Wrexham Comedy 'Henry House' aims for TV spot - but it needs your help

'Henry House' is not just being set in Wrexham but is also being fully produced there too.

Producers Rocking Horse Media have been giving opportunities to local young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities to work with them on the set through its partnership with nearby Derwen College.

And the team has also received support from several Wrexham businesses and organisations within the community, including the Miners Rescue Station.

Also on board for the pilot episode are the likes of Wrexham icons Declan Swans and the now world-famous Turf pub.

The comedy drama, Henry House, aims to celebrate the Welsh culture of Wrexham, whilst also depicting the trials and tribulations of a family-run care home that, come 2023, has fallen behind the times in many ways but is still run with love and passion.

Henry House’s overall message is to show a struggling care home coming to terms with the confines of the health and safety world we now live in.

The main character though is that of Izzy Orchard (played by Órla Jones); a ditsy, chatterbox of a receptionist whose first day on the job at Henry House couldn’t start any worse.

But she is the audience’s eyes and ears and, by embarrassing herself and getting in trouble at work - she is the character viewers can relate to and is described as 'Wrexham's answer to Bridget Jones'.

But, beyond just Izzy, the story the feature length pilot will go on to tell is one of an unlikely friendship.

Set at Christmas, Henry House explores when, and indeed how, Izzy Orchard is able to strike up an improbable bond with a new Dementia and PTSD resident named Paul; played by television icon, Peter Purves of Blue Peter and Doctor Who fame.

Peter is actually making a first return and comeback to serious dramatic acting for the first time in over 50 years by taking on this part, at the tender age of 84.

But what makes this unlikely friendship all the more fascinating and, indeed controversial at points, is how can this seemingly useless airhead of a receptionist gets through to this difficult old man struggling to come to terms with his new surroundings, when the highly qualified and experienced carers can’t? And is there more to this new girl than meets the eye...?

On top of that, Paul is also the brother of the owner of the care home, Jasper Henry; played by another Doctor Who actor in Simon Fisher-Becker, with TV legend, Annette Badland playing Jasper’s wife, Pam.

PIC: Scenes being filmed for Henry House.

Talking about Henry House and what it can do to help put Wrexham on the map, Gareth Thomas, writer, director and producer at Rocking Horse Media said: "Ensuring that the Wrexham community is authentically represented in Henry House was always essential to us.

"As the writer and director, I am half Welsh myself and we have main cast members who are fluent Welsh speakers. We have artwork on display all around Henry House, which is the original work of local Wrexham artist, Nicola Large of Largey’s Art.

"Nicola’s work actually hangs in legitimate Wrexham care homes! We have even commissioned for her to do a bespoke piece for us, of two TV legends who are no longer with us - Anna Karen and John Challis, who were both big supporters of Henry House and Rocking Horse Media before they passed. The canvas of the two of them now sits in Izzy’s Reception, in pride of place, for a lot of the scenes in the show.

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"We are proud to call renowned Wrexham band, the Declan Swans, one of our Production Partners. The Swans are producing the original title theme song for Henry House and their song 'Always Sunny In Wrexham' will also feature in the pilot episode of Henry House with cameos for the Declan Swans, too.

"As well as that we are lucky to have access to film scenes for Henry House at the now world famous The Turf pub. We are still looking for more Wrexham businesses to come aboard Henry House as we aim to get the show green lit for television.

"That is the ultimate goal - but the one organisation we desire to see come aboard more than any other is Wrexham Football Club.

PIC: Annette Badland on the set of Henry House.

"And, on top of where any potential support from Rob and Ryan could take us, in line with making the show as authentic as possible to the local community, we have main characters within Henry House who are meant to be massive Wrexham fans, so we want to include the Wrexham shirt we all love to wear with pride, within the script and within the show itself if the club would be on board with that.

"We have a number of characters with a wide range of different aspects of autism, including a non-verbal/selective mute character which is something else we are keen to raise awareness of. I actually happen to be autistic myself and we work with a wide range of consultants in the areas of autism and care, etc, to ensure our scripts and subject matter are doing these very real causes justice.

"We are now entering the mid-point of production, which has so far been entirely self-funded bar some crowdfunding campaigns. We find ourselves in need of some additional support from somewhere.

"We are readying ourselves to launch one final crowdfunding campaign, the “One More for Safety” campaign and we would urge any Wrexham businesses, any local individuals, who feel they can support the campaign to see Henry House through to completion to please do so."