Hallam’s talent for spying on people reveals his darkest fears – and his most peculiar
desires. Driven to expose the true cause of his mother’s death, he instead finds himself
searching the rooftops of the city for love.
Hallam Foe is a boy haunted by the enigma of his mother’s death. Did she drown
herself, or was she pushed? Hallam has evidence which he believes implicates Verity –
his alluring, feline stepmother. Yet his own methods for uncovering secrets are no less
devious. From his treetop hideout, or sneaking through his father’s decaying Scottish
mansion, Hallam spies on people. Most of all, he spies on Verity. And the more he
becomes obsessed with her guilt, the more his attraction to her grows. When Verity
confronts him, Hallam is helpless to resist her seductive power. His only resort is to flee
the family nest.
Alone and penniless, Hallam leaves the Scottish Highlands and crashes down into
reality. But as he wanders the unforgiving streets of Edinburgh, he discovers another
use for his peculiar skill. Catching a glimpse of Kate, a young woman who looks
uncannily like his mother, he follows her back to the hotel where she works, and talks
his way into a job. Life begins to look up for Hallam. By day he discovers friends among
social outcasts, and by night he does what he loves best – clambering over city roofs,
spying on people in all their hilarious strangeness. The city is a realm of glimmering
allure, and Hallam is its freaky spiderman. Exploring the high clock-tower of the hotel, he
finds a new hideaway from where he can watch Kate at home in her rooftop apartment,
gazing through her window with his binoculars.
But Hallam’s bittersweet visions are shattered when he discovers Kate is embroiled in a
seedy liaison with Alasdair, the hotel manager. And what’s worse, Alasdair realises they
are being watched. It takes a chance encounter with Kate, and another twist of Hallam’s
cunning, for him to break up the affair; despite having to expose himself in the process.
Yet Kate eventually overcomes her initial disgust and begins to fall for her peeping Tom,
joining Hallam on his loopy rooftop vigils.
It cannot last. Just as Kate seems to accept Hallam for who he is, his old demons float
inexorably back to the surface. Verity and his father have tracked him down and they
want Hallam to sign away the family inheritance and betray the memory of his mother.
This is the final insult for Hallam and the vindication he needs to exact his revenge.
But a realisation begins to dawn – by watching other people, he has avoided looking at
himself. The real struggle is against an enemy within.
On the brink of making a terrible mistake, Hallam Foe has one last chance to grow up….
Jamie Bell (Hallam Foe)
Jamie Bell literally leapt into public recognition playing the title role in Stephen Daldry’s worldwide smash hit “Billy Elliotâ€. His eclectic range of subsequent films include Peter Jackson’s “King Kongâ€, Thomas Vinterberg’s “Dear Wendyâ€, David Gordon Green’s “Undertow†and Douglas McGrath’s star-studded adaptation of “Nicholas Nicklebyâ€. Bell’s performance in “Billy Elliot†garnered him many awards and nominations, among them the BAFTA for Best
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Newcomer and the London Critics Circle Film Award for British Newcomer of the Year. He will shortly be seen in Clint Eastwood’s “Flag of our Fathers†and is currently filming Doug Liman’s “Jumperâ€.
Sophia Myles (Kate)
Sophia Myles is best known for her portrayal of the elegant International Rescue associate Lady Penelope in Jonathan Frakes’ “Thunderbirdsâ€. She was recently seen alongside James Franco in Kevin Reynolds’ tragic love story “Tristan + Isolde†and Terry Zwigoff’s dark comedy “Art School Confidentialâ€. She has also appeared in both “Underworld†films, “From Hellâ€, “Abduction Club†and “Mansfield Parkâ€. Myles’s television work includes adaptations of “Oliver Twist†and Nicholas Nickleby†for ITV, playing Lady Jane Grey in the BBC adaptation of Mark Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper†and the role of Madame De Pompadour in a memorable episode of “Doctor Whoâ€.
CiaraÌn Hinds (Julius Foe)
CiaraÌn Hinds began his career at The Glasgow Citizens Theatre and was a member of the
company for many years. In Ireland, he has worked at the Lyric Theatre Belfast, the Druid Theatre in Galway and at the Project and the Abbey in Dublin, where he last appeared as Cuchulain in “The Yeats Cycleâ€. For the Gate Theatre, Hinds has appeared with The Field Day Company’s version of “Antigoneâ€, “The School For Wives†and Brian Friel’s “The Yalta Gameâ€. He toured internationally with Peter Brook’s company in “The Mahabharata†and has played
leading roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court, the Donmar Warehouse and the National Theatre, where he last played Larry in Patrick Marber’s “Closerâ€, which also transferred to Broadway.
On the big screen, Hinds was recently seen in Michaal Mann’s “Miami Vice†and Steven Spielberg’s “Munichâ€. His other film credits include Peter Greenaway’s “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Loverâ€; “December Brideâ€; “Circle of Friends†for Pat O’Connor; and “Titanic Townâ€, directed by Roger Michell. Other notable films include “Some Mother’s Sonâ€, Gillian Armstrong’s “Oscar and Lucindaâ€, “The Lost Sonâ€, “The Weight of Water†and “Mary Reillyâ€. More recent work includes “Road to Perdition†for Sam Mendes, “The Sum of All Fears†for Phil Alden Robinson, “Jonjo Mickyboâ€, “Calendar Girls†with Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life†with Angelina Jolie, “The Statement†for Norman Jewison; and “Veronica Guerin†and “The Phantom of the Operaâ€, both for Joel Schumacher. Hinds is currently filming “There Will Be Blood†for P.T. Anderson with Daniel Day Lewis. On television he recently appeared as Julius Caesar in the BBC/HBO co-production of “Romeâ€. This follows extensive television credits including leading roles in “The Mayor of Caster-bridgeâ€; “Jane Eyreâ€; “Jason and the Argonautsâ€; “Seaforthâ€; “Ivanhoeâ€; “Rules of Engagementâ€; “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmesâ€; “Soldier Soldierâ€; “Prime Suspect 3†and the award-winning film of Jane Austen’s “Persuasionâ€, in which he played Captain Wentworth.