Merseyside takes on film role as Canvey Island

Sep 5 2007 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

Shaun Evans, and Amanda Ryan, at the screening of the film, Sparkle, at FACT, Liverpool _320

A STRING of Merseyside locations were used to “stand in” for London settings in a new low-budget British romantic comedy which had its regional premiere in Liverpool last night.

New Brighton, Wirral Caravan Park in Thurstaston, and the Dee Estuary all double as Canvey Island in the film Sparkle, which hits the big screens later this month.

A number of locations around Liverpool were also used during the shooting of the film, starring veteran Hollywood actors Bob Hoskins and Grease star Stockard Channing, alongside newer talent.

Sparkle tells the story of a young character named Sam Sparks who moves from Liverpool to London and gets involved with a powerful older woman, then falls for a girl of his own age who, unknown to him, is the older woman’s daughter.

Walton-born Shaun Evans plays Sparks, with Amanda Ryan, who has a string of film and TV credits such as Shameless to her name, as his screen love Kate.

Both Evans and Ryan were at FACT’s Picturehouse cinema in Liverpool city centre last night for the regional premiere before a specially-invited audience.

The film has already had a sell-out screening at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Evans, 27, said: “It was great to work with such a fantastic cast and I’m very pleased with the reception the film has had so far.

“It’s multi-plot and multi-character, with a lot of different stories weaved into one. It’s about human relationships and is romantic and funny.

“The majority of people who’ve seen it so far have said they loved it and that it gave them a warm feeling inside.”

Originally the main character, Sam, was going to be an electrician, which is why the title was Sparkle.

But the plot developed and in the finished film Sam is looking for any kind of work when he arrives in London. But the producers still wanted to call the film Sparkle, so had to come up with another reason.

They gave Sam the surname Sparks, and developed his mother’s character as a singer, so that they could justifiably continue to use Sparkle as the film’s title.

The writing/directing team of Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger scored a big hit with their previous film, Lawless Heart, which was acclaimed as the best British film of 2001.

Sparkle was filmed on Merseyside after winning funding from the UK Film Council and Northwest Vision and Media’s Merseyside Film and TV Fund.

alanweston