Cast & Contributors - Cherie Lunghi
Cherie Lunghi
“What made me interested in participating was that on the first page of the script there was a description of the killer diseases caused by poverty in the east end in 1906, and two on the list were measles and mumps, which today you don’t have to die from. What intrigued me about my character was that the authority and the expertise of the matrons on the ward, I remember that even from being in hospital during my childhood. What impressed me about the script was the dedication of the medical staff who were courageous pioneers in unknown territory running a very high risk of dying themselves”
Cast & Contributors - Sarah Smart
Sarah Smart
Sarah plays nurse Ada Russell with TOM RILEY as Dr James Walton. Walton later went on to become surgeon to the Royal Family and the producers sought permission from the family to use his name.
Smart said “It is their little love story that couldn’t happen because doctors and nurses couldn’t get involved with each other then. You weren’t allowed to date and if you wanted to you had to leave."
"It was a fantastic experience because it is such a meaningful piece of work, it is not an everyday drama. It was great to work on a project that revolves around real life events and real people living in such harsh times who had to deal with it with such grace. A story for every generation to watch because the issues are still current in modern society. It was a priviledge to play Nurse Ada Russell and to work on a project with everyone who cared so much about it."
“It was a fascinating film to work on, we had Edwardian voice coaching, and it felt very strange telling patients recovering from surgery that they could have a cigarette when they got back to the ward."