"Strangers On A Train/War Of The Worlds" by Riverside Drama Company.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Sponsored by Lux Soap and Lucky Strike Cigarettes.

These two plays make up an evening of interactive Radio Play Parodies, courtesy of Lux Soap Radio Play Scripts, typed in a BBC style 1940's Pathe News clipped accent, even though the action within the plays take place in Los Angeles. It's all terribly spiffing fun!

First off is the radio play version of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film "Strangers On A Train", performed with all the bells and whistles, and many other brilliant radio play sound effects, right in front of your very eyes (and ears).

Guy Haines and Charles Bruno meet on a train and, because they are strangers, they think they can say anything while chatting. Bruno suggests that they could get away with murder-he could kill Guy's unfaithful wife while Guy could eliminate his hated father, and they would never have to see each other ever again. Guy does not take him seriously, but Bruno is deadly serious....

This part of the evening is performed in the same way as it would have been done on the radio, all actors standing around static microphones and read the scripts.

Both presentations are complete ensemble pieces and are absolutely compelling to watch, for different reasons.

Our Host and Radio Announcer, Mike Ro Phone, is Jonathan Greaves, who is also in charge of the audience participation sections, holding up large pieces of paper letting us know when we have to participate and how he needs us to take part with the required sound, noises and comments. Jonathan also recreates the sponsor commercials live, as they used to do on the radio, along with Celia Billau as Miss Coco Nutts, who also provides all of the live sound effects. The pre-recorded effects are by Keith Salway. All great fun.

 I've seen several radio plays performed on stage and it is absolutely fascinating to watch how these sound effects are created, alongside the storyline of the actual plays. This area of production also depends on great timing, which is highlighted superbly in this part of the evening.

The rest of the cast are as follows....

John Hurley (Guy Haines), Dave Round (Bruno Antony), Liz Turner (Miriam/Hennessey), Donna Osmond (Anne Morton), Rob Osmond (Father/Captain O Turley), Dave Wilson (Senator Morton/Professor), Emjay Sadler (Barbara/Hammond), Helen Newham (Bessie), Diana Edwards (Judge/Manager), Moya Magee (Mrs Cunningham/Old Man) and Bob Baron (Vendor).

Even though this is performed as a radio play, keep an eye on these actors as they are on stage for most of the play, and just watching some of the facial recognitions of parts of the play and the speech can be just as entertaining. What you see on stage is what would have not been possible to see if the play had been on the radio, and that's what makes this sort of entertainment even more special.

After the interval comes "War Of The Worlds" the radio play that, when first broadcast in 1938, was so realistic as a fake news bulletin in America about an alien invasion, that listeners actually believed that it was true and were terrified. Such is the power of radio and the voice acting talents of Orson Welles. One evening, whilst much of America is enjoying listening to a live music concert on the radio, the peace of the evening is shattered when it is announced that strange craft have been seen leaving Mars and heading straight for planet earth!

This part of the evening is less static, combined with a mix of recorded sound effects and "live" sound effects, as well as instrumental sections from Jeff Wayne's Musical version of "War Of The Worlds". It's all done very tongue in cheek and over the top with lots of fourth wall breaking to create even more fun.

Celia Billau moves from sound effect duties to manage the visuals in this section.

The cast for "War Of The Worlds" are......

Jonathan Greaves (Host/Radio Announcer/Square Dance Caller), John Sully (Narrator/Salvatore), Dan Bates (Dr Clayton Forrester), Donna Osmond (Sylvia Van Buren), John Hurley (Fiddler/Dr Collins/Rich Man), Liz Turner (Smith/Reporter), Dave Round (District Officer/Alonzo/General Mann), Dave Wilson (Fireman/Colonel/Major/Looter), Rob Osmond (Bilderbeck), Bob Baron (Sheriff), Diana Edwards (1st Voice), Helen Newham (2nd Voice/Mother), Emjay Sadler (Dr Lucille Duprez), Louise Wiseman (Loudspeaker) and Moya Magee (Observation/Priest/Minister).

While I loved every bit of this second half, I really must highlight a few sections that really made my evening. Dr Clayton has just killed one of the Martians and comes back inside with a cloth with bright green stuff on the cloth, stating that it was the blood of the Martian, and then practically wipes it all over Sylvia's hair. Emjay, as Dr Duprez is very funny, especially in the OTT delivery of the script, and we get the feeling that this character may just be slightly frustrated, especially when she is describing a scene with "throbbing men" - or do I read too much into that? Dr Duprez has shades of "Carry On", of which I am also a massive fan. And then finally, I must mention Liz Turner's consistency in her accent. Marvellous job.

Lighting is thanks to Dave Martin.

Props by Alison Lihou.

Set and Props for Miss Coco Nutt's sound effects are by Bob Baron.

The costumes are by Charlotte King and the two halves were produced and directed by Jonathan Greaves.

Both plays are wonderfully tongue in cheek parodies, and you can tell that the cast have enjoyed putting these two presentations together, because they look like they are enjoying it, even though murder and alien invasion wouldn't really be classed as subjects to be enjoyed, that all adds to the wonderful tongue in cheek-ness of the productions.

"Strangers On A Train/War Of The Worlds" are being performed at The Duchess Theatre until Saturday afternoon on June 28^th and would be the perfect way to kick start the weekend for you.