Published as a programme text for the world premiere at the Finborough Theatre in October 2008, Cradle Me is a tender, powerful play about the aftermath of a family tragedy.
Following an unspeakable yet avoidable tragedy, a family finds
themselves torn apart by grief and turning for comfort to Daniel, the
troubled teenage boy who lives next door.
Having experienced their tragedy first hand, Daniel shares in
their grief in a way that creates an individual bond with each member
of the family. Louise is the prepubescent daughter whose burgeoning
sexuality makes Daniel an obvious target for her affections. Graham is
the grieving father who recognises Daniel as knowing his dead son in a
way that he never could and now never will.
However, it is Marion, the dead boy's mother, who expresses her
grief through Daniel in a way that will ultimately lead both he and her
family on a path that will irrevocably alter the course of their lives
forever.