Homepage News Reviews - Acts - Shows - Screen - Radio - Books - Clubs Interviews Awards 2006 Edinburgh 2005 - Reviews - Blog - Previews Features Archive Awards 2005 Edinburgh 2004: - Previews - Shows - Diary Guestbook Forum © Emporium Of Mirth 2004 Editor: Lauren Murphy Reporters: Fiona Wilkie Natalie Joanne	Emporium of Mirth The Museum Of Everything Welcome to the Museum of Everything. The collection of life’s history of eccentricity all under one roof. You are free to take a look, browse, learn, but beware the souvenir spoons in the gift shop. By no means use them as you would use a normal spoon. A horrific chemical reaction would ensue, and YOU WILL NOT GET CLEAR. Oh, and be careful not to take your kid, he might ask you questions that you will be embarrassingly unable to answer. The phrase “a sketch show with a difference” has been ridiculously overused when describing modern comedy, but it’s the perfect description for the brain-child of Marcus Brigstocke, Dan Tetsell and Danny Robbins. Placing the sketches in the museum setting (which the show returns to between each sketch) is an idea worthy of Amicus. Characters such as the tour guides (who open the show with a bored but informative spiel about safety around the museum), the announcer (who reads out an announcement for “the woman who does announcements” by mistake), and the cleaner (who can’t remember where the toilet is although he’s been working there for 14 years) guide the listener effectively from sketch to sketch, allowing for imaginative free rein as far as material is concerned. The opening half-hour encompasses such broad concepts as “Badgerland”- the perfect place to go if you want mangy vicious animals by the dozen- and recreation of Civil War battles. The latter was probably the standout sketch for me; the reflection on how the modern man can’t go without a mobile phone or walkman even for one afternoon being a subject close to my heart… and something I completely identify with! In a rather random finale, the identity of Jack the Ripper is finally revealed… to be Merlin the magician. Of course. Of all the suspects (Oscar Wilde, Queen Victoria, Sherlock Holmes and Fagin), he is the obvious candidate. The Museum of Everything was adapted from a stage show, which may have been a more effective vehicle for it. Whatever the medium, I think you have to have a certain mindset to listen to this show and laugh. I’m not entirely sure whether I’m personally in possession of it. But I’ll tune in next week to find out. The Museum of Everything is on Thursdays, 11pm, Radio 4 Reviewed by Nat, Queen of the Air Waves RSS  Printable version	Visit our Siamese Twin Sister Site!