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Steven Knight has hit TV gold yet again – this time with a period drama that will have you glued to your screen, gobsmacked at discovering the true story behind the Guinness family.
After the massive success of Peaky Blinders and A Thousand Blows, anticipation has been high for the screenwriter’s latest project, which delivers in spades, or in this case, pints?
Set in the 19th century between Dublin and New York, House of Guinness lifts the lid on the explosive events in the aftermath of the brewer Sir Benjamin Guinness’s death in 1868.
By that time, the businessman had expanded the brewery his gandfather had established amassed a wealth few could even dream of (£162 million in today’s money, not to mention a string of country estates).
But determined to keep the brewery running, he tied his eldest sons Arthur (played by Say Nothing’s Anthony Boyle) and Edward (Enola Holmes’ Louis Partridge) into a water-tight contract that forced them to stay at the helm together, despite the elder brother having political aspirations.
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Drawing an even worse deal were his other two children – Anne (Emily Fairn, The Responder) and Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea, Normal People) – who were left without any money or assets at all.
Their father’s maddening decisions are the jumping point for the eight-part series – which then weaves in detailed historical context about the battles playing out in Ireland that would also have a wide-reaching impact.
The series could very well be one of the best shows of the year, with the episodes having me absolutely captivated from start to finish.
The drama kicks off in the Irish capital, with the four siblings doing their best to maintain a sense of camaraderie in the face of growing questions about whether they will be able to live up to their father or whether they’ll run his famed business into the ground.
At the time, the Guinness family was facing opposition from Christians who were enraged at their alcoholic beverage, and Fenians who wanted to challenge the British ruling classes in their fight for Irish independence.
It’s this political and social backdrop that adds a fascinating layer to the series, with the in-depth explorations of the society in which the Guinness family operated.
Although each episode starts with the disclaimer that it is ‘fiction inspired by true stories’, so many of the jaw-dropping storylines are completely true – including the divisive will, Arthur’s marriage blanc, and the voting fraud scandal he was caught up in when running for Parliament.
The flaws of the family are not shied away from either, with one episode focusing on how the family exacerbated the effects of the famine. In particularly poignant scenes, Anne visits a village on one of the family’s estates in the west of Ireland and is told about the people who starved to death for years as her family feasted just a few miles away.
That revelation then kickstarts her pledge to give back and pursue philanthropic causes – with the real-life Guinness family credited with starting one of the world’s first employee benefit schemes and pouring money into social housing.
Each of the four stars delivers what could easily be career-defining performances, commanding the screen in their own right and doing what could have seemed impossible in making multi-millionaire heirs seem fallible and relatable.
But at age just 22, Louis’s turn as Edward (who went on to turn Guinness into the global behemoth it is today) is truly well beyond his years, and he provides an almost calming presence on screen in the face of all the chaos unfolding around him.
With a supporting cast that includes Happy Valley’s James Norton (who plays foreman Sean Rafferty) and Game of Thrones’ Jack Gleeson as Byron Hedges – you’ll be hooked on their stories too.
After previously having an acting hiatus, Jack absolutely steals his scenes as Byron– a distant Guinness family member whose mother had an affair with a republican – and whose sass will draw you in despite his absolutely bonkers approach to business.
Danielle Galligan is also terrifying yet brilliant as Lady Olivia Hedges, who, when given the proposal to marry Arthur, clarifies she ‘isn’t obliged to take the c**k’ due to Arthur’s homosexuality.
She is not to be messed with, and despite appearing to be completely cold at times, the actress still manages to show her vulnerabilities, especially while limited as a woman at that time. Meanwhile Niamh McCormack – who plays republican Ellen Cochrane – is a formidable force to be reckoned with and commands the screen.
Like Peaky Blinders before it, the use of contemporary music from Irish bands like Kneecap and Fontaines DC gives the series an extra sense of sass and rebellion – with the former’s track Get Your Brits Out blasting as loyal Guinness employees get into a brutal fight with Fenians during Sir Benjamin’s funeral procession.
The sense of foreboding is never far away as the family faces a string of threats to their expanding empire – including a devious uncle, whose position as a man of the cloth doesn’t faze him when it comes to trying to secure a slice of the family fortune.
Although the Guinnesses have to do deals with Irish rebels at times, their intimate involvement that muddies the waters makes for some of the most emotional scenes throughout the series as an unexpected love story develops.
Despite being set 157 years ago, the show feels uniquely modern, and I’d love to see it continue for years to come and eventually tell the stories of the family in more recent times, especially after decades of claims of a ‘family curse’ due to the tragedies that have befallen many.
As said in the show: ‘What once was a brewery is now a symbol of the city.’
Before tuning into House of Guinness, my knowledge of the family was limited to facts about their famous drink. Now, I have become completely captivated by the story of its origins and how the people tasked with continuing its legacy also did their best to pay back.
After much build-up, the season ends on an almighty cliffhanger, which leaves the door open for more seasons to come.
I’ll be waiting with great anticipation for that, but in the meantime, I’ll be doing my best to master splitting the G.
House of Guinness is now streaming on Netflix.
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