================================== B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T ================================== VOL. II IN BED WITH CHRIS BARRIE JAN 1996 No. 7 PAUL MERTON'S "TWELVE ANGRY MEN" A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies. What's Inside ============= * Editorial: Bottom -- Enough Is Enough! * In Bed with Chris Barrie * 50 Years of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival * "Men Behaving Badly" * The Travels of Hattie Hayridge * Mini-Bio: David Jason Regular Departments: =================== * Mailbox * Britcomedy News * BD Recommends * Quote-o'-the-Month * etc. * Circulation/Back Issues Staff ===== Managing Editor..................Melinda Casino Co-Editor........................Michelle Street Copy Editor......................Cynthia Edwards Webmaster........................James Kew Contributing writers: Madelaine Burgess, Melinda Casino, James Kew, Chris Lark, Earl Okin, Michelle Street. HTML logo by Nathan Gasser. Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) Copyright (c) 1995, 96 by Melinda Casino. Reproduction for personal and non-profit use is permitted only if this copyright notice is retained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission. NOTICE: In order to preserve the integrity of Britcomedy Digest, use of the "BRITCOMEDY DIGEST" name to gain interviews, etc., is forbidden without the express permission of the Managing Editor. EDITOR'S PAGE ============= This issue is a bit of a Merton-fest: we've got a review of his book, "My Struggle," and his latest series, "Paul Merton In..." And for fans of his wife, there's an article on Caroline Quentin and her fellow "Men Behaving Badly" stars. I took a break from writing "BD Recommends" this month; I'm far too caught up in the _joy_ of driving lessons, hoping to pass before the dreaded written exam requirement comes into effect this summer (residents of the UK will know what I'm talking about here). I'm proud to say that the guest reviewers have done an excellent job, with reviews on Paul Merton's new series and book, Simon Gray's book on the "Cell Mates" fiasco, and "The Best of The Bonzo Dog Band" CD. On an administrative note, I'd like to warn readers that the web version of BD will soon be moving from the cathouse.org site. But don't worry, I'll post a pointer on alt.comedy.british and rec.arts.tv.uk.comedy when that happens, as well as make an announcement on the mailing list. So get ready to update those bookmark files... Speaking of the web version, this issue inaugurates a new look for BD. Do visit the cathouse.org site and let me know what you think -- what you like, dislike (if anything! :), and why. All comments are greatly appreciated. The url is: http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/BD/. Well, I've got to go -- I've an appointment with my Highway Code book, which, unfortunately, reads as if it were written by Gordon Brittas! Enjoy this issue. -- Melinda Casino, Managing Editor MAILBOX ======= I was completely thrilled to see the tribute to Women in British Comedy (and equally thrilled to see that you included Emma Thompson), but how could you forget Connie Booth? The co-creator of "Fawlty Towers" and Monty Python's "Fairy Tale" sketch deserves some mention. Even though she's American, she is still Brit-by-association in more ways than one. Still, though; everything else I have ever read in the magazine I have loved. Keep up the good work! David Emprimo Jacksonville Public Library, Texas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The "Women in Comedy" issue was fabulous! Loved the "French & Saunders FAQ." But don't agree with Sideways Thumb for "Chef" because I think Lenny Henry is brilliant in it (haven't seen him in anything but "Bernard & The Genie"). Don't forget those "Brittas" women Harriet Thorpe, Pippa Haywood and Julia St. John. I don't know if they're that well known in England but I enjoy 'em. Karen Blicker, jdpc71b@prodigy.com Hicksville, New York - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hi Melinda, Being a silly bugger I accidentally deleted my copy of the November/December issue of Britcomedy Digest. Is there an ftp site for it? If so, has it got back issues too, because I'd like to read more. It's not often you find something this interesting and useful on Usenet! Mark Murray, minty@cowcud.demon.co.uk Wiltshire, England EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Thanks; I'm glad you enjoy BD so much. Issues, starting from the very first, have been preserved for your children, and your children's children... and so on. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it? You can download them from the following anonymous FTP sites: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/BritComedy ftp://ftp.cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/british.humour/britcomedy.digest - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tony Slattery is one of the funniest men in Britain, yet I can never seem to find out much about him. Certainly he is popular enough to warrant people's attention. Can anybody out there help me out? I know I'm not his only fan... Christine Smith, aka "Clever Trousers" lekk44b@prodigy.com EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Slattery is currently in the stage production of "A Private Function." If you live in the UK and are interested in writing a review, please email the editor at . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I had a look at your newsletter on Usenet and it's pretty cool. It may open up some new venues to me. I have been a long-time fan of Monty Python (any thing having to do with), "Are You Being Served?" and just recently began to check out "Ab Fab." I can see from your newsletter my taste could be expanded quite a bit. We here in the US are somewhat limited -- we basically have to count on PBS and some cable companies [for British comedies]. It's pretty filtered... Dave (throatwabblermangrove) Collins ah800@detroit.freenet.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dear Melinda, I have gotten the most recent issue of Britcomedy Digest and have received part 2 *before* part 1. I discover this *after* I have read part 2. This is horrible! It's like I have to go back in time... Then (this is the worst part) *after* part 1, I find part 3! I just got used to part 1. This is just too awful! So here's a suggestion, make issue #2, #1 and make #1, #2 and keep #3 the way it is. Thank You Phil Satterley, atv@mcs.net c/o Dr. Erikson, ward #3 PS. Oh, almost forgot why I'm writing. Any chance of doing an article on early 60s comedy shows "lost" by the BBC and other companies? EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This happened to a lot of people, unfortunately. I did mail in the correct sequence, but depending on which route the email takes, it could get to you out of order. The best remedy seems to be waiting about twenty minutes after mailing the first part. As far as covering early comedy shows, I'm all for it if readers show interest. