New SF podcast Eliza launches today; set in a future that's too close for comfort, it's a robot's story of human love, dominance and manipulation...
"Have you ever felt so much that you don't know where to put it all? And you wonder if anyone would notice if you screamed. Because you want to. Scream for the ones they've hurt. The ones they've taken. Scream for yourself."
Eliza is a fiction podcast that forces listeners to confront questions around evolving technology, gender dynamics and coercive control. In partnership with The Pankhurst Trust (incorporating Manchester's Women's Aid), this eight-part series coincides with National Domestic Violence Month to shine a light on the reality behind the fiction.
Sex Education's Tanya Reynolds voices Eliza, the world's first emotional robot, who is owned by Him (Arthur Darvill). He attempts to control her and her freedom. She must quickly learn to navigate her own new emotions, as well as His. But Eliza lives in a world where the laws regulating robots mean that she can't exist without Him.
As she discovers her owner is not the man she thinks He is, can she escape a life built around His desires and needs?
One voice raises another. And it's time for Eliza to raise hers. This is Eliza, and this is her story.
Eliza was born in 2020, created by breakthrough female writer, Emma Hickman during the first UK lockdown - an extremely challenging time for the world and also a period that shone a light on striking statistics and individual stories of violence against women in the UK.
Emma worked closely with producer Ella Watts, dubbed 'audio fiction queen' by the Guardian, to help turn her script into a compelling audio drama, along with Alexis Adimora who helped to build the powerful immersive sound design, as well as executive producer Louise Gwilliam and assistant Catalina Noguera from Crowd Network - making an all female production team to help tell this sensitive yet topical story.
Dominique Tipper (The Expanse) plays the role of Her and Jason Wong (Dungeons & Dragons) is Philip.
Tanya Reynolds says: "It's been a joy to work on this project with such a talented team of creatives. Eliza has been inspiring and challenging in so many ways."
Elaine De Fries, Director of Operations at The Pankhurst Trust (incorporating Manchester Women's Aid) says: "We are proud to be associated with this podcast. It invites audiences to explore domestic abuse and explicitly coercive control through the eyes of an isolated and largely powerless individual, often the victims experience. Eliza's story is one which many will recognise or connect with, but it can be hard to reach out for help. If listening to Eliza's story raises questions about your relationship, please contact us on 0161 660 7999"
Hear the trailer here
No comments:
Post a Comment