Silk

About Silk

Silk is a British television drama series, debuted in 2011, that follows the professional and personal lives of the barristers in Shoe Lane Chambers and their struggle to attain the rank of Queen's Counsel, also known as "taking silk". One of the series' focal characters is Martha Costello (Maxine Peake), a talented junior barrister who is competing for silk with her colleague, Clive Reader (Rupert Penry-Jones).

Making / Production

Silk was produced by the BBC and created by Peter Moffat. The series was inspired by Moffat's early career in the legal profession. The series was filmed in and around Kentish town in London.

Actors

• Maxine Peake played Martha Costello, a passionate, driven character who fights for justice both in and out of the courtroom.
• Rupert Penry-Jones played Clive Reader, a suave, ambitious barrister competing with Martha for silk.
• Nina Sosanya played Senior Clerk Billy, managing the chambers and its barristers with a pragmatic approach.
• Neil Stuke played Billy Lamb, a loyal and street-smart senior clerk in the chambers.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series is named after the process of being appointed a Queen's Counsel, which is known as 'taking silk'.
• Creator Peter Moffat is a former barrister and based the series on his own experiences in the legal profession.
• Silk is said to be a favourite among legal professionals for its fairly accurate representation of the English legal system.

Quotes

• "We're not ambulance chasers, we're the big hitters." - Martha Costello
• "If you want to be liked, go and sell ice cream." - Clive Reader

Music, Soundtrack

• The incidental music and the show's theme were composed by Peter Salem.
• The soundtrack captures the tense, yet exciting atmosphere of the courtroom, enhancing the drama of the series.