麻豆约拍

An aural feast of a musical comedy written by and starring Richie Webb as multi-instrumentalist music teacher Nigel Penny.

Shut away in a windowless practice room in a regional arts centre, music teacher Nigel endures a succession of pupils: the middle-aged bachelor with his homemade Moog; the six year old trombonist who's arms aren't quite long enough; and the female student who's forever in a state of tearful crisis and never gets her oboe out - all these and more enter Nigel's airless little room.

Nigel also has to contend with the panicked manager of Letchington Arts Centre, Belinda, who's continued struggle to keep the Arts Centre a going concern impacts bizarrely on Nigel's world.

Nigel suffers from crippling stage fright. He hasn't performed in public for years and frankly, he's not looking to rectify this. Belinda, however, is. And not because she appreciates his rare talent, but mainly because she always seems to have some act that's cancelled and needs Nigel to fill in.

We are privy to Nigel's thoughts: conversations and musical performances are littered with the 'real' Nigel's asides, which flit from commenting on what is happening to wandering off on a tangent to becoming consumed with the prospect of performing again.

Musically, though, the show sounds like no other: Accordians; singing dogs; death metal guitar - we hear them all. And the entire show takes place in Nigel's tiny, windowless room. The claustrophobia is audible.

This opening episode sees Nigel having to contend with an atonal Barbershop Quartet and a depressed orchestral timpanist - whilst Belinda is desperate to fill the slot vacated by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Nigel Penny ...... Richie Webb
Belinda ...... Vicki Pepperdine
Other roles: Dave Lamb, Jim North and Jess Robinson.

Producer: Richie Webb
Director: Nick Walker

A Top Dog Production for 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 first broadcast in April 2010.