Before
you ask, no: PC did not play Grand Marshal Skaldak on Doctor Who. However, this
particular project is a radio program and, as such, is pretty un-screencap-able. Given the subject matter, I figured Ice
Warriors were appropriate.
Recorded
to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, The First King of Mars is a one-man mini-play about the captain
leading an expedition to the red planet.
Despite warnings from mission control that the enormity of the venture
can get to a person, the captain slowly proceeds to go off his rocker. Maybe it’s the prospect of the years-long
journey and the boredom/relative isolation that accompanies it. Maybe it’s the sight of the Earth gradually
receding from view. Whatever the reason,
the captain goes well and truly bonkers.
He becomes obsessed with the idea of needing to have a suitable power
structure in place if they encounter life on Mars, and so he declares himself
the omnipotent monarch of the mission.
Since The First King of Mars is a one-man
production and this is Capaldi Winter, only one guess as to who PC plays. The story is made up entirely of the captain’s
official logs, communiques with mission control, and private thoughts. It begins slowly – the captain is awed, overwhelmed,
and developing cabin fever – and eventually descends into tinfoil-hat-wearing
madness.
It’s a
really fun character performed splendidly.
Whether the captain is requesting movies from mission control or contemplating
which of his fellow astronauts he should take as his queen, he is engaging and
funny. By the end, when he composes the
Martian planetary anthem, you can’t help but love that kooky captain.
BBC
Radio followed up The First King of Mars
with a series of short sequels in 2008, also performed by PC. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more!
First
thoughts:
Accent Watch
Scottish.
Recommend?
In
General
– Yeah. It’s funny and creative, and I
enjoy space narratives.
PC-wise – Definitely. Very nicely done by PC.
Warnings
Nothing
of import.
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