John Finnemore is somewhat the golden chap of BBC Radio 4 comedy. After the huge cult success of his sitcom Cabin Pressure, the love that has been lavished on his sketch show John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme of seven series and counting, and the warm reception towards John Finnemore's Double Acts, his fanbase is solid. Which is good to know going into this first night of the live show tour. This is for the fans, and they are so pleased.
The show is John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme in all but name ( the BBC has hung onto that). Employing the cast from the radio show – Lawry Levin, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Simon Kane and Carrie Quinlan – and a re-assuringly similar tone, it includes a number of sketches wholesale from the radio, provoking an unfamiliar vibe for a comedy concert – audience affection for old material. Finnemore's back catalogue is vast and has fan favourites. Winnie-the-Pooh's Honey Habit Intervention from series one particularly stood out as working on stage, with Eeyore's slumped figure especially recognisable as the writing mixed AA Milne's linguistics with counselling jargon.
But transferring comedy that has been written rather cleverly specifically for an aural medium into a visual one feels problematic. Whereas a blustery man-character driving another nuts by persistently not getting to the point focusses on what you hear when delivered on the radio, building delicious tension, when performed live that focus dissipates with little visually to stimulate or engage. The ensemble fully commit to each sketch character in their performances, but with no stage directions it is easy to distinguish between those Finnemore had tailored to the radio – with nice blocking but not much more visually – and those written with more than one sense receiving them in mind.
Some new ideas that did work really well included the speech limitations of pirate skulls without lips, and a sketch that resonated brilliantly – a conversation many have had in their heads as John tries to thin out his wardrobe, arguing with his shirts for their place in the charity shop bag. A lovely extra topper from an old school jumper crying out: "For God's sake let me die!"
There is plenty to pick through and enjoy in Flying Visit, with local references inserted, interactive crowdwork going down a treat and moving into Finnemore's enjoyable 'meta' state – even an extra special crowd-pleaser when regular character Patsy Straightwoman interviews Arthur Shappey from Cabin Pressure. But this is three hours long including an interval. It's too long.
There are a good two hours' worth of quality tightly-written material in here, with other less strong sketches working as fillers for costume-changes and included as fan favourites. It panders to and fatigues its audience – and it doesn't need to. They love it regardless. They are proper BBC Radio 4 fankids rich in years, hanging on every word. But for those not fully briefed on the Finnemore canon, although engaging it's a bit of a patchy affair.
John Finnemore Tour dates here.
The Brighton Festival runs until May 27. Details here.
