Sarah Easter Collins's "Things Don't Break on Their Own"

Sarah Easter Collins is a writer and artist. A mother to a wonderful son, she has worked extensively in the field of education, teaching art in the UK, Botswana, Thailand, and Malawi. Collins now lives on Exmoor with her husband and dogs, where she loves running and wild swimming. She is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course.

Here Collins dreamcasts an adaptation of her debut novel, Things Don’t Break On Their Own:

Things Don’t Break On Their Own is a story about sisters, hidden histories and the unreliability of memory. Female friendships are at the heart of the novel, as is a girl who goes missing on her way to school at the age of thirteen. The entire novel spans a period of some thirty years, with one character in particular being seen in one scene as a six-year-old but in other scenes in her late thirties, but in terms of thinking about who might play these characters in a movie, I’m going to think about each character as their adult selves, at the age where they gather together for a supper in London.

Robyn as a character is generous, straightforward, warm, loyal and loving. She carries into adulthood a deep wisdom that comes from having grown up in a home environment that is safe and loving, where broken things are mended, and where generosity and kindness are the order of the day. She’s described as sporty and having a wonderful smile with dimples, but there is great depth to her character too. I think Carey Mulligan would be amazing in that role. I once had the privilege of seeing her on stage in David Hare’s brilliant play Skylight, in which she was stunningly good. I think she’s a phenomenal actor and she also has a perfect impish smile. She was also brilliant in the film adaptation of Never Let me Go, one of my favourite ever books.

In Skylight, Carey Mulligan played opposite Bill Nighy, another actor I love, and I think he would make an amazing Chris Bee (Robyn’s father). Firstly, he has the physical presence required of that role. In Things Don’t Break On Their Own, he is described as tall and a little stooped plus, plus he is wise and generous. Another actor who I’d love to play that part, and for similar reasons, would be Richard E Grant, someone who is a little gawky, but who also expresses great natural warmth.

Ben Whishaw would be brilliant as Robyn’s brother Michael: he is the perfect combination of geeky and warm.

Willa is a damaged soul. She is beautiful and highly intelligent, but her adult life has been overshadowed by both her domineering father and the loss of her sister, meaning she has never pursued a career or, vitally, accepted her own sexuality, and as a result she is not, as an adult, in a safe and loving relationship. I would love to see what Daisy Edgar Jones could do with that role. In the brilliant adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, she played Marianne with such amazing mix of vulnerability and damage. Jodie Whitaker would also be amazing, as would Jodie Comer.

Willa’s father, Bryce, is highly domineering, powerful, physically large, handsome, mercurial, and chameleon-like: a man who comes across as benevolent and generous to outsiders, but who is a terrifying presence within his family home. Imagine Brian Cox playing a younger version of Logan Roy. Dominic West would be brilliant in this role.

Willa’s mother is highly protective of her daughters and as a result stuck in an impossible situation: she can’t risk leaving. She is the proverbial ‘doll in a music box’: a beautiful woman who is turning on the spot. She is capable of great anger, but it is usually deeply hidden. I’d love to see Rosamund Pike in that role.

Laika: this part needs to be played by someone capable of expressing strength, anger, intelligence and resilience. I think Jessie Buckley would be amazing in this role.

Visit Sarah Easter Collins's website.

The Page 69 Test: Things Don't Break on Their Own.

Q&A with Sarah Easter Collins.

--Marshal Zeringue