Review: Dangerous Visions: Invasion

By Philip Palmer

Radio 4, Tuesday 18 June

Kadian Giametti has been to Mars; now all he wants to do is to be allowed to go home…

This powerful two-hander starring Edward Hogg as Kadian and Amita Dhiri as Jenna doles out its secrets very carefully along the way – throwing a number of red herrings into the pot as it does so. The identities of both characters and their backgrounds are slowly revealed, painting a picture of an Earth society that is very different, yet oddly familiar. Matters of mores, etiquette, religion and culture become both a division between the pair, and the things on which they gradually begin to bond.

Palmer’s script cleverly provides clues that will mean one thing to a science-fiction savvy audience, and something very different to those not steeped in the genre. Even the penultimate revelation hints at something very different from what we eventually learn. The music is essential to the story – both what is heard and its meaning to the characters.

Verdict: An engrossing 45 minutes which should ideally be heard on earphones to emphasise its claustrophobic nature. 7/10

Paul Simpson