BBC Radio 4, 24 November 2012
The fifth in a series of ten dramatizations of a series of novels originally
published in Swedish by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo.
This was the first of the series that I had the chance to listen to: what distinguished
it most for me was the use of two narrators (Lesley Sharp, Nicholas Greaves) to tell the story. This deliberately disrupted
the narrative structure of the drama; instead of a stable dramatic line, we were exposed to a polyvocal construction, almost
as if we were being challenged to determine whether what the narrators said was actually true or not. Hence Mary Peate's
production demanded attentive listening.
In truth, the series very much reminded me of the television series Wallender;
although set in Sweden, it had a very English feel to it. This is no bad thing; the technique renders the characters
familiar to us, and allows for some notable performances, especially Ralph Ineson as a gruff police inspector.
The narrative also concentrated in detail on the feelings of the eponymous central
character (Steven Mackintosh) as he struggled to balance business and domestic difficulties. I have to say that while
the plot seemed rather complicated, I enjoyed the experience of listening, and look forward to the conclusion of the cycle
in due course.
