Channel 4’s buzzy new drama, ‘The Gathering’, opens with sex, drugs and debauchery at an illegal rave on a beach littered with glow sticks and vomit.
Then comes the shocking murder. What was shaping up to be a standard teen fare suddenly, shockingly transforms into something akin to ‘Skins’ meets ‘Black Swan’ via Agatha Christie.
The new mystery-thriller comes with real pedigree: it’s from the makers of ‘Line of Duty’ and was written by bestselling novelist Helen Walsh, ‘The Lemon Grove’ writer’s TV debut.
Here’s all you need to know about the new must-see TV drama.
What is The Gathering about?
‘The Gathering’ opens with that violent attack on a teenager at an illegal rave. What follows is a gripping mystery as we jump back in time to witness events that unfold prior to the attack, meeting shady characters from all walks of life, each of whom could be responsible for the brutal assault.
Kelly – the victim of the attack – is grieving the loss of her mother, while pushing herself to compete in elite gymnastics. Her best-friend Jess soon becomes her rival in both romance and sports, with the pair’s friendship strained when boys, drugs and sex come into the picture.
Despite their ‘Game of Thrones’ levels of backstabbing, the teenagers don’t have anything on their scheming, toxic parents. The adults in ‘The Gathering’ will stop at nothing to get their children ahead in life.
Is there a trailer for The Gathering?
Yes, check it out below.
When can I watch The Gathering on TV?
It starts at 9pm on Tuesday, May 14 on Channel 4. Episodes air weekly, with the finale on Tuesday, June 18.
Although if you’re too impatient to wait and find out who is behind the brutal attack seen in the series opener, then all episodes of The Gathering will be available to stream from midnight on the evening of the 14th.
How many episodes of The Gathering are there?
The series has six episodes, each focusing on a different suspect and their possible motive, with other storyline threads running throughout the series.
Who is in the cast of The Gathering?
The Gathering features a stacked cast of established TV stars and bright new talent, with it being several cast members first time on screen.
Newcomer Eva Morgan takes on the lead role of Kelly, who is grieving the loss of her mother, while fighting to achieve her dreams of becoming a professional gymnast.
Warren Brown (‘Luther’) plays Kelly’s father, who faces trouble with the law over a clash with other parents and struggling to provide for his family.
Sadie Soverall, last seen playing one of Felix’s girlfriends in ‘Saltburn’, is Jessica, whose friendship with Kelly becomes strained.
‘Boiling Point’ star Vinette Robinson steals scenes as Jessica’s pushy mother Natalie, while Richard Coyle (‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) plays scheming solicitor Jules. Those two characters perfectly represent what sets ‘The Gathering’ apart from teen dramas, with the toxic parents being more reprehensible and outrageous than their wayward kids.
Newcomers Sonny Walker, Luca Kamleh-Chapman and Hebron Tedros round-out the cast as teenagers Adam, Bazi and Dessie.
Where was The Gathering filmed?
Liverpool plays host to much of the chaos and drama of The Gathering.
The homes of the central characters were filmed across the Liverpool and Wirral districts, with locations in Caldy, Birkenhead and Moreton.
Hilbre Island, across the River Dee from the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, was used for the pivotal rave scene. An archipelago of three small islands an hour’s walk across a slipway from the mainland, Hilbre is popular with walkers looking to get away from it all. Word of warning: there are no shops or loos on the island.
Liverpool’s Princes Docks serve as one of the main hangouts for the teenagers in the series, while music venue Invisible Wind Factory doubles up as a nightclub.
Another key location is Merseyside’s Leasowe railway station. Look out for Kelly running over the bridge in a hurry.
The Gino D’Campo Sky Bar 360 on Liverpool’s Old Hall Street doubles as the skybar of a trendy hotel, with the INNSiDE Hotel also used for those scenes.
The city’s World Museum is turned into the Liverpool Arts Club, with the nearby St John’s Gardens appearing throughout the series. Wirral’s West Kirby Park also features, with the Coronation Gardens providing a backdrop in several scenes.
The rivalry between Kelly and Jessica builds up at their gym, which was shoot at Cheshire Gymnastics. Senes set in the Manchester Gymnastics Club were actually filmed at the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club.
Liverpool fried chicken joint Pattersons doubles up as a burger joint that Kelly and Bazi visit, while the city’s Wavertree Police Station is used in several episodes as the investigation intensifies.
Who plays Kelly in The Gathering?
Teenage gymnast Kelly is at the centre of The Gathering and its many twists and turns, with her brutal attack in the opening scenes kickstarting a mystery as audiences work out the culprit.
The series is newcomer Eva Morgan’s screen debut. She was still in drama school when she auditioned.
‘I really admired Kelly, she is such a force and she is a protector to her family,’ says Morgan. ‘She feels really real and truthful.’
The Liverpudlian actress spoke of her pride at showcasing her hometown in the show. ‘The way it was shot was so atmospheric, it felt real and it had the brighter parts and the beautiful parts of Liverpool as well,’ she says.