Day-long event for release of sixth novel

The original radio cast of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy are to reunite for a live reading of scenes from Douglas Adams’s cult show

Actors including Simon Jones, who played the original Arthur Dent, and Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox) are due to attend a day-long celebration of the sci-fi comedy to mark the release of a new book in the increasingly inappropriately-named trilogy.

Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer has written a sixth book in the saga, entitled And Another Thing..., which is due out on October 12 – 30 years after the first novel.

The writer will be one of the guests at the Hitchcon 09 event at London’s Southbank Centre the day before the launch, where he will be reading extracts from the book.

Other stars of the original Radio 4 show including Stephen Moore – who voiced Marvin The Paranoid Android – and Susan Sheridan, who played Trillian, are also set to revive their roles ‘Improbability Drive permitting’.

The day’s events also include a panel of Hitchhiker’s experts and friends ofrnDouglas Adams discussing the show, as well as a photocall of the largest number ofrnHitchhikers fans ever, all in dressing gowns and carrying a towel.

When commissioned to write the sixth book, with the blessing of Adams’s widow Jane Belsow, Colfer said: ‘My first reaction was semi-outrage that anyone should be allowed to tamper with this incredible series. But on reflection I realised that this is a wonderful opportunity to work with characters I have loved since childhood and give them something of my own voice while holding on to the spirit of Douglas Adams.’

Here he is talking about the book:

Click here to pre-order the book.

Published: 16 Sep 2009