Zola director Janicza Bravo, also known for her work on Kindred and Poker Face, returns to TIFF with a new drama series for the BBC. The Listeners is based on the 2021 best-selling novel of the same name by Canadian playwright, director, and author, Jordan Tannahill, who also adapted his story for the screen.
English teacher Claire Kutty (Rebecca Hall) lives a comfortable, predictable life with her adoring husband Paul (Prasanna Puwanarajah) and teenage daughter Ashley (Mia Tharia). One day she starts to hear an indecipherable low, rumbling sound that no one else can hear. As the humming persists, Claire tries ruling out devices around her home. But it’s something that follows her everywhere, and she ultimately takes Paul’s advice to see a doctor.
Her husband, daughter, and her friend/colleague, Cass (Franc Ashman), seem genuinely concerned but not as understanding as they could be. While medical professionals brush it off as a psychological manifestation of stress, Claire believes it has to be environmental or industrial. She learns that one of her students, Kyle (Ollie West), is also plagued with the constant noise. Although there’s some relief knowing that she’s not completely alone, their shared problem only brings up more questions.
Claire and Kyle develop a secret kinship as they investigate the possible source. They find a group of people dealing with the same unexplainable sound and, while there’s comfort in community, group leaders Jo (Gayle Rankin) and Omar (Amr Waked) radiate charismatic cult-like energy. Every group member has their own theories from wind turbines and power lines to government conspiracies and the supernatural but Jo and Omar have seemingly accepted the persistent hum as a part of their lives. Since it only affects a small percentage of people, they think it could possibly even be a gift.
Claire isn’t interested in adapting to the hum. What she wants is to find a way to stop this thing that has gradually upended her life. And with everything already off balance, sneaking around to see a student and attending bizarre meetings only adds more complications. She knows hanging out with a schoolboy outside of the classroom isn’t a good look but what they’re going through isolates them from others, leaving them both desperate for connection. However, Kyle is a teenager and doesn’t seem to understand how to be subtle, so we know it’s only a matter of time before people notice their awkward interactions and make assumptions.
Rebecca Hall does what she does best and brings a nuanced, emotional depth to Claire. She’s believable as a woman who’s content, if a bit bored, being an educator, mother, wife, and friend but has this inexplicable disturbance that affects her relationships, career, and health. Being the only person among your family, friends, or colleagues to hear a constant low hum would have anyone on edge. Claire doesn’t reach the level of emotional distress as Margaret in Resurrection, but Hall similarly captures the exterior expressions of someone dealing with a personal hell.
Tannahill’s novel was inspired by the real phenomenon called the Hum, which has been reported in communities worldwide for decades, as well as the history of women being deemed hysterical. Speaking about Claire, Tannahill said that he wanted readers to understand the “palpable need to answer this question in her life when nothing else seems to be answering it and to be heard when no one else seems to be listening to her.”
In the first two episodes available to screen, we spend a little time with the support group. Both the novel and the opera adaptation really emphasize the cult aspect of the story, which I expect the series will delve into more in future episodes. It’s established early on that Claire isn’t religious, so it will be interesting if/when the group starts to get spiritual.
Although the book and opera are both set in America, the series changes the setting to the UK, which makes sense since it’s a BBC production. The tranquil locale, beautifully shot by cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes (Dead Ringers), heightens Claire’s isolating, stressful experience. She’s surrounded by lovely homes and greenery but is dealing with this invisible physical disturbance.
Given the subject matter is all about auditory experiences, Steve Fanagan’s (Stopmotion, Normal People) sound design for The Listeners is unsurprisingly incredible. Although what’s being described as the hum doesn’t quite match what we hear as the audience, there’s a repeated thumping beat throughout the episodes that‘s anxiety-inducing. A particularly effective technique was overlapping audio from her online research, further showing us the frustration and confusion of all the conflicting ideas, facts, and conspiracies.
The Listeners is an immersive psychological drama that explores how isolation creates the human desire for community and connection. While the pacing might be slower than some audiences would like, the mystery of the unexplained phenomena, as well as stellar performances and sound design, will keep viewers intrigued.
The Listeners premiered on September 7, 2024, at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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