The National Theatre of Brent

· culture ·

Contrary to my usual practice of watching or listening to something on TV or radio and then blogging about how brilliant it was when it was all over, I'm actually going to talk about something fantastic in advance, so that you have a sporting chance to see what all the fuss is about.

The National Theatre of Brent are doing one of their unique theatrical productions on BBC Radio 4 at 9pm this Friday: The Messiah. I heard their Complete and Utter History of the Mona Lisa a couple of years ago, and I still laugh when I remember the conversation between Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli:

Leonardo da Vinci: So what you bin' up to then, Botticelli?
Botticelli: Bin' doin' the paintins.
L: Oh yeah? Which ones you bin' doin' then?
B: Done the Venus.
L: What, on the sofa?
B: Nah, comin' out the shell.
L: Any good?
B: Masterpiece, apparently.
L: How lovely.

For those of you not acquainted with NToB, they are Desmond 'Olivier' Dingle (played by Patrick Barlow), and Raymond Box (John Ramm): two of the most inept thespians (not to mention dodgy historians) you've ever come across. Oh, and they are hilarious. I can't wait to hear how they mangle The Messiah.