re:mote voices

Title: Situation 37

Author: Russell Hoban

Publisher: BBC Radio 4

Situation 37 is the first of what I gather are 5 short stories by various authors under the heading of “Mind Games” to be read on BBC Radio 4. Situation 37 is a piece by Russell Hoban, one of my favourite writers, and is about 14 minutes long and was read by Mark Strong. Like much of Hoban’s work Situation 37 manages to fit in a journey on the London underground as well as a visit to one of London’s art galleries – so it has that kind of consistent environmental/textual feel that one expects from his work.

The story starts when a woman sits beside a man on the underground. He tries to start a conversation when he notices that they are both reading the same book – 36 Situations. He jokes that perhaps two people meeting on a train while reading the same book could be considered to be “situation 37”. Despite her initial reticence they get to talking, and before he knows it she is proposing murder!

For me the reading by Mark Strong comes across a little too passive at times, at least for the narrating character, though he manages to get more emotion across when recounting the girl’s parts. Regardless of the voice speaking, the voice writing comes through and Situation 37 is a nice little slice of Hoban.