One Five Seven Years

Imagine you could live for two lifetimes. Would you want to? How would it change you and those you love? What would you do with all those extra years? What second chances might you get? Would this be a blessing or a curse?

This world is an alternative version of our own. Except in this world, a minority of people are discovered to have Extended Life Syndrome (ELS). The condition might give an "Elser" two decades in their thirties, two in their forties, double the time in their fifties, and so on. Little is understood of the biological factors that govern ELS except that it affects a random selection of people. It is the ultimate lottery of genetics, crossing class, race, culture and gender.

And if a simple test existed to check your DNA for this double life, would you take it? Would you want to know? Now think again. Would you?

Anya works in an ELS diagnostics laboratory. When she and boyfriend Luke - a semi-professional athlete – disagree about testing, their world is turned inside out.

As ELS testing spreads across the globe, a small village in eastern Nigeria rejects the science in favour of “traditional” methods of detection leaving 16-year-old Uche in fear for her life.

Jacob has ELS and is serving life for a murder he committed when he was nineteen. But how many years are enough years for justice to be served?

Retired couple Elia and Mark are celebrating their pearl wedding anniversary when they discover one of them has ELS. The bond between them is tested as they deal with the fallout and face up to a momentous decision.

100 years old, a telegram from the Queen. 110 years old, a feature in the paper. 120 years, the doctors. 130 years, the scientists, the global research projects. 140 years, TV features, a documentary. 150 years... 157 years...

A time-travelling, tragic exploration of memory and loss, and of a new and incomprehensible form of human isolation.

Written by Marietta Kirkbride, Vanessa Montfort and Eno Mfon

Cast:
Anya ….. Rose Wardlaw
Luke ….. Ragevan Vasan
Esther ….. Jessica Murrain
Tarik ….. Asif Khan
Lucy ….. Clare Corbett
Pete …. Jacob Tombling
Caller ..... Pamela Miles
Selwyn ….. Anton Lesser

Uche ….. Faith Omole
Halima ….. Emmanuella Cole
Nkechi ….. Juliet Agnes
Big Sister ….. Jolade Obasola
Gloria ….. Yetunde Oduwole
Mother ….. Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo
Henry ….. Valentine Olukoga

Jacob ….. Robert Emms
Miles ….. Ben Crowe
Mum …..Sirine Saba
Psychiatrist ….. Asif Khan
Lawyer ….. Jessica Murrain
Inmate ….. Simon Darwen

Elia ….. Raquel Cassidy
Mark ….. James Wilby
Simon ….. Ben Crowe
Anne ….. Clare Corbett
Keith ….. Jonathan McGuinness
Carol ….. Rosie Cavaliero
Saul ….. Joel MacCormack

Other voices played by the cast

Sound Design ….. Adam Woodhams and Steve Bond
Theme Music ….. Ioana Selaru and Axel Kacoutié

Academic Consultants ….. Tamas David-Barrett & James Fasham
Executive Producer ….. Sara Davies

Series created by Marietta Kirkbride
Directed and Produced by Nicolas Jackson

An Afonica production for BBC Radio 4
First broadcast in 2022

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