This is the Modern World

I didn't hear the first two of Frank Cottrell Boyce's five Friday Plays having to do with punk and an audience reunion of, like, 27 people from a punk show in 1977.

But I did hear three and four.
Part 3: Damned, Damned, Damned is a prison drama with some interesting characters and plot turns. Here we have an audience member, or rather sort of bouncer, who is now in prison and in spite of his on-going anger problem, or because of it, has given his life to Christ in his very own muddled fashion. He has been invited to the audience reunion and wants to go except that he happens to be in prison. There is some interaction with the younger set in the can when our old punk guy talks about the bands of the past and tells them about the option of glue sniffing which I thought it rather odd. I would imagine all people in prison would know exactly what kind of stuff, that might be around the prison, one can get high from. Then he undergoes a change of approach to the younger set in the can, but it is an uneasy transition with some fits and starts.
Anyway, it was a pretty good play as far as I can remember from a week or so ago when I listened (Ah yes! the subjective nature of listening. Where was my mind that day?).

I have come here today to write about the most recent One Chord Wonders play,
This is the Modern World.
This must be the one that Frank Cottrell Boyce describes as: ". . . a road comedy that lurches into something surprisingly sad for the last ten minutes." It is a rather wild ride, or rather, walk. It's also a father/daughter buddy story and a fish out of water story.
The result is quite delightful with several surprises and some wonderful dialog and one liners along the way. On returning to civilization Muttley states that it was boring before, now it's boring and corporate. I could say that about my home town..

The play has this rather loopy looking-back from the future aspect. I'm not exactly sure why Cottrell Boyce made this choice other than he thought it would be fun to throw in, which I tend to agree. One can hear the joy of the free creative process in this play since it is so much fun and loopy while still dealing with some issues of the day, yesterday and today.
The ending turns into sort of a mother/daughter story. And what is the deal with people who want to benefit the world, and yet treat someone close with torturous rejection?

Frank Cottrell Boyce offers a mission statement that describes his pleasure of working in the freedom of the audio drama form. Well, I would imagine that it doesn't hurt that he had a fellow named Toby Swift in his corner with this project.

Anyway, I'm happy that the Friday Play is back and happy with the One Chord Wonders plays that I've heard and I wouldn't mind hearing the first two if anyone has any suggestions. . .

Do all the plays have a running Police gag? The two I heard both has a point where the protagonist has a little speech about punk music and, if you excuse the expression, Sting. Yes! Yes! Yes!