Sour Hall - Audio Drama Review

Doctor Who's Pearl Mackie and Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon star in Sour Hall, based on the short story by Naomi Booth. The six-part drama follows Ash and George, an interracial lesbian couple who move to an isolated farm high up on the Yorkshire moors. As they settle into their new life as dairy farmers, a boggart sets about tormenting both of them, exacerbating the sources of their pain and gorging on their energy, ruining George’s dairy products, and distancing the couple from one another.

Laura Kirwan-Ashman writes and directs this series, finding the perfect balance between gothic horror and contemporary issues. The production was recorded on location, capturing an authentic atmosphere to the Yorkshire countryside and a naturalistic tone to the cast's performances. Sour Hall had strong Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre vibes, the binaural recording style putting the listener into this twisted story - using headphones (as recommended) causes you to notice every small noise and line of dialogue, as someone who scares easily this had me on my toes. The love story between George and Ash was brilliantly written and having a complex and layered gay romance at the heart of a Gothic Horror was a refreshing take on this genre.

The dialogue in this piece is very well-written and realistic for a radio drama. Usually within radio or podcast productions, it can be tough to find the balance between setting the scene for the listener and keeping the dialogue natural for the characters. However, Kirwan-Ashman finds that balance in this piece.

This production deals with a multitude of serious issues amidst the supernatural genre. Lucy Fallon and Pearl Mackie have great chemistry as the main couple. This series delves into some difficult and dark themes, both George and Ash dealing with their own traumas while trying to maintain a relationship. Through Mackie's Ash, we see her struggling with the aftermath of a recent miscarriage and racism and sexist stigma in this small town that her partner initially brushes off. Meanwhile, Fallon's George is finding being back at her childhood home is haunting her in more ways than one - her need to claim Sour Hall as her own masks how much being back in Yorkshire has impacted her. Both of these character arcs are written and performed with the respect and sensitivity they deserve, giving nuanced and emotional moments for both heroines.

Andonis Anthony takes on the role of The Boggart, who torments and taunts Sour Hall's residents. Anthony had an eerie presence, his voice acting combined with the binaural recording captured the intended creep factor - it makes the listener feel like The Boggart is whispering in their ear. This could easily have been a character that could have become cartoonish villain in an audio medium, but Anthony found the perfect balance between sinister and stillness in the way he portrayed the antagonist.

As well as its three leads, the ensemble cast are all strong in their respective roles. As I said, this podcast series deals with dark and difficult themes, but Audible gives a warning in each episode - this I thought was very respectful, giving listeners the information they might need in case they find some scenes triggering.

One question kept bothering me throughout the series was why George would take her clearly distressed girlfriend (who has suffered a devastating loss herself) back to a place which was clearly traumatic for her living there in the first place? Granted, these questions are answered later on and it may have made for a less interesting series - but a lot of their problems would have been avoided if they just stayed in Manchester or just communicated. This was definitely one of the darkest audio dramas I had listened to, but it had surprising heart and depth. This story was rooted in the psychology of unresolved trauma, and the ways in which that trauma manifests and challenges us to face it - with a supernatural and horror twist thrown in.

Overall, I'd give this series ★★★★ - A very strong production, Fallon and Mackie were perfect casting and I would be very interested to see/hear what Laura Kirwan-Ashman writes and directs next.

You can listen to Sour Hall on Audible - all six podcast episodes are available now and listener sensitivity warnings are in each episode's description for listener's to read before starting each episode.