Crewe, Cheshire Aug 21, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Escape to the Country presenter Jules Hudson stars in new dystopian sci-fi audio drama 'Everyone's Happy', which explores themes like climate change, mental health and the nanny state.
Set in a futuristic United Kingdom, Dome-covered cities are governed by the Happiness Programme - a government-mandated drug that eliminates negative emotions. Lurking beneath the Dome’s facade of utopia, a few individuals are resistant to the drug’s influence. A mysterious System monitors citizens for signs of unhappiness; being labelled immune spells unimaginable consequences. When protagonist Parker discovers a dangerous truth, she is thrust into a perilous fight for survival in the harsh, climate-ravaged wilderness outside.
The show’s creator, Joanne Phillips, is open about her struggle with bipolar disorder, and how the idea for this drama came about. After receiving a diagnosis, she was prescribed antidepressants, which had a lasting impact on her view of mental health and how it’s perceived and treated.
“Antidepressants weren’t the right approach for me,” writer Phillips explains, “although obviously they are for some. I was desperate for a cure that never came. And it got me thinking: if we could medicate away ALL the bad feelings, would that be a good thing? Or would we effectively be kept like small children forever? Happy, but never able to mature into dealing with real life. And I started to imagine a world where this was happening. Because - like all good sci-fi - it could happen.”
The story is based around the experiences of fictional teenager, Parker Bradshaw, to reflect the growing mental health crisis for younger people. In October 2021, health care professionals declared a national emergency in child mental health.[1] Reported recently by the World Health Organisation: “Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is among the leading causes of death in people aged 15–19 years. Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated.”[2]
Director and showrunner Phillips says: “It is about opening up the conversation and increasing awareness, but mainly this audio drama is a piece of entertainment. There are deeper themes, like any work of fiction. And if they resonate with you, that’s great.”
The team behind Everyone’s Happy includes veteran location sound recordist Mick Haydock, who has worked on hundreds of TV shows, documentaries and dramas. Production company GravyTree Media cast professional voice actors alongside amateurs from local stage school Carney Academy. Phillips says: “It was important to have a mix of experience levels, and to base the production here in the North West. We have a great range of regional accents!”
Jules Hudson plays the voice of the System, and is first heard in Episode Two: Immune, delivering the Public Service Broadcast. Haydock says: “It’s always fantastic to work with Jules, he is the ultimate professional.” Hudson stars alongside Rebekah Mcloughlin (The Amelia Project), Pazy Iqbal (Britain's Next Film Superstar, Game of Thrones: Season 8 Redux) and Harry Gill (Rise of the Mummy, The Fence).
Everyone's Happy is available on all podcasting platforms and new episodes are released weekly.
You can find out more about the show here: https://gravytreemedia.com/everyones-happy
1: https://theconversation.com/as-the-mental-health-crisis-in-children-and-teens-worsens-the-dire-shortage-of-mental-health-providers-is-preventing-young-people-from-getting-the-help-they-need-207476
2: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions
Media Contact
GravyTree Media / Joanne Phillips info@gravytreemedia.com http://www.gravytreemedia.com
