don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

Original, Creative, High Quality Comedy!, 22 Oct 2008
I'm a regular listener to BBC Radio 4. One Thursday night in 2006 they announced a new phone-in chat show presented by Gary Bellamy (Rhys Thomas). Initially I thought it was a regular phone-in and the first night's callers were a little eccentric. After about 15 minutes I copped that it's all a total spoof. And what an hilarious spoof it is too! It seems like a parody of their own sister station Radio 5-live, which concentrates on live sport but broadcasts phone-ins during the hours when no sport is being played (eg. late night).

One caller speaks with a strong Indian accent and, regardless of the topic, always asks the same question; "What is point?" - pronouncing 'W' like 'V' and omitting the definite article (as Indians are wont to do). Sadly, Harry Enfield doesn't feature in this third series as he does in the first two. But there's still plenty of high quality humour to enjoy. You'll hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on a myriad of different topics. In this third series they discuss the elderly, consumer rights, manners, rigged quizzes, the 'string conspiracy' and the discovery of a new planet!

In each new decade, alternative comedy (be it visual or audio) needs to break some new ground. The 70s belonged to Monty Python. The 80s gave us the likes of Blackadder/Fry & Laurie. In the 90s we had the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf. In the naughties, "Down the Line" represents the cutting-edge of modern, inventive, 21st century comedy. Each season is recoded on a 3-CD set; good value at under £10. I've bought all three seasons and I hope they record many more. I can picture myself still enjoying this stuff 20 years hence!

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

Original, Creative, High Quality Comedy!, 22 Oct 2008
I'm a regular listener to BBC Radio 4. One Thursday night in 2006 they announced a new phone-in chat show presented by Gary Bellamy (Rhys Thomas). Initially I thought it was a regular phone-in and the first night's callers were a little eccentric. After about 15 minutes I copped that it's all a total spoof. And what an hilarious spoof it is too! It seems like a parody of their own sister station Radio 5-live, which concentrates on live sport but broadcasts phone-ins during the hours when no sport is being played (eg. late night).

One caller speaks with a strong Indian accent and, regardless of the topic, always asks the same question; "What is point?" - pronouncing 'W' like 'V' and omitting the definite article (as Indians are wont to do). Sadly, Harry Enfield doesn't feature in this third series as he does in the first two. But there's still plenty of high quality humour to enjoy. You'll hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on a myriad of different topics. In this third series they discuss the elderly, consumer rights, manners, rigged quizzes, the 'string conspiracy' and the discovery of a new planet!

In each new decade, alternative comedy (be it visual or audio) needs to break some new ground. The 70s belonged to Monty Python. The 80s gave us the likes of Blackadder/Fry & Laurie. In the 90s we had the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf. In the naughties, "Down the Line" represents the cutting-edge of modern, inventive, 21st century comedy. Each season is recoded on a 3-CD set; good value at under £10. I've bought all three seasons and I hope they record many more. I can picture myself still enjoying this stuff 20 years hence!


brilliant, 25 Aug 2008
if you'd like comedy or would to see the funny side to being mugged and various other negative things. OOH! or if you like mark watson, comedy poet tim key or musical funny man tim minchin then buy this! buy it anyway. just because if you listen to it you'll laugh til you cant breathe, and everyone likes that lightheaded feeling.

and and and listen to his latest radio show! this time he makes the world substantially better whilst talking about heavenly virtues (not the cocktail drinks. feauring tim key and tom basden!
booyah.

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

Original, Creative, High Quality Comedy!, 22 Oct 2008
I'm a regular listener to BBC Radio 4. One Thursday night in 2006 they announced a new phone-in chat show presented by Gary Bellamy (Rhys Thomas). Initially I thought it was a regular phone-in and the first night's callers were a little eccentric. After about 15 minutes I copped that it's all a total spoof. And what an hilarious spoof it is too! It seems like a parody of their own sister station Radio 5-live, which concentrates on live sport but broadcasts phone-ins during the hours when no sport is being played (eg. late night).

One caller speaks with a strong Indian accent and, regardless of the topic, always asks the same question; "What is point?" - pronouncing 'W' like 'V' and omitting the definite article (as Indians are wont to do). Sadly, Harry Enfield doesn't feature in this third series as he does in the first two. But there's still plenty of high quality humour to enjoy. You'll hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on a myriad of different topics. In this third series they discuss the elderly, consumer rights, manners, rigged quizzes, the 'string conspiracy' and the discovery of a new planet!

