CAST

Nicholas Farrell

Henry Wakefield
Richard Briers

Vernon Spatch
Mark Hadfield

Tom Newman
Nicholas Farrell

Carnforth Greville
Gerard Horan

Terry Du Bois
John Sessions

Fadge
Celia Imrie

Molly
Hetta Charnley

Nina
Julia Sawalha

Margaretta D'Arcy
Joan Collins

Nancy Crawford
Jennifer Saunders

Mortimer
Robert Hines

Tim
James D. White

Mrs. Branch
Ann Davies

Nina's Father
Edward Dewesbury

"Tom is a very intense young actor who takes his life and his craft much too seriously. He tries too hard all the time but ends up doing a bit of everything and not enough of anything. He is almost completely lacking in a sense of humor but over the course of the film he mellows a little," says Nicholas Farrell of his role in A MIDWINTER'S TALE.

When he adds, however, that "a lot of the script is all too painfully accurate for me" he is referring, not to his character's failings, but to the agonies inherent in the life of the struggling actor as reflected in Branagh's version of one apparently hopeless production.

Farrell and Branagh first worked together in 1984 with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford when they shared a dressing room over a two year period. Branagh was playing Laertes and Farrell was Horatio to Roger Rees' "Hamlet."

Farrell's extensive list of theatrical credits includes years at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Bristol Old Vic. He has worked with an impressive line-up of directors including Sam Mendes, John Barton, Di Trevis, Bill Alexander, Terry Hands, Adrian Noble, Ron Daniels and Yuri Lyubimov. His classical credentials are impeccable.

He made an impact on television audiences as Boyd in the BBC's "The Riff Raff Element," as Mycroft in "To Play The King" and most recently in "Breed of Heroes," "Blood and Water" and "The Choir" but had been working steadily in British television for many years beforehand.

His film credits include "Chariots of Fire," "Greystroke" and "The Eternal Sea." He will next feature in Oliver Parker's film version of "Othello."