Apple Tree Yard
| Apple Tree Yard | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Thriller |
| Created by | Louise Doughty |
| Based on | Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty |
| Written by | Amanda Coe |
| Directed by | Jessica Hobbs |
| Starring |
Emily Watson Ben Chaplin Mark Bonnar Steven Elder Susan Lynch Kezia Burrows |
| Composer(s) | Halfdan E |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 4 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Amanda Coe Manda Levin Lucy Richer |
| Producer(s) | Chris Carey |
| Cinematography | Matt Grey |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Kudos Film & Television |
| Distributor | Arrow Films |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 1080i 16:9 |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 22 January – 6 February 2017 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Apple Tree Yard is a British television thriller, adapted from the novel of the same name by Louise Doughty. The four-part series was commissioned in 2016 and the first episode had its premiere on BBC One on 22 January, 2017.Emily Watson stars as the novel's original lead, Dr Yvonne Carmichael, with Ben Chaplin portraying the role of her lover, Mark Costley.Apple Tree Yard follows the story of Carmichael, an unhappily married forty-something scientist, who begins a secret affair with Costley whilst being completely unaware of his true identity.
One summer afternoon, after giving a presentation in the House of Commons, Dr Yvonne Carmichael (Emily Watson), a scientist at the Beaufort institute, meets a mysterious man (Ben Chaplin), who begins to charm her by offering her a tour of the Secret Chapel of the Commons. During the tour, the pair take an instant liking to one another, and end up having sex together in a broom cupboard. Unaware that she will ever encounter her mystery lover again, and with her failing marriage to Gary (Mark Bonnar) barely hanging on by a thread, Yvonne begins to compose secret letters which play out a fantasy relationship involving Mr X. The next day Yvonne retraces her steps, with the hope of bumping into Mr. X once more. Sitting in a café opposite the Commons, she notices Mr. X and invites him for coffee. Having both been thrilled by their previous encounter, the pair end up having sex in the café toilets. After sex, they exchange telephone numbers and agree to begin an illicit affair fuelled by the thrill of having sex in a public place. Yvonne becomes aware that her lover is unwilling to reveal his true identity, but begins to thrive on the thrill of the secret. One night, after meeting with Mr. X in Apple Tree Yard, Yvonne attends a leaving party for one of her colleagues. During the party she is approached by a long-term friend, George (Steven Elder), who reveals that he has harboured secret feelings for her for some time. When she rejects his advances, he rapes her brutally; this leaves Yvonne's world in pieces around her.
Following the brutal attack, Yvonne's world continues to collapse at her feet. Forced to take time away from work, she slowly begins to confide in Mr. X, who advises her to speak to a rape expert before she makes the decision on whether or not to report it to the police. She decides against taking the matter further, but also decides against continuing with the affair. After two weeks' absence from work, Yvonne decides to pluck up the courage to face her colleagues, but during the journey she realises that she cannot get the image of George out of her head. She later makes the decision to resign from her job and focus more on her personal life. However, when she discovers that Gary has spent the weekend away in bed with his intern, she completely abandons the idea of retirement and decides to reignite her affair with Mr. X. Slowly, however, she begins to notice that George isn't prepared to let matters lie, and is gradually beginning to stalk her. Although she initially ignores messages, emails and a bouquet of flowers, she is confronted with George in a local shop and, terrified, decides that enough is enough. When Mr. X offers to help her resolve the problem, she decides to accept the offer of help. She drives him to George's house and, staying in the car, Mr. X goes into George's house. When he returns, looking anxious, she drives him away and they eventually part company.
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