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Love your Digest! As a Cliff Richard fan from way back, I can confirm that your article was right in saying that Cliff became a Christian in 1965 (see Vol.2, No.1)... I love British telly. Keep up the great work! Jan Eastaugh, eastaugh@cyberplus.ca Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dear Melinda 'Bob', Do you know where we can find any more information about David Jason, the man who played "Pop Larkin" in "The Darling Buds of May"? I know I've seen him before in other productions but can't place him... Michael Murray, michael@mentus.com EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This issue holds a mini-bio on David Jason. Fans of "Buds" will be glad to know that Jason has reunited with co-stars Pam Ferris and Kika Mirylees for the last of the Larkin family stories. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MAILBOX: Send letters to with the subject heading "Letter to the Editor." Include your full name and location. All letters submitted are assumed to be for publication unless marked otherwise. BD reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space or clarity. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BRITCOMEDY NEWS --------------- 12 MONKEYS RELEASED IN AMERICA Terry Gilliam's new movie, "12 Monkeys," has opened in the States to good reviews and tremendous box office earnings. This time travel sci-fi adventure, starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeline Stowe, has earned close to $40,000,000 since its release and spent several weeks in the number one box office position before being replaced by the new Quentin Tarrantino/George Clooney vampire flick "From Dusk To Dawn." Audiences have apparently been drawn in by the film's complex plot and strong performances by Willis and Pitt. Pitt was given the Golden Globe Award for his performance as a mental patient. EMMA THOMPSON COMES AWAY A WINNER At the Golden Globes, held on January 21 in Los Angeles, Emma Thompson came away with two big awards for her film version of "Sense and Sensibility." Thompson herself received "Best Screen Play" for her adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, while the film was named "Best Movie" in the drama category. The triumph is an end product of at least five years of work which Thompson put into the project, which also stars Hugh Grant and Kate Winslett. When the Academy Award nominations are announced on February 13, there is little doubt that Thompson's name and movie will once again will be on the list. MR. FLIBBLE, LEMMY, AND MORE! If you find yourself looking into your fridge and telling your mate that lunch "looks something like... a roast chicken" then the AOL Red Dwarf mailing list is for you. The group has been going since last summer and boasts over 100 members. But there's more than just random quoting going on with this group... Join the list and you can become an adoptive parent to the list's mascot, "Lemmy" -- Rimmer's pet lemming. Not only that, but you get a penguin eraser which bears a resemblance to a certain "Mr. Flibble." You will then enter the respected league of penguin-carrying members of the AOL RD mailing list. For more information on the list, which includes online chats and episode discussions, send email to . TRACEY ULLMAN BACK ON HBO For those of you who wonder what Tracey Ullman has been up to, check out her new *skitcom* (don't you just love that word?) "Tracey Takes On..." In this new series Tracey will do her usual "disappearing" act by creating more than 20 characters over the course of the series. Tracey fans can also check out reruns of her previous show "The Tracey Ullman Show" on Comedy Central, the show that also launched "The Simpsons." "Tracey Takes On..." airs on HBO in late January. HYACINTH KICKS THE BUCKET... er, "BOUQUET" Patricia Routledge, star of "Keeping Up Appearances," has announced that the character of Hyacinth Bucket is to be killed off so she can concentrate on the role of Hettie Winthrop in the television murder mystery "Hettie Winthrop Investigates." Routledge said in a recent interview that she was receiving death threats if the character was not killed off, and had to have one of her two phone lines (would that be a slim-line?) disconnected as a result. FRY SETTLES OUT OF COURT Stephen Fry's walk out of the play "Cell Mates" last June inevitably provoked a legal wrangle between the show's producers and himself. The producer had sued for half a million pounds, but has settled for #250,000 out of court. Both sides described the settlement as an amicable one. EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN -- MERTON DOES HANCOCK (oo-er!) After his foray into the literary world with "My Struggle," Paul Merton is now starring in a new series based on an old series. "Paul Merton In..." finds Merton taking on the challenge of breathing new life into classic scripts originally performed by Tony Hancock and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. In the first, called "Twelve Angry Men," he appears as a jury foreman. Merton has professed his love for this writing team over and over again during interviews, and calls Hancock one of his comedy heroes. Now Merton fans will get a chance to see a different side to the 'alien from the planet Stroppy' from "Have I Got News For You" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" "Paul Merton In..." can be seen on Friday nights at 8:30 on ITV. Look for an appearance by Caroline Quentin in a role originally created by Sid James. THE NAME IS CLEESE... JOHN CLEESE If John Cleese's agent or someone from United Artists pictures happens to be out there, you'd better listen. A number of posters to the Usenet group alt.fan.james-bond have decided that once Desmond Llewelyn retires as "Q" in the Bond movies, Cleese is the perfect person to take over the role. With "Goldeneye" and Pierce Brosnan seeming to have revived the Bond series and mystique, Cleese as "Q" would have the enviable task of explaining all his cool new spy gadgetry to Bond. Posters claim that Cleese could bring the necessary wry humour to the role. May we also suggest Dawn French as Miss Moneypenny? ---> Send news items to Michelle Street . Special thanks to Michael Clarkson. __________________________________________________________________________ E D I T O R I A L / O P I N I O N P A G E =========================================== BOTTOM: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! by James Kew, james@badger.idiscover.co.uk Well, I finally got to see the second "Bottom Live" tour earlier this month. The verdict? Deeply disappointing. The first live show was an exciting extension of the two previous TV series, a chance to develop and extend the characters beyond the restrictions of 30 minutes of prime-time television. However, it also stood up well as a show in itself. Sure, there were sly references to the preceding