This was one of those freak purchases. I was actually buying something else at Amazon when this came up in a suggestion of what to buy with it. I was immediately intrigued by the description and purchased it.

This is an audio production by a group known as Alien Voices. Some people might have heard of them as they are frequently on the Sci-Fi Channel. In this case, Leonard Nimoy as Spock and John deLancie as Q recorded this CD in front of a live audience.

The two actors fully immerse themselves in their characters. Nimoy is the serious Vulcan, sent back to Earth on this particular evening to warn of an imminent disaster. deLancie is the irreverent Q , an omnipotent being, who shows up at just the right moment, ostensibly to ask Spock for an autograph. The two trade barbs and insults in what becomes a battle of the wits.

Spock argues for Q to save humanity, while Q resists. Despite his seemingly endless powers, he sees no reason to save humanity, since he didn’t prevent the dinosaurs or any other now-extinct species from their fate (he has nothing but praise for the Do-Do).

The script was written by Cecelia Fannon. She has done an excellent job capturing the essence of these two characters. She’s written Spock with quite a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, much the same way he has always been portrayed on the series. The conversation with Q is very reminiscent of the barbs he’s traded with Dr. McCoy in the past. These two men have great timing, making the CD a terrific bit of comedy as Spock is the straight man to Q’s over-the-top and very emotional super-being. Although these two characters never appeared together on any series, I could picture the two men on stage during this “performance” as well as their facial expressions.

That is the one flaw – if there is one. I wish there was a video recording of this so I could see what was happening as well as hear it. Though I can picture deLancie’s gestures in my head, seeing them and his wonderful expressions would be so much better. As I could picture Spock’s facial expression after certain pronouncements by Q, such as when he poses the question “What do you know about whales anyway?”

Many of the jokes are like this – something that only Star Trek fans would be privy to. There are statements made about the “Guardian of Forever” and a few other moments when the jokes will generally go over the listener’s head unless they are truly fans of the series. There are some references to our current pop culture (Yadda, Yadda, Yadda; Homer Simpson, and Seinfeld), but most of this humor and story is truly only something fans of the series will appreciate. There’s also a take-off on the “Who’s on first?” routine that doesn’t quite hit the same mark as it did for Abbott & Costello, but it’s a good try.

This must have been recorded at a casino, although the information on the CD does no give the location. At one point, Spock suggests they play blackjack, to which Q responds, “I’m shocked! Shocked that there’s gambling going on in this establishment!” The audience response is good, and they seem to have enjoyed the performance quite a lot. I wish I had been able to see it.

I’ve listened to this recording a few times, and I enjoy it even on repeat listens. There’s also a sequel to this one that I want to purchase when I get the chance. For Star Trek fans, I highly recommend it!