One of Those People that Live in the World

Overview

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.

Keywords

Cast

Lisa Aitken

Child

John Anderson

Lewis

Gael Anderson

Mrs Proctor

Anne Batt

Dorothy

Jean Betts

Birth mother

Pat Birdling

Barbara

Helen Brew

Mother

Kaye Buchanan

Occupational Therapist

Marie Bullock

Mrs Priddle

Sarah Burdett

Child