series and to Rik Mayall and Ade Edmonson's earlier work (did The Young Ones invent the rubber cricket-bat?), but it didn't depend upon familiarity with the characters for its laughs. There was also a feeling that the stars were having *fun*, that they were playing with the audience and not to them. In contrast, the second show, "The Big Number Two Tour," felt limp, lifeless and exploitative. Rik and Ade seemed complacent, willing to trot out an uninspired stream of knob gags and swear-words that went down well with much of the audience, mostly young and male, but left me feeling somewhat empty. The good humour and originality had gone, replaced by set-pieces that played on the audience's recognition of the characters and of scenes from the earlier series and tour. Many of the gags seemed unnecessary and self-indulgent, as if the assumption were that anything penned and delivered by the stars is automatically funny. So what went wrong? I think that Bottom has been drawn out too long. That's a feeling that's strengthened by watching the TV series -- the third series just doesn't live up to the previous two. Series 1 and 2 barely set a foot wrong, even tackling a couple of demanding two-handers. Series 3, however, seems increasingly desperate: how many new situations can there be for the "two no-hopers in a scummy flat" format? Instead of concentrating on character and plot we got even more surreal violence and toilet humour. The trouble is that Bottom is a cult show and has a large captive audience of followers that will tune in or turn out to support it, regardless of how satisfying the experience is. Faced with such unconditional support, it's easy for writers and players to become lazy, to retread the same tired old jokes. Bottom isn't alone here: think back to the final series of The New Statesman, an unsuccessful attempt to recreate the satire and venom of the earlier series in a new European setting. Think of Red Dwarf: does anyone rate the last series, with it's repetitive reuse of the same jokes (Kryten's Space Corps Directives; Cat's nasal acuity) as highly as the earlier shows? Maybe it's time to re-examine the shows that live on in the memory as classics. There's one thing that many of them have in common: they ended on a high note at the peak of their popularity and creativity. John Cleese and Connie Booth decided not to continue Fawlty Towers after penning 12 near-perfect episodes. The Young Ones ran for only two series. Black Adder's format would easily have lent itself to further series beyond the four that were made but was brought to a close by writers Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, who felt that their creativity would be better employed on new projects. I was, and am, a big Bottom fan. But I'd prefer to remember how dazzlingly fresh and different the first series and tour was, rather than watch Richie and Eddie trudge wearily through further uninspired shows. I think it's time for Rik and Ade to move on. As the old showbiz adage goes: "Always leave them wanting more." ### Britcomedy Digest welcomes contrasting views. Mail editorial pieces and rebuttals to with the subject "EDITORIAL." __________________________________________________________________________ In Bed with Chris Barrie ======================== by Hayley Phillips, h.phillips@cant.ac.uk OK, so I exaggerate, I was only actually in the same rehearsal room with him, but hey, that's closer than him merely being on my TV set, and that's a hell of a lot better than him not being on TV at all! Just to make everyone *really* jealous, I was with "The Brittas Empire" team for two whole weeks and I'm here to tell you all the juicy cast gossip and, for all you "intellectuals" out there, to say a few words about the show itself (with as little bias as a fan can manage -- yes, after months of counseling I can finally admit it). First, a brief explanation about how I came to be allowed to stand around doing nothing but watching my favourite cast rehearse and record the new series of "The Brittas Empire." As part of my degree course I'm given 3 weeks off for work experience, anywhere I choose. Correctly guessing that college would be completely useless in getting me a placement at the BBC, I decided to set it up myself. Having set my heart on eventually working in television as a Floor/Production Manager nearly 5 years ago, I have become fairly accomplished in writing creepy letters in order to get similar placements in TV. So back in March '95, I wrote an exceptionally creepy and light-hearted letter to "Brittas" Producer/Director, Mr. Mike Stephens. It was easy when you are genuinely an enormous fan of the show and have all five series on video! To my amazement, he replied in the positive, and after a few administrative cock-ups, it was all set to go: I was to spend two weeks with the cast and crew of "The Brittas Empire" in October as they rehearsed and recorded series six. Well, I can safely say that it was the most fun I have ever had, and they are the nicest cast I have ever worked with and, believe me, there have been a few! The regular writers of the series left after series five, so they started this year with a whole new team, which not only manage to maintain the character developments, but also breathe new life into the series. If you were even faintly amused by previous episodes, then you're going to love the new one, which is due for transmission in March 1996. (The BBC have just transmitted series four but have no plans to run five between now and March.) Tim Marriott (who plays "Gavin") and I had a natter about this, and we both think the Beeb are mad -- it makes sense to run series 5 immediately before running the new series. Perhaps it wouldn't matter so much but for the fact that the first episode of the new series (which I saw in the final edit) is based *very* heavily on references to the last episode of five -- it's a little difficult to ignore the fact that Mr. Brittas most definitely died at the end! Whether the Beeb will listen to me and an actor is somewhat doubtful. Still, we can only hope! Back to the matter in hand - yes, all that gossip I promised! Well, before you ask, yes, it's boring, but Chris Barrie is a really nice bloke, and very down-to-earth. There I've said it, I'm sorry but it's true. Chris doesn't reveal very much about himself, and I left knowing the same as when I arrived. That's probably because he's one of those guys who can't "chat" to women; get him on the subject of work, i.e., "Red Dwarf," and he's fine; start up the subject of classic cars and you can't stop him, but anything else and he's really not interested, or maybe it was just me! The rest of the cast, well, where to begin! During my two weeks with them there were a few tears and tantrums, but no more than is usual with actors it would seem! Everyone, without exception, was friendly and fun, really making me feel part of the team almost immediately. Out of them all, I think Russell ("Tim"), Pippa ("Helen"), Tim ("Gavin") and Judy ("Julie") were the easiest to get on with. But of course it's all a matter of personalities, and those just happened to be the people whose interests, outlooks and temperaments matched mine. Without doubt, the most enjoyable aspect of my time there was watching them all rehearse and develop the script. Each actor works very differently, but all make an amusing line in the script into an often hilarious moment on TV, helped of course by the direction of Mike Stephens. Chris, this year at least, was doing his homework and arrived each morning with the script further learnt and ideas thought out for minor script changes to enhance the joke being made. Whether he actually thought about his performance at home, or was simply very spontaneous, I'm not sure. But I do know that by the very first rehearsal for each episode his performance was already close to perfection in terms of the mannerisms, the gestures, the voice inflections and the timing for a scene. Pippa Haywood ("Mrs. Helen Brittas"), by way of contrast, seemed to develop her performance as the rehearsals progressed. She discovered where the comedy and the opportunities for further comedy lay in the script as she practised it. An example, for those of you familiar at all with the characters, is her changing of a single word. It won't sound much now but when it is seen you will realise that it does actually help to maintain the flow in a very funny piece of dialogue between "Helen" and "Carole" (played by Harriet Thorpe). The script read "They were my cousins from Iowa," but the name sounds awkward for Helen, who does not use many "o" or "u" sounds and whose mannerisms rely on the "e" sounds in words. So she changed it to Tennessee -- simple but very effective, allowing Pippa to add Helen's characteristic facial expression with the nod of the head on "see." I'm afraid you'll have to wait until March to see that in action, but trust me, it works! The whole team were a real joy to work with and genuinely get on well together, and I would love to work on the next series. The scripts have already been commissioned for series seven and they will probably be recorded in September of this year. Since I'm now firm friends with Tim Marriott I shall let you all know as soon as he hears from the BBC -- oh yes, my finger is firmly on the Brittas pulse... ### Hayley Phillips is studying sitcoms as part of her degree course and would love to hear from anyone with strong opinions on British sitcoms, especially "The Brittas Empire" and Red Dwarf." __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------- Comedy and The 50th Edinburgh Festival Fringe by Earl Okin, spats@spats.demon.co.uk --------------------------------------------- Over the last few years, the media may have given the impression that The Edinburgh Fringe is a comedy festival. This is certainly not the case. The official Edinburgh Festival itself started in 1947. It was a fair, with lots of money being paid to overseas and other culturally elitist companies, including opera, symphony concerts and drama. Immediately, a small theatre company hired its own theatre space as a comment that there was a lot more to British culture than the big fat-cat subsidized companies and that the most creative work was often to be found in the ill-funded, small, independent side of the profession. This was the very first "Fringe" show. These days, The Fringe totally swamps the official Festival. Last year, for instance, I believe there were more than 1,800 shows, giving anywhere up to 20 or so performances over the 3 week run of The Festival. This means that all sorts of venues are created from what are not theatres the rest of the year. Indeed, if you are in a hotel room with a large wardrobe, be careful when you open it... there may be a performance going on inside. Even now, the single most common sort of show is drama. However, you'll find everything from circus, dance, musical comedy, opera, children's shows and goodness knows what else. One year a naked man of 60 or so stood on his head to give an hour's show talking about Buddhism. Yes, *anything* can happen at Edinburgh! The normally conservative capital of Scotland, built of granite and a definite candidate for the most beautiful city in the world, is every year invaded by several thousand lunatics. The population doubles with visitors from home and abroad -- mostly the hated Sassenachs, the English! These visitors may well be mugged at 3AM by a horde of African tribesmen, international terrorists, or a cricket team who will leap out of shadows and thrust a leaflet about their show at you and disappear again. I once advised someone that if they stood still when it was raining (and it usually is) so many leaflets would be thrust upon them that they could turn into a papier mache model of themselves in no time at all. The basic message at Edinburgh, however, is, forget sleep! There are shows to go and see from any time, starting at breakfast and going on until the early hours of the morning. In addition to the Official and Fringe Festivals, there's a Jazz Festival a week earlier and a Film Festival, Book Festival, and a TV Festival all held during the same manic three weeks... and all of this while the solid citizens of Edinburgh *try* to carry on with their normal life and ignore these noisy invaders. It seems that I have given more performances at The Edinburgh Festival than any other performer in its 50 year history. I first went there in 1983 and made *all* the mistakes of a newcomer. But by doing a couple of freebie late night cabarets, I managed to draw enough audience to get my money back. Luckily, since then, I've always made money where it's so easy to lose literally hundreds of pounds. Since the Festival's beginning, performers have never been invited but have always promoted themselves. They hire their own venues, find their own accommodation, and *hope* to sell enough tickets to get their money back or at least get noticed enough to kick-start their career. There are lots of amateur companies still coming up simply for the experience of _doing_ Edinburgh. Over the last 14 years, there has been a cynical invasion of the big comedy-agencies into the world of Edinburgh. They've injected large amounts of money into poster campaigns, the hiring of certain key venues, and have hijacked press and TV coverage. As a result, in certain comedy venues comedians meet to discuss other shows, ticket sales, and where comedy is going while looking over the shoulder of the people they're talking to just in case a TV producer might be passing by. These TV producers themselves have tended to want to straight-jacket comedy styles. All they seek seems to be the latest stand-up act to feature, package, and give a series to; they then gradually push them toward the same old boring TV formats of the game-show and/or sitcom. It's a pity. I may sound bitter about this, because my comedy also features music. I still attract