Charlie Higson became well known in the UK for his comedy acting in series such as The Fast Show yet he is known to a newer audience as the author of the Young Bond novels. He has also written a popular if gruesome series called The Enemy, a series of zombie books for teenagers, effectively (would make a very good replacement to Harry Potter at the cinema) where everyone over 16 becomes undead and the kids are left to fight off the hordes.
It seems he is not quite ready to give up the comedy, however. To begin with I thought that Appearance was simply that – a short created to show him engaging young people about his writing as a British school. However, it is something a little more… when he is accosted by a pair of sullen yet spooky teenagers the truth about his writing career comes out.
Charlie Higson’s fifth installment in The Enemy cycle of novels is due out this year.
You have probably seen TV panel shows where stand up comedians stand up and improvise a song - and it's all completely unrehearsed and the audience clap and cheer and the comedian looks really smug and pleased with himself. You have probably, at this point, raised an eyebrow like a certain Vulcan gentleman of our acquaintance and wondered (non emotionally of course) about the vagaries of human behavior.
Well, sometimes it is unrehearsed - this looks to be very much the real deal. More proof (if we needed it) that quite often the best entertainment is to be found on the streets - whether or not it is always the intention is another issue altogether.
This is a street puppet show where the (brave? foolhardy?) puppeteer invites people to give him a subject and then the puppet will perform a song around that theme. The focus for the song given on this particular street in Ontario, Canada was Star Trek. If you are a fan, you will appreciate this! It may even give you a chuckle if you are not.
The puppeteer, however must be a diehard fan already - mentioning such things as dilithium crystals and the Borg in his ditty. I can only hope that he was given a small fortune for these few minutes of Star Trek muppet madness.
