Metafiction
This
is a short, neatly wrought scene, with the elements of dark humour
and surprise that "Kaldor City" fans have come to expect.
However, there are two versions, differing only in the final line;
this makes it quite difficult to review, as the two last lines lead
to two very different twists.
Both versions are definitely
enhanced by a prior knowledge of
Blake's
7, although it
is possible to enjoy either, especially version 1, without
this.
Version 1 is self-contained, whereas version 2 is the one that ties
in with "The Time Waster" and "Radio Bastard".
In either case, if you've ever wondered what Kaston Iago was doing
before he got to Kaldor City, here he is, going through the
essentials of his CV (or so he tell us) in his own inimitable
style!
Kudos, as usual, for clever writing, excellent acting,
and the obligatory perspective shifts.
The
Time Waster
Do not, whatever you do, listen to this if you are exhausted, ill,
under the influence, or if you just haven't had enough coffee
yet. You will need your brain in full working
order. This dizzyingly clever time travel story is a
thoroughly enjoyable mental workout, delivered with deadpan style and a
side salad of disturbing implications. You may also be
tempted to want a copy of the script, a calendar, a set of coloured
markers and some counters. Confused? Oh, you will
be. But I can pretty much guarantee you'll enjoy the process.
Radio
Bastard
This is quite wonderfully deceptive. It starts out as just a
comically silly parody of a local radio station, slips in some serious
points here and there while you're not looking, and then achieves the
unusual trick of sticking one foot into a different genre altogether
and expertly straddling both of them. There are a lot of
sound effects in this one, all perfectly judged, and the acting lives
up to the high standard we have come to expect from the "Kaldor City"
team. It is difficult to know exactly how to classify this
piece, except that if you start out thinking it's like anything you've
previously heard, you're probably wrong.
There is a link between "Metafiction", "The Time Waster" and "Radio
Bastard", although they all have different settings and
themes. Revealing what that link is would be too much of a
spoiler, so the listener will have to find it on their own.
Because of this link, it is probably best to listen to all three pieces
in fairly quick succession. The parts are enjoyable in their
own right, but there is a whole greater than the sum of the parts -
metametafiction?
Sarah
McEvoy is a writer and
translator living in the north of England. They have
published a SF novel, "Journey to Xanadu", along with some short
stories, poems and non-fiction articles.
