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Inside BBC drama as creator says he hopes show will have unique outcome

02 June 2024 , 19:24
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Writer Daf James also talks about the
Writer Daf James also talks about the 'rigorous ' and 'intrusive' process of adopting a child

WHEN the writer of new BBC One series Lost Boys And Fairies needed inspiration to tell a story about the rollercoaster ride of adoption, he didn’t have to look far.

Daf James is the Welsh creator of the three-parter, which starts tonight, and like the central characters he went through the intrusive, gruelling but rewarding process — and is now a happy father of three.

Gabe, played by Sion Daniel Young, with Jake, played by Leo Harris in Lost Boys And Fairies erideuiqtziqxkprw
Gabe, played by Sion Daniel Young, with Jake, played by Leo Harris in Lost Boys And FairiesCredit: BBC
Claire, played by Sharon D Clarke with Jake in the drama
Claire, played by Sharon D Clarke with Jake in the dramaCredit: BBC
Superheroes Gabe and Andy, played by Fra Fee
Superheroes Gabe and Andy, played by Fra FeeCredit: BBC

But Lost Boys And Fairies is not an autobiography, it is a drama in its own right and one he hopes might have a unique outcome.

Daf said: “My job as a storyteller and a writer of a performance is to entertain and not to bore an audience. I take that role very seriously.

“All the rest of the stuff is additional. If I can make them think or laugh or cry as part of that entertainment, that would be an amazing thing.

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“But if this influences somebody to go away and adopt, it’s a win because there are hundreds of kids in the UK who need loving homes. That would be an absolute triumph.

“I would love it if that happens.”

Daf knows how difficult the journey to becoming an adoptive parent can be after he and his husband worked with social services to form a family eight years ago.

One of the things he wanted to focus on was his positive experience of social workers, particularly given how negatively they can often be portrayed.

Daf said: “I can only talk from the adoption perspective, but their job is to protect these children.

“We go through a very, very rigorous process and everybody always asks us, ‘It’s intrusive isn’t it?’ and I’m like, ‘Well, it is in a sense but that’s because they need to make sure that where that child, who has already lived with significant trauma, is coming to is a safe place’.

“We’ve had many social workers who’ve been involved in our lives with our children and they’ve been like angels to us.”

Lost Boys And Fairies is a reflection of all these experiences, with some artistic licence.

Daf said: “When we went through that it was the most incredible life-changing, life-affirming, challenging thing I’d ever been through and it changed me as a human and as an artist as well.

“I needed to write about it almost as a cathartic thing. I always borrow from my life in terms of writing but the show is a work of fiction because I’ve found a way of translating my lived experience and putting it into a story.

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“My characters are not actually based on my family.”

The show revolves around Andy, played by Fra Fee, and his performing artist boyfriend Gabriel, played by Sion Daniel Young.

They both live in Wales and have reached a stage in their relationship where they want to start a family, except one of them has a rather dark past.

‘It was electric’

Gabriel endured a troubled childhood and when he reached adulthood he slipped into a hedonistic whirlpool he struggled to get out of.

When the couple start going through the adoption process, they initially try to hide the perceived hurdles, only to discover they are not as problematic as they think they will be.

Far more difficult is the emotional journey they go on as they try to be parents to seven-year-old Jake, played by Leo Harris.

It was a challenge to fully convey this on screen.

Yet Sion insists Daf’s writing made it as straightforward as it could be.

He said: “Daf’s scripts are written in a way not many scripts are. The level of detail, from an emotional point of view, makes it a lot easier for you.

Play time for Jake, played by Leo Harris in the new drama
Play time for Jake, played by Leo Harris in the new dramaCredit: BBC
Daf James is the Welsh creator of the three-parter
Daf James is the Welsh creator of the three-parter

“He’s so accurate with emotional beats through scenes.”

Gabriel seems to be the more ostentatious of the two men, certainly in contrast to Andy, an accountant who would like to get married, only to be told it is “something straight couples do”.

So making sure the actors could work together in depicting the couple was crucial — and Daf said they lucked out in hiring Sion and Fra.

He added: “We didn’t get the opportunity to do a chemistry read, so it is a risk.

“I was adamant, I was like, ‘I know this is gonna work’.

“I have to say, the first time they read together . . . honestly, it was electric.

'Emotional beats'

“An extraordinary thing happened in that space, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a read through like that.

“In this one, everyone really brought their A-game and it was such a delicious moment.”

For Daf, the story isn’t about gay adoption, it is simply about family and everything that comes with it.

He said: “I would say it’s a universal story of parents and children. Really it’s a story of love and a celebration of that.”

  • Lost Boys And Fairies is on iPlayer and BBC One tonight from 9pm

Rod McPhee

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