The Sanctuary Sparrow (5 Jun. 1994)
"Cadfael" The Sanctuary Sparrow (original title)

Liliwin is a poor acrobat hired to entertain at an Aurifaber wedding. But when he is dismissed and the master of the house is found unconscious and robbed, Cadfael must find the real thief before the mob takes vengeance.

Director:

Graham Theakston

Writers:

Russell Lewis (screenplay), Edith Pargeter (novel)

Stars:

Derek Jacobi, Sean Pertwee, Peter Copley

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Derek Jacobi	...	Brother Cadfael
Sean Pertwee	...	Hugh Beringar
Peter Copley	...	Abbot Heribert
Michael Culver	...	Prior Robert
Julian Firth	...	Brother Jerome
Roy Barraclough	...	Walter Aurifaber
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Juliana Aurifaber
Fiona Gillies	...	Susanna Aurifaber
Maria Miles	...	Margery Aurifaber
Hugh Bonneville	...	Daniel Aurifaber (as Richard Bonneville)
Steven Mackintosh	...	Liliwin
Patrick Brennan	...	John Boneth
Roger Booth	...	Baldwin Peche
Sara Stephens	...	Rannilt
David Tysall	...	Iestyn

Storyline

Lilwin, a traveling minstrel, entertains at the wedding feast of the son of wealthy Walter Aurifaber but incurs the wrath of the bride's grandmother when he accidentally breaks a piece of crockery. When the wealthy man is apparently bludgeoned to death and a great deal of money stolen, suspicion falls on the young man, who becomes the sparrow of the title when he seeks sanctuary at the abbey from an angry mob. Although it later turns out that Aurifaber survived his attacker, further complications arise from Lilwin's romantic involvement with one of the household's serving girls, the murder of a blackmailing gossip, and the rivalry between the young bride and her controlling sister-in-law.

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Plot Keywords:

minstrel | sanctuary | gossip | well | grandmother | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Release Date:

5 June 1994 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carlton, Central Films

Did You Know?

Goofs

(at around 39 mins) When the assistant is being questioned.

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Quotes

Brother Cadfael: [to Daniel Aurifaber] Put up that dagger or court your soul's damnation!

User Reviews

Fiona Gillies steals the show

This is one of the better in the Cadfael series. There's not a weak acting job in the lot. Prior Robert and Brother Jerome are their usual slimy selves. Abbot Heribert displays some vigor when it's called for. Cadfael, of course, goes about his sleuthing business with his usual thoroughness and perspicacity. Hugh Beringar shows his usual resolve, courage and sensitivity. The new Aurifaber wife is unlikable but determined and courageous. Iestyn, Daniel, and John are convincing both as suspects and in their actual roles. It's also neat to see a quiet but effective bit performance by Madoc the boatman. But the master performance is that given by Fiona Gillies as Susanna. You can see her also as Beryl Stapleton in the Jeremy Brett version of The Hound of the Baskervilles. A good job there too.

I do find these a little hard to follow at first - who are all these characters, anyway? I think the writer, already knowing all the characters, doesn't quite realize that the viewers don't already know who these people are. Watching it a second time made it much more enjoyable and understandable.