Michael Robson The Instruments Of Darkness

SANWAL

(2 stars; 2 reviews)

2 Saturday-Night Theatre: The Instruments of Darkness Sat 24th Sep 1977, 20:30 on BBC Radio 4 FM By Michael Robson A comedy thriller; the second of two plays about the eccentric Inspector Millions. The happy excitement attendant upon the forthcoming opening of the Crystal Palace has been marred by two inexplicable fatalities. Two  days ago at half past six in the morning, a scaffolder was seen to fall abruptly some 40 feet to the floor of the Oriental Tea Room and, yesterday morning, an even more macabre death was to follow ... a man was seen lying motionless 60 feet up in the branches of a sycamore tree - the centre-piece of a horticultural display! An motley crew assemble to sort out who did it: Joseph Paxton, a host of characters with unlikely names,  and Inspector Millions and his sidekick Dynasty Surecard. Directed By: David Spenser Inspector Millions: Nigel Stock Dynasty Surecard: Anthony Hall Melisande, Lady Quandary: Elizabeth Proud Porritt: Richard Hurndall Xerxes, Lord Quandary: Manning Wilson Sir Joseph Paxton/Fleet Ned Sprott: Brian Hewlett Dr Melchior Yolland/Bishop of Whetstone:   Michael Deacon Caroline Muldoon: Heather Bell Nimbles Earthrowl: Peter Wickham Edgar Joynstschism: Nigel Graham Danvers Gimlinge: Michael Harbour Sir Jericho Arbogast: Henry Knowles Meldrum/Peebles Clatworthy: Trader Faulkner Mrs Glumdalclitch Orsborne: Irene Sutcliffe Daffodil: Penelope Reynolds Nigel Stock as Inspector Millions By Michael Robson The Terrible Connexion, The first of two Victorian mysteries solved by 'the eccentric Inspector Millions', as the Radio Times has it.   Its companion-piece is The Instruments of Darkness Both plays are self-consciously baroque and establish their own idiom, with formal dialogue, fanciful crimes and grotesque characters with outre names. Nigel Stock plays the inspector with great panache, relishing his lines and contriving to make him at once absurd and impressive. Anthony Hall is his piping sidekick, the industrious Dynasty Surecard.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.