HOW THE MARQUIS GOT HIS COAT BACK Return to London Below
released 10 November (Cd) / OUT NOW! (iPlayer) 44 minutes | radio broadcast/Cd
Publisher radio 4/bbC audio
Three years after Radio 4’s adaptation of Neverwhere, Dirk Maggs brings us this sequel, based on Neil Gaiman’s short story follow-up to the original tale. Gaiman’s lyrical writing seems ideally suited to radio, and this enjoyable yarn is no exception.
As with Neverwhere, we are quickly plunged into the world of London Below as the eponymous Marquis de Carabas attempts to track down his coat, stolen from him when he was temporarily deceased. This time we meet the Elephant, of Elephant & Castle, along with the somewhat damp Mushroom People and the shepherds of Shepherd’s Bush, and learn just how the Marquis came to bear a name more commonly associated with Puss In Boots.
The casting mixes up different versions of the universe, uniting original TV Marquis Paterson Joseph – excellent in his return to the role – with Bernard Cribbins and James McAvoy from the previous radio play. It’s a slight tale and one that does assume you’ll already be familiar with Neverwhere, but this is still a pitch-perfect production Gaiman fans won’t want to miss. Rhian Drinkwater
Gaiman’s Stardust is coming to Radio 4 in December, as a two-part drama with Matthew Beard and Sophie Rundle.