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B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T
==================================
VOL. I ==> RIK MAYALL FUN FEST <== JUNE 1995
No. 13 our pants are all custardy!
A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies.
What's Inside
=============
* Nodding Acquaintances Only: "Red Dwarf: The Last Human"
* Bio: Rik Mayall
* Report on BRITANNICON '95
Regular Departments:
===================
Mailbox
Britcomedy News
Newsquirks
Quote-o'-the-Month
etc.
Circulation/Back Issues
Staff
=====
Managing Editor..................Melinda 'Bob' Casino
Contributing Editor..............Michelle Street
Assistant Editor.................James Kew
Copy Editor......................Cynthia Edwards
Smashey/Nicey....................Michelle Casino
Contributing writers: Maddie Burgess, Michael Clarkson, Lizbeth Marcs,
Andrew Wong.
HTML logo by Nathan Gasser.
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) <Schopenhauer Publishing Co.>
Copyright (c) 1995 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. Britcomedy Digest may
be uploaded without the editor's permission to bulletin boards.
EDITOR'S PAGE:
==============
So here I am, having made the Big Move from Philadelphia to London,
scanning the local news stand, when the only internet magazine catches my
eye with its large red letters: 'WOMEN GET WIRED'! I immediately grab it.
At home, I notice the other stories in much smaller type:
'Browser howlers: British comedy online'
Heh. Browser howlers... gotta love it.
I flip to page 51: a picture of the "Britcomedy Digest" Union Jack flag
logo is staring me in the face. "Oh God," I think, "I'd better get
cracking on the next issue..."
So here it is! Fresh out of its cellophane wrapper, fresh and pungent,
waiting for you to "Digest" (sorry--'browser howlers' influence...), the
latest issue of BD.
With BD getting attention from internet magazines, there's more pressure to
produce varied issues. Afterall, living in London, I can no longer claim
that I can't cover anything but the US Britcom diet of "Red Dwarf,"
"Absolutely Fabulous," "Blackadder" and "Monty Python." BD is in its
"post-USA" phase, and the adjustment, while bound to be an improvement, is
not going to be smooth. I hope readers will bear with me as I do my
homework, which so far has consisted of browsing the BBC Worldservice
shop, watching one episode of "Men Behaving Badly," the new "Alexei Sayle
Show," and "Reeves and Mortimer" [God, Vic and Bob can be gross]. At the
request of many readers, "Chef" and "Waiting for God" will be covered in
future issues as well.
On thing that *won't* change at Britcomedy Digest is that it will still be,
as Jim Hayes of INTERNET magazine writes, "providing a platform for those
who fancy an appreciation of the comedian's art as an applied science."
In short: we'll be as pretentious as ever. ;)
MAILBOX
=======
I know this was the April Fool's edition (vol. 1, no. 12), but was there a
Digest part 2/3? If there wasn't I guess I got caught in your jape.
April, May, AND June fool. ("Queeg," Red Dwarf quote)
Bonnie Forrest <bf2@gml.lib.uwm.edu>
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Many readers wrote saying that they'd only received
parts of the last 3-part issue; I apologize for this error, which was due
to cathouse restructuring. The issue can be downloaded in its entirety
from the following sites:
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/BD/
ftp://ftp.cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/british.humour/britcomedy.digest
Readers who cannot access either the World-Wide Web or FTP are encouraged
to email <melinda@cathouse.org> to receive the issue.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I am interested in writing to Rik Mayall... I am a HUGE fan of Rik (no I am
not fat--just his greatest fan) and am interested in any information about
him.
Yours in anticipation,
Ethel Cardew
(Ann Fitzgerald <af@grover.broadcom.ie>)
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Your wish is our command... this issue contains a
biography on Rik Mayall, and includes an address where you can contact
him. [Readers who write to Mr. Mayall are encouraged to email BD and tell
us what response you got!]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Each time I try to open the Britcomedy Digest site, I get a message saying
"CONNECTION REFUSED BY HOST." Maybe there is something wrong with my
software; or maybe BD is so popular that I just can't get through; but I
was wondering if there might be some other explanation. Is this site still
operating?
Merritt Moseley <MOSELEY@unca.edu>
University of North Carolina
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: On May 8, cathouse.org was named "Cool Site of the Day"
(http://www.infi.net/ocmay95.html); as a result, it was flooded with twice
the amount of users. It had to go offline for a while, but has been running
smoothly since that time. Many apologies for the inconvenience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As a recent recipient of a master's degree in astrophysics, I want to
praise you for bringing to my attention the extremely informative magnum
opus by Mr. Arnold Judas Rimmer ("Red Quasars and Their Effects On Super
Novas," vol. 1, no. 12). My own thesis, entitled GRAVITATIONAL LENSING
NEAR TERRESTRIAL OBJECTS, reveals direct observational evidence for the
warping of space near three Large Terrestrial Objects [designated LTOs]:
LTO-129 {Roseanne}, LTO-001 {Johnathan Frakes} and LTO-72UK {Jo Brand}. I
credit Mr. Rimmer's theological predecessor as my premier reference and
the guiding force behind my dissertation.
