I have often commented on how I do enjoy a good TV historical drama series, so I was looking forward to the latest from ITV’s .. “Beecham House” .. because I have always had a great interest in the British in India during the time of “The Honourable East India Company” and the later colonial rule.
Well, all I can say is that, so far, it’s been more “Carry On up the Khyber” than “Jewell in the Crown” !
Its all about a bloke named John Beecham, who insists that he is not an evil exploiting British sahib, but in fact, loves India and it’s people, and, somehow has amassed a fortune there without doing any harm to anyone. Oh!, and he is, or so it seems, the father of a ‘mystery’ baby.
He lives in luxury in what, to me, looks like one of those modern ‘Dubai’ themed hotels, full of oriental opulence and hidden air conditioning: and just to let you know that it is India, the Delhi street scenes always feature an elephant, a camel, a sweeper and a few ‘Gunga Din’ impersonators.
The story line is ‘clunky’ and most of the acting is ‘wooden’ to say the least, but I liked Dakota Blue Richards as the governess and love interest, and it’s possible that amongst the Indian cast there are some good actors, but it is hard to tell one from another with all that bowing and mumbling in all those saris, turbans and ‘Groucho Marx’ moustaches.
OK ! … That’s enough, but I just have to mention that John Beecham’s, wealthy, and one would expect haughty upper class mother, required a Maggie Smith or, perhaps a Judi Dench in the role. Instead we got Lesley Nicol …
… the cook from ‘Downton Abbey’ !
bigjohn 
