Cabin Pressure- Out of the Pages

October 26, 2017     erinthebooknut     Out of the Pages, Page to Screen

 

My slight obsession with the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch is hardly a secret. When I first got Spotify I searched his name and listened to him read a couple of short stories and his velvety smooth voice and practically melted. And then I discovered this radio play called Cabin Pressure.

Radio plays aren’t very popular in America anymore but BBC Radio in the UK is full of them. Full cast stories, as good or better at story telling as a well narrated audiobook are a great way to enjoy a story when you can’t be reading.

Cabin Pressure is a personal favorite of mine, featuring the voice talents of Roger Allam, Stephanie Cole, John Finemore, and an as yet unknown Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch plays a pretty awful pilot Martin, seconded by Douglas (Allam) a disgraced but talented former captain. Together they staff a one jet air line (or as Stephanie Cole’s character Carolyn calls it, an air dot) along with Carolyn’s bumbling son Arthur (Finemore). MJN Air (My Jet Now) is a failing business with a comedically incompetent crew. And here lies the plot.

This show is funny, ridiculously funny. From the bumbling of Arthur and Martin, the hijinks and dry humor of Douglas, the nagging of Carolyn, and a host of outrageous passengers and guest stars. This show never fails to make me smile. The crew bickers, play stupid little games, and all around have a grand old time. All while being the most ridiculous air crew to ever take to the skies. And somehow they never manage to crash the plane.

All of the episodes leave me in stitches, or a little swoony from the dulcet tones of my favorite Sherlock. It’s probably one of the only shows of his in which he’s not playing an obnoxious brainiac and proof that he absolutely can do comedy. All of the actors in this show are excellent and do their characters perfectly.

If you’re into British style humor, goofy characters, or the voice talent’s of some of Britain’s finest, I do really recommend this show. In fact all the episodes have been uploaded as a podcast for free listening pleasure.

Do you listen to radio plays? Share your listening picks in the comments.

From my shelf to yours,

Erin

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