Just brilliant - Nighy will have you laughing your socks off

Masterfully acted, well-plotted and very entertaining. My only regret is that there’s no compendium of the Charles Paris mysteries. Rather pricey for less than two hours listening time.

3 people found this helpful

Charles Paris deserves better roles...

And I don't mean this in a bad way!

Bill Nighy just makes this character perfect. His style and narration are perfect for the louche, alcoholic actor who never quite gets the break.



Once again, there is a theatrical murder and once again Charles is on the scene - and as is usually the case both his (ex-)wife and a beautiful girl are there to complicate his life further, and to ease him towards his next double, or double-double "Bells".

Once again, his agent seems to be doing a poor job of promoting his talent and/or mis-feeding him with titbits of promising jobs.



Simon Brett has the background to know what a radio crime drama needs to deliver, and I always find that the Charles Paris mystery scenarios, based in the world of thesps, luvvies, impresarios, etc deliver a jolly fun ride for their money!



I'm not going to claim to be a "Miss Marple" myself, but I usually find I can guess some of the plot before the end, but I rarely manage to get it all. However, even being able to (because these types of radio plays don't often have significant depth) doesn't detract from a really good yarn, and I lay a lot of this at the feet of Bill Nighy, as I said at the beginning.



Even when the book isn't narrated by him, or when reading a "dead tree" edition, I find it so easy to imagine the Bill Nighy characterisation, since it fits so well.



Its not a 5-star review, because (a) I am stingy and (b) this isn't a deep piece of fiction, but it is a nice way to pass time in the car or on the train, all the same!

1 person found this helpful

Very entertaining

Charles Paris as played by Bill Nighy is having a tricky time. Delighted to be in work, he is stuggling to be inspired by the plot of the film (or his fellow 'actors'). However before long he is caught up in the tangled love life of his co-star Jodie (played by Martine McCutcheon) as well as the tangled love life of his daughter. A great cast and an equally good script (a modern update by Jeremy Front turns Simon Brett's enjoyable novel into an enjoyable radio drama) combine to make a really entertaining listen - undemanding but funny and engaging. I really enjoyed this.

1 person found this helpful

My favourite production!

Charles Paris collection is brilliant, so entertaining and witty! Superb cast, great plot and production, love it!

Brilliant & Fun

I've really enjoyed the Charles Paris mysteries on Radio 4 Extra over the years and decided to treat myself to this. I'm so glad I did. The writing is brilliant and the acting superb, even when intentionally hammy. Bill Nighy is at his wry, sardonic and loveable best, delivering some great lines:.
Charles: Fancy joining me in a contemporary take on the classic French cassoulet?
Frances: What's in it?
Charles: a saveloy and a tin of baked beans
Frances: what makes it contemporary?
Charles: I've just made it.
Ruddy genius. Fill your boots.

A delight!

Brilliant dramatisation! A couple of hours of Charles Paris is good for the soul. The cast deliver a first class performance, overall a great listen.

Love the style of these Charles Paris productions

Bill Nighy is brilliant as always, backed up by the rest of the excellent cast. Storylines keep you hooked but interlaced with plenty of humour.

"Get the glasses, Frances."

Deliciously amusing drama by Jeremy Front, in his adaptation of the novel by Simon Brett, with a full cast headed by Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, the aging acgor. There are several Charles Paris stories in this series and all are excellent fun, superbly acted and completely enjoyable: from the wonderfully sarcastic, semi alcoholic but charming lead character, through supercilious, imposed upon agent, Maurice, to long suffering separated from wife who still lets Charles stay at her house - and all this before the main plot begins. It might not be a deeply enthralling mystery but this is fairly inconsequential when .measured against the personality involvements.

This is my second time of listening to this glorious confection of characters, actors and musical snippets included at scene breaks and as pleasurable as at first hearing. I have also previously read the original Simon Brett, Cast in Order of Disappearance, upon which this was based and it pales into insignificance beside this glorious two hours of pleasure.

Love this series. Bill Nighy at his best. Recommended.

Funny British Whodunnit

Great voice actors and some good tunes! A fun short listen with a reasonable whodunnit storyline.

great book

what a great story and well performed

a great series listen to them all soon