Joe O'Byrne Yardstick

Joe O'Byrne

Yardstick is a powerful sonic journey into the world of teenage bullying, where text messages and Facebook updates are deployed like weapons, and self-esteem is in short supply. Written and directed by Joe O'Byrne, this piece vividly depicts the teenage imagination as Laura's phone takes on a personality of its own, leading to a collision between dream worlds and the heart-breaking reality of teenage self-harm.

Saoirse Ronan stars as Laura, supported by an all-star cast including Paul Ronan, Amy Huberman, Emma Bolger, Rachel Pilkington, Kate Minogue, Una Kavanagh, Maebh Butler, and James Killeen. The Skylarks Girl Guides choir from Portmarnock, under the music direction of John Mckeon, adds a unique touch to this compelling narrative. Sound design is by Guillaume Beauron, Mark Dwyer, and Kevin Brew, with sound supervision by Mark McGrath.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.