Quanderhorn Lands
Rob Grant's new comedy on the BBC and in print!
22 June, 2018
Next week brings a double dose of new Rob Grant material, as Red Dwarf's co-creator ventures into a new sci-fi timeline alongside co-writer Andrew Marshall. The Quanderhorn Xperimentations is Rob's new project, and it's arriving in not one, but two different forms simultaneously.
First of all, you can hear it as a full-cast radio sitcom: the first episode will be on BBC Radio 4 on Monday 25th June at 11.30am, and you'll be able to listen back on the BBC iPlayer almost immediately afterwards, with further episodes following week on week.
But if you'd rather read it in words than hear it in sounds, then just a few days later the novel - "adapted backwards via the future from the radio series before it was made" - will be published on Thursday 28th June. It's initially available in hardback and also as an eBook, published by Orion.
So what's it all about? Well, here's a synopsis:
It's 1952. Permanently. Reality is trapped in a time loop by Professor Darius Quanderhorn's bizarre 'Xperimentations'. His rag-tag team face threats and terrors beyond human understanding on a daily basis, together with their own neuroses.
Martian Invasions, Giant Space Lasers, Shape-Shifting Troglodytes and Living Feral Underwear are all part of a day's work for the Quanderteam: Dr. Gemini Janussen has clockwork-driven emotions, Guuuurk the Magnificent is a Martian hostage who fancies himself a gentleman cad, Troy, the professor's "son", who is part human, part insect, all idiot, and Brian Nylon, who has completely forgotten that he is the unit's Test Pilot. In fact, he has completely forgotten who he is at all, but what he is finding out is beginning to disturb him.
Meanwhile, as the Professor ploughs ahead with his dangerous and sinister creations, oblivious to the consequences, his arch-nemesis, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, has begun to resent the public adulation of this reckless genius and would like to shut down his operation for good. But dare he do that, and risk unleashing the terrible secret lurking in Quanderhorn's cellar?
The radio series stars James Fleet as the titular professor, with Ryan Sampson, Cassie Layton, John Sessions, Freddie Fox, Rachel Atkins and Twentica's own Kevin Eldon. And just in case there wasn't enough of a Dwarf connection for you, it's also co-produced by one Gordon Kennedy.
And if you want to get your copy of the book signed by Rob and Andrew, meanwhile, then you're in luck: if you head on down to London's Forbidden Planet Megastore on the release day (Thursday 28th), the pair are doing a signing event at 6pm.
Check out Quanderhorn on BBC Radio 4 and pre-order the book at Amazon!
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