Main content

10. The Truth

Gerty and Pasha learn finally uncover the truth about the mysterious Laboratoria 37. Concluded by Barbara Flynn.

Gerty and Pasha uncover the truth about the mysterious Laboratoria 37.

Early in 1914, 22-year-old Gerty Freely travels to Russia to work as a governess, little-knowing the huge upheavals in the world and in her own life that lie ahead.

In London, 1974, Gerty begins a memoir for her daughter Sophy, looking back at that extraordinary time of war, revolution and civil war.

Most of her memories are centred on a young inventor, Nikita Slavkin, who mysteriously disappeared in 1919 and was subsequently celebrated in Soviet culture as The Vanishing Futurist.

“No word has been heard from him since […] Yet the idea persists that one day he will reappear.”

Charlotte Hobson's novel abridged by Jeremy Osborne.

Concluded by Barbara Flynn.

Producer: Jeremy Osborne

A Sweet Talk production for ѿý Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2020.

29 days left to listen

14 minutes

Last on

Today 03:30

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Oct 2020 12:04
  • Fri 2 Oct 2020 22:45
  • Yesterday 08:30
  • Yesterday 13:30
  • Yesterday 19:30
  • Today 03:30