The TV adaptation of Marian Keyes’ Walsh Sisters books begins tonight on RTÉ One. John Byrne meets Louisa Harland and Caroline Menton, who play sisters Anna and Rachel.
When The Traitors Ireland ended last week, a lot of people were wondering how RTÉ could possibly follow that. Maybe even 'if'.
Well folks, here we are. If you thought the shenanigans at Slane Castle was great craic – and it was – wait till you get a load of The Walsh Sisters. It’s terrific.
I’ve only seen the opening episode but was instantly hooked. Sometimes, books don’t translate well in TV adaptations. This is not one of them, and I doubt if fans of Marian Keyes’ will be anything other than delighted with the results.
As well as having multi-tasker Stefanie Preissner on board, developing the adaptation and writing four of the first season’s six episodes while playing the part of the ever-dependable Maggie, the show also boasts a superb cast.
For starters, Carrie Crowley and Aidan Quinn are a knockout combination as Mammy and Daddy Walsh. Their chemistry is comic gravy, so it is.
Danielle Galligan plays eldest Walsh sister, single mother Claire, while Máiréad Tyers - who'll be popping up soon in Obituary - is at the opposite end of the age spectrum as 'baby' Helen.
In between are the pivotal pair of loved-up but troubled Anna, and Rachel, whose life is dictated by addiction.
Those two are played by Louisa Harland and Caroline Menton, whom I met at Luttrellstown Castle on the outskirts of Dublin, where a scene from the show was being filmed earlier this year.
Just like two characters from a Marian Keyes novel, they’re dead chatty and intoxicatingly keen to talk about a show that could’ve - should’ve - been made years ago. But now is always a good time.
"How has this story not been told before?" asks a rhetorical Caroline Menton. "This has been in development for the last couple of years. We were definitely in the right time and the right place," she grins, acknowledging her delight at being party to the project.
And she's a proper Marian Keyes fan too. Never saw that one coming . . .
"I was first introduced to Rachel’s Holiday," she explains. "My sisters were obsessed with her books. Obviously, I read it. Then I got this part and I read it again and again and again.
"It’s really special to be a part of this – it's a pinch yourself moment. It’s also a bit of a responsibility, when you have to do it justice."
As the only acting I’ve ever done has been in real life, rather than on stage or in front of a camera, I wonder if it’s any more difficult playing a role that would be familiar to millions. Not only that, but readers could have a million different inner visions of what Rachel and Anna might look like.
"I think that’s where the pressure comes in," says Louisa Harland. "Just to do the characters justice and do Marian justice."
Caroline agrees.
"Yeah, it definitely feels like a responsibility in that sense," she says. "Because you want to honour the characters she’s created and the world she’s created. And you want to honour the book. And you also want to honour Stefanie’s writing.
"But I think she’s really happy about how this has been adapted. Hopefully she’ll be even happier!"
"When it all comes together," Louisa adds. "I hope so – and I do think so."
It’s obvious the pair are committed to doing their characters justice. And they're talking like they're sisters in real life. Caroline’s keen to add the millions who’ve bought the books for good measure.
"I hope we honour the characters for them – but also the readers, because they’re so beloved. And we absolutely love them as well. The first came out in 1995 – 30 years ago! – and it’s still so relatable. And relevant."
And their devotion to the subject matter becomes even more apparent when Marian Keyes comes into the conversation.
Quite often, the author of an adapted work either keeps well away or has no direct involvement in aa TV show or film. Well, in this case, Marian hasn’t just dipped her toe inside the door. She even brought the Walsh Sisters to her gaff.
As Louisa recalls: "She actually had us round to her house, which was really cool! And she’s just as gorgeous as you can imagine. I listen to a lot of podcasts and interviews, and she’s just as wonderful as you’d hope.
"She’s so authentic, so down to earth," she adds, getting fully into stalker fan mode. "I was just buzzing to get started, as it was the week we began shooting.
