John Finnemore's Double Acts

John Finnemore's Double Acts s1 (CD)

John Finnemore's Double Acts s2 (CD)

After the finale of Cabin Pressure aired in Christmas 2014, BBC Radio 4 were keen for John to do more, so over a long cycle ride that seemed to involve most of Europe and about six months cogitation, John came up with the idea - and wrote - six two-handers; one-off pieces that collectively would be known as "John Finnemore's Double Acts".

The series aired in October/November 2015, with the first episode - "A Flock Of Tigers", starring Celia Imrie and Charles Edwards - being set entirely in a railway carriage in 1934, where the action takes place over the course of a journey from London to Oxford... For train fans, the background was actually recorded on the Oxford to Didcot branch using unwelded track, to get the period "diddly-dee diddly-dum" sound right...

Show 2 featured Alison Steadman and Isy Suttie and snuck in a little cross-reference to the first show - a reference that trickles through the whole series for the sharp-eared listener... The third show, starred one of the godfathers of the Satire Boom, John Bird, and John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme's very own Lawry Lewin. Show 4 was set in Regency times, and stars John F himself and JFSP's very own Simon Kane. Nudity was involved.

The penultimate show starred Rebecca Front and newcomer Beth Mullen... and the last show, starring Jenny Bede and Yonderland's very own Mathew Baynton ended on a romantic note. And the series had the almost unique distinction of being nominated for an award - the BBC Audio Drama award for Best Scripted Comedy - even before it had been finished, let alone fully aired...

The second series began airing in May 2017, having taken John broadly speaking every second after the first series to write the six new shows. Set variously in three different centuries and in exotic locations ranging far and wide, from the South Atlantic to, basically, Wimborne in Dorset, the series boasted an amazing line-up. As well as the powerful and wonderful talents of Tamzin Outhwaite, Una Stubbs and Julia McKenzie, the first show paired Kerry Godliman and our very own Stephanie Cole, delivering John's words once more!

In fact, there was a little Cabin Pressure theme running through the series, with every show featuring at least one person from the series. Not just Rotterdam's Gus Brown (aka "Big Martin"), Tom Goodman-Hill (our "Anton" in Milton Jones too!) and Kieran Hodgson (King Max, Heir to the Throne Of Liechtenstein) but a few sneaky appearances by some others, plus a couple of Souvenir Programme stars thrown in for good measure.

The fifth show paired Tom with Martin Clunes, and because of his Doc Martin filming schedule, we dragged the whole recording down to Cornwall via the Sleeper...

The series also welcomed two newcomers - Ethan Lawrence (from "Bad Education") and someone who simply calls himself "Michael Palin". 

John is still grinning from ear to ear...

John Finnemore's Double Acts

John Finnemore's Double Acts