The Real Kathy Haydn - Production
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The Creation of Kathy Haydn A conversation with Paul J Milham – creator of ‘The Real Kathy Haydn’ |
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He likes to keep people at a distance and not reveal too much about who he really is An Interview with actor David Voss (Andy Cox) |
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Everybody has a secret to sell The Music of Kathy Haydn |
The Creation of Kathy Haydn
Who does the Agony Aunt turn to when she has a problem of her own?
The Show
The idea for the show wasn’t instant. In fact, to reach the point I am at with this project today has taken a number of years of slow steady progress.
I first started playing with some of the show’s main themes about five years ago. At this time I was sent a newspaper article by a relative of mine who just thought that the story it told made for an interesting drama. It was about a man, married with kids and a seemingly perfect life who, one day, just vanished, without trace. It seemed to be such an intriguing premise. People disappear all the time but, in this case, there was no motive and no obvious signs that there was any disharmony, agenda or reason – the guy had a great job, loving family, he was rich with no enemies, he was popular, active, playful and happy - and then he just disappeared.
In this instance it turned out that his disappearance was a heavily engineered manoeuvre that had been meticulously planned over a year. He had systematically begun erasing his own life. The story stuck with me and I wrote an hour drama based, quite closely, on this premise. The plot, if I can remember that far back, was about a couple who move to a tiny village in the middle of ‘nowhereshire’ and whilst the husband fitted in famously with the locals, the wife made instant enemies and was bullied and isolated. It was then that he disappeared and the wife became stranded, alone, in a hostile environment. I was pleased with what I had written but, in hindsight it was rather a cheapened version of ‘The Wicker Man’ with a slightly implausible structure.
But still the notion of the happy individual’s mysterious disappearance stayed with me and I started to think a little more logically as to how best to tell the story. What I wanted was the story to be excessively large and have a cataclysmic presence. I didn’t want this to be about an obvious, rich couple seeing off a soap opera type story – the idea seemed bigger. The best move forward seemed to be my story involving someone whose vanishing would have an impact on as many people as possible. This is where the idea of KATHY HAYDN began - with the World’s most popular celebrity. How could a woman of this status vanish? Everyone knows her face! More importantly why should she want to? She has it all. Now all I needed was to build my story around her.
I toyed for a long time over what kind of celebrity Kathy should be – young, old, mainstream, cult, pop-star, film star – every type brought interesting arenas and stories with which to play with. I finally decided she should be an agony aunt. It seemed so juicy. A woman who has made a career looking after the well being and emotional needs of the nation suddenly disappears leaving a suicide note. It was such juxtaposition and one that gave me the most material to play with. I gave Kathy her own TV show ‘The Real Kathy Haydn Show’ an obvious but thematic nod to the fact that this woman would be as mysterious as she was open.
From here I had to create the people that would populate my drama. Everyone would be affected by her story but obvious candidates started to emerge. The neurotic wife burdened by the suspicion that her husband was having an affair with Kathy, the girl with low self esteem who is stalked the day of Kathy Haydn’s disappearance, the journalist who’s career it was to hunt down this leading lady. All my characters had dark secrets. It became the theme of the show. Their stories twist and turn, they live, they die, they reveal hidden personalities and mysteries but none of them are incidental or a gimmick. From the onset, from Episode 1, these stories begin to weave together and will culminate in the solution to Kathy Haydn’s whereabouts. Their secrets are huge and dramatic but they all have a purpose and I am aching to tell their stories and thread in these shocks along the way. Now, when I think about how each story develops, the hairs on the back of my neck prick up. I know the impact these characters have will stay with the audience for a long time.
Everyone has a Secret.
The characters and their secrets
The Real Kathy Haydn works on two levels. It has a seemingly superficial, glossy layer. It is about a TV star, wrapped up in a world of premieres, celebrity parties and photo shoots. There is definite parodic frivolity towards the celebrity world but beneath this comedic presence there are darker stories to be found. Every character in my drama has a secret. No one is what they seem, but the disappearance of this one celebrity brings their secrets to the surface.
One of my favourite characters, for example, is Sasha Coral. She is so important to the drama because she humanises the destructive force of today’s modern media. She is oppressed by it. Normality to her is what she sees on the front of magazines and not fitting that mould has forced her into reclusion. Sasha’s secret is huge and when we find out what she is hiding (Mid series one) the whole show is turned on its head and I can’t wait for that moment.