In each new decade, alternative comedy (be it visual or audio) needs to break some new ground. The 70s belonged to Monty Python. The 80s gave us the likes of Blackadder/Fry & Laurie. In the 90s we had the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf. In the naughties, "Down the Line" represents the cutting-edge of modern, inventive, 21st century comedy. Each season is recoded on a 3-CD set; good value at under £10. I've bought all three seasons and I hope they record many more. I can picture myself still enjoying this stuff 20 years hence!


brilliant, 25 Aug 2008
if you'd like comedy or would to see the funny side to being mugged and various other negative things. OOH! or if you like mark watson, comedy poet tim key or musical funny man tim minchin then buy this! buy it anyway. just because if you listen to it you'll laugh til you cant breathe, and everyone likes that lightheaded feeling.

and and and listen to his latest radio show! this time he makes the world substantially better whilst talking about heavenly virtues (not the cocktail drinks. feauring tim key and tom basden!
booyah.

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, 04 May 2008

'To begin at the beginning'...

I was arranging a visit to Mousehole, Cornwall and whilst researching my visit (incredibly sad, yes - well informed, yes) I stumbled across Thomas' connections with this pretty village. A friend of his, Wyn Henderson, owned the now demolished 'Lobster Pot' harbourside. Thomas delighted in the village and proclaimed that he too, wanted to live somewhere like that. Llareggub, the fictional village Thomas describes is based on another harbourside village in Wales, but the influence of Mousehole on Thomas' creative thoughts is distinctly recognisable to anyone who has visited it and whilst I was reading, I imagined Mousehole through his eyes - the buildings and characters so incredibly vivid. We wandered along the harbour at night after a drink in the local hostelry - finding it silent and still, save the sound of waves against the sea walls.

This is a beautiful piece of writing: lyrical, humourous, quirky and theatrical. The voice of the narrator is particularly intelligent:

'You can hear the love-sick woodpigeons mooning in bed. A dog barks in his sleep, farmyards away. The town ripples like a lake in the waking haze.'

A picture of a community painted in words. Genius.

aruffledmind-k.blogspot

"Time passes. Listen. Time passes.", 30 Dec 2007
Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this historic audiotape features the all-Welsh cast of the original BBC production from 1954. Richard Burton is the First Voice, which connects all the characters, played by twenty-eight men, women, and children. With perfect diction and the sense of character which only a great actor can convey, Burton rolls his R's, modulates his voice in pitch and intensity, and makes Thomas's poetry come fully alive--full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously, and always a wry humor and honesty of feeling.

Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize, gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet hold hope. When night falls and the residents retire, their losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea. Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife, and young Gwenny, who has extorted pennies from the little boys who do NOT want to kiss her, plans for the next day and more pennies.

The sound effects provide context for the drama without overpowering the narrative--a cock's crow, the clip-clop of horses, the bark of dogs, footsteps, the sea, bell buoys--and simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. A mournful tune performed by Polly Garter in a minor key, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, is beautifully sung by Diana Maddox, her clear, bell-like voice and almost palpable sadness making her one of the most memorable of the characters. A humorous children's singing game, sung by local school children, gives added realism, and little Gwenny's song to three very young boys is delightfully cheeky. Both enchanting and historically important, this memorable recording is worth seeking through Used sites or through amazon.co.uk--the best recording ever made of this wonderful "play for voices." Mary Whipple


Now this is more like it, 05 Apr 2006
Richard Burtons voice simply brings this audiobook to life.The majority of readers and listeners are more used to this version than Thomases original radio performance.

The characters are brought to life by a more than eager cast of well known personalities.

According to the accompanying script with this audio cd version
Thomas first aired his play on 14 May 1953 in New York on one of his lecture tours there.The recording we have here was totally revised and more the better for it and broadcast on 11 October 1963 a full ten years after its original airing.

What a contrast in style,the original 53 version is raw and unpolished and without Burtons commanding voice.
This 1963 edition is a revalation and was one of several transcripts with different cast members all bringing their own particular talent to this marvelous play.

If you must listen to the 1953 original you must remember this is not the finished article.To really appreciate the play turn to this BBC Radio Collection version it literally jumps out at you with its vigour and joy.

BUY-BUY- BUY THIS VERSION IT IS WORTHY OF ITS 5 STAR RATING MANY TIMES OVER !!

Under Milk Wood, 02 Sep 2002
The BBC recording of the 'play for voices' with Richard Burton as the lead narrator, is a wonderful creation. The story of South-West Wales fishing village, following the life of the village as a single day passes, it is a glorious composition of finely drawn characters. The word play is poetic, the inter-twined lives of the voices are surreal, the atmosphere is tangible. There is comedy and pathos as the author and the superb cast of voices draw out the stories within the village. It's best listened to in the dark, start to finish, in one sitting. Let the pictures flood through your mind; the words and voices are so evocative. Then read it to yourself, preferably with a well-annotated version that explains all the nuances and subtleties. You will not be able to read it without hearing Richard Burton's rich voice in your mind and seeing again the village, cascading down the hills to the little harbour, and every place within where a little drama is happening. Unforgetable.

