By Goitsimang Moshikaro
Vinyl of Dangerously Yours audio drama, From the internet archive
Dangerously Yours is a 1944 audio drama featuring the lead actor Victor Jory as the love interest across multiple episodes to a different woman. I came across this audio drama from one of my favourite bands TV Girl, an indie-pop band that laments on themes of hopeless romance, often sampling the radio drama throughout their entire discography highlighting the angst and despair in the interrupted proclamation of love. It fits into the band’s palette as the unpredictable highs and lows are a rather timeless matter across old and new generations.
THE FOCUS EPISODE
In episode six, God’s Country and Woman, we get our star, Victor Jory as Philip Wayman and a woman named Josephine. The prominent thing is that though the character may be formulaic, the environment and everything else around it is very dynamic, constantly being enticing. They try to set up a sense of predictability through the couple’s shared loyalty and determination that things will follow through. All this consistency for the supporting cast to surprise the audience with what they propose to happen. In their small interaction, she pushes towards trying to get something out of it and though seemingly a more significant threat, it is instead the act of love. He fakes being her husband because the child’s birth father is not a good person and is someone they don’t want. And then Victor blends in so well. He’s very determined, they are mutually attentive and display sweet and tender chemistry, risking their passion for each other.
OVERALL THEMES: FORBIDDEN LOVE ANALOGY AND HOMOSEXUALITY
One could frame this baby as a metaphor picked up across all episodes where it’s something that she has had with another man, it didn’t end well, yet with another, he fits right in. And the whole thing needs to be hidden, even to Josephines parents. The presentation of love that is presented between the two characters is like the tale of Romeo and Juliet. It’s very passionate, devoted and reflects my ideal sense of commitment. The theme resonates with the idea of homosexuality as it uses the forbidden love trope, usually ending in bittersweet tragedy where the acts of risk are constantly taken.
Additional cover art of the audio drama, From YouTube
DELIVERY
The actors’ vocal delivery is captivating, quite timely but also timeless because even things those trans-Atlantic accents had come up as an admired trend on TikTok. My favourite part is when Philip is narrating a scene by speaking slowly to escalating and tensing up the atmosphere. With so much ahead unbeknownst to the listener. It's taking advantage of the lack of literal imagery while still, building the image of the characters from their actions and behaviour.
CHARACTERISATION
Victor Joy's character(s) do not embody a real person; he doesn't exist and is rather a desire.
how the same actor always playing the male love interest brings out some symbolism. It could be taken as a metaphor of trial and error, in that, in the same way, he's always the same. He's sort of like you can get the formula of the character. Once their love is mutual, they are determined to make it work. One person always makes it, the other doesn't, and they get to move on.
TAKEAWAY
The takeaway at the end is that the way Dangerously Yours conceptualises love is that the biggest risk to love is commitment, as it is impenetrable against every obstacle that comes forth. And then, to end it off, I seek out things like this because I want to hear about stories with more thrilling dilemmas that really lay out the morals and priorities a person confronts when it comes to love and romance. To really put up a fight with oneself, the lover, and everyone else. To really go as far as to see what the reward is. But it's not being curious, not knowing what the reward is. It's knowing what the reward is, and fighting to get that exact same thing that they'll be adaptable for everything except when it comes to love. It must stay the same way because it's at least something set in stone.