The Steed of Slow Horses

As I sit here reflecting on Jack Lowden’s captivating journey, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of admiration and awe. His life is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the indomitable human spirit.

Our choice of venue is less symbolic than practical. On a moody August morning, I meet the Scottish actor Jack Lowden in front of the Scottish Parliament, a severe postmodernist building, where in a few hours he’s due back to talk about access to the arts with the country’s presiding officer at Edinburgh’s Festival of Politics. It’s the buttoned-up stepcousin to the more famous Fringe Festival, taking over centuries-old buildings elsewhere in the city, and Lowden has “no idea what I’m going to say,” he admits with a shrug, dressed in casual layers befitting an individual well versed in Scotland’s fickle summer weather. “I’m surprised they asked me in the first place.”

He’s not exactly an odd choice for Scottish arts advocate. The Youth Theatre alum (the institution counts Gerard Butler and Karen Gillan among its ranks) has been performing in Edinburgh since he was a tween. He’s still a Scottish-theater regular to this day, but he also appears in Apple TV+’s classically British spy thriller Slow Horses, which sees him entering and exiting government buildings at an amusing clip. As River Cartwright, a down-and-out MI5 agent, Lowden is usually shoved into a chaotic side operation while his colleagues deal with the looming national catastrophe driving the season. Lowden solemnly fulfilling his civic duty while the more famous Fringe rages around him makes sense: River’s stuck in the B-plot once again.

In reality, Lowden is measurably happier to speak at the politics festival than River is to deliver another package to Regent’s Park. Particularly in Edinburgh, where later in the week he’ll open his first theater engagement in a decade, The Fifth Step. He had already premiered his movie The Outrun at the Edinburgh International Film Festival earlier in August alongside his partner, co-producer, and star Saoirse Ronan. Somehow amid it all, they found time last month to wed in a secret ceremony, announced within weeks of Lowden earning his first Emmy nomination for Slow Horses.

The Apple TV+ series is based on Mick Herron’s popular series of spy novels featuring the team at Slough House, a sort of limbo for underperforming spies known as “joes.” In the premiere episode, River makes a disastrous blunder during a training exercise, but manages to avoid dismissal due to his grandfather, David Cartwright (Jonathan Pryce), being a former top-tier spy master. Essentially, River is a product of nepotism and, rather than being fired, he’s sent to Slough House where the less effective MI5 agents serve under the command of Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), an irascible yet still sharp-witted spy approaching retirement age.

In essence, “Slow Horses” can be described as a comedic spy series with a backdrop reminiscent of “Office Space”, yet infused with the high-stakes action of “Mission: Impossible”. The show offers a satirical perspective, emphasizing the monotony of the espionage world equally to its explosive moments. The MI5 depicted in this universe is more like a corporate dystopia, inhabited by oily careerists such as James “Spider” Webb (Freddie Fox). The team, though skilled, is not polished; their actions are less refined, and the consequences of their actions, including death, are handled with an almost casual indifference – discussions about death benefits among superiors are not uncommon.

In a more traditional drama, it appears that the main character portrayed by Lowden will swiftly revert to his proper MI5 demeanor, exuding masculinity. However, “Slow Horses” takes pleasure in defying expectations and often poking fun at its protagonist. (“Failson?” Lowden queries. “What does that mean?”) In the second season, when he’s sent to the countryside on a mission, he develops a romantic interest in a local woman; her mother is later revealed to be a sleeper agent. River capitalizes on Lowden’s physical talents, and the character’s arrogance is evident in his confident posture, such as how he sets his shoulders and lifts his chin. In one of his initial scenes, Lamb forces River to sift through a disgraced journalist’s garbage, and you can see Lowden subtly contort his facial expressions into a mixture of anger, humiliation, and tragic sadness – those leading-man looks are turned into a face that invites retaliation.

As a lifelong admirer of classic British comedies like “Fawlty Towers” and “Only Fools and Horses”, I’ve finally stepped out of my comfort zone in dramas to give comedy a warm embrace. It’s been my dream since day one to bring laughter to people’s hearts, and it seems I needed a good fifteen years to truly grasp this ambition while wandering the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh, where you might find trinkets of Princess Diana among the souvenirs on the Royal Mile.

In his own words, Lowden considers himself quite similar to the character River, a natural progression since “Slow Horses” was his first recurring series after gaining prominence in the 2016 BBC miniseries “War & Peace” and appearing in historical films such as Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” and the film “Mary Queen of Scots”. Lowden recognizes River’s aristocratic pomposity, yet perceives a sincere concern for his colleagues and family, especially his affection towards his elderly grandfather. During our tour in Edinburgh, the actor demonstrates great thoughtfulness, expressing frustration when a temporary festival setup obstructed a scenic city view. He is also prompt in answering my questions as a first-time visitor, explaining buildings with centuries-old smoke stains (“That’s when Edinburgh was known as Auld Reekie”) and discussing the brain-drain crisis affecting the country. It appears that Lowden makes an excellent tour guide.

In the fourth season commencing on September 4, River remains stationed at Slough House, albeit appearing more content with his reduced role as a supporting character. The series, titled “Slow Horses,” while often somber, derives much enjoyment from observing these outcasts coexist; they’re fellow agents who frequently confront death and then grumble about it over a drink. As Lowden puts it, River has found a grudging happiness there. He has a boss he secretly respects despite the poor treatment, is the ruler of a minuscule domain, and I don’t think he was ever particularly skilled at his job. This upcoming season will primarily focus on River as he strives to untangle an assassination attempt on his grandfather, who is now battling dementia. Concurrently, a bomb explosion occurs in London, and his colleagues are investigating. Once more, River finds himself embroiled in his own storyline; however, it appears that this time, it may take center stage.

