Lullaby of Shadows
by Andrea Earl
Andrea Earl - Lullaby of Shadows
BBC Radio 3: The Wire
Broadcast: Saturday 1st March 2008 @ 9:15 p.m.
A tense psychological thriller unfolds as a mother believes her husband is plotting to kill their newborn baby, in a riveting exploration
into delusional psychosis.
Jenny and Matt have a baby, Tara, and have recently bought an idyllic house by the sea. Jenny is filming their journey into parenthood
and films her husband and daughter at any opportunity. She is anxious as a new mother and Matt tries to be the reassuring, supportive
husband. But all is not as it seems. Jenny overhears Matt talking in hushed whispers on the phone and his suspicious behaviour leads
her to think he may have rekindled an old affair.
Jenny hasn't been herself recently, part of the reason for the move, and continues to constantly film Matt which begins to irritate him. She
knows he's tiring of her, confiding her fears into her camcorder.
It is not only Matt's secretive phone calls and long trips away that are making Jenny anxious. Jenny watches Matt on the beach with
Tara, and his actions turn her heart cold. She realises her baby's life is in danger and she needs to be on her guard at all times. Matt
keeps implying that Jenny's "nerves" are getting worse, but she knows the truth.
Her mother arrives to help out but Jenny's relief soon turns to despair as her mum sides with Matt, forcing her to be more secretive.
Jenny's hysteria grows and the lines between reality and delusion become more blurred.
With Lyndsey Marshal [Jenny], Joe Caffrey [Matt], Olwen May [Sylvia], and Stephen Tomlin [The Doctor].
The soundscape in this drama is specially created by sound designer Kal Ross and Steve Brook.
Directed by Pauline Harris in Manchester
45 min.
Jim
