Matthew Parker is the teller of the Second Story in the X Mas Special. His older version was played by Andrew Melville and his younger version by Reece Shearsmith.
Appearance[]
XMAS Special[]
The old Matthew knocks on the Church Door for Bernice to open which she does and is less than impressed with him. Upon seeing the decorations he warns Bernice that if he tells his story, she'd willingly destroy them, he then tells his story of how he lost his innocence.
Duisburg 1975[]
The young Matthew went over to Germany to sing Carols, Herr Lipp welcomes him and introduces him to everyone including his wife Lotte who remarks in German "but not in bed". Wolf drives Matthew to the house where he is given the Nursery, after Wolf leaves him, Matthew gets undressed all while Wolf spies on him, until he turns off the light to bed and Wolf leaves.
That night Matthew dreams that Wolf gives him a key to a cupboard that upon opening reveals his corpse, then he sees Wolf as a Vampire on the ceiling but just as he pounces on Matthew, he awakes to Lotte who tells him that she has served him breakfast. Matthew sings well but is unsure why the choirboys were speaking him about him. That afternoon while there is a party, Matthew finds the bite-mark upon seeing Wolf drinking a glass of Tomato Juice he thinks his host is the Vampire. Upon questioning Lotte, she pretends she does know, but upon seeing the marks speaks in English to leave tonight.
That night Matthew protects himself with a makeshift cross and Garlic Pills, Herr Lipp comes in with a gift of aftershave, he tries to flirt with Matthew who uses his Garlic breath but Wolf tries to touch him again and Matthew tells him to go which he does.
Boxing Day has Matthew realising that he has another bite-mark, so he does everything to kill Wolf, he breaks the Coffin that was in the cupboard, gets somethings to exposes the Vampire. He confront Wolf while the choir rehearse, he tries Holy Water but it doesn't work, he then reveals to Wolf what he thinks and raises a mirror to prove it. However Wolf has a reflection, but the choir don't Lotte reveals the truth she is the Head Vampire and she turned the boys and gets them to feast on the men, but Wolf saves Matthew who apologises to him.
Back in the Present[]
Bernice is less than impressed with the story and lets him know she lost her mother at Christmas and requests that he leaves which he does.
Trivia[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Originally Reece was going to play both old and young Matthew but he was unable to due to Bernice.
- Matthew was going to the first story told, but it was felt that Bernice being annoyed by Charlie's Dream would make more than angry.
- The Church used was St Bartholomew-the-Great.
- Matthew's dream has moments from the TV version of The Woman in Black when Herr Lipp says "This is for you", then the Vampire Lipp is based on Salem's Lot.
- Reece spent ages being made up into Matthew's Corpse which included the stitched up eyes.
- When Matthew goes into the corner of the room telling Herr Lipp to leave, the League remark on how it was like Child Abuse.