The Goon Show Preservation Society

And Another Celebrity Speaks… Rohan Candappa, Author

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Roger Wilmut
 
Michael Terry

Rohan Candappa

Spike Milligan Statue

An Interview

BBC Press Release

And, I hear you say - what has this chap got to do with the Goons? Well, read on dear Reader… read on…

Mr. Candappa is an author of much repute. He is reputed to live in North London with his wife and children, but after publishing this latest novel, he's reputed to be living in the Tower of London, no doubt awaiting his probable execution.

But, I still hear you asking; What has he got to with the Goons? Well, read on further dear Reader, read on...

Published by Profile Books Ltd., London. ISBN-10:1 86197 812 X     £5.99   278pp Paperback

Well, it's obviously about a certain Charles (the 'Cha' of the title) Royal Type Person, whom we have as our very own Royal Patron, but don't let that fool you. It's quite a funny book, in a wry sort of way (Rohan previously wrote "How to Grow Old Disgracefully" and "The Curious Incident of the WMD in Iraq" amongst others) and is of great interest to Goon fans everywhere for one headline grabbing attraction.

It has a
"previously un-published Goon Showamongst its pages.

And I quote:

"Mr Spike Milligan was the comic genius who wrote most of the scripts for the Goon Show. The mad world that he, week in, week out, created was very much his way of  escaping the allegedly sane world that he, week in, week out, found himself living in during the 1950's.

What follows is a reasonably accurate transcript of a Goon Show that was specially commissioned by the Queen from Mr Spike Milligan to help explain to her son the point of the royal family. Its aim was to get the lad to understand where he stood. (And why, while he stood, others would often kneel, or at the very least curtsey.)

The show - the now famous 'Dreaded Affair of The Pointless Crown' was never broadcast on air, or even in the air, but instead was performed in a one-off performance at the Palace for all the members of the royal family.

As well as his regular team of characters, Mr Peter Sellers also played 'The Queen' and 'Prince Cha'. Mr Harry Secombe played his usual self, and Mr Spike Milligan all the others."

So there you have it - proof if ever there was any needed, the Goon Show lives on.

With grateful thanks to Rohan for his chatty emails and for the free preview copy of the book, which when I've finished reading it, I might offer as a star prize in some forthcoming competition.

Les