“Candyman…candyman…”
Just a quickie for this as I hadn’t intended to blog it but it has lingered long in the memory to merit a recommendation. Clive Barker’s 1985 novella formed the inspiration for the 1992 horror film Candyman but Duncan MacMillan’s modernised adaptation for Radio 4 takes it back to its British roots, finding the modern-day creepiness inherent in rundown council estates populated by riot-happy hordes. Helen’s sleep is frequently disturbed by a recurring nightmare that takes her back to a basement in her old home and a mysterious unidentified presence always alongside her. As she moves into a new place which is in the same area with her ever-patient husband Trevor, she sets about trying to get to the bottom of her dreams but is unprepared for the truth that is buried deep in her subconscious.
And Polly Thomas’ production is superbly effective at generating the spine-chilling atmosphere that moves from the paranoid wonderings of a stressed woman to something altogether more sinister, aided immeasurably by John Coxon’s (of Spiritualised) original score and the choice to record on location which brings the right level of authenticity. Nadine Marshall strikes the right notes as Helen, blindly unaware of the danger she is in as she determinedly explores the mysteries of her past and the threat she poses to her current happiness as she neglects those around her, Michael Begley’s Trevor in particular. Fenella Woolgar is great as two supporting roles as is Danny Lee Wynter’s Archie and all in all, it was a cracking piece of radio drama – just don’t listen to it last thing at night!
Labels: Danny Lee Wynter, Duncan Macmillan, Fenella Woolgar, Nadine Marshall, Radio
