Interrupt the Routine returns as 1940s radio group The Misfits of London for another highly enjoyable adventure of
The Gin Chronicles at Sea is still a must-see for returning fans
This year’s instalment is The Gin Chronicles at Sea, where protagonists John Jobling and Doris Golightly set off on an Atlantic cruise to take a break from their amateur detective escapades. But, of course, things are never so simple and the pair soon find themselves embroiled in a quest to hunt down the recipe for the best gin in the world, as approved by the King himself.
For those unfamiliar with the group, their shows are presented onstage as a live broadcast of a brand new radio play, heavily sponsored by Gin & Tonic companies. The talented cast of four play 1940s actors who then play all the characters in the radio drama, displaying an impressive amount of vocal skill and variety as they often end up having conversations with themselves.
The group is rounded off with a fifth member, who produces all the sound effects for the show, by hand, throughout, ranging from coconut halves for horses hooves to blowing into a bowl of water and hitting themselves with a leek for an old-fashioned car. As ever, this setup is delightfully entertaining and, with cue cards held up throughout prompting the audience to gasp and cheer, it’s quite easy to forget that the play isn’t actually being broadcast.
It does take a little while to get going. The script isn’t as tight as it has been in previous years. The first half has a rather slow build-up and a number of the early jokes don’t land in quite the right manner. In particular, an over-the-top great aunt hits the radio play actors with an inflatable fish which sounds hilarious but doesn’t seem to fit in with everything else. But things soon pick up steam as the pair of them reach their intended cruise ship and we’re introduced to the colourful ensemble of bizarre and wonderful characters joining them on their holiday.
The Gin Chronicles at Sea is still a must-see for returning fans of the company and people new to the concept will enjoy themselves thoroughly as well. The free Gin and Tonic upon entry will see to that.