Dr. Johnathan Smith's revolutionary paper* BLUE QUASARS AND THEIR EFFECTS
UPON ~STANDARD NOVAE generated a major change in popular astrophysical
paradigm when Dr. Smith demonstrated direct observational evidence linking
planetary nebula NGC-7009 and a specific type of shellfish. "I am a
scallop" had a profound impact upon my research, yet Mr. Rimmer's deeper
insight into the problem completely eclipses all previous work in the
field, my own included. Had I been aware of the piscatory nature of the
problem earlier in my career, I am certain I would be employed today. On
behalf of the unemployed astrophysicists on the planet, I thank you for a
new direction in our area of expertise.
* see log entry 42, Jupiter II, May 1997
~ also known as Planetary Nebulae-a historical label and an extreme
misnomer.
Kristin Sabo <sabo@rouge.phys.lsu.edu>
Director, TeAPOTT of Baton Rouge
"There's A Penguin On The Telly"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Love the idea of Yanks writing e-zines about obscure British comedy
shows--keep it up!
I thought you might be interested in news of the return of two episodes of
Spike Milligan's "Q5" series to the BBC archives. Missing since the
mid-seventies (when the tapes were wiped by the Beeb!), the two episodes
were returned to the BBC Archive as copies of black and white 16mm film
recordings borrowed from a private collector in London. They are believed
to be episodes two and three (TX 31 March '69 and 7 April '69
respectively). It is hoped that the same collector may have the remaining
episodes as well.
Steve Roberts <stever@ppr.tv.bbc.co.uk>
BBC TV
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Thank you for writing--it's wonderful to receive email
from someone "on the inside." I'm currently looking for a writer to review
"Q5" and other Milligan projects; interested parties should send email to:
<melinda@cathouse.org>. And Steve--when are we going to see more web pages
authored by the BBC (a la "Fist of Fun")?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'm responding to a letter which appeared in Britcomedy Digest a couple
months ago (see vol. 1, no. 7). Yes, I am opening the closet door,
stepping out, and proclaiming, "I too am a member of the 'Chris Barrie is
a Sex God' club."
His insecurity is so cute, both when he's in character (as "Rimmer") and
when he goes out of character (e.g., on the [Red Dwarf] Smeg-Ups video).
He's angst-ridden and funny at the same time, which is very appealing.
Plus he has a nice toosh.
Joan A.- Seattle, Washington
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: According to a usenet post on alt.tv.red-dwarf, Chris
Barrie recently gave a talk at Oxford University, where he jokingly
refered to people who attend (Red Dwarf) conventions as "sad anorak
wearing people"... kind of a turn-off, considering he has bought six
sportscars, a tank, at least one motorcycle, and various other
transportation vehicles. Come on Chris, rip off your shirt to reveal the
anorak within...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MAIL: Send your thoughts to <melinda@cathouse.org>
with "LETTER TO THE EDITOR" in the subject header.
If you read back issues, you'll see we really do
run most any letter sent to BD.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BRITCOMEDY NEWS...
==================
WAIT TIL THE KIDS HEAR THIS--CLIFF RICHARD KNIGHTED
Among Her Majesty's birthday honors this year was Harry Rodger Webb,
otherwise known as Cliff Richard. Surprisingly, the 54 year-old
rock-n-roller is not the first in the industry to be knighted: Bob Geldof
was bestowed the honor after his fundraising efforts for famine victims in
Africa.
Sir Richard, who is little-known in the U.S., was the United Kingdom's
answer to Elvis, although he soon stopped aping Elvis and adopted a more
wholesome image. In 1965 he made a much-publicized conversion to
Christianity.
MILLIGAN SALUTES PYTHON
Spike Milligan has sung the praises of Monty Python publicly on RTE's "Late
Late Show" On being called a genius by one of the audience members, he
then called that member "another grovelling little bastard." He also spoke
and paid a huge compliment to Monty Python. "... we [the Q cast] were a
bunch of second-rate banana skins but the Python team were just so
wonderful - five excellent performers."
NEW CABLE CHANNEL FOR COMEDY
SelecTV--a combination of three companies including WitzEnd Productions and
Alamo TV--hit the airwaves June 1. The channel will show a mixture of
comedy and drama; some of the Britcoms include "Birds of a Feather,"
"Lovejoy," and "The New Statesman" - yes, Alan B'stard will appear on the
opening night of the new channel which will run from 1700 to midnight
weekdays and 1200 to midnight weekends.
NEWSQUIRKS
==========
STRESS-RELIEVING MONTY PYTHON
The Guardian (June 21) ran a story on how two young French UN soldiers
found temporary relief while surrounded by Serbs in their post eight miles
north-west of the Bosnian capital: they thought of Monty Python.
Sgt. Major Gilles Vanuxem and Sgt. Luc Houzelot recalled the scene where
King Arthur is not only kept out of the French fortress, but given such
insults as "Your mother was an 'amster and your father smelt of
elderberry!" They held their observation posts against Serbs for 22 days
before they were rescued and taken to Sarajevo.
CLEESE AD DEEMED UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN
"Look At The State We're In," the John Cleese/Dawn French drama series on
the constitution, was partially banned by the Independent Television
Commission on May 30. The ad shows Cleese shooting something off screen.
Although it was only a packet of cigarettes, the ITC were concerned at the
violence contained, and the commercial was taken off the children's
program time slots (1530-1700). The ITC regulate the adverts on the
commercial television stations in the UK. No other commercial in the
campaign has been affected. Cleese has made no comment.
