oh. my. heavens. or: charles xavier, rupert giles, saruman, & sherlock all in one play? YES PLEASE

[luninosity]

No, now THIS is the most awesome thing ever:

The cast list for the radio adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere has been released. You guys. YOU GUYS. I CANNOT EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT ENOUGH. Here, join me in jumping up and down:

Comments

[shayzgirl]

I was excited about James, Benny, Anthony, Bernard and Christopher and then I saw Natalie and actually jumped up with excitement. I adore her. She was Anne Boleyn on The Tudors and having read and studied Tudors history, her portrayal of Anne was wonderful and I love seeing her doing so much.

Oh and a while back there were pics of her with Michael and some others, so now that there's a pic of her with James, double squee.

[luninosity]

Oh, I should've highlighted her, too! Too excited about the others. She's also lovely on Game of Thrones. :-)

Hmm. Wonder if they all compare notes... *amused*

[shayzgirl]

I was overly excited for the others (and the fact that I can relate most of them back to some show or movie I've seen and adore helps of course). I've heard she's on Game of Thrones but I haven't actually watched the show myself. I don't have the channel. I did read the first book and started the second one back in jr. high but I set it aside for something else for a while and never picked it up again. I have seen a few gifs and pics on Tumblr that I've recognized as scenes from the book that I was very impressed to see in a live action format. Still not entirely sure if I've ever want to watch the entire thing though.

She did have a small part in Captain America, which I saw in theaters with my mother who I'd watched The Tudors with so I made sure to go "Mom, mom, look, it's Natalie :D"

It would be indeed entertaining if they did. I imagine a conversation between James and Natalie started off with: "Oh, so you're James. Michael wouldn't shut up about you."

[garrideb]

Wait wait this is for Neverwhere?!? I remember watching that on PBS or something when I was little. I always meant to track down tapes or DVDs, and now I can just wait for a version with James McAvoy? YES.

[luninosity]

Yeah, there's, like, a '90s live-action mini-series, super-low-budget but kind of fun anyway, in the way that, say, Labyrinth is fun! I've only seen it once.

I adore the novel version, I must admit. I don't think it's actually Gaiman's best book as such, but it's just a darn good story, straight up. And so wonderfully weird. And I totally pictured James as Richard way before this casting ever happened, because he'd be so perfect--and he can even be Scottish!

I seriously wish this were a live-action film and not a radio play, though--though of course I'll take whatever version we get!--but can you imagine the awesome of all of them on screen together?

[euruaina]

I.. have surprisingly seen every one of them in at least one thing.

Huh.

Granted, I had to look a few of them up, but I know them all!
Sounds like it's gonna be fun.

I, uh, haven't actually read Neverwhere. Or almost anything else by Neil Gaiman, other than Good Omens (which I loved, by the bye). I need to change this.

I did very much enjoy the Doctor Who episode he wrote, however...

[luninosity]

It's going to be AMAZING! *excited expressions everywhere*

As I think I said elsewhere: it's not his best book in terms of, oh, epic scale and such, but I have a soft spot for it because it's just a straight-up darn good story, with a reluctant hero, a lot of brilliant weirdness involving London Underground (oh I miss London again), and a very earnest investigation of what it means to be a hero in the end. (I LOVE Good Omens, but it's definitely a mixture of both their styles! Of course, Gaiman tends to write every new book in a different style, so... Stardust is very Victorian-fairy-tale, very Lord Dunsany; American Gods is sparse and eloquent and I liked it better on second reading than on first, the Sandman series is intricate and vast...)

I love that episode! "Sexy," indeed. :-p

[puckrobin]

The Marquis de Carabas character (played in this version by Friar Tuck, or David Harewood as the opening credits to Robin Hood and Homeland actually call him) was somewhat based on the Doctor, specifically Gaiman's memories of the darker sides of Troughton's Doctor.

[luninosity]

He was a fantastic Friar Tuck. (Haven't actually seen Homeland, even though I probably should.) I did not know that, about the Doctor reference, but it makes a lot of sense! And now I will watch Gaiman's Doctor Who episodes differently. I can't wait to see how this one comes out; from his blog post, evidently he gave Matt Smith an interesting time with the dialogue...

[sasha_b]

I saw this on Neil's Twitter - so cool. :)))

[luninosity]

Extremely cool. Like, Arctic levels of cool. :D :D

[telperion_15]

So, while I have heard of this, I haven't read it and have no idea what it's about (have only actually read one - well, two, if we count Good Omens - of Gaiman's books), and yet I am still excited! :D

What an awesome cast! IT HAS THE CRIBBENS IN IT! \o/ And James, of course... ;)

So I'll definitely be tuning in - always assuming I don't pull my usual trick of totally failing to notice when things are broadcast on the radio... (I'm not really a radio listener, which I'm sure means I'm missing out on lots of good stuff!)

[luninosity]

I think I've said somewhere, but: I actually really like this one. It's not the most sophisticated storytelling ever--it's just a really good adventure. Plus Richard drinks tea and fights the Beast of London with a spear. And is Scottish! (James's oddly unbuttoned shirt in that cast photo distracts me, I must admit.)

That's seriously a dream cast! We get Saruman! and Sherlock! and Buffy's Watcher! and Anne Boleyn! Along with the James, of course. (I really really want a Fassbender cameo, somehow. Somewhere in the Market, just randomly being one of the fantasy people of London Below, trying to tempt James Richard into buying ravens or glass flowers or maidens' dreams or mysterious curry. Of course, then the internet might explode

[telperion_15]

Was just going to say a whole lot about why I haven't read much Gaiman, but then I got an extreme sense of deja vu, and came to the conclusion we'd already had that conversation, so I won't! ;) But tea and spear and Scottish accents, yes please!

Somewhere in the Market, just randomly being one of the fantasy people of London Below, trying to tempt James Richard into buying ravens or glass flowers or maidens' dreams or mysterious curry.

Actually, that description has just really made me want to read the book, because it sounds great! Also, Fassy cameos would be awesome! Although I wouldn't want the internet to explode. That would be Bad...

Am hoping for podcasts, actually, as then I can put it on my ipod and listen on the go, which will make me more likely to actually get around to it!

The Secret Mutant Beast has grown more scenes. ARGH. And also they are Emotional Scenes. Just when you think the ending's about to be happy...the happiness gets delayed. Curse you, brain.While I am sympathetic, I am also excited. So it's

[luninosity]

We have had that conversation! And I think I was trying to point out that Gaiman writes in such different styles that it's perfectly possible to love one book and loathe another... :-)

Neverwhere's pretty inoffensive, though. And quite a lot of fun. The literalization of the London Underground map is brilliant. There really is an Earl at Earl's Court; Knightsbridge is terrifying... *encourages you reading* I honestly kind of did have a mental picture of Richard as James--not the first time I read the book, but sometime in the intervening years, after I became a James!fangirl. Because, seriously, perfect. Scottish everyman reluctant tea-drinking hero with perpetually disheveled hair, yes