When adapting any stage play into a feature film, the same thematic elements that lifted the original production should be treated with care in order for the new version to keep the same storytelling value. Along with various atmospheric nuances that must be transferred over from the small stage and actors finding ways to evolve their characters to better fit the cinematic lens, a great deal of understanding and even respect is needed to transform one medium into another in order to keep the legacy of the original work alive, even if there are reinterpretations.

This was most recently the case for the theatrical version of And Then Come the Nightjars, a precious tale of a farmer and his vet. These two men, Micheal and Jeff, suddenly form the most harrowing of bonds due to the Foot and Mouth disease that plagued many farms in the English countryside during the early 2000s. Originally created as a performance piece which toured through the United Kingdom in 2016 and 2017, And Then Come the Nightjars is coming to digital platforms on Oct. 3.

Film director Paul Robinson and co-lead actor Nigel Hastings sat down with MovieWeb this past week and talked about all the different intricacies involved with the adaptation and capturing such a troubling time and such heavy emotions during such a troubling time.

Evolving Characters Through Real Locations

Being close to generational actor David Fielder — who has stepped back into film after seemingly being exclusive to theater roles for the past 30 years — Hastings spoke about the men’s reactions when they were sent the character roles for the original play over seven years ago:

David and I just loved it. You just don’t get the opportunity to play these subtle sort of characters, but yet [also] address these big, important themes that I think are relatable everywhere. I think it’s a very nuanced piece and overlooked a few times because of that. You had to sort of tune into it.

When it came to playing the same role but on a different stage, Hastings explained how an authentic location made all the difference to volumize his character. “The atmosphere of actually being on the farm with real cows, with the farmer actually working around us, with the real weather — it all just felt very real. The change I made was to try and find more of the internal sense of the character and the reality of what they were going through.”

Speaking of the two main characters, Hastings detailed two different ways in which Micheal and Jeff’s seemingly logistical relationship is actually uniquely special. “In a way, it’s a bit like you and your children. Hopefully all goes well, but as soon as one of them is not well, then you panic, and you need the pediatrician or the vet to come along. So I think that’s the closeness.” He compared the two to a more distinguished version of the odd couple:

“They’re such opposites but they sort of have to get on well, because like most men, they don’t like to reveal their feelings. But what they do is, they tease each other and joke with each other and find each other’s vulnerabilities. I think that’s one of the delights of the script.”

Approaching the film from a wider scope, Hastings then cleverly detailed how the authenticity and raw value of the farm manifested into a sort of third main character. “It’s not just there for your holidays, or weekends. It actually exists, actually lives and breathes,” explained Hastings. “The farm has a real industrial feel to it because they’re working [and] trying to make a living.” Through seasonal changes, Hastings described out how the tucked away property has a personality:

Towards the end, you could see everything coming back to life again and the spring happening. The changes in weather, the way of the farm — it was such a strong influence.

Comparing this grand stage to the intimacy of the theater, Hastings also noted that the silence of an empty farm is much more deafening on the big screen. Diving deeper into how this unique location was found, the Doctor Who alumni mentioned that it all came together when they were looking for testimonies from actual farmers and vets who coped with the actual outbreak. “The farm was in a local TV [piece] called The Foot and Mouth Diaries. [The owner], his family, and his whole community were so supportive of the project,” said Hastings. “[It’s all] a little bit forgotten about partly because it’s rural. I think rural stories in this country get less attention, especially in cinema, than urban stories.” Related: Doctor Who: The Best Villains From the Modern Era, Ranked

Mixing Emotions with Silence
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Being the one to also head the original stage play, director Paul Robinson knew what aspects of the theater production he had to prioritize in order to make the cinematic version come alive. “I think the relationship was first and foremost [and] number two was the inciting incident. It’s how they kind of recover from that, how the event doesn’t define them [and] the balance that is rung,” said Robinson. “It could be game over after the first 20 minutes, ya know? But the film has to go on without the cows at that point.”

Speaking of the cattle who are coldly culled because of the imminent threat, the filmmaker wanted this moment to be one of the more expressionistic of the film. “Initially, the trick is for the viewer to not realize it’s a dream until the last 10, 15 seconds. I wanted to create this surreal, coming-out-of-the-fire type of loud experience,” said Robinson, “then just cut to nothing.” Robinson said that this dream sequence is directly inspired by the experiences told to him by the farmers who had to single-handedly deal with all the consequences caused by Foot and Mouth.

Forging a Lifelong Friendship
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Besides that emotionally tolling sequence, some running dialogue on the outskirts of the most important scenes show that Robinson is bringing in some of the most intricate details from the real people that live in Devon, like the details of their humor. “Apparently that’s very, very typical of this community when it’s really tough — there’s still a joke to make, you know? And that was what we wanted to create. However, difficult things got, they had each other, they could joke together.” This is the essence of And Then Comes the Nightjars — with Foot and Mouth as the backdrop, a meaningful relationship that cultivates out of a crisis.

As previously mentioned, Nigel Hastings and David Fielder work tremendously well on screen together. With Robinson’s description now in the mix after working with them, the relationship between these three men is just as heartwarming off the screen. “We have a lovely banter which echoes the two characters. It’s why I think Nigel wanted me to direct it. He knew that I could make you see things in their eyes that you might have not seen in the play. I’m just very lucky that they trusted me to get them there again.”

Transitioning characters and callings from stage to screen, audiences will surely be delighted when they see these two brilliant actors come alive once more in this dramatic retelling of a very specific moment in recent British history.

Last but not least, the inquisitive director answered the question that everyone will be talking about: the importance of the nightjar. A creature whose presence marks the beginning of the end, Robinson dives into the importance of this outdoor entity. “The Nightjar is a bird of death. It’s a threat at the beginning, and by living with these characters who are facing and surviving this tragedy, with their friendship as the kind of antidote to that — you have the same thing repeated at the end [but this time] they’re not afraid of it.”

And Then Comes the Nightjars will be available on digital platforms starting from October 3rd.