Mealtimes are a big part of each episode of Downton Abbey. It makes sense that it is so. Otherwise, the stories involving the kitchen staff would be superfluous. And what would the show be without Mrs. Patmore and Daisy? (For what it is worth, I would have been happy for the family to fast the entire fourth season, if it meant less Ivy/Alfred/Daisy/Jimmy drama.)
Some meals are (a little) more relaxed, like breakfast and tea time at the Abbey. Others are more formalized, such as tea at Granny's and, of course, dinner at Downton. Most of the actors do a lot of serving, sipping, and deft wielding of knife and fork, but not much biting and chewing. Set lights probably do all sorts of interesting things to the food before them.
So my question for you this week is this: If you could eat a meal at any venue of Downton, with any of the cast members, what meal would it be, with whom, and where?
I would choose dinner at the Abbey with as many of the cast members as could fit around the table. I would be seated within earshot of Granny, and have Rose on one side of me and either Tom or Isobel on the other. And, of course, I would be wearing an absolutely divine dress and have perfectly styled hair. I don't ask for much. Really.
I look forward to your answers!
I saw an interview of Allen Leech (Tom) where he said that one dinner scene takes 11-14 hours to film. He said that the cast plays games (like wink murder) to pass the time when they aren't talking. :P
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I'd probably be in the library with the family (minus Edith and plus Matthew, Rose, and Sybil). :)
Wasn't there a servant's ball one year? In that same vein, I think it would be great fun to be upstairs with the staff or downstairs with the family, especially if they all reversed roles for the day! And it would be icing on the cake if Barrow were to continue his current run of form.
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