The much-talked about – and slightly terrifying – miniseries Picnic at Hanging Rock will start on M-Net in August 2018. The acclaimed production will start on Monday 20 August 2018 at 11.10pm. Based on the trailblazing timeless classic novel by Joan Lindsay, this surreal and stylish drama is fronted by Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer.
Led by their enigmatic and formidable headmistress, Hester Appleyard (Dormer), a group of schoolgirls from Appleyard Ladies College go on an outing to the infamous Hanging Rock on Valentine’s Day 1900. As the sun beats down and the afternoon progresses, three girls and their governess explore the rock – only to mysteriously vanish into the Australian wilderness. Their inexplicable disappearance will have a devastating impact on the staff, students and the rest of town, all of whom start to unravel once secrets slowly start surfacing and conspiracy theories twist into terrifying hysteria.
The stakes are high. The clock is ticking. But time plays tricks and the intensity of this mystery will force the characters to question how far they would go to escape their pasts and how far they would go to be free of their futures.
Picnic at Hanging Rock episodes on M-Net
Each episode will tantalisingly piece together the events that led to the disappearance, as pivotal moments will be revisited creating fresh suspicions – and revealing new layers to this dark drama. With a vast narrative, the stunningly shot miniseries offers viewers themes of sex and murder, love and death, and beauty and cruelty. Contemporary issues of control, sexuality, identity and the overwhelming power of nature are also explored.
Gorgeous gothic mansions and beautifully detailed Victorian costumes effortlessly set the tone for this polished period drama, along with a cast of relatable characters: a magnificent female antagonist, a handsome young hero and a rebellious young heroine.
Acclaimed director Larysa Kondracki, best known for her work on the movie The Whistleblower, and the series Gotham, The Americans and Legion directed the first three episodes of the show, introducing viewers to fevered dreamscapes and distorted recollections that are sure to tap into fears of the unknown.
Picnic at Hanging Rock stars Natalie Dormer as Hester Appleyard, Lily Sullivan as Miranda Reid, Samara Weaving as Irma Leopold, Madeleine Madden as Marion Quade, Lola Bessis as Mademoiselle Dianne de Poitiers and Harrison Gilbertson as Michael Fitzhubert.
What: Picnic at Hanging Rock
Where and when: M-Net, Channel 101 on DStv at 11.10pm from 20 August 2018
WS
