Asylum (audio story)

Asylum was an original BBC Radio 4 audio play aired on 1 July 2009. It was the first of three audio dramas to be played on the BBC Radio 4 slot afternoon play as a prelude to the show's third series.

Publisher summary
When PC Andy Davidson arrests a young girl for shoplifting, he thinks it's going to be a routine case. That is, until he sees that she is carrying a gun. The girl is soaking wet, covered in mud, and the weapon is like nothing he's ever seen before. He knows that this is a case for Torchwood... The team discovers that the girl is called Freda, but can find out nothing else. Yet when she speaks, it's a strange mix of English and Icelandic, but with a Cardiff accent. While Jack and Ianto check out the girl's weapon and her blood sample at the Hub, Gwen and PC Andy take Freda to a safe house. But when Jack calls with the results—and Freda goes on the run—PC Andy finds his world turning upside down.

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
 * Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd
 * PC Andy Davidson - Tom Price
 * Freda - Erin Richards
 * Security Guard - Matthew Gravelle
 * Cyclist- Sara McGaughey
 * Dog walker - Dick Bradnum
 * Girl - Isabel Lewis

Continuity

 * Solar flares are mentioned as in TV: The Parting of the Ways.
 * Gwen mentions to Andy an aircraft from 1953 once came through the Rift. (TV: Out of Time)
 * Andy finally learns the true nature of Torchwood. This appears to be somewhat consistent with Series 3.
 * The Girl asks if Gwen has kids, and then suggests she should one day. Gwen and Rhys conceive a child following the incident with the 456 ambassador. (TV: Children of Earth: Day Five)
 * The URC Freda uses is an all-purpose tool similar to the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.
 * Freda's was threatened by racism in 2069 concerning her half-alien status. Racist behaviour has been seen in TV: Remembrance of the Daleks.

Download and CD release
The story was released on CD on 22 September 2009, and was also made available to download from the AudioGo website.

Lost Souls, Asylum, Golden Age and The Dead Line were released, individually and together as a four-disc collected box set, entitled The Radio Adventures.