The Welsh Shakespeare, 23 Aug 2001
This being the first play I read in my whole life,it tends to be kind of sentimental, and without wanting to sound too patriotic, find everything of Dylan's a stroke of genius. The whole Play captures the atmosphere of a typical welsh town perfectly. Dylan is an icon who has inspired so many great artists, such as; Bob dylan(took his stage name from him), Mick jagger and David Bowie. Mr.Thomas I salute you!!!!

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

Original, Creative, High Quality Comedy!, 22 Oct 2008
I'm a regular listener to BBC Radio 4. One Thursday night in 2006 they announced a new phone-in chat show presented by Gary Bellamy (Rhys Thomas). Initially I thought it was a regular phone-in and the first night's callers were a little eccentric. After about 15 minutes I copped that it's all a total spoof. And what an hilarious spoof it is too! It seems like a parody of their own sister station Radio 5-live, which concentrates on live sport but broadcasts phone-ins during the hours when no sport is being played (eg. late night).

One caller speaks with a strong Indian accent and, regardless of the topic, always asks the same question; "What is point?" - pronouncing 'W' like 'V' and omitting the definite article (as Indians are wont to do). Sadly, Harry Enfield doesn't feature in this third series as he does in the first two. But there's still plenty of high quality humour to enjoy. You'll hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on a myriad of different topics. In this third series they discuss the elderly, consumer rights, manners, rigged quizzes, the 'string conspiracy' and the discovery of a new planet!

In each new decade, alternative comedy (be it visual or audio) needs to break some new ground. The 70s belonged to Monty Python. The 80s gave us the likes of Blackadder/Fry & Laurie. In the 90s we had the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf. In the naughties, "Down the Line" represents the cutting-edge of modern, inventive, 21st century comedy. Each season is recoded on a 3-CD set; good value at under £10. I've bought all three seasons and I hope they record many more. I can picture myself still enjoying this stuff 20 years hence!


brilliant, 25 Aug 2008
if you'd like comedy or would to see the funny side to being mugged and various other negative things. OOH! or if you like mark watson, comedy poet tim key or musical funny man tim minchin then buy this! buy it anyway. just because if you listen to it you'll laugh til you cant breathe, and everyone likes that lightheaded feeling.

and and and listen to his latest radio show! this time he makes the world substantially better whilst talking about heavenly virtues (not the cocktail drinks. feauring tim key and tom basden!
booyah.

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, 04 May 2008

'To begin at the beginning'...

I was arranging a visit to Mousehole, Cornwall and whilst researching my visit (incredibly sad, yes - well informed, yes) I stumbled across Thomas' connections with this pretty village. A friend of his, Wyn Henderson, owned the now demolished 'Lobster Pot' harbourside. Thomas delighted in the village and proclaimed that he too, wanted to live somewhere like that. Llareggub, the fictional village Thomas describes is based on another harbourside village in Wales, but the influence of Mousehole on Thomas' creative thoughts is distinctly recognisable to anyone who has visited it and whilst I was reading, I imagined Mousehole through his eyes - the buildings and characters so incredibly vivid. We wandered along the harbour at night after a drink in the local hostelry - finding it silent and still, save the sound of waves against the sea walls.

This is a beautiful piece of writing: lyrical, humourous, quirky and theatrical. The voice of the narrator is particularly intelligent:

'You can hear the love-sick woodpigeons mooning in bed. A dog barks in his sleep, farmyards away. The town ripples like a lake in the waking haze.'

A picture of a community painted in words. Genius.

aruffledmind-k.blogspot

"Time passes. Listen. Time passes.", 30 Dec 2007
Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this historic audiotape features the all-Welsh cast of the original BBC production from 1954. Richard Burton is the First Voice, which connects all the characters, played by twenty-eight men, women, and children. With perfect diction and the sense of character which only a great actor can convey, Burton rolls his R's, modulates his voice in pitch and intensity, and makes Thomas's poetry come fully alive--full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously, and always a wry humor and honesty of feeling.

Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize, gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet hold hope. When night falls and the residents retire, their losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea. Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife, and young Gwenny, who has extorted pennies from the little boys who do NOT want to kiss her, plans for the next day and more pennies.