lots of enthusiastic audiences, but the media are not interested in acts that mix comedy with music, or magic, ventriloquism or any other skill. This, to me, is against the spirit of originality which is the heart and soul of Edinburgh. It's a place where you can set your own agenda, design your own show and see if the public like it. The media, as usual, are trying to pigeonhole everyone. Likewise, The Perrier Award, the prize for the best comedy/cabaret show, which, in the past was awarded to all sorts of comedy shows, is now assumed by performers to be only awarded to stand-ups. Last year there was a performer from Holland named Hans Liberg. He's a little like a young Victor Borge, mixing classical piano, rock guitar and comedy. He was by far the most talented performer I've seen on The Fringe for some time, but he wasn't even short-listed for The Perrier. Another great pity. Despite the commercialization of comedy on The Fringe, there is still fun to be had, if you don't mind three weeks of sleep deprivation and working your legs, arms and other appendages off! Acts come from everywhere in the world. Finally, let me tell you a true story which, for me anyhow, tells you what the true spirit of The Edinburgh Festival *should* be about. A few years ago, an amateur company trying to cut down costs wanted to use their venue as a place to sleep but were told by the local council that they were only licensed as a theatre, not as an hotel. When that year's programme appeared, it contained a very unusual show. Entitled "Seven Hours of Restful Sleep," it ran from midnight to 7 AM, cost just one pound to enter and seemed to comprise nothing more than a lot of horizontal bodies all over the venue floor... snoring. Now *that's* The Edinburgh Fringe! ### The Edinburgh Fringe home page can be accessed at http://www.presence.co.uk/fringe/. ================================================================ THE TRAVELS OF HATTIE HAYRIDGE (BY AMTRAK INSTEAD OF RED DWARF!) by Madelaine Burgess, adsmlb@ncal.kaiperm.org ================================================================ December was definitely the month for women in British comedy. I enjoyed reading the special issue of "Britcomedy Digest" on the subject and I even had an opportunity to meet one of the funny ladies herself -- Hattie Hayridge! Hattie plays the computer "Holly" in the latter seasons of the British science-fiction comedy series, "Red Dwarf." On December 10, Hattie made a visit to the San Francisco Bay Area to guest-host a broadcast of season six of "Red Dwarf" at KTEH Channel 54, the public television station located in San Jose, California. "I was in Chicago for the Visions Convention," she said, "which is a British TV and science fiction convention. I was over at Thanksgiving weekend, and then I bought an Amtrak (train) ticket and I've been traveling around. Yeah, with a bag slung over my shoulder and... that's why my hair is such a mess!... and because I've been to Alcatraz. The barber shop was shut at Alcatraz so I couldn't get it cut properly. But um, I've just been truckin' around on the trains and it's brilliant." (It's probably just as well Hattie didn't receive hair-styling services at the island famed for its former prison facilities... she probably would have gotten a buzz cut!) One of the many places the wayfaring actress visited was New Orleans. Trying to make the most of her time in that city she related how she was constantly "coming and going from the hotel in different modes of transportation. The porter said he was going to miss me, seeing what I was going to depart or arrive in next!" Hattie also told of spending three days traveling through Texas by rail: "I ate, I slept, I saw Texas. I ate, I slept, I saw Texas. I ate, I slept, I saw Texas..." In the glittery casino town of Las Vegas, she was amused at having to "walk past a volcano, a waterfall, and a cage of (live) tigers to get to my hotel room!" The San Francisco Bay Area was Hattie's last stop in the U.S. before heading home to London. As for her impressions of this area, Hattie admitted, "I've only seen it in rain... and wind... and at night! I can't really say very much! I thought it was Silicon Heaven, but it's Silicon Valley isn't it? I got it muddled..." Indeed, Hattie arrived just as our first big winter storm arrived in Northern California. In fact, some of the "Red Dwarf" fans had gathered for dinner at a nearby restaurant before the broadcast, and ended up with a genuine candlelight dining experience when the electricity went out. As Hattie guest-hosted the "Red Dwarf" broadcast at KTEH, she talked about the show and the other cast members, and answered phoned-in questions from the viewing audience. The studio volunteers also got to watch the taping of a 30-second promotional spot that Hattie did for KTEH. Hattie brought color photos of herself which she autographed and donated as gifts to those who called in and pledged funds to the TV station. She also cheerfully signed autographs and posed for photos with the volunteers. KTEH did quite well in their fund-raising effort as I overheard one of the directors say that they exceeded their goal for the evening. It was thanks in great part to the talents of a wonderful guest host, I'm sure! We all had fun that Sunday night, and were honored to have one of the lovely ladies of British comedy visit us here in the San Francisco Bay Area. __________________________________________________________________________ ============= BD RECOMMENDS ============= THUMB UP Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... "Twelve Angry Men" Paul Merton stars in eight remakes of classic comedies by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, five of which originally starred the late Tony Hancock. Of all the new season's series, this is surely the one that has most to prove in its first show. Could Merton pull off the unthinkable: step into Hancock's shoes? It seemed as unlikely as 'Kind Hearts And Coronets' without Alec Guinness or 'Some Like It Hot' without Marilyn Monroe. What soon becomes clear, however, is that Merton is a talented and original performer and that Galton and Simpson's scripts are as sharp and fresh today as they were 30 years ago. Watching Merton perform brings out the similarities between his style and Hancock's; both rely on an innocent, sideways view of the world, picking out absurdities in everyday situations. However, Merton avoids falling into the trap of aping Hancock's mannerisms and delivery, replacing world-weariness with light-heartedness. Sam Kelly is a little less satisfying in Sid James' role as the self-interested foil to Hancock's naivete; it will be interesting to see how Merton's wife Caroline Quentin interprets the part in some of the later shows. What stands out more than anything is the quality of the writing. Apart from minimal touches to bring the setting forward to the 1990s -- new money, public figures, and technology -- the scripts are unchanged from the