This thesis brings together the study of film and television period drama and audience research, looking at how teenagers from across England respond to recent examples of British period drama. The original audience research produced a wealth of primary data, including surveys and interviews, drawn from close to 100 participants.
The thesis begins with a literature survey, then assesses the methodological choices involved in constructing an audience research project. The audience research was organised around case studies of Peaky Blinders, Belle, The Imitation Game, Downton Abbey and Far from the Madding Crowd, chosen to represent the variety that exists within the period drama genre. Whilst the thesis includes some textual analysis of these, the focus is on the data that emerges from the audience research.
The main chapters consider the key themes that emerge from this data, including responses to the representation of women and minority groups in period drama; the complex ways in which audiences engage with characters and the values they represent; debates around the relationship between period drama and ‘real history’; and young people’s reactions to period dramas they perceive as more authentic or truthful.
The information gathered paints a portrait of 16-19 year olds in England in 2017/18, shedding light on their engagement with media, their consumption of historical sources and their lifestyle and attitudes more generally. The findings question negative assumptions that are frequently made about both the tastes and interests of young people and the nature of period drama, showing that these audiences can respond to the genre in surprising and diverse ways. The young participants emerge from the thesis as a diverse and lively group of people whose responses to period drama are both engaging and highly enlightening about how young audiences engage with screen media and period drama.