The sound effects provide context for the drama without overpowering the narrative--a cock's crow, the clip-clop of horses, the bark of dogs, footsteps, the sea, bell buoys--and simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. A mournful tune performed by Polly Garter in a minor key, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, is beautifully sung by Diana Maddox, her clear, bell-like voice and almost palpable sadness making her one of the most memorable of the characters. A humorous children's singing game, sung by local school children, gives added realism, and little Gwenny's song to three very young boys is delightfully cheeky. Both enchanting and historically important, this memorable recording is worth seeking through Used sites or through amazon.co.uk--the best recording ever made of this wonderful "play for voices." Mary Whipple


Now this is more like it, 05 Apr 2006
Richard Burtons voice simply brings this audiobook to life.The majority of readers and listeners are more used to this version than Thomases original radio performance.

The characters are brought to life by a more than eager cast of well known personalities.

According to the accompanying script with this audio cd version
Thomas first aired his play on 14 May 1953 in New York on one of his lecture tours there.The recording we have here was totally revised and more the better for it and broadcast on 11 October 1963 a full ten years after its original airing.

What a contrast in style,the original 53 version is raw and unpolished and without Burtons commanding voice.
This 1963 edition is a revalation and was one of several transcripts with different cast members all bringing their own particular talent to this marvelous play.

If you must listen to the 1953 original you must remember this is not the finished article.To really appreciate the play turn to this BBC Radio Collection version it literally jumps out at you with its vigour and joy.

BUY-BUY- BUY THIS VERSION IT IS WORTHY OF ITS 5 STAR RATING MANY TIMES OVER !!

Under Milk Wood, 02 Sep 2002
The BBC recording of the 'play for voices' with Richard Burton as the lead narrator, is a wonderful creation. The story of South-West Wales fishing village, following the life of the village as a single day passes, it is a glorious composition of finely drawn characters. The word play is poetic, the inter-twined lives of the voices are surreal, the atmosphere is tangible. There is comedy and pathos as the author and the superb cast of voices draw out the stories within the village. It's best listened to in the dark, start to finish, in one sitting. Let the pictures flood through your mind; the words and voices are so evocative. Then read it to yourself, preferably with a well-annotated version that explains all the nuances and subtleties. You will not be able to read it without hearing Richard Burton's rich voice in your mind and seeing again the village, cascading down the hills to the little harbour, and every place within where a little drama is happening. Unforgetable.

The Welsh Shakespeare, 23 Aug 2001
This being the first play I read in my whole life,it tends to be kind of sentimental, and without wanting to sound too patriotic, find everything of Dylan's a stroke of genius. The whole Play captures the atmosphere of a typical welsh town perfectly. Dylan is an icon who has inspired so many great artists, such as; Bob dylan(took his stage name from him), Mick jagger and David Bowie. Mr.Thomas I salute you!!!!

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, 04 May 2008

'To begin at the beginning'...

I was arranging a visit to Mousehole, Cornwall and whilst researching my visit (incredibly sad, yes - well informed, yes) I stumbled across Thomas' connections with this pretty village. A friend of his, Wyn Henderson, owned the now demolished 'Lobster Pot' harbourside. Thomas delighted in the village and proclaimed that he too, wanted to live somewhere like that. Llareggub, the fictional village Thomas describes is based on another harbourside village in Wales, but the influence of Mousehole on Thomas' creative thoughts is distinctly recognisable to anyone who has visited it and whilst I was reading, I imagined Mousehole through his eyes - the buildings and characters so incredibly vivid. We wandered along the harbour at night after a drink in the local hostelry - finding it silent and still, save the sound of waves against the sea walls.

This is a beautiful piece of writing: lyrical, humourous, quirky and theatrical. The voice of the narrator is particularly intelligent:

'You can hear the love-sick woodpigeons mooning in bed. A dog barks in his sleep, farmyards away. The town ripples like a lake in the waking haze.'

A picture of a community painted in words. Genius.

aruffledmind-k.blogspot

"Time passes. Listen. Time passes.", 30 Dec 2007
Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this historic audiotape features the all-Welsh cast of the original BBC production from 1954. Richard Burton is the First Voice, which connects all the characters, played by twenty-eight men, women, and children. With perfect diction and the sense of character which only a great actor can convey, Burton rolls his R's, modulates his voice in pitch and intensity, and makes Thomas's poetry come fully alive--full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously, and always a wry humor and honesty of feeling.

Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize, gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet hold hope. When night falls and the residents retire, their losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea. Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife, and young Gwenny, who has extorted pennies from the little boys who do NOT want to kiss her, plans for the next day and more pennies.

