AD | Extant – Unseen Review

A square poster with a light blue background containing bold dark green text, the headline reads 'Unseen’. Underneath the title in smaller text, reads ‘a gripping new audio drama by Extant’. On the bottom right, the text reads ‘Streaming from 4th March 2024’ followed with further text below, which reads ‘www.extant.org.uk/unseen’. At the bottom of the poster are a row of 4 pitched rooftops in a line. The houses painted blue, pink, yellow and green.

Content Warning: Domestic abuse. There is support information at the end. I had early access to Unseen for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.

It can be easy to take dramas for granted, as just another form of entertainment. But recently we’ve all been reminded just how emotionally powerful the medium can be, for raising awareness and generating action around serious and devastating real-life issues. The Mr Bates series about the Post Office scandal, and Breathtaking about the NHS during the pandemic, pulled back the curtain to reveal shocking details about events that many people had little to no knowledge of.

The stories were told in a way that was realistic, relatable and accessible, without being sensationalised, so they were compelling and stuck in the mind very effectively.

Now a new audio drama by Extant, the UK’s leading performing arts company of blind and visually impaired actors and practitioners, takes a similar approach to another very difficult issue, in a uniquely creative way.

Unseen, a 45-minute drama which will be available to stream for free on Monday 4th March, shines a light on one of society’s most hidden and disturbing crimes – domestic abuse against visually impaired people (the lessons from which are applicable and adaptable to victims of all disabilities).

Did you know, for example, that at least 1 in 12 visually impaired people in the UK (around 188,000) are a victim or survivor of domestic abuse? Or that less than 1 in 5 domestic abuse professionals have had specialist training to support visually impaired victims or survivors?

No, me neither. These are just two of the alarming and sobering statistics in the Unseen Report by the Vision Foundation (using research commissioned from SafeLives), that are incorporated into this new production. It’s being released to coincide with No More Week (3rd-9th March), an annual event that raises awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and educates individuals and organisations about how to take a stand against it.

Therefore, having reviewed some previous Extant productions, I was kindly invited to listen to Unseen this week, in advance of its public release, in order to share my thoughts on it.

The drama alternates between the stories of 2 characters who suffer abuse in different ways. Lucy (played by Georgie Morrell) falls in love with a seemingly charming man who soon becomes very obsessive and controlling, stripping away the independence she once enjoyed. Meanwhile Joli (Anita Barzey) is denied the independence she’s capable of in the first place by a family member, who makes her feel useless and unworthy.

Both are deterred or prevented from seeking help due to the fear instilled within them, uncertainty of the consequences, their low self-esteem, an assumption they won’t be listened to, a belief that nothing can be done, and ultimately a feeling of being resigned to their fate. It takes a serious incident in each case to compel them to try and reach out for help, and even then it’s extremely difficult because of the mental conflicts they’re experiencing. The production makes clear that there is support available, but the question is whether they can work up the strength and courage to come forward, and what happens next if they do.

And by that point you do feel really invested in them, because from the outset we’re shown that they’re ordinary, innocent people, who could easily be your own relatives, friends or neighbours, and who simply don’t deserve to be treated that way. Nobody deserves domestic abuse full stop, even though the perpetrators often try and convince their victims otherwise (sadly sometimes successfully). So it’s heartbreaking to hear the bubbly lover-of-life Lucy becoming increasingly upset and fed up, and to learn that Joli has had vital information withheld from her that could have made her life so much easier. Consequently you’re willing them both on to take the right steps.

So the story is told very well, and in a way that isn’t too heavy-going. It is a very dark subject, obviously, but it feels like care has been taken not to alienate the audience or do anything extreme purely for shock value. Things are actually somewhat light with a touch of humour to start with, before it gets gradually more serious, reflecting how abuse often starts in subtle ways and grows from there. And when we do get to the two pivotal incidents, they aren’t described in graphic detail because they don’t need to be – enough is provided in the script and sound effects to enable the listener to fill in the rest.

Indeed, Ben Wilson‘s directing and Ian Rattray‘s sound design are both excellent, helping to bring the story to life and giving it extra impact in the right moments. In particular, the signature motif is an echoed breathing effect, best appreciated when listening with headphones. It’s mainly used at appropriate junctures between scenes, when brief facts from the Unseen report are narrated by Maisie Greenwood (who also plays Joli’s daughter), but it’s also employed for emphasis in a few other key moments. Meanwhile, other general sound effects aid you to visualise what’s going on very easily, and there’s a gentle piano soundtrack that underpins certain scenes to subtly stir the emotions a little further.

I also like how we encounter Lucy and Joli’s abusers in different ways, further emphasising that there are different methods of abuse. While Joli’s abuser Faye (Michelle Felix) is with her in person, we hear from Lucy’s partner via the text messages read out by speech from her phone, illustrating how technology gives abusers even more power. Furthermore, the use of those spoken messages, along with other references to assistive technology and adaptations, gives the drama an additional educational value, especially for any listeners without sight loss. The production is designed to be listened to by everyone, not just disabled people.

All in all, therefore, I think it’s a very effective, engaging and enlightening drama. I’ve never watched or listened to a programme on this subject before, so I did wonder if it would be too uncomfortable to get through. But while there are moments that are deliberately and unavoidably difficult, I felt a strong connection to the characters and their stories, so I was keen for them to escape their respective situations. Plus the soundscape brought it to life very well, and the accompanying facts were alarming but very interesting. And while the two central characters in this piece happen to be female, the production also takes a moment to remind us that anyone from any walk of life can be victims of domestic abuse, including men.

It is awful to know, yet vitally important to be aware, that such abuse goes on behind closed doors, so thank you to everyone involved in the production for raising the subject in this way, and to all those who offer help to victims of abuse. I really hope that support services can be made more accessible for visually impaired victims, and that more action can be taken against those who commit such abuse as well.

Unseen will be available to stream for free from Monday 4th March. Be aware that it contains themes of domestic abuse, violence, trauma and strong language. But I do strongly encourage you to give it a listen, as well as look at the Unseen Report and follow the No More Week campaign from 3rd-9th March.

Also look out for a follow-up post very soon, where I’ll be sharing some interviews I carried out with key members of the production team.

Support

If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this post, you can get information and support from the following organisations.

There is always help, there is always hope, and it’s never too late to reach out. You are not alone.

Mental Health:

  • Samaritans – Telephone 116 123 (available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free of charge from landlines and mobile phones)
  • Mind – Telephone 0300 123 3393 (from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except bank holidays, with calls charged at standard rates)
  • Shout – Text SHOUT to 85258 (Any time day or night, free from all major mobile networks)

Domestic Abuse:

Unknown's avatar

Author: Glen

Love London, love a laugh, love life. Visually impaired blogger, culture vulture & accessibility advocate, with aniridia & nystagmus, posting about my experiences & adventures.

One thought on “AD | Extant – Unseen Review”

  1. Pingback: AD | Extant – Unseen Interviews – Well Eye Never

Like what you see? Leave a comment!