Writers: Mary Higgins and Ell Potter
Of all the audiodramas currently available on Written On The Waves, Lem ‘N’ Ginge, a queer feminist fairy-tale, must be the quirkiest. Two foul-mouthed actors, looking for work, find themselves caught up in an adventure to find the lost voice of a princess. Sometimes a little confusing to follow, but full of wit and energy, this series of short four episodes makes for an entertaining hour.
Mary Higgins and Ell Potter wake up on the isle of Kakos where each morning the resident princess wakes up her subjects with a song. But as our heroes approach the city, they hear that the princess has had her voice stolen and that the king is offering money for its return. Mary and Ell need the dosh, and so take up the pseudonyms of Lem and Ginge and offer their help to find the missing voice. And, in a nice meta touch, as Higgins and Potter are fringe actors, working on shows with moderate budgets, they will voice every character in their story.
It’s as silly as it sounds, and doesn’t become much clearer when Lem and Ginge meet birdwatchers who can talk to birds and magic frogs that live in testicle trees. Fortunately, Sharon D. Clarke is on hand as the narrator and her voice, sometimes delightfully impatient, explains away some of the more unlikely incidents that befall our actors torn between hunger and politics. ‘You can’t eat feminism’, one of them declares.
Higgins and Potter also insert songs into the narrative, and these offbeat jingles are the best parts of the show, even relaying the story in some places. We Got Woke and It Was Me are not just the names of episodes but also of two snappy and comical songs. We even get to hear Clarke sing, which is always a treat.
Occasionally, the swearing and the ‘wokeness’ seem a little immature, but the sense of fun and good-heartedness ensure that this cartoonish parody of dystopian texts such as The Handmaid’s Tale never outstays its welcome. And if you hang on right to the end of the episodes the team have gathered together some amusing outtakes, all which demonstrate the spirit of Lem and Ginge completely.
Who knows if Lem and Ginge will return in a new exploit? There’s certainly scope for it, and the fantasy world in which they reside isn’t terribly different to ours.
Runs here
The Review Hub Score
Quirky
