Drew Taylor

The Happy Lands tracks the lives of the Brogan, Guthrie and Baxter families as they overcome the economic challenges brought about by the 1926 General Strike.

Martin Freeman is lovelorn teacher Mr Maddens, a former am-dram star whose girlfriend (Ashley Jensen) dumped him over Christmas five years ago and upped sticks, inexplicably, to La-La Land. Yuletide cheer is not his forte, but he's forced to drum some up when Pam Ferris's headmistress earmarks him to direct the Nativity play.