CALLING MRS. FAWLTY TO RESCUE TESCO!
In the ever-increasing grocery-store bid for customers, Prunella Scales
(aka "Mrs. Fawlty" of "Fawlty Towers" fame) has been enlisted--she appears
in a commercial for Tesco's. Jane Horrocks ("Absolutely Fabulous," "Life
is Sweet") appears in the commercial as a character not unlike "Bubble."
It's hard to name a British comedian who *hasn't* appeared in commericals
or at least done voice-overs; Rowan Atkinson, Fry and Laurie, practically
the entire cast of "Red Dwarf," and others have done them. Fun tip from
BD: next time you're watching the telly, play "spot the comedian"...
RADIO TIMES LIKES THE OLD FAMILIAR ONES
When "Fawlty Towers" was recently dusted off for another run on British TV,
it made the cover of "Radio Times." Not surprising--it has made the cover
for the previous 16 years! (That's one way to cut costs.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ABOUT BRITCOMEDY NEWS: Michael Clarkson
stepped in for Michelle Street this month.
Michelle is taking a well-deserved break in
England. Please send news items to:
<melinda@cathouse.org>.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NODDING ACQUAINTANCES ONLY: "RED DWARF: THE LAST HUMAN"
======================================================
by Lizbeth Marcs <LizBeth258@aol.com>
There are only two rules to keep in mind when reading the long-awaited
third instalment to the "Red Dwarf" novels. RULE ONE: Expect a diversion,
but don't expect to laugh your way through the book. RULE TWO: Look at the
book as a separate entity because if you _try_ to reconcile it with the
television series, you'll only wind up pulling your hair out. That said,
you just might be prepared for this review.
"The Last Human" marks Doug Naylor's first foray into the "Red Dwarf"
universe alone, and I believe he acquits himself nicely on two fronts.
Without trying to give too much of the plot away, the novel has more of a
storyline than the previous two novels. "Infinity Welcomes Careful
Drivers" and "Better Than Life" struck me as more a series of vignettes
featuring the Four Boyz than novels with a storyline that ran the entire
length. Naylor's decision to weave one storyline through Lister and Co.'s
misadventures is an interesting departure. Secondly, he manages to build
an independent "alternate reality" from that which exists in the
television show without alienating his core audience of "Red Dwarf" fans.
However, some of the changes are jarring and others simply don't work.
In a nutshell, Dave Lister and his one true love Kristine Kochanski have
rejoined hologram Arnold Rimmer, Kryten the mechanoid and the Cat on
Starbug following their stay in the Backwards universe, where they found
themselves at the end of "Better Than Life." While traversing the
Omni-zone to get out of the Backwards universe and back to the Red Dwarf
and Holly, a miscalculation lands them in an alternate reality. In that
reality, they find a crashed Starbug containing three of the crew members'
dead bodies, Kochanski's alternative dying and Lister's alternative
missing. Lister just wants to get the smeg back to the Dwarf, but he's
persuaded to go looking for his alternative self, who's been incarcerated
in Cyberia, a high-tech psi-prison run by the various Gelfs who populate
the asteroid belt. Suffice to say, the crew engineers a break-out in which
the "real" Lister inadvertently gets left behind and the alternative
Lister escapes on Starbug. It just happens to be their bad luck that it
also turns out that the alternate Lister is the exact opposite of his
counterpart.
Before it's over, Kinitawowee Gelfs cross paths with Starbug on several
occasions, Kochanski takes control of what's left of the Red Dwarf Posse,
Kryten gets to try his hand at humanity, Cat plays with a DNA machine, the
luck virus becomes key to everyone's survival, Lister manages to go from
frying pan to fire when he "escapes" Cyberia, Rimmer meets up with a
family member who forces him to redeem himself and at least one major
character dies. It's not giving anything away to say that even though most
of them manage to get through the Omni-zone in one battered piece by
hiding underground on a newly terraformed planet, they still are without
the Red Dwarf and Holly, they have no means to actually leave the planet
and they don't know what reality they've finally landed in.
What's right with the book is that Naylor sticks to "his" version of Red
Dwarf. The book tries to be consistent with the previous two novels and
within its own storyline. Even though Naylor doesn't always
manage to remain consistent, most of the time it's only on minor
points, with one or two _big_ exceptions, one of which involves Rimmer.
However, even with the larger exceptions noted above, there is
certainly very little in the book matching the inconsistencies that
the television show is famous for. However, since the television
show is a comedy, its inconsistencies are understandable and
forgivable since it's done all for a laugh. The inconsistencies in
the book, on the other hand, since it's a separate animal and tries
to take itself more seriously, are more annoying and do take away
from enjoyment of the storyline.
Most of the players do read true to their characters; you can imagine their
televised counterparts saying and doing the same things, even when a given
scene or conversation isn't lifted from the TV series. The notable
exception here is Cat, who reads false throughout the book. For the most
part, Cat reads like his televised counterpart in season six--that is,
when scenes from earlier seasons involving him aren't inserted in the
book. The most outstanding example of Cat's lost inherent "cattiness"
comes after he tastes the "luck virus" that the crew pick up during their
adventures. During the episode, he comes up with a "hyper-drive" and spews
mathematical concepts, not to mention quantum mechanics, that he
_shouldn't_ know. Since the purpose of the luck virus is supposed to make
you lucky, as opposed to smart, Cats' coming across like a college
professor is, to put it kindly, a character-shattering moment.
