As a dedicated film critic, I found myself captivated by the prospect of working alongside esteemed historian, broadcaster, and author David Olusoga on the gripping production “A Thousand Blows.” Given his extensive expertise, I eagerly accepted the invitation to serve as executive producer and historical consultant, for two compelling reasons.
Beyond his notable scholarly contributions on the slums of Victorian England and his academic work, Olusoga openly admits to being an avid admirer of Steven Knight’s. He particularly praises Knight for his groundbreaking series Peaky Blinders, but also appreciates Knight’s dedication to giving voice to stories from the working class.
David Olusoga, who was raised in a public housing complex himself, often finds himself in a state of amazement when thinking about his current status, far removed from that environment. Given his background, it’s crucial for him to use his professional platform to share the narratives of underrepresented groups and working-class individuals, as he explains to me.
As a movie connoisseur, I can honestly say that no one else does it quite like Knight. The opportunity to collaborate with a masterful storyteller who is not only a renowned dramatist but also shares my passion for the stories of the ordinary people was simply too good to pass up. We often discuss leaders and rulers, yet it’s these everyday individuals that truly captivate us.
Speaking about his new role as an executive producer on A Thousand Blows, Olusoga states that it represents a significant progression in his career within drama. He explains that this opportunity allows him to collaborate with writers and shape characters, but more importantly, it enables him to place those characters in a historical context – something he is deeply passionate about.
Known for numerous books and documentaries such as Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, which won a BAFTA Award, Black and British: A Forgotten History, and Union with David Olusoga (among others), Olusoga states that working in the realm of TV drama presents unique challenges.
One effective aspect of drama lies in its ability to vividly construct lives and backgrounds for characters. What I find crucial about this context is the setting or environment where these individuals exist.
I was equally thrilled about the opportunity to develop this drama because I couldn’t wait for Victorian London in the 1880s to take center stage alongside our characters. This historical setting held just as much allure for me as the real-life individuals whose lives we were going to creatively reenact.
In a refreshing portrayal, the new Disney Plus series doesn’t idealize the East End as a picturesque location, which historian David Olusoga finds commendable on-screen representation. He shares intriguing facts, such as there being approximately one million horses roaming London’s streets, creating mental images of muddy and manure-covered roads. However, it’s this raw authenticity that makes the series stand out.
Olusoga remembers the long, sunny days he spent growing up in Stratford, a district of London that holds a special significance for him. However, in recent years, it has undergone significant transformation and modernization.
The East End of London, commonly lauded for its vibrant diversity, might surprise some to learn that it bore a striking resemblance to its depiction in “A Thousand Blows” during the Victorian period.
In A Thousand Blows, author Olusoga unveils an often overlooked aspect of Victorian England: the bustling, industrial East End, a far cry from the image of petticoats, corsets, top hats, and the white landed gentry that typically comes to mind.
In my view, London feels strikingly segregated – it’s two different realms today. The West bears little resemblance to the East; they could almost be separate worlds.
As a connoisseur of cinematic journeys, I found myself drawn to the escapades from the Western districts of London towards the mystical East during the 1880s. It was not merely a case of leisure travel; it felt more like an exploration, a quest to witness diverse lifestyles, encounter various ethnicities, and interact with the vibrant Jewish communities that thrived in our city at the time.
As a captivated enthusiast, I found it both thrilling and apprehensive – a unique blend of emotions. The realm I aimed to construct was the bustling East End of London, encompassing Wapping, Whitechapel, and Limehouse. With its intricate industrial web and global connections, this undertaking promised an exhilarating journey.
In the series, we witness Hezekiah Moscow, played by Malachi Kirby, travel to London together with his buddy Alec, portrayed by Francis Lovehall. Their goal is to attain recognition and wealth, driven by the inspiring tale of a renowned boxer from real life.
In a prior conversation with Steven Knight, I learned that he envisioned portraying Hezekiah’s background in Jamaica, focusing on the Morant Bay Rebellion, as the event that “propels him towards London like an explosion.
During flashbacks, it’s revealed that the Morant Bay Rebellion significantly impacts Hezekiah’s personal narrative. The unexpected incorporation of this poignant historical incident into the series left me pleasantly surprised, I shared with Olusoga.
A significant, tragic occurrence in Caribbean history is often overlooked or underrepresented by those outside the culture, particularly in mainstream media, such as television.
Indeed, Olusoga asserts that following his conversation with a historian from the Caribbean, he thinks the uprising is portrayed for the second time in A Thousand Blows, even though it’s among the most significant historical events within the British Empire.
Yet, he expresses his disappointment upon finding out that a critic had labeled the depicted scene as “roughly representative of colonial criticism.
Olusoga remarks, “I believe it shows an astonishing lack of knowledge.” He continues, “It’s a portrayal of colonial violence that significantly influenced lives. To suggest that depicting events that affect Caribbean Black people is somehow a political statement instead of storytelling, I find, is incredibly disregarding.
He goes on to say: “The Morant Bay Rebellion was a significant event in the 1860s, causing a great split among the British nobility. It served as a pivotal point in debates about race, empire, and colonial brutality. This incident marked the time when some of the brutalities of imperial rule were felt within Britain itself.
It feels like an occasion worth commemorating, as the compassionate reactions to recent events demonstrate that the spirit of human kindness, thriving even 30 years post-abolition, is still very much alive in Britain.
Olusoga believes that the Morant Bay Rebellion, responsible for over 400 deaths, bears a striking resemblance to the Jallianwala Bagh Incident, or Amritsar Massacre of 1919.
In this particular instance, the British public must grapple with and discuss the authentic truths of their imperial past. Some express approval for the violent aspects, while others passionately denounce and articulately argue against it.