Lowden has gradually climbed the ranks in acting, with a substantial background in theater. He was awarded an Olivier Award in 2014 for his performance as Oswald in a revival of Ibsen’s “Ghosts.” Since then, he’s amassed a diverse collection of screen roles, including those in “Dunkirk,” “Mary,” Terence Davies’s “Benediction,” and Stephen Merchant’s “Fighting With My Family” alongside Florence Pugh. In 2022, he was honored with the Trophée Chopard at Cannes, an accolade typically given to emerging actors, despite his established career; Julia Roberts presented him with the award. Laughing, he remarks, “I’m often labeled as ‘rising,’ and I’m 34 now.”

In terms of accolades, receiving an Emmy nomination for his role as River adds another achievement to his collection, and the nine overall nominations garnered by “Slow Horses” suggest that the show is gradually gaining wider recognition among audiences – though there’s still room for improvement. As he puts it, “Many people are still confusing the name of the show. I’ve heard ‘You’re in Sea Horse,’ ‘You’re in Fast Horse,’ and even ‘You’re in the horse thing.’ It’s taken a while, but more and more people are getting it right now.”

Reaching the far end of the Royal Mile, we find ourselves beneath the imposing Edinburgh Castle, an ancient structure that towers above. Lowden recollects, “I remember when Mary Queen of Scots was first shown here. Afterward, there was a reception in the castle, and I recall Nicola Sturgeon, who was then the First Minister of Scotland, giving a speech in the Great Hall. It left me wondering, What’s going on here?“

In their professional journey on the set of ‘Mary Queen of Scots’, Lowden and Ronan crossed paths. Lowden portrayed Mary, the titular queen, while Ronan played Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, her husband, who was forced to conceal his romantic involvement with another man by killing him. On their initial encounter on set, Ronan shared that he found himself captivated by Lowden and couldn’t help but observe her. As he puts it, “We’ve clicked like a well-fitted glove from the very start.” This sentiment of serendipity still lingers in his words. Both are articulate individuals who share a unique bond as performers. They offer each other constructive feedback, such as when Lowden visited Ronan during rehearsals for ‘The Fifth Step’, a dark comedy about an alcoholic seeking a sponsor. Afterward, they would discuss their experiences. “I have complete faith in her,” he admits. “Being able to act alongside my dearest friend is one of the greatest pleasures of my career.”

In a conversation, I inquire about how they handle any cultural differences between him being Scottish and her being Irish. Lowden, seeming to acknowledge the American inquiry, starts by suggesting that generalizations sometimes contain truths. He explains that the Irish are “massive and self-assured” due to their rich history in poetry and arts, which makes them comfortable sharing stories. In contrast, he suggests the Scots are more reserved. “That’s what I noticed about Saoirse,” he says. “When she first started spending time with me in Scotland, we’d go out to restaurants or cafes or pubs. She was quite loud, and she asked, ‘Why isn’t everyone talking?’ Because they don’t. We either speak quietly or not much at all. Scotland tends to produce very shy individuals.” He pauses before adding, “Or it produces people like Brian Cox, who can command armies.”

The creative bond between Lowden and Ronan transcends merely rehearsals and on-screen appearances. Alongside producer Dominic Norris, they founded Arcade Pictures to produce “The Outrun,” a role that significantly showcases Ronan’s talent. Prior to Arcade, Lowden had already established another studio to bring the 2020 horror film “Kindred” to life, which starred Fiona Shaw and in which he also acted. Producing became his pathway to rediscovering passion for a career he’d been cultivating since his late twenties. In London towards the end of the last decade, he began experiencing crippling self-doubt as an actor. “Something inside me took control,” he admits. “It was like You can’t do this. You’re not good at it.“

The situation became unbearable to the point where he lost interest in being on set. He expressed his desire to quit by contacting his agents and telling them, “I no longer wish to continue with this.” This was when the chance to produce “Kindred” came about, enabling him to channel the stress of acting into the intricacies of production: arranging catering, securing power, hastily finding a small wind machine to mimic a storm. Shortly before the premiere of “The Outrun,” Lowden and Ronan declared they were leaving Arcade Pictures and were planning to establish another production company, this time independent, so they could manage their busy acting schedules. They’ve named it Sad Dog Pictures, after their dog Stella. (“Because she always looks very sad,” he explains.)

Walking back towards the Parliament, it dawned on me that no one was paying attention to the actor from “Slow Horses”. “I adore it,” he remarked. “Sersh is always recognized, of course.” In Lowden’s thoughts, the perfect level of fame lies somewhere between Jesse Plemons and Tom Burke, who recently starred in “Furiosa”, a man he refers to as “this timeless, mature-cheddar actor”. Essentially, individuals with noteworthy careers but a low profile. We’ll see if that holds true. In the coming year, Lowden will be featured in an American political comedy by James L. Brooks titled “Ella McCay”, alongside Emma Mackey, Woody Harrelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ayo Edebiri.

Currently, we’ve returned to the Parliament building. The sky looks ominous with impending rain, and shortly, Lowden will be escorted through a side door to express his views on Scotland and the arts. Earlier, we had engaged in discussions about this topic, along with other matters, for approximately four hours. As our conversation comes to an end, I enquire if he has decided on what he is going to say. “Not at all,” he replies casually, vanishing into the building’s gray contours.

2024-08-26 22:55

The Steed of Slow Horses

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