Geronimo
I remember a time when I didn’t really care for audio drama. When I was young, I didn’t want to see anything in black and white, or hear anything that my parents may have hard on the radio when they were young. To have missed such wonderful things as Marx Brothers films, much of Jim Jarmusch’s filmography, and fantastic audio plays such as “Cabin Pressure” would have been awful. “Cabin Pressure” is an audio sitcom that was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4. A few years ago, a friend suggested it to me, and like most of her suggestions, it was spot on. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Roger Allam, Stephanie Cole and John Finnemore (who also wrote the series.) All of these people (except possibly Finnemore) might be familiar to you, and if they are not, I suggest you look them up, because their bodies of work are beyond impressive.
At its foundation, “Cabin Pressure” is a workplace sitcom about a small charter airline and the trials and tribulations of keeping such a business above water. Nothing about this is particularly innovative or new, but Finnemore’s comic sensitivity, gift for brevity and depth of feeling for his characters elevates the material and gives it a level of quality that places it above almost any television or film comedy of the last twenty years.
Yellow Car
Benedict Cumberbatch’s involvement probably brings the most star power to the table here, although the first series of “Cabin Pressure” was recorded before he was cast as Sherlock. His role as the insecure, diligent Captain Creef might come as a surprise to people used to seeing Cumberbatch cast as geniuses or mystics, but the ease with which he pulls off this broadly comic part really speaks to his range as an actor. I wish he had more opportunities like this one to stretch.
Roger Allam has had a huge career – far too long to go into here. Suffice to say he’s one of a handful of British actors who can really say they’ve just about done it all – including originating the role of Javert in “Les Miserables”. His turn here as Douglas, the disgraced former Captain is an absolute treat. His ability to play both straight and funny man (often in the same scene) is an education for any actor who wishes to learn how to navigate a scene in an audio format.
Stephanie Cole may actually be the unsung hero of the regular cast. She is a grande dame of British TV, and her ability to bring such a high degree of toughness, sardonic wit and vulnerability to the role of Carolyn probably sells the series to the listener in ways they never realize. She is, in a word, brilliant.
John Finnemore is probably the least-known name on this list in the USA. That’s a shame. His acting as Arthur, the goofy, clueless steward, is so good that it’s easy to forget that he created all this. Again, I can’t say enough good things about his work, and I consider anything with his name on it to be as much recommendation as I need.
Douglas Will Do Something Brilliant
The rise of podcasts has really broadened the horizons of the average person for audio-only entertainment. Twenty years ago, this would have been a much harder sell for me. That’s a shame. So many things I would have missed if I hadn’t wandered into a love of audio drama. If you’re looking for a place to start listening to this sort of thing, I would suggest “Cabin Pressure” even over “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” or “The Goon Show,” both now considered gold-standards.
This is top-notch stuff. I actually have it on CD, which is (as far as I know) the best possible sound quality available, plus it has some interviews, which are interesting, but the package would be worth the asking price without the bonus content. It’s a surprisingly moving, absolutely hilarious comedy.
VERDICT:
Worth It.
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