Character Relationship Map: Away

Characters

• Joseph (played by Timothy Spall) — protagonist

  Joseph is a troubled older man and former psychotherapist who is struggling with grief after Tanya’s death from Huntington’s disease. He may have intended to die, but his encounters with Ria gradually...

• Ria (played by Juno Temple) — supporting

  Ria arrives in Blackpool carrying goods to sell and initially moves through the town alone. She refuses to abandon Joseph when she recognizes his isolation, becoming his companion and encouraging him...

• Kaz (played by Hayley Squires) — supporting

  Kaz is closely connected to Joseph and receives his desperate message after a violent confrontation. Joseph warns her not to let Dex inside, directs her to money hidden in a music box, and asks her to...

• Dex (played by Matt Ryan) — supporting

  Dex is the threatening figure Joseph believes may be searching for him. Joseph specifically tells Kaz not to let Dex inside, and Dex eventually appears just as Joseph and Ria begin to imagine a new fu...

• Tanya (played by Joanna Roth) — supporting

  Tanya was Joseph’s wife and died from Huntington’s disease. Her illness and death remain central to Joseph’s grief and inability to move forward. Because of the risk of passing on the condition, she a...

• Damo (played by Reece Noi) — supporting

  Damo is someone Ria meets after arriving in Blackpool with goods to sell. He appears familiar with the local scene, providing her with an early connection as she begins navigating the town. The availa...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Joseph → Tanya (Family Spouse) — Tanya was Joseph's deceased wife, whose loss shapes his crisis.

  Joseph reveals that Tanya was his wife and that she died from Huntington's disease.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Ria → Dex (Conflict Confrontational Opponent) — Dex becomes an external threat to Ria and Joseph's attempted escape.

  When Dex appears, Joseph and Ria face him together, turning their fragile hope into an immediate confrontation.

• Ria → Joseph (Alliance Companion) — Ria and Joseph become companions whose bond supports both of them.

  Ria refuses to leave Joseph alone, and the two gradually find a reason to continue through their companionship.

• Ria → Damo (Social Local Contact) — Damo is Ria's first apparent connection in the unfamiliar town.

  After arriving in Blackpool with goods to sell, Ria meets Damo, who appears to know the local scene.

• Joseph → Dex (Conflict Threatened Opponent) — Joseph views Dex as a direct threat to his safety and escape.

  Joseph says that Dex may be looking for him and tells Kaz not to let Dex inside. Dex later appears, creating an immediate confrontation.

• Joseph → Kaz (Alliance Escape Partner) — Joseph and Kaz share a planned escape from an immediate threat.

  Joseph leaves Kaz instructions to take the money from a music box, catch the 12:20 train from Platform Six, and meet him so they can escape together.

Story Analysis

A troubled man and an isolated newcomer form a fragile bond while unresolved danger threatens their chance to begin again.

Plot Progression

1. Warnings and Arrivals — Joseph and Kaz are caught in violent tension while Joseph prepares an escape involving money and a train. Ria arrives in Blackpool carrying goods and begins navigating the unfamiliar town.
2. An Uneasy Connection — Ria meets Damo and then encounters Joseph, whose crisis becomes impossible for her to ignore. Joseph follows her, and their mutual isolation begins to emerge.
3. Grief Above Blackpool — Joseph reveals his professional and personal history with Tanya, including her death from Huntington's disease. Ria and Joseph discuss loss, death, loneliness, and the possibility that Joseph intended...
4. A Fragile Way Forward — Joseph admits why he entered the bog, while companionship gives both characters a reason to continue. Dancing, emotional encouragement, and Joseph's offer of his house create a fragile sense of hope b...