Tony Robinson and David Haig star in this black-hole comedy about two space-age humans stranded on a friendly alien planet
Norman is an idealistic, Beethoven-loving revolutionary. Max is a boring but cheerful timeshare salesman who won't stop talking. Fellow passengers on a flight to the Moon, they're thrown together to become reluctant companions after the lunar shuttle's toilet cubicle explodes, crash-landing them both on the desert sands of a distant alien planet.
They are rescued by the friendly Oblivions, who could not be more delighted to see them. Having spent six years learning English from a discarded volume of Noël Coward plays, they're keen to practise the lingo - and learn more about the many mysteries that have baffled them. How do you mix a Martini? How does one play tennis? And what on Earth is misery?
Norman and Max are about to answer all their questions - as well as introducing them to fire, contemplation and baked potatoes. But their well-intentioned attempts to share the secrets of racquet-based games and sophisticated cocktails soon backfire. Perhaps providing the Oblivions with the priceless gifts of human civilization wasn't such a good idea after all...
Written by Colin Swash, whose numerous TV credits include Have I Got News For You and Mock the Week, this sci-fi sitcom stars Tony Robinson as Max and David Haig as Norman. Among the co-stars are Geoffrey McGivern and Lorelei King (The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy), and guest stars include Alistair McGowan, Peter Serafinowicz and Ronni Ancona.
Production credits
Written by Colin Swash
Produced by Richard Wilson
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 March-13 April 1995
Cast
Norman - Tony Robinson
Max - David Haig
Stella - Louise Lombard
Macari - Michael Troughton
Captain Rossiter - Dan Strauss
Jane/Terayz/Suzy - Carla Mendonça
Tony - Geoffrey McGivern
Ken - Tom Hollander
Inspector Albermarle - Andy Rashleigh
Clive - Guy Witcher
Jonathan Ross - Alistair McGowan
Buzz - Peter Serafinowicz
Louise - Ronni Ancona
Voice of Ume - Lorelei King
Vince - Daniel Main