What little we see of the Gelf society as it evolved in the belt, as well
as the history of how it got there and the desperate future they face, is
fairly well thought-out and certainly intriguing. Though I know the main
purpose of the book is not to talk about strange new worlds, it might've
been nice to see a little bit more of the odd society the Boyz find
themselves in. (The mode of currency has to be read to be believed!)
Another point I liked, and here I'm going out on a limb because I'm sure
there are plenty who'll disagree with me, is the more sinister tone of
this novel. While I wasn't overly fond of the same tone in the television
series, I have to say it plays well in print. The jokes are certainly more
situation-orientated than the rat-tat-tat dialogue of season six, making
the novel more of a black comedy than a fluffy romp through space.
Certainly Naylor's notion of Cyberia is more creepy than "Justice World;"
the portions of the novel borrowed from the series' "DNA" and
"Quarantine" episodes play with more of a sense of danger and Lister's
cold-blooded sociopathological alternate is more chilling than the "evil
Lister" from "Demons and Angels." A number of these concepts would just
not go over well in a television series, even if the television series in
question wasn't a comedy.
Rimmer's treatment in this novel, oddly enough, is another good point. I
think we've discovered which one of the two series writers came up with the
bright idea of turning Rimmer into a hero at the end of season six. It's
obvious that Naylor seems to have a fondness for the neurotic hologram,
especially since he gets to play the role he was supposed to play: the
character with the alternative point of view as opposed to the cowardly
scapegoat. Rimmer's try at bravery makes more sense in the novel than in
the television series, given the situation he find himself in at the end,
but it still is just as startling for its 180-degree about-face.
Kryten's character also is redeemed by Naylor's treatment. While he still
becomes the de facto science officer and medical doctor, he is one with
serious limitations. His insistence on collecting reference material and
his dependence on getting information from other computers make him far
less of a know-it-all than the television version in series five and six
and, consequently, more fallible. He also has other built-in shortcomings,
such as his inability to kill a human and to disobey a direct order, which
have been given short-shrift in the series but play a vital role here in
the action of the plot. This version of Kryten reads more as the mechanoid
ought to be and in some ways, outshines his television counterpart.
However, I do have a number of reservations about the novel, starting with
the cursory treatment Naylor gives to important plot points. The Boyz
returning to the Backwards reality to retrieve Lister and Kochanski is
glossed over by a glib paragraph in the middle of the book. How Lister's
alternate manages to keep popping up like a bad penny near the end of the
novel also stretches credibility in the way some of those old "Flash
Gordon" serials from the 1940s do. Rimmer's hologrammatic status is also
fooled with: reference is made to his "hard light" body so the character
can physically interact with his environment, but when it's convenient,
people can reach through his (presumably) insubstantial body to get to his
light bee.
Naylor's use of "luck virus as story crutch" also gets to be a bit
tiresome, so much so that by the end of the book you're trying to figure
out how so much serum can come from two little vials. Rimmer meeting up
with his long-lost relative, while an interesting touch, flies directly in
the face of _both_ the television series and the previous two novels,
though the hologram's initial reaction had me chuckling. And finally, the
whole situation on the terra-formed planet Our Heroes find themselves on
towards the end of the book is written in prose that's a just bit to
purple and strikes me as way too melodramatic to be effective. In fact,
whenever "the Rage" reared it's ugly head, I found myself actually
laughing out loud, not because it was funny (it really wasn't supposed to
_be_ humorous) but because of the "squishy" language used to explain it,
its presence and its mission to make the planet uninhabitable for all life
forms.
Another complaint is the addition of Kochanski as part of the team, though
given her "live" status at the end of "Better Than Life," her presence in
the third novel was probably unavoidable. While her character is a
rarity--a strong, intelligent, well-written female character that is an
effective leader--it throws off the chemistry and further crushes what I
consider to be the "heart" of "Red Dwarf"--Lister and Rimmer's "Odd
Couple" relationship. If you thought the constant presence of Kryten and
Cat during season six cramped the duo, the addition of Kochanski into the
mix does nothing to help the situation. Naylor does use her effectively as
"the commanding officer" who keeps Rimmer in line when he gets to be too
much (it _was_ funny to read Rimmer ranting about how rank shouldn't make
a difference among the Posse, right after he salutes her and says "Yes,
ma'am.") and as a replacement for Lister when that character is out of the
picture, her presence seems out of place with the spirit of "Red
Dwarf"--four guys who are very unqualified for deep space survival trying
to make their way back earth. It's sad, simply because Naylor serves us up
a delicious character that I really and truly like and, in fact, I was
_excited_ by the prospect of having her around. But, by the middle of the
story, it was clear that the character simply didn't mesh with the other
four. Naylor himself seems to be aware of this, since he attempts, several
times, within the body of the novel to explain Kochanski's love for Lister
and fondness for the others, but it smacks more of desperation to
integrate the character into the "Red Dwarf" universe rather than explain
her presence.
On the whole, "The Last Human" is a quick light read that is diverting,
once you get through the slow start before the main action begins.
