Lies We Tell

In this modern reimagining of Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic novel UNCLE SILAS, an orphaned heiress must navigate sinister family plots to claim her inheritance. After her father’s death, 18-year-old Maud (Agnes O’Casey) inherits the secluded estate of Knowl, though she won't come of age until 21. Her uncle Silas, named as her guardian in the will, takes on the role despite his notorious reputation, which includes rumours of gambling debts, rakish behaviour, and even murder. Silas arrives at Knowl with his aimless son Edward, frivolous daughter Emily, and the severe governess Madame. What should be a lively household becomes stifling and oppressive as Silas’s genteel facade begins to crumble, revealing his true intentions: to secure Maud’s inheritance, ideally through a marriage between her and Edward. If that fails, darker methods are at his disposal. This atmospheric slow burn offers a contemporary subversion with a feminist twist, empowering its heroine to control her own fate.