Old Harry's Game: Starring Robert Duncan Vol 1 (BBC Radio Collection)

Original, witty and very entertaining, Hamilton's comedy set in Hell pushes all the right laughter buttons in an intelligent, satirical and possibly contemporary account of just how it might all be going on down there!

Wonderful stuff!


If your sense of humour is warped (like mine) you'll love it!   December 1, 2004
 19 out of 21 found this review helpful

This has to be one of the funniest radio shows to have ever hit the airwaves. Andy Hamilton, the writer, who also plays Satan, has created a take on Hell that is hilariously funny and extremely witty.

These are 6 episodes from the first two series. Thomas and the Professor have both died in the same car crash. Thomas for being the director of a privatised water company and the Prof. for being an atheist. Hell is currently in a bit of turmoil as Satan's deputy demon, Gary, wants to try the sort of rebellion (or "representation by middle management") against Satan that landed Satan and all his minions down there in the first place due to the doubts that Satan is having because of the "arty-farty notions" that the eternally optimistic professor continues to spout no matter what diabolical torture he is exposed to.

Although it is a repeating theme, the idea of the most obvious and appropriate torture for all of the inmates is hilariously funny. For instance every Pope is held at an eternal eight months pregnant, and Enoch Powell is playing eternally in a reggae band. Satan will go through a search for the meaning of happiness (not because he is ever likely to attain it, just because he is curious) and calls on Buddha (also down there for atheism) and several other philosophers (including Machiavelli whose definition is "poisoning people without getting caught"). Gary is brought to trial after having led an unsuccessful rebellion to form "New Hell" for which he is tried by Satan and this leads to the revelation that God's first name is Nigel and He created humans for a bet, and He then freezes hell over. The second series concentrates on Satan's search for a new deputy, even thought the ever present, hideous, but surprisingly vulnerable, demon Scumspawn is desperate for the job.

The humour is definitely warped but extremely clever and highly original, with some wonderful one-liners and although I love it, I have to say it is unusual and may not appeal to everyone.


Radio Comedy at its best   December 12, 2003
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Volume two of Old Harry's Game is even better than the first. Andy Hamilton's writing has like any good comedy has improved with age. With plots from Thomas the ex chairman of a privat water company helping Scumspawn become a better deamon, the Professor writing a Book proving that Humans learn from there mistakes!!! To jokes on Marxism and genitals turning into crocodiles.
A true gem of Comedy.


GREAT AND GENERALLY WONDERFUL!!!!!   November 14, 2003
 10 out of 12 found this review helpful

What do you mean you've never heard of this before... okay so I have a mildly warped sense of humour... but I still think that Old Harry's Game is one of the funniest things that I have ever heard!

It's all about the devil who lives in hell (funnily enough!) and is based mostly around him, one of his devils and two of the condemned souls that are down there with him... it's sick and twisted but incredibly funny. One running joke is about all the different punishments that he comes up with... Judges playing naked volleyball with a porcupine is a pretty good example of the things that he's come up with! And you'd be amazed by some of the people who have made it into hell!

Anyway... gonna stop that paragraph before I just start to go on and on about how generally wonderful it is. It's great, wonderfully 'acted' with some truly fabulous one liners and some great running gagsas well! I would totally recommend this to anyone who even suspects that they might have a sense of humour!