“Just an insane, ludicrous real story”: Timothy Spall, Anjana Vasan, Thea Sharrock and Jonny Sweet on Wicked Little Letters

When you think of your average period drama, what first springs to mind? Delicate costuming, verbose dialogue and simmering sexual tension when eyes lock across ballrooms? Well, push such preconceptions to the side when diving into Thea Sharrock’s (Me Before You) Wicked Little Letters, in which 1920s women give some of Guy Ritchie’s modern-day gangsters a run for their money on foul-mouthed banter.

Leading the charge as two warring former mates, the pious spinster Edith Swan and wild Irish lass Rose Gooding, are Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley. Firm real-life friends, they have previously acted in the same film (The Lost Daughter), but as older/younger versions of the same character, so this is a first to see them sharing the screen – and it’s every bit as brilliant as you’d imagine. Their offscreen friendship no doubt adds to the bristling chemistry and tension, and both play their requisite roles with gusto, if a little caricatured.

The plot is introduced as a kind of crime mystery, to discover who in the sleepy seaside town of Littlehampton has been sending some rather scandalously obscene letters, first to Edith and then to many others in the community – but it’s not what keeps one glued. It’s the cast of delightful characters, spearheaded by Anjana Vasan as Police Officer Gladys Moss, who must face the sharp end of the rife misogyny in the police station and beyond (Hugh Skinner and Paul Chahidi land their Laurel and Hardy-esque skits with glee), but is far too tenacious not to seek justice at any cost. 

In the case of stranger-than-fiction, the story, penned by Jonny Sweet, is actually based on a real one, and beneath the slapstick there are some serious points made about how women were – and are – treated by a patriarchal society (as personified in Edith’s father, played with venom by Timothy Spall), as well as by history, which often leaves their tales untold. Utterly charming and laugh-out-loud funny, this film looks like it was a blast to make, and is just as much fun to watch.

The Upcoming had the chance to speak to Sharrock and Sweet about crafting their comedy caper, highlighting the challenge of adapting a complex, true mystery into an engaging film. They praised their exceptional cast for bringing depth and humour to the story, and expressed hopes that audiences find both laughter and reflection on societal issues.

We then spoke to Spall and Vasan who shared their reflections on the playful take on period drama. They appreciated the script’s irreverence and relevance, the exploration of societal constraints and their complex characters. They praised their co-stars, especially Colman and Buckley, for bringing heart and humour to the film.

Sarah Bradbury

Wicked Little Letters is released nationwide on 23^rd February 2024.

Watch the trailer for Wicked Little Letters here: