Fackham Hall – This Fast-Paced, Humorous Parody of Downton Abbey That's Refreshingly Lightweight.
It could be the sense of uncertain days around us: following a long period of inactivity, the spoof is making a comeback. This summer observed the rebirth of this playful category, which, when done well, skewers the self-importance of overly serious genres with a torrent of exaggerated stereotypes, physical comedy, and dumb-brilliant double entendres.
Unserious periods, so it goes, create an appetite for deliberately shallow, laugh-filled, pleasantly insubstantial fun.
A Recent Addition in This Goofy Wave
The most recent of these absurd spoofs is Fackham Hall, a takeoff on the British period drama that jabs at the very pokeable self-importance of wealthy British period dramas. Penned in part by UK-Irish comic Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O'Hanlon, the movie has a wealth of source material to draw from and wastes none of it.
Starting with a ridiculous beginning all the way to its outrageous finale, this entertaining upper-class adventure crams all of its hour and a half with gags and sketches ranging from the childish all the way to the authentically hilarious.
A Mimicry of Upstairs, Downstairs
In the vein of Downton, Fackham Hall presents a caricature of overly dignified the nobility and very obsequious servants. The narrative centers on the feckless Lord Davenport (played by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). Having lost their male heirs in various calamitous events, their hopes are pinned on finding matches for their two girls.
The younger daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has accomplished the aristocratic objective of betrothal to the right kinsman, Archibald (a wonderfully unctuous Tom Felton). But once she backs out, the pressure transfers to the single elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), who is a spinster at 23 and and holds unladylike ideas concerning a woman's own mind.
Where the Humor Succeeds
The parody fares much better when satirizing the oppressive expectations forced upon Edwardian-era females – a topic frequently explored for earnest storytelling. The archetype of idealized womanhood provides the best punching bags.
The storyline, as one would expect from a purposefully absurd send-up, is secondary to the jokes. The writer keeps them arriving at a consistently comedic clip. Included is a murder, an incompetent investigation, and an illicit love affair between the roguish thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
A Note on Lighthearted Fun
The entire affair is in lighthearted fun, however, this approach imposes restrictions. The amplified foolishness inherent to parody might grate over time, and the entertainment value in this instance expires in the space between sketch and a full-length film.
After a while, you might wish to go back to a realm of (very slight) coherence. Yet, you have to admire a genuine dedication to this type of comedy. If we're going to amuse ourselves unto oblivion, let's at least laugh at it.