Watch Domino Day on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 31 January at 9pm.
PHOTO: Sam Howard-Sneyd as Silas (Image: BBC/ Dancing Ledge Productions/Ben Gregory-Ring)
Can you give us an overview of Domino Day?
I’d describe it as the world of witchcraft meets the 21st century in the world of dating. So it’s the problems that people can relate to maybe not in a magical sense, but in a metaphorical sense, and navigating that world of magic with the tricky task of navigating the 21st century as well.
What kind of show is Domino Day and what makes it unique?
What I love about the show is that it’s led by these relationships and by the drama between the different people. It definitely has magic in it but I think it’s less for the sake of magic but more to show the relationships and to provide some tension and some drama to give you a window into people’s true character and the way they have to change throughout the show and the way their relationships changed.
What are the show’s key themes?
I think identity is a really big part of it. Power and our relationship with power. As well as what we choose as the important things in life. Also this idea of change. Whether we should be going with change or fighting against it. I believe change is the only constant that we have and some characters choose to fight against that and try keep things as is, whereas other characters try and move with it, and I think that’s very interesting.
What was your first impression when you read the script?
I loved it. I haven’t read many screenplays where I’ve been continuously reading episode after episode. I remember sitting in my room, reading episode one and each time I finished the script, it was like I ran to the next tab to open it up to start reading the next episode. I wanted to just skip the intro and go straight into reading the next one.
Can you tell us more about Silas?
He has never really had a relationship with his father. His father went away when he was much younger so he definitely lacked that father figure/male role model in his life and from that I don’t think he made particularly good choices in terms of how he believes a man should be. His relationship was only with his mother and it was a very frosty relationship at that. He never really had that level of intimacy and closeness with his mum that he did, briefly, with his father. Silas had to try to find his own way in life and he went the wrong way. He took the wrong turns and became obsessed with power and influence instead of connection and love
What’s his development like through the show?
It’s sad because I think at the beginning of the show you really do see why Domino and Silas are together and why they work and why there’s that chemistry. He does have moments where he’s kind to her and shows her things about being a witch. But his issue is that she’s more powerful than him and he can never truly deal with that. He sort of vicariously feeds off being near that power, but it also reminds him of his insecurities and his lack of power.
What did you enjoy about playing Silas?
“Enjoy” is tricky because he’s not a very nice guy so there are times I have to say and do things that aren’t very nice, which is tricky to enjoy. But the world can be quite a bad place, filled with some pretty bad people and I think if you want to actually be able to change people’s perspectives, you want to act like a mirror to the world. So through Silas I hope I can show what it’s like to make those decisions and if people see some of themselves, detached like that, in my actions on screen and judge me, then hopefully it can break them out of their negative patterns of behaviour.
What kind of relationships does Silas have with other characters in the series?
The only other relationship that is really explored is the one with his mother. It’s really interesting, because most of the time, for reasons that you’ll see, she has power over me. But there are a couple of scenes where the writing is fantastic and I’m the one who has the power and we get to see the shift of an established relationship. Silas is suddenly able to realise he can get one over on her and start to dictate where things are going.
What about your relationship with Domino?
It’s a swampy relationship that’s not particularly healthy but I do think there is genuine love there. They both love each other but the form their love takes is not particularly healthy. Silas projects quite a lot onto Domino, but she’s quite innocent in the relationship.
What would you like audiences to take away from the series?
Maybe more of an understanding on your perception of strength and weakness. For example, something you perceive as a weakness, can actually be your greatest strength. And also to just re-evaluate your relationship with your internal life and ask yourself are things really that bad? Or is this thing really that great?
Can you describe your character in one sentence?
A misguided, middle class f*ck boy who struggles to come to terms with the actual important things in life.
About
The series follows Domino Day (played by Siena Kelly), a young woman on all of the dating apps. But Domino isn’t swiping to find her soulmate – she’s swiping to hunt.
A young witch with extraordinary powers, Domino is desperately seeking a community who can help her understand who she is, but she doesn’t need to look far, as a coven of witches is already tracking her every move, convinced they have to stop her before her powers destroy everyone and everything around her.
When a dangerous figure from Domino’s past comes back to haunt her, will it be a fresh start for them all, or a final showdown?
Domino Day (6×45’) is created and written by Lauren Sequeira, with individual episodes written by Charlene James and Haleema Mirza, and is directed by Eva Sigurdardottir and Nadira Amrani, with Nick Pitt as series producer and Megan Ott as producer. Executive producers are Lauren Sequeira with Laurence Bowen, Chris Carey and Elinor Day for Dancing Ledge Productions, a Fremantle company, and Lucy Richer and Ayela Butt for the BBC.
Watch Domino Day on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 31 January at 9pm.
Source
BBC Three