This month sees the release of my latest Jago & Litefoot story The Monstrous Menagerie. I’ve given it a listen, just to check it over, you understand, and it’s marvellous. Steven Miller is very, very good as Arthur Conan Doyle and Brian Protheroe is wonderful as... well, that would be telling. I spent the whole of the recording trying to work out what I’d seen him in, only when I got home did I realise he was Edward IV in the BBC Shakespeares, as well as being a folk-pop legend! Blimey.
Beyond saying that the story is wonderful, and that you
should all rush out and buy it, it’s hard to think of anything else to say to
it, as I’ve already gone through all that in the CD inlay notes, in an interview
in the latest issue of Vortex and in an interview in the latest issue of DWM.
There’s only so many times one can say the same thing. But the finished article
seems to have gone down fairly well so far, and I’m very proud of it, what else
is there to say?
So instead, here’s an excerpt of the script. It’s from near
the beginning but obviously you shouldn't read it if you want every second of the play un-spoiler-ed.
ARTHUR:
The name’s Arthur. Doctor
Arthur Conan Doyle.
LITEFOOT:
Conan
Doyle!?
JAGO:
As in the Sherlock
Holmes Conan Doyle?
ARTHUR:
The one and the
same.
JAGO:
I say! That’s a
turn up for the books!
LITEFOOT:
How extraordinary. Doctor
Doyle, may I just say how much I’ve enjoyed all your stories.
JAGO:
Me too. Particularly
loved A Study In Scarlet. Ripping stuff. Can’t get enough of Mister Holmes!
ARTHUR:
Well, that’s very flattering,
though of course Holmes is behind me now.
LITEFOOT:
He is?
ARTHUR:
You are aware of my
other literary endeavours? The White Company? The Refugees? Micah Clarke?
LITEFOOT:
Oh yes, of course.
I own a copy of every single one.
JAGO:
Yes, got the lot.
LITEFOOT:
And have very much
enjoyed reading them, of course.
ARTHUR:
Really? You’ve read
Micah Clarke? Both of you?
JAGO:
Oh yes, real
page-turner. Couldn’t put it down.
ARTHUR:
So who would you
say was your favourite character?
JAGO:
What?
ARTHUR:
From my novel,
Micah Clarke. Who would you say was the character that appealed to you most?
JAGO:
(STRUGGLING) Well,
I suppose, out of all of them, out of all the characters in Micah Clarke, my
favourite character would have to be... Micah Clarke herself.
LITEFOOT:
Himself.
JAGO:
Himself.
ARTHUR:
(HEAVY SARCASM)
It’s a pleasure to meet two such devoted followers of my work.
So if you haven’t already done so, order the box set now!
