Writer/director Paul Maunder's second drama after his award-winning Going Up North for a While is a portrait of a woman's mental health crisis. In part one Julie (Denise Maunder) is haunted by her birth mother's breakdown. Her inner monologue narrates events; Julie hopes marriage and a job will "cure" her, and falls pregnant. After a traumatic delivery, she suffers an acute episode and is admitted into care. Part two takes place in a psychiatric hospital where drugs, electroconvulsive therapy and art therapy were standard treatments at the time. Maunder undertook research at Auckland's Kingseat psychiatric hospital.
Child
Receptionist
Lewis
Mrs Proctor
Dorothy
Birth mother
Barbara
Mother
Occupational Therapist
Mrs Priddle
Child
Mrs McPherson
Library Assistant
Patient
Father
Lecturer
Drama Teacher
Nurse Lipskey
Social Worker
Mrs Manaia
Dr Marshall (psychiatrist)
Mrs Flowers
Mrs Jenkin
Doctor
Nurse
Julie
Mrs Walker
Pat
Nurse
Nurse
Husband
Sister
Librarian
Janice
Dr Rennie
Cecily
Liz