To help penetrate the winter gloom a beacon of brilliance is soon to be broadcast on Radio 4 as Tuesday Jan 16th sees the return of “Down The Line” at 11pm.
The creation of Lucy Armitage, Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse, a comedy team at the height of its powers, it is a superb spoof of a phone in. Guests such as Harry Enfield help with the voices, the observations are acute and the whole package is a guaranteed mirth fest.
The fictional presenter, Gary Bellamy, who has a biography on the show’s web-site, struggles with impartiality, devil's advocacy and reigning in his own ego. He's a natural.
At the beginning of the show he introduces the topics for discussion. The comedy brilliantly bulls-eyes the desperation, narcissism and boredom that causes many callers to contact the station and the ensuing meandering verbal outpourings, - “can’t they see common sense?”, “What is wrong with these people?”, “I have had many things fall on my head” - with their hilariously trite conclusions, provide a smartly observed snapshot of Britain.
As often with the best radio performances, the beauty of the writing lends it a live quality, as though the creators are simply ad-libbing and enjoying themselves. They should be, they deserve it.
It is well worth whisking yourself to the local late night A&E, storming into the bloodiest outpatient section, plonking in iPod earpieces and sitting back to thirty minutes of inspiration, as it is a winter reminder of how the best comedy can make even the most hellish scenario bearable
The creation of Lucy Armitage, Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse, a comedy team at the height of its powers, it is a superb spoof of a phone in. Guests such as Harry Enfield help with the voices, the observations are acute and the whole package is a guaranteed mirth fest.
The fictional presenter, Gary Bellamy, who has a biography on the show’s web-site, struggles with impartiality, devil's advocacy and reigning in his own ego. He's a natural.
At the beginning of the show he introduces the topics for discussion. The comedy brilliantly bulls-eyes the desperation, narcissism and boredom that causes many callers to contact the station and the ensuing meandering verbal outpourings, - “can’t they see common sense?”, “What is wrong with these people?”, “I have had many things fall on my head” - with their hilariously trite conclusions, provide a smartly observed snapshot of Britain.
As often with the best radio performances, the beauty of the writing lends it a live quality, as though the creators are simply ad-libbing and enjoying themselves. They should be, they deserve it.
It is well worth whisking yourself to the local late night A&E, storming into the bloodiest outpatient section, plonking in iPod earpieces and sitting back to thirty minutes of inspiration, as it is a winter reminder of how the best comedy can make even the most hellish scenario bearable
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