The sound effects provide context for the drama without overpowering the narrative--a cock's crow, the clip-clop of horses, the bark of dogs, footsteps, the sea, bell buoys--and simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. A mournful tune performed by Polly Garter in a minor key, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, is beautifully sung by Diana Maddox, her clear, bell-like voice and almost palpable sadness making her one of the most memorable of the characters. A humorous children's singing game, sung by local school children, gives added realism, and little Gwenny's song to three very young boys is delightfully cheeky. Both enchanting and historically important, this memorable recording is worth seeking through Used sites or through amazon.co.uk--the best recording ever made of this wonderful "play for voices." Mary Whipple


Now this is more like it, 05 Apr 2006
Richard Burtons voice simply brings this audiobook to life.The majority of readers and listeners are more used to this version than Thomases original radio performance.

The characters are brought to life by a more than eager cast of well known personalities.

According to the accompanying script with this audio cd version
Thomas first aired his play on 14 May 1953 in New York on one of his lecture tours there.The recording we have here was totally revised and more the better for it and broadcast on 11 October 1963 a full ten years after its original airing.

What a contrast in style,the original 53 version is raw and unpolished and without Burtons commanding voice.
This 1963 edition is a revalation and was one of several transcripts with different cast members all bringing their own particular talent to this marvelous play.

If you must listen to the 1953 original you must remember this is not the finished article.To really appreciate the play turn to this BBC Radio Collection version it literally jumps out at you with its vigour and joy.

BUY-BUY- BUY THIS VERSION IT IS WORTHY OF ITS 5 STAR RATING MANY TIMES OVER !!

Under Milk Wood, 02 Sep 2002
The BBC recording of the 'play for voices' with Richard Burton as the lead narrator, is a wonderful creation. The story of South-West Wales fishing village, following the life of the village as a single day passes, it is a glorious composition of finely drawn characters. The word play is poetic, the inter-twined lives of the voices are surreal, the atmosphere is tangible. There is comedy and pathos as the author and the superb cast of voices draw out the stories within the village. It's best listened to in the dark, start to finish, in one sitting. Let the pictures flood through your mind; the words and voices are so evocative. Then read it to yourself, preferably with a well-annotated version that explains all the nuances and subtleties. You will not be able to read it without hearing Richard Burton's rich voice in your mind and seeing again the village, cascading down the hills to the little harbour, and every place within where a little drama is happening. Unforgetable.

The Welsh Shakespeare, 23 Aug 2001
This being the first play I read in my whole life,it tends to be kind of sentimental, and without wanting to sound too patriotic, find everything of Dylan's a stroke of genius. The whole Play captures the atmosphere of a typical welsh town perfectly. Dylan is an icon who has inspired so many great artists, such as; Bob dylan(took his stage name from him), Mick jagger and David Bowie. Mr.Thomas I salute you!!!!

don't listen to this in the car you will crash!, 06 Nov 2008
I made the mistake of getting this and thinking it would pass the time on a long motorway journey.

Huge error on my part! I was discovered by a very kind traffic police officer on the hard shoulder of the M6 crying. He thought there was something terribly wrong with me! I had been laughing so much that I could not see and thought it best to pull over before I crashed and ended up face to face with the man himself.

The police officer let me go with the advice 'please do not listen to that while driving again.'

Following this experience I used to plan my week around the radio 4 airing of the next series (then series 3). I would sit happily for 30mins each week listening to this in my car - usually in a motorway layby or carpark somewhere. I cannot recommend this to cheer you up enough. A tonic for sure!

Can't wait to get series 3 and 4!

I would also recommend listening to it more than once as you will miss some jokes the first time around. A true joy.

And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.

In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....

In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.

Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?

Divas!, 10 Nov 2008
Insanely funny. Two witty ladies at their peak.

I hope there are more volumes of this series to come.

I wish someone would have the idea of having them do this LIVE on stage as a one-night only performance.

Original, Creative, High Quality Comedy!, 22 Oct 2008
I'm a regular listener to BBC Radio 4. One Thursday night in 2006 they announced a new phone-in chat show presented by Gary Bellamy (Rhys Thomas). Initially I thought it was a regular phone-in and the first night's callers were a little eccentric. After about 15 minutes I copped that it's all a total spoof. And what an hilarious spoof it is too! It seems like a parody of their own sister station Radio 5-live, which concentrates on live sport but broadcasts phone-ins during the hours when no sport is being played (eg. late night).

One caller speaks with a strong Indian accent and, regardless of the topic, always asks the same question; "What is point?" - pronouncing 'W' like 'V' and omitting the definite article (as Indians are wont to do). Sadly, Harry Enfield doesn't feature in this third series as he does in the first two. But there's still plenty of high quality humour to enjoy. You'll hear a wide variety of opinions expressed on a myriad of different topics. In this third series they discuss the elderly, consumer rights, manners, rigged quizzes, the 'string conspiracy' and the discovery of a new planet!

