Darkside by Stoppard R2 26/8/13

[aeolium]

Not an R3 production, but that rare thing on radio these days, a radio play and to boot by Stoppard:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038xr3n

This play, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was accompanied throughout by extracts from the music and mixed debates about ethical choices and the good life with philosophical games whose characters come to life. The main drama was in the testing of theories and the clash of ideas, it seemed to me. I wasn't sure how well the words worked together with the music, as there seemed to be much philosophy and little madness, but perhaps others who know the music better than I can comment on that.

Available to hear on LA (Radio 2), but only for another day. I enjoyed it much more than I did his other rock music-inspired play Rock 'n' Roll.

[Russ]

This is Stoppard being playful and not trying to be too clever or trying to impose too strict a narrative. Good fun, at times funny and satirical, and a great way of enjoying a great album. Excellent sound production.

Russ