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Sunday 3 September 2017

REVIEW: Talk Radio at Old Red Lion Theatre


When Eric Bogosian wrote Talk Radio, thirty years ago, social media wasn't even on the radar, and yet, he managed to give an insight into a reality that, nowadays, we're all very familiar with. 

Hosting a show where random people can call to express their opinions, Barry Champlain (Matthew Jure) is the king of WTLK radio. His Cleveland-based program is about to go national and, because of its popularity, it inevitably attracts all sorts of time-wasters. Countless men and women phone in every night to discuss their views on society, politics, environment and many other issues that they feel strongly about. 

Downing bottles of whisky and snorting cocaine from his desk, Barry handles these conversations with heartless arrogance, often cutting them off after seconds for their supposed narrow-minded or unoriginal views. Hot topics from the 80s, like pollution, animal rights, AIDS, African underdevelopment, antisemitism, abortion, nuclear arming and disability get thrown into this mixed bag and quickly slayed by the high-strung host, who seems more inclined to discuss baseball scores and listen to the sound of his own voice. 
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