“What’s this? A radio (YAY!) sitcom (YAAY!) starring Peter Davison (YAAAY!) and Hannah Murray (YAAAAY)? Of course I flippin’ want to go and see that.”
…was my reaction to seeing tickets for ‘Welcome to Our Village’ appear online. Welcome to Our Village is a sitcom for BBC Radio 4 (originally Radio 2) based around a group of aliens invading a small, traditional English village. The cast includes Peter Davison (THE DOCTOR!), Hannah Murray (Cassie from Skins), Jan Francis (who reads the Famous Five audiobooks) and Hattie Morahan (Jane in Outnumbered).
Although I had heard some dodgy reviews about the first series, the second was amazing! The first episode (Series 2 Episode 1) centered around the series leads Katrina and Lucy (Morahan and Murray) attempting the escape from the village, provoking the alien leader Uljabaan to seize the village allotments to grow murderous plants. The second episode (Series 2 Episode 3) deals with the aliens’ computer getting a new hobby; joining in with the village pub quiz!
After the show I met some of the cast however The Doctor (alias Peter Davison) managed to escape my grasp. However I did meet Hannah Murray who was THE NICEST PERSON IN THE WORLD, Hattie Morahan and John Luke-Roberts (the computer). I also spoke with Ed Morrish the producer (who also produces John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme).
The second series of ‘Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully’ airs later this year on BBC Radio 4.
Penpal 