Asylum (audio story)

Asylum is an original BBC Radio 4 audio play that was aired on the 1st of July, 2009. This is the first of three audio dramas to be played on the radio 4 slot Afternoon play as a prelude to the Children of Earth TV mini-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
 * 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 DW: The Parting of the Ways.
 * The Sky Gypsy from TW: Out of Time
 * Andy finally learns the true nature of Torchwood. (This appears to be somewhat consistent with Children of Earth.)

Download and CD release
The drama was available to UK Internet users for download in MP3 format for a period of one week after broadcast.

A CD release, alongside the other two Children of Earth prelude dramas, occurred in September 2009 in a 3-disc box set entitled The Radio Adventures.