This programme gives a voice to the invisibles – the anonymous textile worker, that guy living with his family in a rough housing project, those men we just see in uniforms going to do the unthankful work that keeps the city running. Their stories are powerful and terrible and make us realize the price that so many immigrants pay for the privilege of coming to the first world to do its hardest, dirtiest, lowest paid work.

A wonderful script and narration by Frank McCourt ties the stories together, connecting the Shan grieving for the difficulties his people face back home, with the Ecuadorian parents thankful to have their child back after his year long kidnapping by people smugglers, with the gay Indian who can declare his sexual identity freely in the New World.

A person’s story can be the most mesmerizing thing in the world and this piece is proof of that. I had only one problem with this programe: That the producers didn’t have enough faith in their wonderful material and felt that they had to jazz it up with a totally un-matching and gratuitous use of music. The funky soundtrack seemed to be constantly trying to outrun and outmuscle the content and style of McCourt’s lilting narration. Why for God’s sake do that to something that’s good enough to stand on its own?
Adding too much music to a good story is like spoiling a potentially great meal by too much garlic or too much salt. This programme is over musicked. But if you can get over that hurdle it’s a wonderful listen.