Adulting | The Guardian Original Audio Drama [Review]

the podcast's actual casts

Adulting is an original, first, The Guardian-produced audio drama. It's a part of The Guardian new feature series called The New Normal, and was sponsored by Lloyd Bank—which is still not as odd as General Electric producing the LifeAfter.

The story told of five best friends who are meeting again in a wedding after ten years leaving the university. Things were not going good back then, and apparently some things still are. 

Adulting is told in six short episodes, easy to finish in one hour or so. And coming from big brands, you can tell that the cast are quite the big names. If you're loyal to Game of Thrones and Doctor Who, you'd be familiar with Joe Dempsie (Daniel), Hannah Murray (Becky) and Pearl Mackie (Charlotte). If you're more of a Misfits type, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Theo) must be your guy. The last name though, Kathryn Wilder (Ashley), is mostly known for her role as Ophelia in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art production, not the film).

I've had some past issue with short episodes in audio drama, although of course, it's still better than that long episodes with all filler, no thriller type of story—but (too) short episodes tend to focused on the plot development, yet neglecting the needed time phase for the listener to connect with the characters and their reaction in the developing story.

This was what I kinda feel after finished Adulting. The story is fast, but when the expectation was high in the mid episodes, the ending turned out pretty anti-climatic. 

There's some moments when Adulting seem to be more than a romance drama, life at university in this era could be disheartening, financial problems, family problems, or something as simple as holding on to your dream. Sadly, these moments are no more than just a side view in the old drama that the best friends been re-living.

I'm not saying Adulting is awful. Yes, I'm a bit disappointed, but it is still an enjoyable story; and with a great voice actors and interesting writing (the time-jumping plot and various narrator are really good), it's a nice drama. It's a light one, and I actually have been searching for some kind of break from horror sci-fi psychologically exhausting stories—in podcast and in real life; so this podcast came in a perfect time.

It's not as memorable as I expected to be, The Guardian was one of my earliest and main source when trying to understand the podcast world, so I a bit naively thought of a more complex idea from them.

But like I said, it's not bad, and for the sake of sound engineering and voice actors alone, Adulting is still a worth listening.

Note:

• Adulting could be found in iTunes, as part of feed in The Guardian UK: Culture podcast; or in The Guardian's website 
• read the writer and creator, Eddie Robson, interview in the Blogtor Who 
• genre: performing arts, drama, mystery, social and cultural issue
• recommended if you like: some quick listening, light drama, great talents in voice acting, well-structured mystery
• caution for: relationship tension between old friends, when real life finally kicks you in your thirty-something head, discussion on financial and family situations