I find it striking how often the narrative shifts away from Morant Bay and the broader Caribbean after the abolition of slavery. For approximately 130 years, from the end of slavery to independence in the 1960s, there seems to be a gap in our collective discourse about this region. It’s as if these crucial years are largely overlooked or forgotten.
In his own documentary titled “Black and British: A Forgotten History,” Olusoga presents the historical account of Morant Bay. However, what was the experience like for him when he reimagined this history in “A Thousand Blows”?
I’m deeply honored to have played a minor role in a production that demonstrated the profound impact it had on Jamaicans, shaping not only their lives but also future generations.
Previously serving as the mayor of Bristol, my friend Marvin Rees has a tragic historical connection. His ancestor, like many Jamaicans, was executed following the Morant Bay Rebellion, which is associated with the violent events that took place during this uprising.
I find it disheartening to see the impactful event, which resonates even after 160 years, being dismissed as mere ‘anti-colonialism’. This series element, when Marvin experienced it, was profound for him and remains one of my proudest aspects of the show.
We wouldn’t brush aside a portrayal of someone who has ties to the Peterloo Massacre or the Irish famine. We certainly wouldn’t label it as simplistic anti-colonialism.
Attempting to distinguish Caribbean history from British history seems illogical considering the essence of colonization. By incorporating Hezekiah’s story in A Thousand Blows and also the Morant Bay rebellion, Olusoga implies that including these events acknowledges that the Caribbean is an integral part of British historical narrative.
The English first arrived in the Caribbean during the 1620s, but it wasn’t until 1655 that Jamaica became a significant part of England and Britain’s history. One pivotal moment in the relationship between these islands was this takeover of Jamaica.
It’s delightful to see that it forms a significant part of this extensive collection. Furthermore, it’s enlightening to be reminded that the events depicted are an integral part of our past, a piece of our shared history.
The story of Britain doesn’t confine itself to the British Isles alone. Since Britain was an empire, events such as those that occurred in Jamaica in October 1865 – a significant and poignant chapter – are indispensable and deeply relevant to the broader narrative of British history.
The narrative of Hezekiah, as presented in “A Thousand Blows,” shares similarities with many Caribbean and African characters who appear in British historical documents, according to Olusoga. However, Hezekiah’s story is fragmented or incomplete, suggesting a lack of comprehensive information about his life.
In certain instances, we receive a wealth of information about him, only to be left with numerous unanswered questions – for we seem to know very little about him. He vanishes from sight. We learn that he got married, which allows us occasional glimpses through reports or newspaper articles detailing his conflicts. However, these insights eventually cease.
In simpler terms, “Black British history often provides brief glimpses into the lives of individuals. We learn a little about them, but then there’s a void. Drama, however, has the ability to imaginatively fill these gaps, providing us with a deeper understanding of figures like Hezekiah, even though we may never know more about him factually.
As a passionate movie buff, I can confidently say that while historians like Olusoga may have a deep understanding of the boundaries and facts in history through their work on books and documentaries, television dramas offer an intriguing perspective. They serve as a unique scratch for our curiosity, providing insights that we rarely find in historical records, especially when it comes to the lives of the less privileged.
He goes on to say: “Instead of focusing on what actually happened to them, let’s consider what their emotions could have been. What dreams did they pursue? What were their aspirations and expectations? What anxieties and apprehensions might they have faced? How would the ordeals recorded in history have impacted and scarred them? Drama has a unique ability to evoke empathy, which is one of our greatest strengths.
Olusoga makes it plain that A Thousand Blows draws inspiration from the true stories of characters such as Sugar (Stephen Graham), Mary (Erin Doherty), Treacle (James Nelson-Joyce), Punch Lewis (Daniel Mays), and Alec (Francis Lovehall). Though they may have been overlooked in history, these were genuine individuals.
Beneath the asphalt lie their remains; it is our responsibility to honor them by keeping their memory alive. It’s incredible how these individuals, often overlooked, will once more be recalled.
This week, Hezekiah Moscow’s name has resurfaced in the news just like it did back in the 1880s when his boxing matches were covered extensively. It’s remarkable to think that over 140 years later, he finds himself mentioned once more in London newspapers.
It sends shivers up my back when I think about things like that. That’s what makes me value history and take the time to visit archives, search for records, and feel connected to those individuals. Isn’t it fascinating?
Olusoga posits that drama exists within a larger historical framework, yet its fundamental purpose lies in being engaging, enjoyable, and portraying characters with sensitivity. However, he also acknowledges that the spheres of drama and history can intersect, as both strive to be as accurate and genuine as possible in their depictions.
In other words, Olusuga describes 1880s London as an extraordinarily bustling, awe-inspiring, yet terrifying and turbulent city, filled with innovation, creativity, chaos, and a peculiar kind of wondrous, brutal intensity.
In this extraordinary realm, we’ve brought to life characters who were real, and through our imagination, we provide them with lives beyond what history has documented.
What does he expect viewers to take away from the series or topics they may wish to explore further after binge-watching it?
As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but express my ardent wish: I long for the allure of the Eastern London to captivate hearts just as profoundly as the Western London does. I yearn for us to cultivate a deeper sense of concern and appreciation for working-class history, and for women’s history, too. This is what I share with you, Olusoga conveys to me.
It seems we’ve been informed that inclusivity might be seen as negative, but to me, this just underscores how amazing it is. Stories like these – about Mary, Sugar, and Hezekiah – demonstrate why inclusivity matters so much. Through their lives, we gain a deeper perspective on the past.
A more engaging depiction of history would be one that extends beyond the aristocratic circles of the Western world, as it fails to capture the full richness and diversity of our past when only the Lords and Ladies are featured.
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2025-02-21 17:35