originals. It's a joy to see the characters of the jurors painted with just a few deft flicks of the pen, the tone of the show established by Merton's first impish rejoinders to the judge. Forget any deep-seated skepticism about "re-doing Hancock"; this show is much more about a talented performer and a cracking script. What better recipe for a great half-hour's entertainment? (JK) THUMB DOWN "Fat Chance" by Simon Gray (Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-17792-1) OK, who's the bigger whiner baby? In this corner we have Stephen Fry, who dropped out of the West End play "Cell Mates" with very little warning allegedly due to a bad review in The Financial Times. He then disappeared for several days before finally returning to England and checking himself into a private hospital for a brief stay. In the meantime, the ensuing publicity and plummeting ticket sales caused the show to close despite the continued presence of Fry's co-star Rik Mayall. In the other corner we have "Cell Mates" author and director Simon Gray, who has now written this slim volume to tell all about how he was mistreated by Fry, the press, the play's producers and everyone else, apparently. Except Rik Mayall, that is. In fact, the portrait of Mayall in this book reads like a letter to the Pope recommending him for sainthood. If Stephen Fry betrayed Gray by dropping out of the play and ruining its chance for success, then Gray has returned the favour by writing this book and painting an unflattering portrait of Fry. What was Gray's point in writing this? Clearly, the answer is revenge. Yet for someone of Gray's stature and reputation as a "serious" artist, it seems strange that he would do so by indulging in little more than petty tabloid journalism. Granted I followed the whole story pretty closely, but this book is just a simple rehashing of the events. Despite the fact that it was written by one of the principals involved, it sheds no new light on the strange saga of "Cell Mates." If you read the newspaper reports, you've basically read Simon Gray's book. Save your money. I really wish I could have more sympathy for Mr. Gray, but perhaps he tried to write this too soon. The pain is still too fresh. With a bit of time and objectivity he might have written an intriguing volume about the artistic temperament, about how devastating it must have been to sweat blood over something for five years and then have it turn out to be a nightmare. But all we get here is petulance. Throughout the ordeal Rik Mayall stayed silent in the press. After reading this book I wish he would have gotten into Simon Gray's face and said his classic line from "The Young Ones." You remember the one. "Whine, whine, whine, moan, moan, moan... BOOORRRING!" (MS) THUMB SIDEWAYS "My Struggle" by Paul Merton (Boxtree Books, ISBN 0-7522-0775 X) Following his wonderful look at world history in "A Secret History of the 20th Century," the affable Paul Merton has decided to take a look at his own personal history in "My Struggle." Like the earlier book, don't expect this "autobiography" to be true. Not that I'm complaining. "My Struggle" is instead full of Merton's surreal nonsense, from his supposed early start in Hollywood as cigar-chomping child star "Baby Paul" through enough showbiz declines and comebacks to rival John Travolta. Merton's persona has become so ingrained in my head that I couldn't help but hear his voice as I read, much as I always hear Ben Elton whenever I read one of his novels. Luckily, Merton proves that deadpan isn't exactly dead on the page, but I still wonder how funny this would be to someone who knew nothing about Merton. "My Struggle" is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of fluff. Merton has a truly great comic novel inside him, something with not only wit but substance, on par with "A Confederacy Of Dunces." I'm looking forward to reading it someday. (MS) THUMB UP "The Best of The Bonzo Dog Band" CD Rhino Records I bought this CD because critics had compared The Bonzo Dog Band (however erroneously) to some of my favorite musical artists: They Might Be Giants, Was Not Was, The Art Of Noise and XTC. After hearing this absolutely fabulous CD I can now say that if there is a small list of musical artists who really earn the labels "absurdist humor," "surreal," and most of all "genius," The Bonzo Dog Band should definitely be on there somewhere. The Bonzo Dog (Dada and later Doo-Dah) Band was formed by former British art students and budding saxophonists Roger Ruskin Spear and Rodney Slater and grew to include the comic genius of Neil Innes on piano/guitar and the late Vivian Stanshall on vocals/trumpet. What's most striking about the music is its professionalism. They took the music as seriously as the anarchy. The songs span many musical styles from jazz to 60s psychedelia (sometimes all within the space of one song like "Big Shot" and "Rhinocratic Oaths"). They also make many stops in between with 20s style ragtime jazz ("Hello Mabel") to 50s style rock 'n' roll (there's a wonderful Elvis impersonation on "Canyons of Your Mind"). The humor on this CD not only still sounds fresh today but also provides some insight on other British comic legends. Songs like "Shirt" and "Rhinocratic Oaths" definitely had an influence on the surreal sketches of Monty Python's Flying Circus. As you may know (or like me if you didn't), Neil Innes did some songs for the Monty Python films and played a troubadour in "The Holy Grail." He later collaborated with Eric Idle on a parody of the Beatles called "The Rutles," both writing the brilliant songs and playing Ron Nasty. The liner notes by John Mendelssohn and the vintage photos of the band for me added even more amusement. Any fan of British comedy would be missing out on a great experience if they didn't include this CD in their collection. For the brilliant audio clarity of the disc alone it's worth the price. The only problem is The Best Of The Bonzo Dog Band is only available on CD. Rhino Records didn't put it out in cassette or vinyl form. If you can't find this great disc in stores you may have to order it from them. Write to: Rhino Records Inc., 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 on how you can order it. (CL) * "The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band" home page has a discography, lyrics, a "wanted" section, picture gallery and more. It can be accessed at: http://bridge.anglia.ac.uk/~systimk/music/bonzos/ * "The Bonzos" is a mailing list for discussion of this band; to join, send email to with "subscribe ." Example: subscribe Percy Rawlinson. * Rhino Records is on the web: http://cybertimes.com/Rhino/Welcome.html __________________________________________________________________________ Guest reviews this month by James Kew, Chris Lark, and Michelle Street. __________________________________________________________________________ ===================== MINI-BIO: David Jason ===================== Alias: David White Born: