One of the central themes
explored by Downton Abbey, the British period drama currently in its sixth and
final season, has been the preservation of a grand estate.
It’s a subject that resonates
with residents, including about 50 Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach
members who attended a screening of the season’s first two episodes Sunday.
During an introduction to the event, foundation President Alexander Ives shared
images from Highclere Castle in north Hampshire, England, which serves as the
show’s titular estate for exterior and interior filming.
A few event attendees gasped
at images depicting rusted gates and discolored interiors with torn wallpaper
and filthy floors. “It was in a very disastrous state at the time of the show
starting,” Ives said.
Now several years later —
thanks to interest and tourism from the show — Highclere Castle has been
restored, Ives said. And more broadly, the show has boosted interest in
preserving large estates in the United States and United Kingdom.
The show features a large
ensemble cast portraying characters in the rich and servant classes of
post-Edwardian Britain. Though mostly a drama with heavy themes, it features
its share of comedic moments.
Attendees laughed out loud
when Mrs. Patmore, the cook, struggled to navigate a conversation about sex
with the estate’s uptight butler, Mr. Carson. They also enjoyed scenes
featuring Academy Award-winning actress Maggie Smith, who plays the Crawley
family matriarch.
The loudest applause of the
night was reserved for the servants, however, after Mr. Carson embraced his
fiancée, Mrs. Hughes, the housekeeper, with a kiss.In themes that reflect the
present day, the elite families of 1925 are struggling to maintain traditions
in the face of change. A large portion of the plot of both episodes involves
characters discussing state vs. local control of health care. An auction sale
at a neighboring estate signals the declining fortunes of large estates, and
Downton Abbey faces staffing reductions in order to cut costs.
Godoff also acknowledged the
universal nature of the show’s plot, despite its setting at the dawn of the
20th century. - “People of privilege have problems, too,” he said. “And I think
that’s something that some people assume about those of us who live in Palm
Beach, too, that if you are privileged you don’t have problems.”
The organization has screened
the season premiere of Downton Abbey since 2012.
Review from the Palm Beach Post