In each new decade, alternative comedy (be it visual or audio) needs to break some new ground. The 70s belonged to Monty Python. The 80s gave us the likes of Blackadder/Fry & Laurie. In the 90s we had the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf. In the naughties, "Down the Line" represents the cutting-edge of modern, inventive, 21st century comedy. Each season is recoded on a 3-CD set; good value at under £10. I've bought all three seasons and I hope they record many more. I can picture myself still enjoying this stuff 20 years hence!


brilliant, 25 Aug 2008
if you'd like comedy or would to see the funny side to being mugged and various other negative things. OOH! or if you like mark watson, comedy poet tim key or musical funny man tim minchin then buy this! buy it anyway. just because if you listen to it you'll laugh til you cant breathe, and everyone likes that lightheaded feeling.

and and and listen to his latest radio show! this time he makes the world substantially better whilst talking about heavenly virtues (not the cocktail drinks. feauring tim key and tom basden!
booyah.

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, 04 May 2008

'To begin at the beginning'...

I was arranging a visit to Mousehole, Cornwall and whilst researching my visit (incredibly sad, yes - well informed, yes) I stumbled across Thomas' connections with this pretty village. A friend of his, Wyn Henderson, owned the now demolished 'Lobster Pot' harbourside. Thomas delighted in the village and proclaimed that he too, wanted to live somewhere like that. Llareggub, the fictional village Thomas describes is based on another harbourside village in Wales, but the influence of Mousehole on Thomas' creative thoughts is distinctly recognisable to anyone who has visited it and whilst I was reading, I imagined Mousehole through his eyes - the buildings and characters so incredibly vivid. We wandered along the harbour at night after a drink in the local hostelry - finding it silent and still, save the sound of waves against the sea walls.

This is a beautiful piece of writing: lyrical, humourous, quirky and theatrical. The voice of the narrator is particularly intelligent:

'You can hear the love-sick woodpigeons mooning in bed. A dog barks in his sleep, farmyards away. The town ripples like a lake in the waking haze.'

A picture of a community painted in words. Genius.

aruffledmind-k.blogspot

"Time passes. Listen. Time passes.", 30 Dec 2007
Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this historic audiotape features the all-Welsh cast of the original BBC production from 1954. Richard Burton is the First Voice, which connects all the characters, played by twenty-eight men, women, and children. With perfect diction and the sense of character which only a great actor can convey, Burton rolls his R's, modulates his voice in pitch and intensity, and makes Thomas's poetry come fully alive--full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously, and always a wry humor and honesty of feeling.

Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize, gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet hold hope. When night falls and the residents retire, their losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea. Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife, and young Gwenny, who has extorted pennies from the little boys who do NOT want to kiss her, plans for the next day and more pennies.

The sound effects provide context for the drama without overpowering the narrative--a cock's crow, the clip-clop of horses, the bark of dogs, footsteps, the sea, bell buoys--and simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. A mournful tune performed by Polly Garter in a minor key, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, is beautifully sung by Diana Maddox, her clear, bell-like voice and almost palpable sadness making her one of the most memorable of the characters. A humorous children's singing game, sung by local school children, gives added realism, and little Gwenny's song to three very young boys is delightfully cheeky. Both enchanting and historically important, this memorable recording is worth seeking through Used sites or through amazon.co.uk--the best recording ever made of this wonderful "play for voices." Mary Whipple


Now this is more like it, 05 Apr 2006
Richard Burtons voice simply brings this audiobook to life.The majority of readers and listeners are more used to this version than Thomases original radio performance.

The characters are brought to life by a more than eager cast of well known personalities.

According to the accompanying script with this audio cd version
Thomas first aired his play on 14 May 1953 in New York on one of his lecture tours there.The recording we have here was totally revised and more the better for it and broadcast on 11 October 1963 a full ten years after its original airing.

What a contrast in style,the original 53 version is raw and unpolished and without Burtons commanding voice.
This 1963 edition is a revalation and was one of several transcripts with different cast members all bringing their own particular talent to this marvelous play.

If you must listen to the 1953 original you must remember this is not the finished article.To really appreciate the play turn to this BBC Radio Collection version it literally jumps out at you with its vigour and joy.

BUY-BUY- BUY THIS VERSION IT IS WORTHY OF ITS 5 STAR RATING MANY TIMES OVER !!