However, the book certainly is not a _must_ in the same way that "Infinity
Welcomes Careful Drivers" and "Better Than Life" are, even for "Red Dwarf"
fans. My recommendation is that you save yourself some hard-earned money
and borrow the book from the local library or wait for it to come out in
paperback before buying it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lizbeth Marcs, a journalist, has written several articles on Red Dwarf.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A BIOGRAPHY OF RIK MAYALL
========================= excerpts from Andrew Wong's Rik Mayall FAQ.
First off: the answer to what seems to be everyone's question, "Where can I
write to Rik Mayall?" Send your fan mail to:
Rik Mayall
The Brunskill Management Ltd.
Suite 8A
169 Queens Gate
LONDON SW7 5EH
PERSONAL INFO.
=============
Rik Mayall only got DDN at A-levels, but got to read for Drama at
Manchester University through Clearing. Whilst there he formed a Theatre
Company called 20th Century Coyote which he later took to the Edinburgh
Festival with great critical success and subsequently to the Comic Strip
in Soho. On leaving university he played Dromio of Syracuse in the Oxford
and Cambridge Shakespeare Company production of COMEDY OF ERRORS which
toured America for 3 months.
He was going out with Lise Meyer at the time of The Young Ones, but ditched
her when she was pregnant for his current wife. He refuses to discuss it
today.
TELEVISION
==========
THE YOUNG ONES
This programme made him famous. As well as co-writing it with Lise Meyer
and Ben Elton, he also played 'Rik' - a middle-class student trying to be
a left-wing radical while at the same time annoying everyone. Students of
the 1990s would call him "sad." Two series were made in 1982 and 1984.
There is a Young Ones FAQ by Andrew Wong:
http://www.brad.ac.uk/~achwong/Comedy/YoungOne.html
ftp://cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/television/young.ones/
An episode guide at the Tardis TV Database:
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~dave/guides/YoungOnes/
Steve Rapport's Young Ones Home Page, with scripts and sound clips:
http://hammers.wwa.com/hammers/comedy/youngone/youngone.htm
Additional pictures, as well as some usenet posts, can be found at The
cathouse.org British Comedy Pages at:
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/TheYoungOnes/
BOTTOM
Some have called this the sequel to The Young Ones, in that it takes the
two main characters Rik and Vyvyan, updates them, changes their names and
puts them together in a flat in Hammersmith trying to get women. It's
written by Rik and Ade and three series have been made.
There is also a Bottom FAQ:
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Bottom/FAQ/
THE NEW STATESMAN
In this, Rik plays a radical right-wing Yorkshire Tory MP who is always out
to make a quick buck and a bang at the expense of anyone else.
Heavy-handed political satire but still manages to be funny. Produced by
Yorkshire Television, there were four serials and a 90-minute special.
It has won many awards including the International Emmy Award 1989, the
BAFTA Best Comedy Series for 1990 and at the International Film & TV
Festival of New York in January 1991, it was awarded the Special Craft
Gold Medal for Best Performer and Narrator.
There's an episode guide at The cathouse.org British Comedy Pages:
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/TheNewStatesman/EpisodeGuide.html
BLACKADDER
Appearing in a cameo role in series 2 and 4 as Lord/Lieutenant Flash-heart,
an arrogant larger-than-life ladies' man.
Episode guides, fan fiction, and more can be found at:
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Blackadder/
RIK MAYALL PRESENTS....
A series of 1-hour TV films for Granada TV (available individually on
videotape) broadcast in Easter 1993 in which:
1. MICKY LOVE - He plays a washed-out paranoid game show host.
2. BRIEFEST ENCOUNTER - features Amanda Donohoe (from LA Law), as a woman
Rik Mayall picks up at a party and takes to her apartment. They both
start thinking the other is a potential homicidal maniac.
3. DANCING QUEEN - starring Rik Mayall as a Southern rich upper-class
bloke on his stag night who meets a Yorkshire stripper with a vaguely
Lancastrian accent played by Helena Bonaham-Carter when his friends
put him on a one-way train to Scarborough.
A second series of RIK MAYALL PRESENTS was shown in February 1995.
4. THE BIG ONE - Rik plays an estate agent who assumes the identity of
a dead man.
5. DIRTY OLD TOWN - Rik is a tramp who, after an unfortunate accident, is
mistaken for a hot new scriptwriter.
6. CLARE DE LUNE - Rik is a widowed taxi driver who, with his daughter,
gets taken hostage by an attractive young lady.
He has also appeared in:
A KICK UP THE EIGHTIES as Kevin Turvey - BBC TV
COMIC STRIP PRESENTS... - series for Channel 4
FILTHY, RICH AND CATFLAP - BBC TV
SATURDAY LIVE as The Dangerous Brothers - LWT/CH 4
GRIMM TALES - Series 1 & 2, GRIMMS FAIRY TALES - Initial/Central TV
GEORGE'S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE for Jackanory, 5 episodes - BBC TV
THE FROG PRINCE - THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH, again for Jackanory - BBC TV
(* Jackanory is a BBC children TV regular series where a guest star sits
down and tells the children a story using pictures to accompany the text.)
FILM
====
DROP DEAD FRED
This was his big Hollywood movie, starring opposite Phoebe Cates as her
invisible childhood friend up to no good. Produced in 1991 by Working
Title Films, it completely flopped.
