Visiting Broadcasting House but not to egg it on behalf of RA
Applied for some free tickets that the Beeb issues for audiences to watch shows being made and actually managed to get in. The security there is something else - maybe they think that disgruntled RH watchers will storm it and torture the writers! I had less ag getting into the House of Commons.
Having satisfied them that I wasn't a potential terrorist, sat down to watch 2 episodes of Radio 4's Bleak Expectations being recorded - a kind of Dickensian spoof, with a cast that included the lovely Anthony Head (Ah, Giles!) and Richard Johnson, the bloke who played Qualtrough in Spooks. Obviously (it is radio!!) very wordy, but also very clever with some excellent puns and incisive fun-poking at traditional Victorian Lit. The boo-hiss villain, the worthy philanthropist, the downtrodden poor oop north and the starving, dying waif being just a few examples.
A really good atmosphere prevailed, with the cast having as much fun as the audience. Even when an actor stuffed up, it was accepted and received so good naturedly that it didn't spoil anything. Anthony Head, for example, had a five minute nightmare where his mouth opened but wasn't being controlled by his brain...However, considering the pace and complexity of some of the lines, I'm only surprised that it didn't happen more often. It was also fun to predict where they would have to do retakes.
David Mitchell (he of Peep Show) was in the audience, but too far away to accost - not that I would have done anyway. If it had been RA? Maybe the red mist would have descended...
A good evening that only cost the price of a travelcard and well worth the downer of being roasted alive at Oxford Circus tube station.