February 2, 1940, in Edmonton, London. Trained: Worked amateur theatre as an electrician; turned to professional acting. Misc.: His brother, Arthur White, is also an actor. Films include: -------------- The Water Babies The Odd Job The B.F.G. (voice) Television work includes: ------------------------- "Crossroads" "Do Not Adjust Your Set" ("Captain Fantastic") "Hark at Barker" "Six Dates with Barker" "Doctor in the House" "Doctor at Large" "Doctor at Sea" "The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs" "Lucky Fella" "A Sharp Intake of Breath" "Porridge" (as "Blanco") "Open All Hours" ("Granville, fetch yer cloth!") "Only Fools and Horses" (as "Del Trotter") "Porterhouse Blues" "A Bit of a Do" "The Darling Buds of May" ("Pop Larkin") "Amongst Barbarians" "A Touch of Frost" ("Detective Inspector Jack Frost") "The Wind in the Willows" (voice of "Mr. Toad") Address: -------- c/o Richard Stone Partnership 25 Whitehall London SW1A 2BS * David Jason can be heard in a radio production of "A Little of What You Fancy" from "The Darling Buds of May" on February 15 (Radio 4); and "A Touch of Frost" is currently running on ITV Sundays at 8 PM. (MC) __________________________________________________________________________ MEN BEHAVING BADLY by Michelle Street, mtstreet@cu.soltec.com ========================================== Someone at ITV must be kicking themselves about now. They couldn't have known when they originally canceled "Men Behaving Badly" that it would be scooped up by the BBC and become one of the most popular sitcoms in Britain today. Depending on how things work out, it might even become one of the most popular sitcoms in America as well. Carsey/Werner (the production company responsible for Bill Cosby's popular sitcom and many others) have bought the rights to produce an American version, making MBB the latest in a long line of shows which have been or are in the process of being transplanted from Britain to America. "Men Behaving Badly" originally premiered on ITV in 1991. Its star then was Harry Enfield, who played the character of Dermont. After the first series, however, Enfield left and Neil Morrissey was brought in to play Tony, best mate to Martin Clunes' character, Gary. After the second series it was canceled by ITV, picked up by the BBC, and has been going strong ever since. The title is a good description of what the show entails, though I take exception to the use of the word "men." "Guys" or "Lads" would probably have been a more apt description. Gary and Tony aren't men, but the kind of males all women know -- those still stuck in a semi-juvenile netherworld, unable to commit and unwilling to grow up. Still, you've gotta love them anyway and the show revolves around these two best mates and their attempts to find well, if not love, at least a really good shag. Gary has a girlfriend named Dorothy while Tony is totally enamoured of Deborah, the bird who lives in the same building. Fortunately for us, Deborah will barely give him the time of day. The show provides a lot of laughs along with some truly bittersweet moments. In one of the more memorable subplots from the last series, Dorothy and Gary discussed having children and then came the heartbreak when Dorothy realized that Gary wasn't quite the man to father her child. After all, someone who still carries a picture of children's TV presenter Michaela Strachan in his briefcase isn't exactly ready for parenthood. "MBB's" ace in the hole are four actors who breath life into the characters originally created by Simon Nye. First let's take a look at those misbehavin' men. Martin Clunes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Martin Clunes is endearing. Tall and somewhat odd-looking, but endearing nonetheless. Even when he's drunk on a sofa singing "Lady In Red" with his best mate. (OK, *especially* when he's drunk on a sofa singing "Lady In Red" with his best mate.) Drinking and sitting on the sofa is a lot of what Martin Clunes does as Gary on "Men Behaving Badly." However, he does this well enough to have earned the award for "Best Television Performer In A Comedy Show" at the recent British Comedy Awards. Beneath the somewhat goofy looking exterior, however, is a very intriguing man with the soul of an artist. Like his cohorts on "Men Behaving Badly," Martin Clunes came to the popular sitcom with varied and extensive experience. He played Prince Long, the mortal enemy of Dr. Who, during the Peter Davison days, and also appeared in a couple of sitcoms ("No Place Like Home" and "To All At Number 20"), before returning to the theatre. In 1990 he and two friends (Ian Michie and Paul Brennen) set up an acting company called "Big Arts" (with a silent t) and that same year Clunes won a London Fringe Award for directing a production of Alan Sillitoe's play "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner." His earlier experience in sitcoms had not been the most positive, so it took Harry Enfield and quite a lot of drink to convince Clunes to take the part of Gary on MBB. Since then there's been no looking back. He's appeared on "Have I Got News For You," done a radio adaptation of "The Importance of Being Earnest," with Judi Dench, and has in 1994 even directed and starred in a low budget film called "Staggered." This is something he will be doing more of in the future. He has two film- directing projects in the works and with MBB having received so many awards, there's no doubt that we'll see him in the future as Gary, sitting on a sofa, drinking, and singing "Lady In Red" with his best mate. Neil Morrissey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first time I saw Neil Morrissey I immediately compared him to Paul McCartney: he's got the same boyish good looks, puppy-dog eyes and undeniable Liverpudlian charm. Also like McCartney, Morrissey's boyish, carefree exterior hides a troubled past. This includes separation from his parents at a very early age. For reasons he won't go into great detail about, except to say that they'd been rather naughty boys, when Neil was ten he and two of his three brothers were taken away from their parents and put in the care of council homes. This experience left an indelible mark on the young Morrissey, who remained in homes until the age of eighteen. The bullying, abuse, and inequity he saw during those years left him angry, but luckily he was able to channel that anger into something productive and got the attention he needed by getting involved in drama. At eighteen he went off to London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama for training and admittedly indulged in a lot of "Men Behaving Badly" behaviour, though with a lot more success than the character of Tony. His first television appearance was as a motorcycle messenger named Rocky in the series "Boon." Then he was chosen to succeed Harry Enfield on "Men Behaving Badly." It is the chemistry between his character, Tony, and Clunes character, Gary, which is to a large extent responsible