Nicola Baldwin - Tony and Rose

Written by Nicola Baldwin.
With Robert Glenister and Marcia Warren.

4 Extra Debut. When architect Tony McGill returns to England from his home in Germany to attend his Aunt Ruth's funeral, he struggles to come to terms with the strange behaviour of his mother Rose.

Ruth and Rose, both widows, lived and looked after each other, so he thought. But Ruth had tried to protect Tony from the truth and it is only when Tony comes home for the funeral that he realises quite how ill his mother is - with dementia - and that he has little time to sort out what best to do for her.

At first it all seemed so straightforward - just take her back to Germany, to stay with him, his wife Monica and son, Karl Heinz. It soon dawns on Tony, however, that Rose's situation is far more serious than he can handle and he struggles with his decision not to leave her in England and put her in a home.

At the home, things go from bad to worse and Tony's conscience is tested as he watches all dignity being pulled away from her. Before it is too late he takes her on a journey that ultimately buys him a bit of time to come to terms with inevitability of what lies ahead.

Written by Nicola Baldwin

Director: Celia de Wolff
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.