The character of Baron Munchausen has a long and illustrious history (he first appeared in 1785) but is probably best known in this country via Terry Gilliam’s 1988 film. Some of the spirit of that adaptation is to be found in Spiteful Puppet’s six part audio drama The Barren Author. Paul Birch’s script still features the central character’s fantastical adventures which stretch credulity to breaking point and then some. However, the stories have been reimagined for the 21st century and include references to topical issues such as terrorism in the Middle East and concerns over the environment. Indeed, this latter is a constant feature of the six parts if only because one of Munchausen’s best friends turns out to be David Attenborough.
The Barren Author (Online review)
