Article: published on 29 November 2021
Is Showtrial based on a true story?
- Published
BBC speaks to Showtrial's creator Ben Richards and director Zara Hayes about the real events that inspired their drama.
By Hannah Price
"The jury is going to hate her, but is she guilty?"
That’s the question that lies at the heart of new drama Showtrial.
The five-part series tells the story of Talitha Campbell, a privileged student played by Celine Buckens, who becomes the prime suspect of a murder after another student, Hannah, played by Abra Thompson, goes missing. Her best friend Dhillon, played by Joseph Payne, the son of a Westminster politician, is charged alongside her.
The series is centred around Hannah's murder trial and whose version of events the jury, and other characters, believe.
Ben Richards, the show's creator, says he really wanted to create a trial that reflected a lot of the social themes having a big impact on society today, like social privilege.
Estranged from her wealthy father, Talitha funded her studies through sex work - and she quickly became the focus of the press, as they brand her "Lady Tease".
Talitha is instantly unlikeable - and that's the point according to the show's creator Ben Richards: "Viewers are very quick to prove the premise of the show completely by using the same kind of language about Talitha [as the media in the show].
"Things like 'Spoilt cow', 'I hope she goes to prison', 'I'd like to give her a slap'.
"I really wanted to look at social privilege and the fact that your appearance and privilege, that might protect you in other ways in society, might not always protect you when it comes to trial."
But as the series goes on, and the case goes to trial, her duty solicitor Cleo, played by Tracy Ifeachor, and the audience find out there might be more to what’s underneath Talitha's arrogant persona, sharp tongue and peculiar reactions.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that some of the flippant aggression that Talitha displayed clearly has some origin in childhood trauma and what she's dealing with," Ben says.
While Showtrial was not based on a true story, or any singular case, Ben and Zara say they were influenced by things that played out in real courtrooms across the world.
'It really stayed with me'
Zara Hayes, who directed the show, says she's always been fascinated with the true crime cases that become a national talking point.
"There are some cases that for some reason become talked about, and catch fire almost in the public's imagination," she says.
"I made a documentary about a 12-year-old boy that killed his friend's stepfather in America and there was footage of him being taken from the crime scene, when he'd been picked up and in handcuffs. He didn't look like he was showing any emotion.
"This was sort of used by the media to show what a cold killer he was, aged 12."
Zara says that experts later said that his reaction was a result of trauma and not a sign of having no remorse.
"There are narratives that sort of catch on and everyone has an opinion on it and that's something that we talked a lot about when making this show," she says.
"That documentary really stayed with me."
'Cases that fascinated me'
When Ben was creating the show, one of the cases that really interested him was the Shrien Dewani trial in South Africa.
Shrien Dewani, from Bristol, was accused of arranging a hit on his new wife Anni, who was murdered during their honeymoon in South Africa.
The couple were held at gunpoint while being driven in a taxi through Cape Town.
Prior to the trial, there was fevered press speculation about Mr Dewani's sexuality.
"His homosexuality was widely reported as a motive for why he might have killed his wife. It was dug up by the press that he used male prostitutes and stuff like that," Ben says.
The case collapsed due to the credibility of evidence from both the police and Mr Dewani's co-conspirators being called into question.
Ben says the way sexuality is sometimes weaponised by the media, during some trials, was something that inspired parts of Talitha's story line.
Zara adds that she was particularly interested in the way lazy stereotypes and narratives can be used against women.
"I think we would be remiss not to mention that, because I do think this is a key part of the whole show and what makes it particularly contemporary," she says.
"You see that in the way that Talitha and Hannah are pitted against each other at the beginning and that contrast in which women are labelled the 'angel' or 'whore'.
"The focus by the media is all on Talitha, not Dhillon.
"It's kind of been happening for centuries but it still continues to happen. It's something that's really being talked about recently and people are coming to understand."
Zara says she has been thinking a lot about power imbalances and the treatment of women lately, while watching Impeachment: American Crime Story, a true-crime dramatisation of the affair that almost cost Bill Clinton his presidency.
"I think it's very interesting what's been done with the show and the fact that it was known as the Monica Lewinsky scandal for so long, not the Clinton affair. Why did everyone accept that label?"
The ending…
While the audience's perception of Talitha might change throughout the series, Ben says Talitha herself doesn't.
"Some people are expecting her to have changed, she hasn't changed at all because people on the whole don't. We're not saying she's a different person," he says.
"When people ask me about the ending, one of the things that I always say is whether the defendant should be innocent or guilty is one thing, but what actually happened is another thing.
"If we put somebody in prison they have to be proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and you can make your own mind up based on what we've shown you as to what you think."
If you, or someone you know, have been affected by the issues raised in Showtrial, help and support is available here.