"I remember when she came into rehearsals, asking her if there was anything distinctive about each character, so that you’d recognise that’s Anna, that’s Rachel, that’s Maggie . . . and it was really useful. It’s great having her involved."
"It’s so important ," Caroline adds. "You want to get Marian’s seal of approval. Which," she whispers, "I think we have."
When we first meet Anna and Rachel in the show they share a flat in Dublin, and both of them are at pivotal stages in their lives. Rachel, in particular, has a pressing problem. She’s an alcoholic who hoovers hard drugs in between slugs of vodka.
One of the trademarks of Marian Keyes’ writing is her ability to successfully lace the ultra-serious with laughs, and it's in abundance here. "As Irish people, we use humour to get through," say Louisa. "And I don’t think we shied away from the darkness in the books."
"But," Caroline adds, "that’s what Stefanie [Preissner] does so well, and Marian does so well. They talk about these dark topics, but in a light, kind of cathartic way. Which is just like Irish humour.
"It’s so relatable and you get this dose of darkness – then this huge piles of laughs. There’s a great balance."
Getting into specifics, both Caroline and Louisa are keen to discuss their characters. Given that Rachel’s pretty much the focal point in season one, we’ll start with Caroline and her other half.
"Well, I think for me with Rach, it was about understanding why she was suffering so much," she says. "And kind of getting to the root of that. And understanding why her behaviour was a consequence of that.
"And how she masks the pain that she’s experiencing. But also masking in a way that’s light and fun and vibrant. So it’s not complete sorrow and tragedy."
Things are a little more complicated when it comes to Anna, as – out of necessity - her story has to coincide a lot more in the TV show’s timeline with what’s happening with Rachel.
Here, let Louisa explain: "Finding who Anna is in the story we are telling here – which is not necessarily like anybody out there, or just Rachel’s Holiday – it's the culmination of a couple of the books, and where Anna fits in, in this story.
"Because it’s not exactly like the books," she adds. "I always go back of an evening and read the books – and sometimes that’s not helpful, because it’s a different timeline.
"I definitely go back to the books for the relationships and how Marian told them originally. That’s so useful."
Another factor for Louisa was that she didn’t have to adopt an accent for her role. You know, like she had to when playing Orla in Derry Girls.
This time around, her natural Dublin accent (she’s from southside suburb Dundrum) was ideal for Anna. Bizarrely, she saw this as a trepidatious assignment.
"I haven’t done a lot of acting in my own voice, so I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to act at all," she smiles. "The jury’s still out! That was actually my biggest worry going into this. Just to do my own voice!
"And I think, because of that, I brought parts of myself that you can’t shy away from. So, yeah, I think that’s very interesting.
"I’ve done a lot of character work and accent work, so it feels almost like a cheat. It’s very easy to get into a different persona when you’re putting on a different voice.
"It’s freeing – but it also feels quite personal. And lovely."
Caroline, on the other hand, goes on a Blitzkreig Bop as Rachel. During the first episode alone, she consumes enough gargle and class As to kill a herd of hedonistic elephants.
Playing someone on such a self-destructive path can’t be easy.
"Of course it’s challenging, because – obviously – it's such a big topic," says Caroline. "The topic of addiction. And I was really mindful of not doing anything stereotypical, making it as nuanced as possible.
"We started filming in rehab, and I think that was really useful. I’m really grateful that we did, because it informed the choices that she made when she was outside of rehab."
Caroline’s determination to be authentic led her to discover the realities facing those suffering from addiction and trying to steer themselves down a one-way street of sobriety.
"I actually spoke to some really lovely people, some counselors who are experts in the field," she recalls. "And they were really helpful. They referred me to the Coolmine Centre.
"I actually went in there and I spoke to this gorgeous person, who really shared their story with me and was really vulnerable with me. That gave me so much insight. It made me realise how important it is to tell the story in a really truthful, authentic way.
"And also, it just gives you perspective, because they’re going through this, real time, every day. And still struggling with it, and it’s constant. When you recover, you’re in recovery for your entire life."
The Walsh Sisters, 9.30pm, Sunday, RTÉ One
