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The Fitzrovia Radio Hour
Published on Thursday, 16 June 2011
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Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue website)
Comedy
3-16, 18-29 Aug, 4:00pm-5:00pm

 Parental Guidance. Parents or guardians should consider the content of this show if children are attending.

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Photo: thelondonsockexchance

If video killed the radio star, can theatre restore him to life?  Probably not, but the presenters of The Fitzrovia Radio Hour are giving it their very best shot.  In this imaginative pastiche of the post-war airwaves, we’re invited into the studios of a 1940’s radio station – to watch bow-tie-clad actors read tales of derring-do, while their colleagues produce increasingly bizarre sound effects live on stage around them.

When we reviewed Fitzrovia in 2010, we praised its charm and authenticity; the humour’s gentle, preferring subtle lampooning to in-your-face punchlines, and the mockery’s always balanced with warmth and respect.  The whole thing’s quaint and quirky, but the real amusement lies in the actors’ buttoned-up restraint.  We particularly enjoyed the focused precision when they generate the special effects – seemingly oblivious to how ludicrous it is that they’re conjuring the roaring Atlantic with a watering can.

If you caught last year’s show, you’ll be delighted to hear there are three brand-new stories to enjoy, and with titles like Nazi Firemen In Westminster it’s pretty clear what we’ll be in for.  The casual xenophobia is risky, but well-pitched – reminding us that, for all our nostalgia, there are some things we’re glad to have left behind.  All in all, while last year’s show had a few rough edges, we’ll be delighted to listen in on another Fitzrovia Radio Hour… and we can’t wait to see the results of a year’s fine-tuning.

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