A COLLECTION of local actors are to feature in a film celebrating the life of William Wordsworth.

Street Films have shot a short film to mark the 250th anniversary of the life of the legendary romantic poet.

They tasked Phil McKay from Carlisle-based acting agency Lakeside Castings with the job of finding the eight-strong cast for the short film.

Phil looked at all of the actors who attend or had attended the agency's workshops in Carlisle to find the right talent for each of the roles.

"I cast 33-year-old Sebastian Coombe to play William Wordsworth and 24-year-old Rebecca Ling both from Carlisle to play Dorothy," explained Mr McKay.

"They have been regulars at the acting workshops over the years so I knew they would play the roles perfectly."

The first part of filming started last November, with the second part shot and finished by March.

The film was shot in and near to Grasmere, including inside the famous Dove Cottage where Wordsworth spent many years writing poems such as ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ in 1804.

"When I arrived onto the film set in Grasmere I was amazed at the period costumes, the attention to detail added an authenticity to the film," continued Mr McKay.

"One my actors Conner has ginger hair so I asked him if he would dye it until it was dark brown so he did that several times to fit the part of Coleridge.

"I knew the actors that I selected for the roles would deliver and they did, this is why we run the actors workshop in Carlisle, so when parts come in I know who I can cast in each part.

"I have cast some really big period films over the years such as Elizabeth the Virgin Queen BBC, Jamaica Inn BBC, Wuthering Heights ITV, Swallows and Amazons feature film, but on this one our actors at Lakeside Castings with their costumes, hair and make-up really pulled it off."

The Wordsworth short film is all part of Wordsworth Grasmere's 250 year anniversary celebrations and is at the permanent exhibition gallery next to Dove Cottage where tens of thousands of visitors will see it.

Other Lakeside Castings actors in the film were:

  • Alex Morrison, from Langholm, played The Leach Gatherer
  • Connor McCord, from Seascale, played Samuel Coleridge
  • Olena Nealy, from Maryport, played Mary Wordsworth (William's wife)
  • Robert Irving, from Carlisle, played John Simpson The Reverend (neighbour of Wordsworth)
  • Christopher Strain, from Tyneside, played John Wordsworth (brother of William)
  • Poppy Rowan, also from Carlisle, played The Beggar