Monday, February 08, 2010

Casting Georgette Heyer: These Old Shades edition

These Old Shades is one of Georgette Heyer’s classics. It is a wonderful, romping, rollicking plot of mixed identities and melodrama and girls dressed as boys and love slowly blossoming and cravats and conspiracies and oh! la! ...all things gloriously regency.

The Duke of Avon, Justin Alistair, is often called Satanas by the elite members of the ton: he has known so many women, has conquested so many conquests, blah! Blah! Has a good hand at cards, cares nothing for no one and drowns in his nonchalance. But one night while wandering the streets of Paris he saves a street urchin from the abuse of his older brother.

Avon sweeps the kid from the streets and adopts him as his page. Leon, with his pale skin and reddish curls becomes quite the favourite of society. For who knew Avon to be so charitable with those unfortunate?

Turns out, Leon is actually the adorable French creature Leonine who may or may not be the illegitimate child of someone very significant in Avon’s past.

He’s twenty years older than she; she has lovely hi-jinks and adorable broken English; she worships the ground he walks on and has sworn her devotion for life; he thinks she should be set up with his rapscallion brother Rupert … and… oh yes! There is a KIDNAPPING


So much fun! And so much fun to cast. Casting Georgette Heyer today we’re going to have to toss the role of Avon to our friend Richard Armitage.

Well-played Richard.

1 comment:

Aarti said...

I absolutely disagree with Richard Armitage as Avon! I admit I'm biased as I love Armitage and really, really dislike Avon. And even MORE strongly dislike Leonie. This is actually one of my least favorite Heyers (Black Sheep that you reviewed previously is one of my absolute favorites) because I think the hero and the heroine are really annoying. I am glad you've gotten into Heyer, though! I prefer the sequel, Devil's Cub, as the two seem better matched in all ways than those of Dominic's parents.

Thrilled you love Miles as much as me, though! One of my favorite Heyer-os.