Radio Addict: Brian Gulliver's Travels

There are some names which seem completely inappropriate for heroes: Alan, Tim... Colin etc.

How I would have loved one of those graceful elves from Lord of the Rings to be actually named Alan; but for whatever reason (perhaps long and undeserved associations with sweaters, Countdown and/or model railways, I don't know why, don't ask me why) it never happened.

The point of this ramble is that I have been listening to a new radio 4 comedy called Brian Gulliver's Travels. The title is a pretty big clue to the kind of show it is. He's called Gulliver, but he's also called Brian. Brian isn't really a hero, and this show isn't exactly a political drama.

Written by Bill Dare, whose name was only familiar as a producer on shows like The Late Edition and I've Never Seen Star Wars, the comedy is a pastiche of Gulliver's Travels, updated to modern times, where Brian is a travel writer in a psychiatric ward, recounting the various countries he visited during the 6 years he disappeared. Why the psychiatry ward? Because no one has heard of the strange lands he is convinced he visited.

Like Gulliver's Travels, Dare uses exploration of other worlds to satirise our own, and the brilliant thing with this kind of fantasy is that you don't have to worry about being subtle. That's a compliment, because what it means is that the half-hour is crammed with spot-on satire and spoofing of trends like the holistic medicine and marriage all taking place in a weird bendy universe quite similar to our own. With half-hour to explore a whole new culture (sometimes two) you don't want to waste time on backstory or appendices.

That doesn't mean the show isn't subtle. There is a wonderful relationship with Brian and his daughter (who visits him in hospital, and listens to his stories) that is beautifully presented, a really light touch and a nice point of connection for listeners. Brilliant actors, particularly for these lead roles.

What's great is that the premise isn't wasted. It sounds clever, and it is clever. It's also helped by being accompanied by great music, suggesting the slightly off-kilter, strange tone to the whole thing before anyone has even said a word. Who wrote it? No idea. Typical.

The BBC appear to be proud of it because the blurb on the website is far more proud than is usual for other new series. Good. It utterly deserves it. A couple more episodes will appear on Iplayer before it vanishes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yqhrk

Aparently Dare has also written a sketch show on Radio 4 called Life, Death and Sex with Mike and Sue. I wonder where I could get a copy...