Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

A British comedy set in Norwich. Alan presents a radio show. Not the breakfast slot, the afternoon one, and he is proud of it. The station is being sold. The new owners are a corporation and they will refresh the schedule. One presenter will be let go. It will be decided in a meeting. Alan goes in and gets his own name off the list. He has Pat's name put on instead. Pat is sacked. There is a relaunch party that night. Pat arrives with a shotgun and takes the building. He takes hostages. The police are outside. A negotiator is needed and Pat says he will speak to one person: Alan. From there the film takes place inside the building. The studio, the corridors, the on-air room and a live microphone. Alan uses the situation. He sees a way to enlarge his own fame and looks for a camera at every opportunity. What the narrative is interested in is not a hostage crisis but narcissism: all its tension comes from the fact that the reason behind Alan's choices, which keep everyone in danger, is always himself. Pat is not written as a joke. He has lost his job, his wife is dead, and the narrative keeps him genuinely pitiable. The broadcast is a device. The crisis continues live on air and the listeners hear everything. His sidekick Simon is with him again and their relationship has not changed at all. The screenplay is by Steve Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Peter Baynham and Neil and Rob Gibbons. Filming began on 7 January 2013 in Norwich and Mitcham. Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Felicity Montagu and Tim Key are in the cast. Declan Lowney directed. Who it is for: anyone who knows the character from television and likes comedy of embarrassment. Who it is not for: anyone who does not know him; the narrative is built on twenty years of accumulation and makes no introductions.