The Stage

Levy’s Small Island adapted for BBC1

Published Thursday 23 October 2008 at 11:05 by Matthew Hemley

BBC1 has commissioned a two-part adaptation of Andrea Levy’s novel Small Island.

The book has been adapted by writers Paula Milne and Sarah Williams and is being directed by John Alexander.

It will star Naomie Harris, Ruth Wilson and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Controller of commissioning for BBC drama, Ben Stephenson, described the drama as an “epic yet personal romance story” and said the modern adaptation would “complement BBC1’s classic adaptations”.

“Andrea Levy’s rich and moving novel has been brought to the screen with wonderful sensitivity by Paula and Sarah and it is no surprise it has brought such a world-class director and cast to it,” he added.

The BBC said the two-part drama is “an ambitious yet personal tale” which touches on the themes of “empire, prejudice and war, with a gentle touch and a warm, uplifting generosity of spirit”.

Levy’s novel was the winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year and Commonwealth Writers’ Prize awards in 2005 and was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004.

BBC1’s adaptation is being made by independent company Ruby Television and will be broadcast in the autumn of 2009.