmy **

Rian Gordon Rian John Gordon is a Scottish actor best known for his role as Conor Brodie in ''River City'' and Young Jerome in ''Silent Witness''. Career Gordon played the role as Conor Brodie on the BBC Scotland soap opera ''River City ''River Cit ...

as Young Jimmy * Tony Curran as Tully ** Tom Glynn-Carney as Young Tully * Ashley Jensen as Anna * Tracy Ifeachor as Iona * Paul Gorman as Young Hogg * Matt Littleson as Limbo * Cal MacAninch - Tibbs ** Mitchell Robertson as Young Tibbs * Elaine C Smith - Barbara ** Charlene Boyd as young Barbara * Shauna Macdonald - Fiona *

Colin McCredie Colin McCredie (born 8 June 1972 in Dumbarton, Scotland) is a Scottish actor, best known for his role as DC Stuart Fraser in the STV drama ''Taggart'', Nick Morrison in the BBC Scotland Soap Opera ''River City'' and in the films '' Shallow Gr ...

- Scott

Production

The BBC announced the project in August 2022. Set and filmed in Scotland, Synchronicity Films were announced to be producing for the BBC. Compston described the process of adapting an acclaimed novel “terrifying” while Curran said they had tried to “honour” the book.

Broadcast

The first episode of ''Mayflies'' aired in the UK on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

on Wednesday, December 28 at 9pm, the second episode the following day at the same time.

Reception

The Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nikk ...

'' reviewed a “thoughtful exploration of how death liberates the soon-to-be deceased, and devastates those left behind” with an “array of stirring performances”. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' described it as “beautifully told” whilst “Curran is deeply moving as a man who refuses to let death have the last laugh, with Ashley Jensen as his firecracker wife Anna.”

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayflies Television shows set in Scotland Television shows filmed in Scotland Television shows filmed in the United Kingdom 2022 British television series debuts 2022 British television series endings 2020s British drama television series 2020s British television miniseries BBC television dramas English-language television shows Television shows based on British novels