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Download A Mother's Love from Cornucopia Radio
Cornucopia Radio, September 2012 Paul Kenny's tightly plotted drama
focused on Christine (Caroline Cooper), a mother trying to come to terms with her son Tony (Jonathan Syer) being sent to prison
for abusing a fourteen-year-old girl. What makes the crime worse, in her eyes, is that Tony, as a teacher, has betrayed
his responsibilities; the girl was one of his learners. Christine tries to understand why her son did as he did; but
try as she might, she cannot escape the thought that he is nothing more than self-centred. Tony insists that he is not
a paedophile, and that he should not necessarily be blamed for what he did, as the girl apparently "wanted" it (his words,
not the dramatist's). Christine feels that she has failed, despite her best efforts in trying to bring up
Tony as a good son. Things begin to change, however, once Christine encounters prison chaplain Dominic (Ian Carter). Although sceptical
at first, she begins to trust him, and thereby understands that perhaps her reactions towards her son need to change, so as
to repair their relationship. Through patient listening as well as sound advice, Dominic encourages Christine to reveal
a terrible secret about her past, which continues to blight her reactions in the present. Once she acknowledges it,
and summons up the courage to tell it to her son, the two of them can work towards a better relationship. Beautifully acted and directed
by Peter Beeston, A Mother's Love offered a penetrating psychological insight into the trauma caused by abuse.
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