The drama is slow and steady. Mysteries are woven in from day one and sometimes the payoff may be resolved by the end of the episode, sometimes there may be months of waiting before we actually find out what is going on. The drip feed effect is what I personally like about television dramas. Modern audiences don’t want to be presented with stock characters that they know instantaneously. Characters should have layers and stories should be all about peeling them away slowly.
Who cares now?
Where is Kathy Haydn?
This question is the drive of the drama, carrying it through three series. As the series opens this question wraps itself around every scene and every line of dialogue. She may have disappeared but Kathy Haydn is a presence throughout the show. As the series progresses it becomes less of the drive as the stories of the show’s characters gradually take centre stage.
All the stories are mysteries, but none are as important as the one referred to in the title – Who is Kathy Haydn?
The show investigates her disappearance from several different angles. Is she alive? Is she dead? Did she kill herself? Is it a publicity stunt? Was she kidnapped? Is she on the run? Was she murdered? The theory that she has been abducted by aliens is also put forward as a persuasive theory in episode 11. The solution is not straightforward. Her whereabouts are a result of many key incidents in her life but the solution is woven into the story from episode one and there are big revelations along the way.
Someone out there knows where Kathy is
No, really – Where is she?
‘The Real Kathy Haydn’ is currently in pre-production and should be beginning its first season early 2008. To find out more about this project, for more insights into the characters and more news on everything Kathy Haydn please sign up for the newsletter.
Paul J Milham
‘He likes to keep people at a distance and not reveal too much about who he really is’
An Interview with actor David Voss (Andy Cox)
Tell me about your character, Andy Cox
'Well, he’s an Australian chauffeur – he’s the kind of guy who appears as though he’s fairly laid back and tends to go with the flow, although I think that’s a carefully cultivated image that he likes to project so people can’t suss him out.'
How is Andy wrapped up in Kathy’s disappearance?
'He’s the one that finds out she’s missing – he finds what looks like a suicide note at her house and breaks the news to Nancy. On the face of it that’s all he has to do with it but I’m not sure all is what it seems.'
What can we expect from Andy in this series?
'I think the guy is a bit of a dark horse to be honest. I’ve heard from the producers there might be a love interest, although no-one’s said who it is yet. There has also been a hint regarding Andy’s background – I think his story is going to develop in a surprising way.'
You mention that Andy has a dark side. Any clues to what that may be?
'Like I said, I think he’s got a carefully cultivated image that isn’t necessarily who he really is. He likes to keep people at a distance and not reveal too much about himself which leads me to think he’s got a secret or two underneath all those layers. I can’t really say too much more but suffice to say he is no stranger to the occult.'
Are you anything like your character?
'I’m fairly laid back but I don’t think I’m quite as mysterious as him. And I’m not Australian, obviously.'
What has it been like filming scenes for ‘The Real Kathy Haydn?’
'Great – Obviously when Andy is prominent in an episode then the hours can be gruelling but the team are really nice and welcome my input in developing the character.'
So David… Do you know what happened to Kathy Haydn?
'Not a clue mate.'
Any theories?
'I’d like to think she’s got tired of the fame and glory, faked her own death, had massive reconstructive plastic surgery so she’s totally anonymous and taken a job at chip shop in a small town in Sussex. However, she’s probably unable to resist the lure of the celebrity lifestyle and ends up on next year’s Big Brother. Something like that anyway.'
Thanks for the chat… Good luck with the role.
'Cheers mate – couldn’t have done it without you.'
Click here to find out more about Andy's character.
Everybody has a secret to sell
The Music of Kathy Haydn
'My band, ‘Cinnamon Street’ was approached by the creator of ‘The Real Kathy Haydn’ about six months ago to create a theme song to the show.'
'The song ‘Everybody has a secret’ is based loosely around the story of Kathy Haydn. At the time of writing, I only had the written pilot episode and a handful of rushes with which to work so I decided to create a song that picked up on the show’s main theme – secrecy. Lyrically, the song is about the world of celebrity. The voice of the song is of a man who is dating a television presenter who, herself, is completely consumed with the people she meets and the lifestyles that accompany them. He believes she is merely hiding behind the mask that is celebrity and is doubting himself as to whether he’s ready to take on the challenge.'
'Musically I wanted to convey some of the energy that was evident in the script. I knew instantly that this was not going to be a ballad and tried to keep the feel punchy and lively.'
Cinnamon Street are currently writing and recording their first album, due for release in 2008. To hear more from the band, discover them at www.myspace.com/cinnamonstreet.
'Enjoy'
Dave Bone
