Radio Play Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Hexagonal Phase (as Book-on-CD)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Hexagonal Phase
adapted from the novel And Another Thing… by Eoin Colfer, based on the original novels by Douglas Adams (Compact Disc Hitchhikers)

I’ve been a fan of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy stories, by the late Douglas Adams, since the early-1980s, when I first saw the television version of HHGG, starring Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Sandra Dickenson as Trillian, Stephen Moore as Marvin, David Dixon as Ford Prefect and Paul Jones as the Voice of the Book. That TV series had actually followed the production and airing of HHGG as a radio play, with many of the same actors recurring their roles from the radio production in the TV series (a major exception being that voice actor Geoffrey McGivern was replaced by David Dixon as Ford Prefect). And, yes, viewing the TV show did ultimately get me started on reading all the books in the series as well.

Adams passed away in 2001, after having written 5 volumes in the “Hitchhiker’s trilogy”. All five of those were ultimately produced as multi-part radio plays, with the same actors in the key roles throughout all the stories. In 2009, an official authorized new entry in the Hitchhiker’s series was released by author Eoin Colfer — And Another Thing… — Two different radio play versions of this title were produced, one in 2009 and a second in 2018. That second version reunited most of the cast members (Jones, Davey, Dickenson, etc.). This CD set is the commercial release of the 2018 radio play.

When I reviewed the novel for our Staff Recommendations pages in 2009 (see link below), I ended up a little disappointed in it — it didn’t really live up to the quality of the original Douglas Adams stories. But, having sampled this 2018 radio play adaptation, my opinion has improved. As a radio play, with all the familiar voices reviving their comedic roles, this turns out to be a fun, entertaining sci-fi romp. The story itself is a little all-over-the-place, but the character bits are — at times — hilarious, and the sound effects, special effects and music all add to the overall production. This is a fun show to listen to!

[ Wikipedia page for this production web site ]

See Scott C.’s review of And Another Thing… by Eoin Colfer in the November 2009 Staff Recommendations!

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio

On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio
by John Dunning [R 791.44 Dun]

Incredibly detailed guide to all the old-time radio programs -- dramas, sitcoms, informational shows -- which aired from the 1920s through the 1960s. Although this guide only gives descriptions of the shows, without separate entries for performers or networks, the descriptions they offer for each show have far more detail than any other guide. Information provided includes the show's broadcast history, directors, producers, stars, orchestras, creators, and a long description of the basic plot and/or backstory for each of the dramas and comedies. Dunning provides an extensive bibliography of other books and articles on his topic, and the index at the back of the book is huge -- if you want to know which radio programs Lucille Ball appeared on with regularity, you'll find them all cross-referenced here. I have found this reference volume exceptionally helpful in answering questions about classic radio shows; the only complaint I would offer is that there are absolutely no illustrations in the entire 800+ page book! If you'd like to browse this volume, it is available only in the reference collection at the Bennett Martin Public Library downtown! [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Encyclopedia of American Radio -- shorter descriptions, but more illustrations!.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ Old-Time Radio page on Wikipedia ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas - Collection 1

The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas - Collection 1

based on stories by Rod Serling for the original Twilight Zone television series

I've been a lifelong fan of The Twilight Zone, the old B&W anthology TV series produced by Rod Serling in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Some of the stories from that series are among the most iconic tales of "What If" in fiction. In the early 2000s, Dennis Etchison adapted many of Rod Serling's original scripts for the radio, as a regular syndicated radio broadcast. Those radio plays have been gathered into 13 CD collections (of which the library has only the first). Each episode features a well-known actor as the lead voice, with a cast of recurring voices as the supporting cast. Collection #1 features 10 episodes, the highlights of which include Lou Diamond Phillips in "A Kind of Stopwatch", Ed Begley Jr. in "The Man in the Bottle", Tim Kazurinsky as "Mr Dingle the Strong" and Chris MacDonald in "The Night of the Meek". Production values are all top-notch, with the voice casts, special and sound effects all very good. I would highly recommend this set for TZ fans and for fans who remember the days of live radio dramas. My only complaint would be that with a few small exceptions, the stories were not updated from their early 1960s-era settings for a more modern audience. But that's a minor quibble. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Twilight Zone stories are available in both print and DVD formats from the library ][ official TwilightZoneRadio.com web site ]

Have you listened to these? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

The OTRRpedia

The OTRRpedia

from information compiled by The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

This website is devoted to old time radio. A search for programs or episodes is currently up and running and soon a search for radio talent will also be available. (People are already entered, they just can't be searched, but if you look for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes there is a link to Basil Rathbone. There is also an index to look through for people.) One enjoyable feature is a radio diary. Enter a date and you will find what programs aired on that date. The information is compiled by the Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Clicking on that link brings up other links. Have a ball by clicking on the Publications link, then the Magazines Page. A list of magazines published primarily in the 30s and 40s comes up. Click on a title, then the original issue date comes up. Click on one, then wait just a little bit for it to load (the entire issue has been scanned) and you can actually read the magazine. The articles include the well known (Burns and Allen) and the not so famous (Irene Rich). Just one gripe: no sounds. You can't listen to the memorable theme for The Green Hornet (The Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov), so check it out on compact disc here at the library! You also can't listen to some of the great old commercials, like for Cream of Wheat or Pepsodent. (You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.) [If you like this, consider the following: There are LOTS of websites for individual programs (try looking for Vic and Sade; Victor Gook and his wife Sade live in a little house halfway up the next block. Vic is the Exalted Big Dipper of the Drowsy Venus Chapter of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way. He is an accountant for a kitchenware company and he is sometimes asked to submit articles to the Kitchenware Quarterly!) Of course the library has many books on radio programs and you can experience the progams themselves on compact disc.] -- recommended by Rianna S. - Bennett Martin Public Library