Paul Davies Brings Jane Austen's World to Life in Wales
Paul Davies, also known as 'Paul Bach' from Felinfach, is the location manager for the new television series that has successfully recreated the world of Jane Austen's novels, primarily choosing locations in South Wales.
The series, The Other Bennet Sister, is based on characters from Pride and Prejudice and follows the story of Mary Bennet, the quieter and more reserved sister.
"Some people thought it would be impossible to find such locations in Wales," said Paul Davies, referring to the story's original setting in the Lake District and London.
"Right, we're not going to do something half-hearted," he added, "so I started researching the types of houses from that period."
They succeeded in filming the entire series in Wales.
The series is based on Janice Hadlow's novel, which follows the story of Mary Bennet, one of the sisters who receives less attention in Jane Austen's original novels.
Among the locations featured in the series are Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan and St Fagans in Cardiff, as well as some lesser-known sites.
One such location is Penpont near Brecon, which was Paul’s favourite filming site.
"It’s fantastic," said the Ceredigion native, also known as Paul Bach from Felinfach.
He explained that about 20 years ago, while driving home through Brecon, he decided to stop by.
"I was shocked; I had forgotten how beautiful and colourful it was.
"So we turned it into the village of Meryton," the fictional village central to the story, meant to represent a village in Hertfordshire.
The series will be broadcast on BBC on Sunday, 15 March.
Ruth Jones plays Mrs Bennet, Mary Bennet’s mother, and has said she wanted to portray the character differently from traditional interpretations.
Paul Davies commented that the costumes, makeup, and locations all "look great."
Paul currently lives in Aberarth, Ceredigion, and has worked in television for over 30 years.
"I’m delighted... it’s a wonderful job," he said.
When he began his research, some locations immediately came to mind.
"Mainly in South Wales... there are a couple of houses in the area that might be suitable," he said.
"A couple of places in Newport might work as streets in London."
He explained the challenge of representing the Lake District area, noting it was difficult to match Lake Windermere as a location.
"Then we decided to use the old coal mining workshops at Tairgwaith in Brynaman. When you look at it, you think 'oh, they’ve gone to Lake Windermere.'"
"That was a real feather in my cap," he added.
"I approach it with quite a positive attitude," said Paul.
The series is based on Janice Hadlow's novel, which follows Mary Bennet’s journey to become an independent woman.
Paul admitted he was not very familiar with Jane Austen’s work before this project, explaining he had not studied Austen at school but is now a huge fan.
"The atmosphere, the costumes, the makeup, and the locations obviously look great."
Paul is very proud to have proven people wrong by filming the entire series in Wales.
"I approach it with quite a positive attitude," he reiterated.
He often approaches people directly about filming in their homes, saying:
"I go straight to people’s houses, big houses here, and ask 'is it possible to film in your house? Maybe I’ll come with a friend, or 150 friends,'" he said, emphasizing, "if you mention Jane Austen, that goes a long way too."
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