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Help Me Interview Downton Abbey Historical Advisor Alastair Bruce
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If you had the chance to interview Alastair Bruce, the historical advisor for "Downton Abbey", what would you ask him? I would like to give you that chance. Bruce is coming to Atlanta on Thursday for GPB’s season five premiere gala at the Fox Theatre and I am scheduled to interview him. Through this blog, you can send me questions to ask him. I’ll do my best to get them in. As the show’s historical advisor, Bruce is charged with keeping the drama as authentic to the time period as possible. He reviews everything from how actor’s stand, sit or walk to the inflection in their voices. He recently revealed the “no touching” policy on “Downton.” Public displays of affection were not common in early twentieth century Britain. That’s because antibiotics had not been developed yet and diseases still spread quickly. So Bruce told the U.K. Telegraph he instructs actors to refrain from touching each other except for romantic scenes or when a character needs to be comforted because of great sorrow.
Here is what actors Ed Speeler and Rob James Collier have to say about how Bruce have helped them develop their characters.
What else does Bruce tell the actors? What else would you like to know? Submit your questions to help me interview him in the comments below by Wednesday, December 3. Thank you for your help.