He has also appeared in:
SHOCK TREATMENT (sequel to Rocky Horror Picture Show) as male nurse "Ricki"
THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE Dir: Richard Marguant
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) Lyncanthrope Films
COUPLES AND ROBBERS (short film) Dir: Claire Peploe
WHOOPS APOCALYPSE (1986) Dir: Tom Busman
LITTLE NOISES as Mathius Monument Films
EAT THE RICH (1987)
LITTLE NOISES (1991)
HORSE OPERA Initial / CH 4
CARRY ON COLUMBUS (1992) Comedy House
THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN (1993) - voice only
THEATRE
=======
BOTTOM stage tour, with Adrian Edmondson from April to June 1993
MAN EQUALS MAN as Uriah Manchester Contact Theatre
THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR as Khelstakov National Theatre
THE COMMON PURSUIT by Simon Gray (as Nick) Phoenix Theatre, London
WAITING FOR GODOT as Vladimir Queens Theatre, Shaftesbury Ave.
CELL MATES, w/Stephen Fry, during Feb.1995 at the Albery Theatre, London.
He also appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 1979 in a show called DEATH
ON THE TOILET. He was charging one pound to see it at the time. According
to the Festival programme, it's written by Nanker Phelge.
LIVE - "STAND UP"
=================
COMIC STRIP UK 1982
KEVIN TURVEY and BASTARD SQUAD UK 1983
RIK MAYALL, BEN ELTON, ANDY DE LA TOUR Edinburgh Festival/UK Tour 1983
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON UK 1984
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON UK 1985
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON UK 1985
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON Ibitha 1985
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON Australia 1986
RIK MAYALL and ANDY DE LA TOUR UK 67 dates 1989
RIK MAYALL and ANDY DE LA TOUR UK March 2 weeks 1990
RIK MAYALL and BEN ELTON UK June 1992
In 1987 Rik Mayall and Ben Elton did a series of stand-up shows in Perth,
Western Australia. According to Des Shaw, Managing Director of Triple M, a
local FM radio station, the shows were at what used to be called Club 242
at the Leederville Hotel in West Perth. During this period, Rik and Ben
also did a one-off evening radio slot at 96FM, during which they played
Living Doll, and did quite a lot of funny stuff live in the studio.
BOOKS
=====
BATCHELOR BOYS: THE YOUNG ONES BOOK
First published in 1984, it was last re-printed in 1989, though there was
an Australian re-print in September 1993. According to the sleeve, it was
written by Ben Elton, Rik Mayall and Lise Meyer but according to the
credits in the beginning, it was written by Terence Blacker. The ISBN
number is 0-7221-5765-7. Published by Sphere Books (27 Wrights Lane,
London W8 5TZ U.K.).
It's a book written by the "gang" and contains tips on how to cheat in
exams, how to spot a French exchange student, the joys on hitch-hiking,
an interview with David Bowie, and nude shots of the boys!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rik has enjoyed a long and successful career--what will he do
next? As "Bottom" runs out of steam, we at BD predict he'll find
a new backdrop for his standyby pathetic character, "Richie." We
only hope he enlists Ben Elton this time. - ed.
INTERNET RESOURCES:
===================
ADDITIONAL BOOKS
----------------
The following is from "Books for the Avid Britcomedy Fan."
(http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Info/Booklist.html)
_The New Statesman_ (by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran)
Nine scripts from the t.v. series.
(Andre Deutsch 1992, #7.99 0-233-98797-5 paperback)
_The New Statesman_ (by Anna Morgan)
Six stories based on the first series of "The New Statesman".
(Javelin 1987, #2.95 0-7137-2022-0 paperback)
_The B'Stard File_ (by Laurence Marks, Maurice Gran, et. al.)
A spoof dossier on B'Stard's life and dodgy dealings.
(David & Charles 1988, #4.95/A$12.95 0-7153-0305-7 paperback)
_Bottom: The Scripts_ (by Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall)
Season 1 scripts (6) of the t.v. show.
(BBC Books, #8.99 0-536-36484-X hardcover; #4.99 0-14-023497-7 paperback)
_More Bottom: The Scripts_ (by Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall)
Season 2 scripts (6).
(BBC Books, #8.99 0-563-37032-7 hardcover [No paperback available yet])
The Young Ones:
===============
EPISODE GUIDE
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~dave/guides/YoungOnes/
PICTURES, USENET POSTS
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/TheYoungOnes/
FAQ
http://www.brad.ac.uk/~achwong/Comedy/YoungOne.html
SCRIPTS, FAQ
ftp://cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/television/young.ones/
ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/media/tv/collections/tardis/uk/comedy/YoungOnes/
HOME PAGE
http://hammers.wwa.com/hammers/comedy/youngone/youngone.htm
Bottom:
=======
FAQ, EPISODE GUIDE, SCRIPTS, BOOKS, VIDEOS, PICTURES, SOUNDS
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Bottom/
[Note: There is currently a petition to get Comedy Central to air Bottom in
the States. To support the petition, please send a email to
<melinda@cathouse.org> with "I support Bottom in the States!" in the body
of the message. So far more than 100 signatures have been collected--but
more are needed!--ed.]