Under Milk Wood, 02 Sep 2002
The BBC recording of the 'play for voices' with Richard Burton as the lead narrator, is a wonderful creation. The story of South-West Wales fishing village, following the life of the village as a single day passes, it is a glorious composition of finely drawn characters. The word play is poetic, the inter-twined lives of the voices are surreal, the atmosphere is tangible. There is comedy and pathos as the author and the superb cast of voices draw out the stories within the village. It's best listened to in the dark, start to finish, in one sitting. Let the pictures flood through your mind; the words and voices are so evocative. Then read it to yourself, preferably with a well-annotated version that explains all the nuances and subtleties. You will not be able to read it without hearing Richard Burton's rich voice in your mind and seeing again the village, cascading down the hills to the little harbour, and every place within where a little drama is happening. Unforgetable.

The Welsh Shakespeare, 23 Aug 2001
This being the first play I read in my whole life,it tends to be kind of sentimental, and without wanting to sound too patriotic, find everything of Dylan's a stroke of genius. The whole Play captures the atmosphere of a typical welsh town perfectly. Dylan is an icon who has inspired so many great artists, such as; Bob dylan(took his stage name from him), Mick jagger and David Bowie. Mr.Thomas I salute you!!!!

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, 04 May 2008

'To begin at the beginning'...

I was arranging a visit to Mousehole, Cornwall and whilst researching my visit (incredibly sad, yes - well informed, yes) I stumbled across Thomas' connections with this pretty village. A friend of his, Wyn Henderson, owned the now demolished 'Lobster Pot' harbourside. Thomas delighted in the village and proclaimed that he too, wanted to live somewhere like that. Llareggub, the fictional village Thomas describes is based on another harbourside village in Wales, but the influence of Mousehole on Thomas' creative thoughts is distinctly recognisable to anyone who has visited it and whilst I was reading, I imagined Mousehole through his eyes - the buildings and characters so incredibly vivid. We wandered along the harbour at night after a drink in the local hostelry - finding it silent and still, save the sound of waves against the sea walls.

This is a beautiful piece of writing: lyrical, humourous, quirky and theatrical. The voice of the narrator is particularly intelligent:

'You can hear the love-sick woodpigeons mooning in bed. A dog barks in his sleep, farmyards away. The town ripples like a lake in the waking haze.'

A picture of a community painted in words. Genius.

aruffledmind-k.blogspot

"Time passes. Listen. Time passes.", 30 Dec 2007
Written as a "play for voices" for the BBC, this historic audiotape features the all-Welsh cast of the original BBC production from 1954. Richard Burton is the First Voice, which connects all the characters, played by twenty-eight men, women, and children. With perfect diction and the sense of character which only a great actor can convey, Burton rolls his R's, modulates his voice in pitch and intensity, and makes Thomas's poetry come fully alive--full of alliteration and various kinds of rhyme, with nouns and adjectives used as verbs to convey action and sense impressions simultaneously, and always a wry humor and honesty of feeling.

Depicting one full day in the life of a small town in Wales, Thomas shows its motley residents as they awaken, perform their daily tasks, socialize, gossip, and daydream about the past that might have been and the future that may yet hold hope. When night falls and the residents retire, their losses and disappointments, along with their escapes into dreams, are given voice and poignancy. Polly Garter, with her numerous children by numerous fathers, dreams of Willie, a very small man who was the love of her life. Captain Cat, the blind bell-ringer, thinks of all the sailors he knew who died at sea. Mr. Pugh dreams of poisoning his wife, and young Gwenny, who has extorted pennies from the little boys who do NOT want to kiss her, plans for the next day and more pennies.

The sound effects provide context for the drama without overpowering the narrative--a cock's crow, the clip-clop of horses, the bark of dogs, footsteps, the sea, bell buoys--and simple songs add to the realism and the sense of character and place. A mournful tune performed by Polly Garter in a minor key, as she remembers Willie and compares him to her other lovers, is beautifully sung by Diana Maddox, her clear, bell-like voice and almost palpable sadness making her one of the most memorable of the characters. A humorous children's singing game, sung by local school children, gives added realism, and little Gwenny's song to three very young boys is delightfully cheeky. Both enchanting and historically important, this memorable recording is worth seeking through Used sites or through amazon.co.uk--the best recording ever made of this wonderful "play for voices." Mary Whipple


Now this is more like it, 05 Apr 2006
Richard Burtons voice simply brings this audiobook to life.The majority of readers and listeners are more used to this version than Thomases original radio performance.

The characters are brought to life by a more than eager cast of well known personalities.

According to the accompanying script with this audio cd version
Thomas first aired his play on 14 May 1953 in New York on one of his lecture tours there.The recording we have here was totally revised and more the better for it and broadcast on 11 October 1963 a full ten years after its original airing.

