Anne with an E
Image Credit: Netflix
Emily Parker,
16th Dec 2017
Tags:
Life
Review
Drama
Netflix
When I was growing up I was lucky enough to go on holidays to the East Coast of Canada to Prince Edward Island, the home of LM Montgomery’s 'Anne of Green Gables'.
Having read the book I remember being excited to visit her home, which is said to be the inspiration for the fictional location of Avonlea. It was everything I had hoped the trip would be and what I had imagined from reading the book and from seeing the theatre production in Charlottetown.
If you haven’t read the book, the story is about an 11-year-old orphan called Anne who grew up in Avonlea in the late 19th Century. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert wanted to adopt a boy to help out on their farm, but to their surprise they get sent a girl, Anne. The story tells of her struggles settling into her new life, and her unlikely friendships and love.
The book has sold over 50 million copies worldwide since its release and numerous adaptations of the story have already been released on film, TV and radio play, prior to the arrival of the latest version, 'Anne with an E' by Netflix.
This series is the perfect way to reintroduce a timeless classic to a new audience.
When I saw the arrival of 'Anne with an E' on Netflix I was excited to see the remake, considering the last version was made in the 1980’s! And I wasn’t disappointed. This series is the perfect way to reintroduce a timeless classic to a new audience.
The creator of the series, Moira Walley-Beckett, recently said that this story is not seen as "your grandmother's Anne", and it is certainly a grittier and more in-depth portrayal of the character.
Anne, played by Amybeth McNulty, has an incredible imagination, taking her off to new worlds and has lots of afternoon teas as the Lady Cordelia, getting into plenty of trouble with her friends. Amybeth is suitably dramatic, endearing and annoying in her portrayal of Anne. The script is strong, with a mix of flamboyant and emotive language as you would expect for her character. There are also some witty one-liners.
The location and set was not only what I had imagined it to be, but was also what I had experienced in Canada.
Richard H. Thomson and Geraldine James play brother and sister duo Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. The charming characters bring a depth to the story with their relationship with Anne, as they accept her into their family. Thomson and James help bring a rawness in some of the more emotive scenes and they are well suited to their roles.
Each episode has a strong storyline touching on not only the challenges of the day, but some of the early feminist views.
Each episode has a strong storyline touching on not only the challenges of the day, but some of the early feminist views, which was fascinating to watch. It will leave you appreciating how far attitudes have come.
In places it doesn’t stick closely to the book, with a few new tales integrated seamlessly into the well-known storyline, which I’m sure fans of the original book will love.
The only warning I’d give for younger viewers, is that there are parts of the series that go more in-depth into Anne’s past and the life she left, which can make uncomfortable viewing. Abuse is insinuated and poor living conditions are shown.
A quiet cosy night in was the perfect setting to watch this series.
'Anne with an E' is an easy watching series and caters well for audiences of all ages. And while fans of 'Anne of Green Gables' will always have their favourite version, mine is now definitely Amybeth McNulty! A quiet cosy night in was the perfect setting to watch this series.
UK viewers can catch up with the first series via Netflix. Series 2 is due to arrive in 2018.
