Just in time for the winter holidays, BBC Radio 4 announced this week that they will be gifting us with a radio drama adaptation of Good Omens, the 90s collaboration from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The story revolves around the unlikely team up of an angel and a demon who must stop the End of Times. It is, of course, a comedy.
Radio dramas have a long tradition in the UK, and you’ve been denying yourself hours of pleasure if you haven’t listened to one via one of the many contraptions through which we get podcasts and music today. Only last year, Gaiman’s Neverwhere was adapted in similar fashion with voice work from fan favorites Benedict Cumberbatch, Natalie Dormer, James McAvoy and Anthony Head. The cast for the upcoming Good Omens is shaping up to be equally as impressive.
So far the only identified roles are going to Mark Heap (Spaced, Stardust), and Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Shaun of the Dead), with Heap playing the angel Azirphale, and Serafinowicz, the demon Crowley. BBC4 Radio has also named Sherlock‘s Louise Brealey, Julia Deakin, Clive Russell, Simon Jones, Arsher Ali, Phil Davis and Mark Benton for the cast, and have announced that both Gaiman and Pratchett will have cameos. Just Friday, RadioTimes published photos of most of the cast already at work.
The Good Omens radio adaptation is being directed by the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio play‘s Dirk Maggs. He also directed Neverwhere. Like that radio play, Gaiman is directly involved in the adaptation. It will premiere in early December with five 30-minute episodes leading up to an hour long finale on December 25th.
What novel would you love to experience in a full-cast audio adaptation? Tell us in the comments below!
I wonder if they will include the footnotes.\
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore would be another great adaptation.
My favourite FAVOURITE ever book. Still waiting for the epic movie, but this will do in the meantime 🙂
Why is that man sitting next to Neil Gaiman wearing that horrible blond wig?
Got news for ya. That’s Dirk’s real head o’ hair.
OK, it just looks fake. Blond head hair, and black facial hair… yikes.
All of Terry Pratchett’s novels that star “Vimes”.These would make wonderful radio dramatizations.With:
Kennith Branagh or Gary Oldman as Vimes.Bartholomew Cumberbath or Rhys Ifan as Carrott.Charles Dance as Vitenary (again) or Alan Rickman.Simon Pegg as Nobby.Nick Frost as Colon.Liam Cunningham or Brendan Gleeson as Detritus.Helena Bonham Carter or Kate Winslet as Angua.Jenny Agutter or Joanna Lumley as Sybil.
Personally I’d say Damian Lewis as Carrot, either Tony Robinson or Ade Edmondson as Nobby, Timothy Spall or Tim Healy as Colon, Helena Bonham Carter would make a good Sally, and maybe Jenna Coleman as Angua (although she’d probably be better suited to playing Susan (Death’s granddaughter)), and definitely Miriam Margolyes as Lady Sybil! 😉
Would love to see someone do something with Moorcock or Barker (though Barker might be too intense for BBC Radio). Or a comic book adaptation like Dirk did with Superman, or something like what the AudioComics team does in America with creator-owned material (I think AudioComics has a connection to Dirk, not sure what it is).
Some of those already exist. I’m sure I’ve heard at least Guards, Guards and Nightwatch on BBC radio. (And they were good, so make sure to hear them next time they air them.)
Squeeee! I’m so excited! If I got to choose another radio adaptation, I’d want it to be Robin McKinley’s “Sunshine.” I’m personally still planning to make an adaptation or stage play of A.A. Milne’s “Once on a Time.” 😀
I want to see that one if you ever manage it.
Thank you! Please find my credit card number in the comments below…