Jamaica Inn: sound problems? Read the book!

Even Daphne du Maurier’s son couldn’t understand what was being said on Jamaica Inn

Kits Browning urges fans to read the book and says the audio problems with the BBC production blighted a “wonderful” script

Ben Dowell, 28 April 2014

RadioTimes

Beware: spoiler

If you struggled to hear what was going on on BBC1’s Jamaica Inn you were not alone – even Daphne du Maurier’s son could not understand a fair chunk of the dialogue in the dramatisation of his illustrious mother’s great tome.

Kits Browning has revealed that even though he watched a DVD of the series, as opposed to the allegedly faulty BBC broadcast, he still found it difficult to hear what actor Sean Harris – aka Joss Merlyn, landlord of the Jamaica Inn – was saying.

“In the end I had to resort to subtitles because I wanted to see [scriptwriter] Emma Frost’s wonderful words,” he says.

“I feel so sorry for Emma Frost – she did a wonderful adaptation.”

However, for Browning there was a silver lining as the three-parter progressed.

“Thank God Sean Harris’ character gets killed,” he said, adding that the sound problems were “a real shame”.

“I blame the director and the sound man – and an actor who just mumbled. If anyone else feels the same way I just suggest you go and read the book.”

Hundreds of people complained to the BBC about mumbling on the drama, which also starred Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay. The Corporation is said to still be examining the precise causes of the problems which blighted the transmission.