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 Garth Marenghi's Dark Place Given that Garth Marenghi has written more books than he’s read, it’s surprising that, like his contemporary Steven King, Garth’s books haven’t been adapted into Hollywood blockbusters. This makes it even harder to accept that Channel four had the temerity to cancel his series of teleplays ’Darkplace’ before it got off the ground, before it got on the air in fact. Finally, Channel four have done a Tony Blair and admitted they were wrong to send Darkplace to a hidden shelf somewhere in Horseferry Road and have finally brought it to our screens. The (very forgiving in my opinion) Marenghi has taken the opportunity to ensure that Darkplace his shown his way, and as such is introducing each episode and throughout the screenings we see talking heads of the present Day Garth, His Director and friend Dean Learner and the actor Todd Rivers. The teleplays are set in Darkplace, a hospital somewhere in Romford. But this isn’t any ordinary hospital, it appears to be on some kind of hell mouth, spewing it’s evil on a weekly basis and then going away and going shopping or something for the rest of the time, like some sort of holidaying evil. Some may say it looks a little dated in these days where every show has to have a laptop or an a-pod in every shot, but I disagree, Darkplace could be any hospital, anywhere, it’s the very back to basics production values that make the plotlines and dialogue scream out at you like a giant eye on a fantasy weekend. It is very telling that Darkplace has been a huge ratings winner (well, as good as you can get for channel four without it being set in America or have some sort of ridiculous popularity contest element). The scripts are as near to perfect as you can get, with lines like “That’ll show him, Dag!” being quoted in all the most high brow playgrounds and I personally, had to hide behind the sofa when Marenghi’s Character, Dr. Rick Dagless was being chased by a cordless iron. Watch it or your eyes will bleed green goo. Reviewed by Lauren RSS  Printable version	Visit our Siamese Twin Sister Site!