Filthy, Rich and Catflap:
=========================
1987 sitcom by Ben Elton, featuring would-be celebrity Richie Rich (Rik
Mayall), his parasitic minder Eddie Catflap (Adrian Edmondson), and his
broken minder Ralph Filthy (Nigel Planer).
SCRIPT TO EPISODE 2
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/FilthyRichAndCatflap/Episode2.html
EPISODE GUIDE
ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/media/tv/collections/tardis/uk/comedy/
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~dave/guides/FilthyRich/
The New Statesman:
==================
EPISODE GUIDE
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/TheNewStatesman/EpisodeGuide.html
Blackadder:
==========
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Blackadder/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Andrew Wong <C.H.A.Wong@bradford.ac.uk> is attempting
to study for a degree at the University of Bradford,
but spends far too much time generally Internetting
and waiting for HTML coding or article writing
commissions.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BRITANNICON '95
================
by Maddie Burgess
The Britannicon '95 convention recently held in Denver, Colorado, was just
the thing for avid fans of British television programs! The convention was
held Friday, June 2nd through Sunday, June 4th at the Sheraton Denver West
in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver. I attended the con with two other members
of the Bay Area Dwarfers, fans in Northern California of the British
science fiction comedy TV series, "Red Dwarf."
Flying in to the new Denver International Airport was an experience in
itself. The airport just opened in February and has an impressive array of
artwork, shops, and restaurants. The airport has also been heralded for
its innovations designed to reduce operating costs, eliminate delays and
increase safety. An underground train speeds passengers between concourses
and baggage areas. If only we could have been speeded from the airport to
our hotel! The new DIA is so far on the outskirts of town, it took over an
hour for the shuttle to transport us to the Sheraton.
The Sheraton is in the middle of renovations (the main lobby was in
shambles and crawling with workmen while we were there--most likely the
primary reason the front desk people seemed so irritable all weekend!).
The rooms were satisfactory, however, and the convention area--on the
second floor--was pleasant and easily accessed from the rooms via nearby
elevators.
Britannicon featured three celebrity guests: Danny John-Jules, Mark Ryan
and Richard Coyle. Danny John-Jules ("Cat" from "Red Dwarf") has a
considerable background in stage, film, television, and music. Danny has
played "Barrington" in the BBC television series "Maid Marian and her
Merry Men." He currently has a part in the new "Tomorrow People" series
which is being shown on the Nickelodeon channel. He has starred in stage
productions of "Carmen Jones," and (oddly enough) "Cats." The actor's film
credits include "The Great Muppet Caper" and "Labyrinth."
Mark Ryan was "Nasir" in the British series "Robin of Sherwood." Mark has
made numerous television appearances besides, and has recorded an album.
He can be seen in the new feature film "First Knight" with Sean Connery
and Richard Gere. Mark was also the weapons master for that film.
Richard Coyle is an American prop maker and has produced props for numerous
films including the "Star Trek" movies and "Ice Pirates"...and television
shows such as "Star Trek TNG" and "Nightrider."
Besides events featuring the guests, Britannicon also offered an art and
model show, dealers' room, costume contest, charity auction, the world
premiere of "Eye of the Beholder" in "The Stranger" series, games, demos,
an anime' room, and an extensive offering of British video, of which the
following is only a partial list:
Red Dwarf Quatermass The Stranger
Robin of Sherwood Monty Python Blake's 7
Doctor Who Fireball XL5 Captain Scarlett
The Avengers Space 1999 The Champions
The Prisoner Fawlty Towers Blackadder
Brittas Empire Bottom Young Ones
Absolutely Fabulous French & Saunders Spitting Image
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men Steptoe and Son Not the 9:00 News
Mr. Bean Thunderbirds Benny Hill
The Tomorrow People UFO Starcops
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Friday night's audience participation screening of "Thunderbirds Are Go"
(done in the spirit of "Mystery Science Theater" complete with
wisecracking puppets) was hilarious even at a late hour after our long
travel day!
Danny John-Jules and Mark Ryan each hosted their own half-hour question and
answer session on both Saturday and Sunday, and also teamed up for a
shared appearance each of those days. Most of the time, Danny and Mark
were lively and informative during the sessions--answering questions from
the audience, joking, and telling show business stories. Danny did talk
some about Craig Charles' recent brush with the law on rape charges. He
told of going to visit the other "Red Dwarf" actor in jail. It was a
disturbing experience, he admitted: being forced to talk with his friend
from the other side of a glass barrier. Danny also pointed out that the
charges not only threatened Craig's career at the time, but the
livelihoods of *all* the "Red Dwarf" cast and crew. It was a very
upsetting time for everyone, Danny glumly told the fans.
When asked what was his favorite part of "Red Dwarf," Danny seemed hard
pressed to come up with just one, but finally said he liked the first
appearance of "Duane Dibbley." He said the cast had to wait about ten
minutes for the audience to stop laughing so they could continue with
their lines! Danny revealed that, in spite of some of the difficult
dialoge on "Red Dwarf" (just try saying "polydridocdeca-e-hedron"!), most
of the cast's lines are memorized, and there are very few written notes
for the actors around the set. Danny said they are all very proud of that.
