My wife, Jean and I have been to the theatre several times this year. However, this was the best. Hitch Hiker`s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. A live stage show based on the original radio version. It was great to see some of the original cast. I would have liked to have seen Stephen Moore, in the flesh, but using him as the voice of Marvin, was the only reasonable way to go. He is Marvin. Ingenious design of the paranoid android and he got laughs with every line. Also, Mark Wing-Davey was not available, but the guy in his place did a very good job. My wife has never watched or listened to this programme, as much as I did, so it was great to hear her laugh out loud at some of the original gags. Not sure how much of the added stuff would have made it in to a Douglas Adams script, but it was a fun night. The few mistakes were handled very well and were almost as funny as some of the actual gags. Simon Jones handling of the tea cup from the Cybernetics Corporation vending machine, was totally in character, as the cup fell on to the floor.
I have been to a few of these "live radio shows" and this was the best. Hitch Hiker fans are used to the plot changing from book to radio to disc to TV, so the changes in order and the condensing of certain items did not jar and, mostly, worked very well.
. Simon Jones, wearing THE dressing gown [at least it looked genuine], Geoffrey McGivern, the original Ford, also the original radio Trillian, Susan Sheridan was there. Stephen Moore`s voice for Marvin and the Whale. You could almost close your eyes and hear it as it was first performed on steam radio. There was a band on stage and a foley artist, helped by Dirk Maggs, the producer.
John Challis [Boycie from Only Fools and Horses] was the voice of the book, sat in a big chair at one side of the stage. Not in his Boycie voice though. He used that later, when he played "meet the meat". that was one of many spontaneous applause moments.
There was a screen showing stuff from the "book" and also June Whitfield as the video message from Magrathea. A brilliant move.
Lot of prop work and costumes, so not just a radio recording. Several Vogons at one stage. I want one of those masks.
Some new gags and scenes to enable them to link pieces in a slightly different order.
A good night out. I would go and see it again. The show was great. My favourite part of the night was hearing Marvin`s single, the Paranoid Android, in a live setting. Brilliant. I was mouthing the words, not singing out loud.
On a side note, the programme cost a tenner, but is the best and funniest programme I have ever bought at a theatre. I also found out, while reading it, that one of the funniest moments, that seemed like a mistake, was only a mistake once. I shan`t tell you which bit. It got a huge laugh and was kept in for ever after. That`s comedy.
Share and enjoy.
Share and enjoy.
