Slartibartfast takes Arthur into the hyperspatial construction grounds of Magrathea, where the planet-building engineers are hard at work on a special commission – the new Earth, a replacement for the old one which, as it turns out, was demolished five minutes too soon. The Earth was actually bankrolled by the beings humans know as mice, which are actually incredibly advanced pan-dimensional beings who built the Earth as an organic computer. The Earth’s program was to calculate the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. (The answer, already known, is simply 42.) But with the Vogons having destroyed millions of years’ work, the mice now hope to extract the question directly from Arthur’s brain. Meanwhile, intergalactic police arrive, hoping to extract Zaphod and the Heart of Gold from Magrathea. And now all the travelers want is to extract themselves in one piece.
written by Douglas Adams
directed by Alick Hale-Munro
music by Paddy KingslandCast: Peter Jones (The Voice of the Book), Richard Vernon (Slartibartfast), Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), Geoffrey McGivern (Ford Prefect / Deep Thought), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox), Susan Sheridan (Trillian), Jonathan Adams (Majikthise / Cheerleader), Ray Hassett (First computer programmer / Bang Bang / PA voice), Jeremy Browne (Second computer programmer), James Broadbent (Vroomfondel / Shooty), Peter Hawkins (Frankie mouse), David Tate (Benjy mouse)