What a contrast in style,the original 53 version is raw and unpolished and without Burtons commanding voice.
This 1963 edition is a revalation and was one of several transcripts with different cast members all bringing their own particular talent to this marvelous play.

If you must listen to the 1953 original you must remember this is not the finished article.To really appreciate the play turn to this BBC Radio Collection version it literally jumps out at you with its vigour and joy.

BUY-BUY- BUY THIS VERSION IT IS WORTHY OF ITS 5 STAR RATING MANY TIMES OVER !!

Under Milk Wood, 02 Sep 2002
The BBC recording of the 'play for voices' with Richard Burton as the lead narrator, is a wonderful creation. The story of South-West Wales fishing village, following the life of the village as a single day passes, it is a glorious composition of finely drawn characters. The word play is poetic, the inter-twined lives of the voices are surreal, the atmosphere is tangible. There is comedy and pathos as the author and the superb cast of voices draw out the stories within the village. It's best listened to in the dark, start to finish, in one sitting. Let the pictures flood through your mind; the words and voices are so evocative. Then read it to yourself, preferably with a well-annotated version that explains all the nuances and subtleties. You will not be able to read it without hearing Richard Burton's rich voice in your mind and seeing again the village, cascading down the hills to the little harbour, and every place within where a little drama is happening. Unforgetable.

The Welsh Shakespeare, 23 Aug 2001
This being the first play I read in my whole life,it tends to be kind of sentimental, and without wanting to sound too patriotic, find everything of Dylan's a stroke of genius. The whole Play captures the atmosphere of a typical welsh town perfectly. Dylan is an icon who has inspired so many great artists, such as; Bob dylan(took his stage name from him), Mick jagger and David Bowie. Mr.Thomas I salute you!!!!

So Long and Thanks...., 30 Jul 2008
I have tried to get into radio comedy at various times. I spent many an hour trying to discover what was funny about the Goon Show as to me it just sounded like allot of man talking in silly voices. I had discovered Hitch Hikers through the TV show and had subsequently read all the Hitch Hiker novels and thought Douglas Adams the greatest writer I'd ever read.

And then, one Christmas, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, BBC Radio 4 played the Hitch Hikers radio series on consecutive nights and I tuned in my portable hoping to change my opinion of Radio comedy by what was universally considered a ground breaking show.

Well I never got my epiphany, and still can't do Radio comedy, so buying this book is a difficult circle to square. I think I'd buy directions in the use of tooth picks if Douglas Adams had written them. Anyway it's got a nice cover.


DA at his original best, 16 Feb 2008
Just superb, that is all I can say. Douglas Adams' awesome creation is superbly documented here in these radio scripts. It contains so much inside information on who says what, when and most importantly why! For each episode, there is commentary by a producer, or actor, plus, sometimes, by DA himself, as to the reasons why things happened the way they did, or why something was cast a particular way.

The whole scripts embellish the story with amazing colour and life that just shows how much goes into not only the creative genius of DA, but also the production of each episode for the radio.

It also contains a missing Hitchhikers sketch, "Fit 6 and a half", although this is really just a few minutes of dialogue.

If you are a die hard HHGTTG fan this is for you. If you enjoyed the film, then this is for you too. Just brilliant.


Full circle, 06 Nov 2003
I bought the radio scripts when they first appeared, lost them, and have spent the best part of 15 years trying to track them down again. Remember that the scripts were often written the day before the show (or sometimes afterwards ...) so many of the effects are tailored for the cast and crew. There's some hiliarious stuff here which you will not find in any other HHGTTG memorabilia. Read and enjoy.

a nice peace of DNA nostelgia, 23 May 2003
It seams now that the Dougles Adams Nostelgia buisness is now in full swing and will continue for many years to come, last years salmon of doubt, the numerouse biographies and studies, and now this.

Don't get me wrong, the radio scripts are indded very funny and give a good insight into how the siminal radio show was put together, the footnotes say much which is not apparent and go to show just how much hurried some of this work had to be. However one can't help feeling when reading thsi work, is this strictly speeking necesary. I was hoping for a bit more really.

And don't thake their 'undiscovered episode' to much at face value, yes it is there and yes it is very funny but it doesn't really add anything to the story and is mearly two pages of dialogue which could be placed between fits 6 and 7.

Hence my advice on this book is that if you have heard the radio plays, read the book, seen the TV program, and then read the book again, this is a wonderful item which is just right for yoru bookshelf, but if you are new to the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy or are not as devoted to it as some of us then this probably isn't worth it.