Transported to a bygone age

The developmental scratch sessions at Battersea Arts Centre have an impressive track record when it comes to delivering artistic curveballs.

After the success of Jerry Springer - The Opera and Jackson's Way comes this comic meditation on life, the universe and National Express coaches.

While not as strong as the aforementioned hits, Radioplay is inventive, stylish and boasts a formidable solo turn from Ed Gaughan.

This versatile actor takes on the linking persona of West Country driver Frank and a busy supporting cast of broadcasting voices, from Cagney-esque hood and his serial-knitter mother to eccentric musicologist Dr Scientist.

The story begins with Frank ferrying passengers from Penzance to "up London" before a sudden gear change and an anecdote about greatuncle Richard plunges us into an odyssey through America's pioneering radio days. It is here that Gaughan comes into his own, fleshing out characters from the faintest of thumbnail sketches.

There are hints of Peter Sellers in his chameleon changes, echoes of pastmaster Stan Freberg in his parodying of antique broadcasting genres. The jazz soundtrack is evocative, too, and there is a priceless gag regarding Bob Marley's alleged Devonian roots.

Ultimately this piece, co-written by the star, director Wes Williams and Andrew Buckley, is not as deep as it thinks, doing little more than wittily mourn a lost age before radio was killed by the television star, but it does it beautifully, thanks to a memorable performance that sticks long in the mind.

Radioplay