for the show's success. He is divorced from Amanda Noar, with whom he had a son Sam, and is currently living with actress Liz Carling. And what about the women who have to put up with this misbehaviour? They are: Caroline Quentin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline Quentin is one very busy and very lucky lady. Her talents as a comedienne and actress have landed her roles in television, theatre and on the radio. Her charm, humour, and intelligence landed her a husband in the form of one Mr. Paul Merton, who proposed to her under the statue of Eros in London's Piccadilly Circus. Like Dawn French, Quentin exudes not only wit but an earthiness and wisdom that makes her instantly likable. Good thing she has this quality and is easy to take because for the past few years she's been everywhere. First there's the improvised show on Radio 4 called "The Masterson Inheritance," which also co-stars her husband. On the stage she has appeared as one of the Comedy Store Players, did an Arthur Smith-scripted play with her husband entitled "Live Bed Show," and fantasized about having a affair with one of England's greatest footballers as the star of "An Evening With Gary Lineker." This was probably her breakthrough role and she received rave reviews for her performance as a long-suffering wife named Monica. In fact, "long-suffering" is the key phrase in Quentin's career, since her most prominent roles have revolved around that expression. First in "Gary Lineker," then on television as the girlfriend of Martin Clunes in "Men Behaving Badly." Her portrayal of Dorothy won her the award as "Top Television Comedy Actress" at the recent British Comedy Awards. They work well together. Both Quentin and Clunes have a humanity that strengthens the more bittersweet moments in MBB (as when Gary and Dorothy broke up briefly), but they are also adept at broad comedy and farce. If Neil Morrissey and Leslie Ash are the "faces" of MBB, then Quentin and Clunes are its heart and soul. Quentin's recent omnipresence is the result of years of training and hard work. She hails from Reigate in Surrey. She went to an Arts Education boarding school in Hertfordshire and at 16 began her showbiz career by appearing in a seaside variety show. (Yes, she sings and dances too.) She was one of the original cast members of "Les Miserables" and has worked with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Quentin is an actress who can handle anything from goofy improvisation to serious drama. This is what has caused her to be so in demand and her hectic schedule doesn't seem likely to ease up anytime soon. Leslie Ash ~~~~~~~~~~ Despite everything, it is my considered opinion that Leslie Ash has the hardest job on "Men Behaving Badly." After all, week after week she has to make us believe that the charms of Neil Morrissey can actually be resisted. (OK, Morrissey may not be everybody's cuppa, but there are probably a great number who would love to be in the shoes of Ash's character...). Ash fits the bill well. Before joining the cast of the sitcom her main claim to fame was a role as a mod chick in the film version of The Who's "Quadrophenia." Her movies credit also include "The Curse of the Pink Panther." On television she has appeared with Neil Morrissey and Jill Gascoine in the series "Cats Eyes," "Perfect Scoundrels" with Peter Bowles, with Harry Enfield in "Harry Enfield and Chums" and also presented Channel 4's "The Tube." She is married to footballer Lee Chapman, and they have two young sons. This ensemble works together perhaps better than any on television and are an enormous part of the show's success. Yet as always happens when something becomes popular, marketing execs go into turbodrive figuring out how to make more money from it. MBB is no exception to this rule. Happily, though, the book "The A-Z of Behaving Badly" is a worthy companion to the series and very funny in its own right. Topics covered include everything from the importance of mates to famous babes. The text is a treat as are the goofy photos. There is talk that another series of MBB will air during 1996. Will it be able to keep up the quality and momentum, or will it prove to have outlived it welcome? Only time -- and the assurance of continued bad behaviour -- will tell. ### * Thanks to Deb Rotmil for her help in gathering information and providing feedback. * "The A-Z of Behaving Badly," Pavilion Books, ISBN 1-85793-801-1. __________________________________________________________________________ QUOTE-O'-THE-MONTH: =================== "You are to be congratulated, my friend. We live in an age where illness and deformity are commonplace, and yet Ploppy, you are without a doubt the most... repulsive individual I've ever met. I would shake your hand, but I fear it would come off." CHARACTER: Edmund Black Adder, to Mr. Ploppy. SHOW: Black Adder, "Head." __________________________________________________________________________ etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. __________________________________________________________________________ Visit THE MORNINGTON CRESCENT SERVER (Deluxe Edition) and get ready to scratch your head. As they say at the site, "Explore, play and enjoy, but don't half-twist to Lancaster Gate!" Go figure. It's at: http://www.delphi.co.uk/cgi-bin/delphi/interactive/mcg/mcgames.pl __________________________________________________________________________ THE GOODIES FAN CLUB has reformed and invite Goodies fans from all over the world to join! To join and receive the club newsletter, "The Goodies Fan Club Clarion and Globe," send email to Alison Bean with I'M A TEAPOT in the body of the message. __________________________________________________________________________ CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS: ========================== Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic newsletter posted monthly to alt.comedy.british and rec.arts.tv.uk.comedy. DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf 171. GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185. SUBSCRIPTIONS: To receive an issue every month, just send an email to: LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM with the following text in the body of the message: SUBSCRIBE BCDIGEST-L firstname_lastname Replacing "firstname_lastname" with your own name. Example: SUBSCRIBE BCDIGEST-L Stephen Fry BACK ISSUES: ============ WWW: NOTE: Britcomedy Digest will soon be moved from cathouse.org to another server; watch this space for announcements. [US] http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/BD/ [UK] http://paul.acorn.co.uk:8080/Britcom/ FTP: Log on as "anonymous," giving your email account as your password. ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/BritComedy ftp://ftp.cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/british.humour/britcomedy.digest __________________________________________________________________________ End of Jan. 96 issue of Britcomedy Digest.