Both actors talked about the difficulties of constantly trying to find new
projects--especially in the UK--and dealing with the politics that seem to
permeate the industry. While performing in a play once, Mark hoped to try
out for a part that opened up after another actor quit. The producers told
him they didn't want him for that role, so Mark disguised himself and
auditioned for it under another name! Danny told a story of being on
location for the shooting of a commercial. When the lunch break was
called, Danny and the other actors were given their lunches, but nowhere
to sit and eat. They all ended up having their lunch in a car that was
being used in the commercial! One definitely got the impression that these
two hard-working chaps weren't exactly living the typical "Hollywood"
lifestyle!
Mark and Danny transformed themselves into auctioneers for Britannicon's
charity auction benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Among the
many donated items offered for auction were a "Seinfeld" photo autographed
by all the cast members, and a 10-foot by 40-foot (yes, I said *foot*)
"Star Trek Voyager" poster. The auction brought in over $1,000 for MDA,
thanks in part to the entertaining antics and motivational skills of the
two auctioneers.
Throughout the busy weekend the celebrity guests were the very definition
of affability and charm, easily chatting with their fans, readily signing
autographs and posing for photos. Monday morning, Mark Ryan even came over
to our table in the hotel restaurant, and asked if he could join us for
breakfast! (We had a little trouble answering him at first, as we were
still trying to recover from fits of laughter induced by our waitress
asking, "Would you like some toast...?").
Britannicon '95 was definitely a fun-filled weekend. Kudos go to directors
Arlen Feldman, Lynn Markley II, Phil Satterley, and Adriana Wood, and
their staff, contributors, and volunteers. As for my first-ever visit to
Denver, well, it's a lovely area and a great place to hold a
convention--Hope to return in 96!
The address for Britannicon is: P.O. Box 620008
Littleton, CO 80162
USA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Madelaine Burgess <Madelaine.Burgess@ncal.kaiperm.org>
coordinates BADD--Bay Area Red Dwarfers. Email her for
more information if you live in the Bay Area.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
QUOTE-O'-THE-MONTH:
===================
This month's quote is from "Yes, Prime Minister: A Conflict of Interest,"
with thanks to Chris Gondek <ADMCHRIS@stmarytx.edu>.
"'The Times' is read by the people who run the country. 'The
Daily Mirror' is read by the people who think they run the
country. 'The Guardian' is read by the people who think
they ought to run the country. 'The Morning Star' is read
by the people who think the country ought to be run by
another country. 'The Independent' is read by the people
who don't know who runs the country but are sure they're
doing it wrong. 'The Daily Mail' is read by the wives of
the people who run the country. 'The Financial Times' is
read by the people who own the country. 'The Daily Express'
is read by the people who think the country ought to be run
as it used to be run. 'The Daily Telegraph' is read by
the people who still think it is their country. And 'The
Sun's' readers don't care who runs the country providing
she has big tits."
-- Bernard Wooley on the circulation
patterns of British newspapers.
__________________________________________________________________________
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc
__________________________________________________________________________
ALAN PARTRIDGE SAID... is a new home page for one of Britain's sexiest new
comedians. Check out: http://hicks.nuff.ox.ac.uk/lawton/partridg.htm
__________________________________________________________________________
VISIONS '95 will be held in Chicago, Illinois, November 24-26. For more
info. point your web browser at: http://www.xnet.com/~tardis/visions.html
__________________________________________________________________________
US cable company COMEDY CENTRAL has unveiled its web site complete with
pictures, sound clips--oh yes--and text: http://www.comcentral.com/
__________________________________________________________________________
AMERICANS--Mike Phillips has a decent collection of BRITCOMS--Red Dwarf,
10%ers, The Brittas Empire, Bottom, and more! Looking to trade. Write him
at: 2377 Apollo Rd #324, Garland TX 75044.
__________________________________________________________________________
SIGNALS--a U.S. video catalog--are offering the first and second series of
"ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS." They're taking orders now but won't be able to ship
until August 15. Telephone: 1-800-669-9696. Mail: Signals, WGBH Educational
Foundation, P.O. Box 64428, St. Paul, MN 55164-0428.
__________________________________________________________________________
Looking for the best deal on an internet connection? Check out the UK
INTERT LIST at http://www.limitless.co.uk/inetuk/
__________________________________________________________________________
THE BEST OF BRITISH WEB is at: http://www.vnu.co.uk/vnu/pcw/bob.html
__________________________________________________________________________
TIME OUT is London's premiere weekly listing on where to find great stand-
up comedy: http://www.timeout.co.uk/
__________________________________________________________________________
THE UNITED KINGDOM PAGES is for residents and Anglophiles alike. Links to
many UK web pages and includes pictures of the Queen! Be sure to add your
favorite UK web resourse! http://www.neosoft.com/~dlgates/uk/ukindex.html
__________________________________________________________________________
N E X T I S S U E... a review of the British movie "Jack & Sarah"...
and... no, no telling--it's a surprise...
CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS:
==========================
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic newsletter posted
monthly, or as close to monthly as we can get, to alt.comedy.british and
rec.arts.tv.uk.
DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf171.
GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: To receive an issue every month, send your email address to
<melinda@cathouse.org> with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject header.
BACK ISSUES:
============
WWW:
[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
GOPHER:
gopher://gopher.etext.org/11/Zines/BritComedy
gopher://cathouse.org:6969/11/british.humour/britcomedy.digest