*Duck call as used in John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme!*
ANNOUNCEMENT: Series Nine of JFSP is getting a second airing on Radio 4 tonight at 11pm, and every night thereafter until New Year's Eve, and producer Ed Morrish is planning a tweet-along to accompany Episode One tonight – the one starring Lawry Lewin. I might be asleep because I'm an hour ahead, Carrie might also be asleep as they've started allowing her to drive ambulances, and Lawry's not even on twitter, but I'll see if I can get that fake account pretending to be him to join us instead.
Of course, you can still hear any you episode you want any time you like on Sounds, and I say "of course" because I'm still rashly assuming that everyone reading this blog will have already heard it anyway. If you haven't however, I've written a little about how much I love it, and why you shouldn't necessarily be expecting a sketch show, here.
In keeping with the theme of Series Nine, here's a Moomin being startled by his ancestors:
I loved hearing John play Moomintroll on the radio yesterday, by the way, and really recommend you listen to the production of "Moominland Midwinter" in which he did it. It's possibly my favourite adaptation yet of possibly my favourite books; I'm still trying to work out what my love of Tove Jansson says about me. The increasing marketability of her characters isn't helping, but I think what she taught me, uniquely among the childrens' authors I read, was that a story can be packed with fantasy and drama without any need for "adventure". This probably wasn't a particularly useful lesson to learn as a writer, but there's no unlearning it.
Here's another Moomin winter to enjoy.
JFSP series 9 is outstanding (and gets even better with each listen) so it's a pleasure to have you guys tweeting about it.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, Moominland Midwinter was a lovely adaptation and John was perfect as Moomintroll.
The Moomins didn't really make it to France, I only discovered them in my 20s when I moved to Finland. I fell in love with Tove Jansson's work and the Moomin store at Helsinki's airport near the gate I would often depart from has ruined me. Also, I met Moomintroll and gave him a hug. =)
Well, one would, wouldn't one.
DeleteOoo, is that the 'hooter affair' young Newt (well, Oswald back then) found in his Christmas cracker, and then later on gave to his nephew Jerry as a gift? I just assumed it was a kazoo or something of that sort.
ReplyDeleteMoominland Midwinter was delightful, no matter that I'm not particularly familiar with the Moomins books/adaptations. Also, thanks to you putting those two things together, I am now attempting to draw some kind of parallel between Moomintroll & his ancestor and... I don't really know, Russ & Newt, I guess? Well, there's always the coming out of the cupboard (closet) thing, for a start.
The very same affair!
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