GHOUL power

Rory Kinnear stars in a classic MR James tale about a vengeful ghost

- Steven Perkins, Judy Ewens, Sean Marland, Victoria Wilson

NEW DRAMA

The Mezzotint Christmas Eve, BBC2 HD, 10.30pm

Mark Gatiss is back with another spooky Christmas tale in this one-off drama about an old engraving with a chilling secret.

Based on the terrifying tale by MR James, the story begins in 1922 at an old English college, where Edward Williams receives a mezzotint engraving of an unknown country house.

‘Williams is a very typical character in MR James’ work,’ says Rory Kinnear, who plays him. ‘He’s a slightly buttoned-up academic who’s not very emotionally free. He finds it inexplicable when the mezzotint seems to be changing before his very eyes. He’s a man of reason and logic, so that’s very disturbing for him.’

Williams’ colleagues, Garwood (Robert Bathurst) and Nisbet (Nikesh Patel), believe there’s nothing remarkable about the mezzotint, but fellow academic Binks (John Hopkins) manages to identify the country house as an old estate in Essex.

Meanwhile, further investigation by the local vicar’s wife, Mrs Ambrigail (Frances Barber), reveals a remote and chilling connection between the house and Williams.