Cheesy Strings

His Room Next Door videos are getting tens of millions of views online, a mention in the House of Commons and plaudits from highbrow cultural commentators so, by rights, Michael should be drowning in big money offers.

But, in reality, he’s sat at his desk writing copy for a kitchen worktop company worrying about the restructuring consultant they’ve brought in. Getting the axe would be catastrophic for Michael and his family.

This strange position is heightened when A-list British actor Emily Mallaby contacts Michael to invite him to a political dinner party at home. She is starting a new movement to shake up Westminster and wants the famous Room Next Door Man, who lampoons cabinet members so mercilessly, to spearhead the campaign.

At the same time, Michael’s wife Roberta is channelling her energy into hustling for Michael as a distraction from having to make a work friend redundant. She secures him an audition for a potentially lucrative commercial. OK, the role is to play a cheesy string, but a gig’s a gig and shows that Michael should take Roberta’s ambitions to be his manager seriously.

Unfortunately, he fails to acknowledge her skills and they have a massive falling out, just as he needs his wife’s advice on the work situation. Michael tries to enlist his eldest son, Sam’s help to extract that advice, but he’s useless. Perhaps Daddy is expecting too much of a nine-year old?

Both the audition and the political dinner party test Michael’s patience and integrity but fortunately Peter Curran is on hand to reassure and unnerve him in equal measure. Can Michael emerge with his principles intact and what will happen when Roberta’s ex-colleague Alexandra turns up at her doorstep while Michael is gallivanting with the A-Listers?

Written and performed by Michael Spicer.

With:

Ellie Taylor
Joanna Neary
Beattie Edmondson
Kiell Smith-Bynoe
Peter Curran
Kipp Spicer.

Producer: Matt Tiller

A Starstruck and Tillervision production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2021.