Susie Maguire - Portrait [Afternoon Reading]

Episodes

EpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
01The Painter's Story2011080920150803 (BBC7)A mystery unfolds in Susie Maguire's trilogy of stories that examine a portrait from three perspectives. The painter's story is read by Burn Gorman.

Tom first lays eyes on Nic in the audience of an art house cinema. She smells of money and he knows she is out of his league, but he decides to ask if he can paint her. She succumbs and finally enters the arena of his scruffy studio. There's a power shift; she may be the femme fatale whose husband owns the building, but this is Tom's domain, and she is the one feeling nervous. He knows all the tricks to put her at her ease. He's used to the idle chit chat between artist and model, the questions about commissions, the subtle pleas for reassurance. He rashly agrees to her request not to exhibit the painting when it's finished, but hopes that once she sees the finished piece, she'll be flattered and have a change of heart. He is already secretly planning further portraits of her as he circles her with his camera snapping away, adjusting her position now and then. Will he keep his promise to keep her portrait for his eyes only, and who is really studying who?

Tom first lays eyes on Nic and decides to ask if he can paint her.

02The Model's Story2011081020150804 (BBC7)A mystery unfolds in Susie Maguire's trilogy of stories that examine a portrait from three perspectives. The Model's Story is read by Federay Holmes.

Nic wakes up in hospital. She's battered and bruised, and is trying to piece together the events that led her to this state. Her husband Andrew turns up, very concerned and keen to take care of her, but Nic retreats to a local hotel to lick her wounds and reflect on what has happened. She wonders if it all went wrong when she started modelling for Tom. She'd certainly valued that time they shared in his studio, but Andrew would never be able to understand that theirs was a platonic relationship. It's only when she is finally and violently presented with a fragmented image of herself, that she really begins to see the bigger picture, and seeks the courage to do what she has to.

Nic wakes up in hospital and tries to piece together the events that led her there.

03The Voyeur's Story2011081120150805 (BBC7)The mystery deepens in the final part of Susie Maguire's trilogy of stories that examine a portrait from three perspectives. The Voyeur's Story is read by Bill Paterson.

Andrew is being roundly ignored on the set of the popular TV detective series that he's written, 'Westlake'. Hardly anyone talks to him and he doesn't care much for either the young golden boy director or the arrogant and untalented star of the show, Dean Smith. So he is pleased to make the acquaintance of Tom over lunch.

The episode of Westlake they are filming this week sees the Detective investigating the death of a woman who the viewer only ever sees as a figure in a portrait. Tom is the artist that painted the portrait.

In one scene the actor playing the model's husband slashes at the portrait. Tom flinches; it's clear from his reaction that the painting means something more to him than being just a cog in a make-believe story. And when the loud mouth star of the show makes a crude comment about the model between takes, it's too much for Tom to take, and all hell breaks loose. Andrew is intrigued by Tom's apparent obsession with the model and begins to imagine all kinds of possibilities for this beguiling portrait.

The mystery deepens for Bill when he meets Tom.