The orphan and the rich girl

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 15

The orphan and the rich girl

A 8.8. C. serialisation of the R. F. Delderfield novel, “Diana,” will begin on One tonight. The producer, Ken Riddington, and the dramatist, Andrew Davies, worked together on the 8.8. C. version of R. F. Delderfield’s “To Serve Them All My Days.” Riddington also produced Delderfield’s “A Horseman Riding By” for television. In “Diana,” John Leigh is a penniless orphan from London who, at 15, comes to live with relatives in Devon. Diana Gayelorde-Sutton, one year his junior, is the daughter of a wealthy, selfmade businessman who lives with her family at Heronslea, an imposing country house. Their temperaments are as different as their backgrounds. John is a sensitive romantic, good-natured and steadfast, while Diana is a spoilt little rich girl; self-centred, wilful and unpredictable. Yet, from the moment they meet, a strong attraction exists between them.

One thing they have in common is their love of the the surrounding countryside, which they call Sennacharib

after a poem John learnt at school. Diana renames him Jan after a character from a favourite book. Jan is totally captivated by Diana’s beauty, her spirit of adventure and love of life. He determines to make both Diana and Sennacharib his own — a resolve which alters the direction of his life, bringing extremes of joy and misery. The story begins in 1930 and the start of an idyllic adolescence spent together in the beautiful Devon countryside. However, as adults, Jan’s and Diana’s relationship becomes increasingly complicated, marred by bitterness and conflict. After many separations and reunions their destinies become inextricably and tragically entwined as events of the 1940 s lead both to the warravaged heart of France and the activities of the French Resistance. The adolescent Jan and Diana who appear in tonight’s and next week’s episodes are played by Stephen J. Dean and Patsy Kensit, with Kevin McNally and Jenny Seagrove taking the adult roles.