Taboo: a deeply grave mystery

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Taboo: a deeply grave mystery

January 11, 2017 - 14:41
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On a stormy night in 1814 an ominous hooded figure is seen gliding to shore on rowboat, then galloping off a white stallion before crawling over the sodden mud to bury something under the soil and give the skyline of London a brooding stare.  No this is not a 19th century charity triathlon, it is the ultra-mysterious arrival of traveller and serial letter-burner James Delaney onto the shores of London.

Tom Hardy in Taboo

By JillS

On a stormy night in 1814 an ominous hooded figure is seen gliding to shore on rowboat, then galloping off a white stallion before crawling over the sodden mud to bury something under the soil and give the skyline of London a brooding stare. No this is not a 19th century charity triathlon, it is the ultra-mysterious arrival of traveller and serial letter-burner James Delaney onto the shores of London.

It quickly becomes clear that this is not Poldark Two. There be no topless scything in these here parts folks – this is an altogether more serious kettle of fish. Back on the horse he arrives at the mortuary where his father lies, the bells tolling right on cue. He removes the coins from the eyes of Delaney Senior (a shipping company owner also known as “the mad old bastard”). James mutters something in an incomprehensible language (oh yes make sure you turn the subtitles on we’ve got another mumbler folks!) and growls like a nineteenth century Phil Mitchell “forgive me Father, for I have INDEED sinned!”. One gets the impression he’s done something a tad more sinister than parking his nag on double yellows.

“There walks a dead man” – not the words you’d perhaps expect to hear at a funeral service but they herald the arrival of James, obviously presumed dead to the muttering mourners. Not one to slip in quietly at the back, he struts Bill Sykes-styles in his natty black top hat to the front of the church to donate those aforementioned coins, provoking a gasp from his half-sister, Zilpha, who we have just found out from the lawyer, Thoyt, hasn’t paid the extra for their father to be buried a bit deeper. Dad disgraced her apparently, so there you go, she gets the last laugh. Except there aren’t really any laughs this episode I’m afraid so hope you like your costume dramas a bit… intense. We ain’t in Darcyland now Toto.

Still James’s strange chanting at his father’s graveside gives the mourners something to chew on over their ales. Against a delightful background of gunshots and animal carcass chopping, Thoyt informs James that as the sole heir, he has inherited a “poisoned chalice” – a small strip of Canadian coastline held by treaty with the Nootka tribe called Nootka Sound – the “pig’s arse” of America, “just rocks and Indians…not only useless but dangerous to anyone who owns it”. Disclaimer – that’s not from the Real Estate brochure – I believe that’s just Thoyt’s personal opinion but James isn’t having any of it, he’s holding onto his rocks, so to speak.

There appears to be a hint of incestuous intent in James’s intense declaration of love to Zilpha at the wake. Something her stuffy husband, Thorne, might be picking up on and which may be the “Taboo” of the title but something to look forward to no doubt. Stuffy hubby rips up her letter to JD asking for him for the land, preferring something a little stronger i.e. leave the country or we’ll kill you.

Meanwhile at the East India Company chaired by Stuart Strange who has a nice line in teeny tea cups, is hosting a meeting where Thoyt (given no chair or tiny tea cup you may note) bestows the happy tidings that Delaney Junior has arrived to claim the pig’s arse that apparently they wanted rather badly. The company correctly deduce, even if the paperwork was to disappear, James would have still have the rights to the land over his sister. Here we get a bit of a backstory on James - native American mother was sent to bedlam before the father married a woman (presumably Zilpha’s mother) and sent young James became a corporal for the East India Military seminary, under Strange’s command no less. James boasted an excellent record but then went a bit strange himself before embarking for Africa. He was apparently thought to have met his maker when the slave ship he was aboard sank. Clearly, like many things said about James, it’s not entirely accurate so let’s stop calling him a ghost now people, shall we?

Brace the devoted family manservant and unofficial plot developer (not invited to the wake - outrageous) is happy to see James return at least although he bears the brunt of JD’s unique style of banter. Brace is partial to the Delaney company brandy which perhaps gives him the courage to challenge JD a little for not being the best at keeping in touch. The Georgian Who Do You Think You Are production team found a hole suddenly emerge in their diary as James reveals he already knows that his mother, Salish, was a native American, bought by his father along with Nootka Sound as he heard his father telling him when he was doing his spooky talking. Apparently, Thoyt has been trying to buy Delaney Senior’s shipping company only to receive a pile of horsey poop in reply. Am starting to see why JD didn’t fancy keeping up with the correspondence. Delaney burns Thoyt’s latest letter – letters don’t fare very well in this episode, being burned, ripped or plain old ignored.

Anyone who has returned from annual leave to find their stapler missing, their chair at the wrong height and their password changed may have some sympathy for JD when he finds his father’s offices in West India Docks have been converted into Helga’s makeshift whorehouse in his absence. Helga apparently gave JD his first sexual experience but it couldn’t have been that good as he wants her out and if she sends her heavies in he will send back “twelve sets of testicles in a bag and we can watch your little whores devour them” (Did I mention the language is a bit fruity in this?).

JD’s eventful day continues as it appears there is a boy (JD’s half brother) that is being looked after by the most inappropriate childminder you can imagine, Mr Ibbotson, and Ibbotson wants some cash for his troubles. JD will oblige, he’s just got to sneakily dig up his father first and have a few slave related flashbacks while the gruesome autopsy is carried out to reveal that Delaney Senior was poisoned. Events reached a delightful climax when JD floors the East India posse who had dismissed him as mad by refusing to sell the piece of land that he has deduced will strategically be valuable to his own country and America. The episode ended with a mysterious letter from Zilpha begging him to keep their secrets in a deeper grave. Blimey.

This is probably the marmite of period dramas – some will long for the brightly lit ballrooms and subtle, clean and witty dialogue of Jane Austen – others who can happily stomach a darker, coarser view of the early 19th century will hang around and I suspect be richly rewarded. I for one am intrigued.

There is 1 Comment

Llwynog45's picture

A very descriptive account, well written. Almost like a short story in itself.