What happens when Hollywood descends on a small town in Ireland?
When the glitz and glamour of Hollywood collide with the charm and quirks of a small Irish town, the results are both unexpected and chaotic. Sky’s new comedy-drama Small Town, Big Story, crafted by the talented comedian and actor Chris O’Dowd, captures this delightful clash. Set in a quaint border town in Ireland, the series explores the peculiar events that unfold when a former resident returns, bringing with her a swirl of forgotten memories and unresolved tensions.
O’Dowd, known for his roles in iconic series such as The IT Crowd, Moone Boy, and the blockbuster Bridesmaids, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “I bloody love television, and am most engrossed by stories that bring the remarkable to the everyday. I hope we’ve made a beautiful show that an audience will find funny and will keep people on the edge of their seats… and beyond.” The series kicks off this week on Sky.
What is Small Town, Big Story about?
Small Town, Big Story delves into the life of a rural Irish town that suddenly finds itself in the spotlight when a Hollywood film crew arrives to shoot a series based on Ireland’s rich ancestral history. Wendy Patterson, a local girl who has made a name for herself as a television producer in Los Angeles, returns to her hometown of Drumbán after two decades. This homecoming, however, is laden with complications, as her return is mired in the shadows of her past.
As the film crew sets up in the chaotic microcosm of Drumbán, Wendy grapples with her unresolved feelings about her hometown and her estranged relationship with her father. Simultaneously, Séanus Proctor, played by Paddy Considine, is a well-respected local doctor whose orderly life begins to unravel with Wendy’s arrival. He shares a complicated history with Wendy, and as the film production unfolds, secrets from the past threaten to surface, challenging both characters to confront their histories.
Who is in the Small Town, Big Story cast?
Christina Hendricks
Christina Hendricks takes the lead role as Wendy Patterson. Reflecting on her character’s journey, she remarked, “Wendy starts out very trepidatious about going home to Ireland. It’s been over 20 years, she’s completely reinvented herself in LA with her job, but she has this opportunity to bring this big production back home. She thinks if she’s ever going to go back and confront her past, if she’s going to have a relationship with her father again and really put to bed her negative feelings about this hometown, this is the time to do it.”
The 49-year-old American actress, renowned for her role as Joan Holloway in the acclaimed series Mad Men, has also graced the big screen in films like Drive, Ginger & Rosa, and Lost River. In addition, she has made notable appearances in television shows such as The Romanoffs and Good Girls.
Paddy Considine
Paddy Considine portrays the character of Séanus Proctor, the town’s local doctor and a respected figure in the community. He shared insights into his character’s transformation, stating, “You meet him as he is just going along with his life as normal. When Wendy comes back to town and begins a big film production, all this stuff about his past starts to surface again.”
The 51-year-old British actor is well-known for his performances as Viserys I Targaryen in House of the Dragon and as Father John Hughes in Peaky Blinders. He has also appeared in The Outsider and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher. Considine has received two BAFTA Awards for his exceptional writing and directing in Dog Altogether and Tyrannosaur.
Eileen Walsh
Eileen Walsh plays Catherine Proctor, Séanus’ wife and a dedicated local schoolteacher. The 47-year-old Irish actress has appeared in films like The Magdalene Sisters, Rialto, and Small Things Like These. Her television credits include roles in Catastrophe and Death in Paradise.
David Wilmot
David Wilmot takes on the role of Keith McCurdle, a resident of Drumbán. The talented Irish actor is best recognized for his performances in films such as Michael Collins, Intermission, Anna Karenina, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. His television roles include characters in Ripper Street, The Crown, and Station Eleven.
The cast also features:
- David Rawle as Sonny Proctor (Moone Boy, Drop Dead Weird)
- Leia Murphy as Joanne Proctor (Fair City, Video Nasty)
- Ruth McCabe as Betty Battles (My Left Foot, Philomena)
- Andrew Bennet as Barry Battles (Angela’s Ashes, Blackshore)
- Evanne Kilgallon as Shelly McGoldrick (Obituary)
- Patrick Martins as Jules O’Brien (Redemption, Northern Lights)
- Peter McGann as Matt Magee (Vultures, Republic of Telly, Good Boy)
- Sam C Wilson as Big Jim McDaid (House of the Dragon, Dodger)
- Chris O’Dowd as Jack E McCarthy (The IT Crowd, Moone Boy)
Where was Small Town, Big Story filmed?
The series was filmed on location in the picturesque County Wicklow, south of Dublin, and in Boyle, located in the north-west of Ireland. The narrative is set in a fictional small town that straddles the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. O’Dowd shared his inspiration for the setting, stating, “I’d been looking for something to set in the north-west of Ireland. I’d previously shot in Boyle with Moone Boy, and always wanted to go back, but never got around to it. I suppose I was looking for a ‘small-town’ story but this time I wanted to create somewhere new – ‘Drumbán’.”
He envisioned the town as a small village, drawing from memories of his mother’s home located ten miles from Boyle. O’Dowd elaborated, “I wrote about it imagining the configuration of streets and the river which runs through. I had been working in Ireland up by the lakes and I had forgotten how beautiful they were. I thought they would be a beautiful place to set a show.”
When is it on and how many episodes are there?
Small Town, Big Story premiered on Thursday, 27 February, on Sky and the streaming service Now in the UK and Ireland. The first episode of the six-part series aired from 9pm to 10pm, with subsequent episodes scheduled for the same time on each following Thursday. Sky packages start from £15 per month, and Now subscriptions from £6.99 per month. Please note that the show will not be available on any other streaming platforms.
