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==================================
B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T
==================================
V. 1 DEC. 1994
no.6
A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies.
What's Inside
=============
Features:
* Ben Elton--A Career In Review
* Cook & Moore [Part 1]
* "You're Only Young Twice"
* Editorial/Opinion Page: A Britspeak Guide to "Red Dwarf"
* Why Python Broke the Mold
* Claymation: "The Wrong Trousers"
Regular Departments:
Editor's Page
Letters To the Editor
Britcomedy News
Newsquirks
Editorial/Opinion Page
Quote-'o-the-Month
net.comedy
FAQs and Comprehensive Lists
Circulation/Back Issues
| Submissions
| In Upcoming Issues...
| = new departments
Staff
=====
Managing Editor..................Melinda 'Bob' Casino
Contributing Editor..............Michelle Street
12th Monkey......................Michelle Casino
net.comedy, html archivist.......James Kew
Contributing writers: Mark Atherton, Michael Clarkson, James Kew, Stefan
Zielinski.
HTML logo by Nathan Gasser, University of Pennsylvania.
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) <Schopenhauer Publishing Co.>
For details on back issues, circulation, and submissions, see end of this
issue.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
=====================
I just read your "Britcomedy Digest Monty Python Special" (vol.1, no. 5) and
must tell you that it was wonderful! You did an excellent job on it...Keep
the BCD coming--I love it.
Carl Snook -- Marshfield, MA
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Good issue on Python. Did the list of books ["The Great ISBN MP Booklist"]
mention _Monty Python: The case against_? It covers the censorship battles
that the group has fought since their inception through "Life of Brian."
Vince Golden
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I just wanted to complain about the steep price of Britcomedy Digest. I've
sold everything I own to pick up back copies and am at my wits end on how
to purchase any more.
P.S. - Please run more naked centerfolds of Margaret Thatcher.
Larry Canonica, Jr. -- Bellevue , W.A.
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: I'm sorry, I've been going overboard with photos of John
Major lately...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Michael Clarkson's article states, "Show 12 brought Chapman and Cleese's
commentary on upper class 'Yuppies'." This is an inaccurate description. By
definition, the "Upper Class" _cannot be_ "Yuppies." It is the aristocracy,
and the sketch is a satire on the habit of the British aristocracy to
inter-marry, thus DNA strands get somewhat too close to comfort leading to
insanity and suicide. Thus you get the stereotype of the eccentric earl.
The "Upper Class" is hereditary, one cannot attain it no matter how
"upwardly mobile" one is. The only way to attain it is through marriage.
Dave Morning -- Glasgow, Scotland
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Once again I LOVED the latest issue of BD. An entire issue devoted to
Python--ah, you guys have made my week.
I have two questions. 1) I once read that Graham Chapman adopted a son.
True? 2) I found a wonderful book in the library back home called _The
Complete Monty Python_ (I think). It was a chronological listing of every
article that had been published about the MP members. Their TV appearances
were also listed. It began pre-Flying Circus and ended after Graham Chapman
died. Is it still in print?
Analda M. House - Winston-Salem, No. Carolina
Wake Forest University
MICHAEL CLARKSON RESPONDS: Chapman did have a son called John Tomeczek. [I
consulted Kim Johnson's books and a 1994 edition of the _Life of Python_ by
George Perry]. David Shylock, Chapman's live-in partner, however, adopted
Tomeczek in 1969. Question #2: yes, the book is in print. _1992 Monty
Python: A Chronological Listing of the troupe's creative output, articles,
and reviews about them spanning from 1969 to 1989_ is by Douglas L. McCall
(ISBN 0-899-505597).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Why do the members of Monty Python refer to the middle-aged women characters
(which they play) as "pepperpots"?
Jean Takabayashi - Hawaii
MICHAEL CLARKSON RESPONDS: These ladies, who were not known for being very
slim, get their name after the thick old-fashioned 19th century pots [when
pepper had to be ground by hand]. The stout ladies get their nickname from
these pots.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
You'll have to wait for "Knowing Me, Knowing You" in the States, but in my
view its the funniest show I've seen in 20 years! It certainly won't be
shown until its repeated on BBC1 when U.S. buyers will start taking notice,
but it's pretty timeless so there shouldn't be a problem there.
The whole Alan Partridge thing seems to be splitting into 3 groups over
here [in England]:
1. It's totally unfunny,
2. It's a travesty of the radio series,
3. It's the best thing since sliced bread.
Watching the first episodes of KMKY, I actually thought there might be a new
group of "comedians" with a certain talent that could be the start of a new
wave. (I don't count the alternatives who seem to be still stuck in potty
humour/punk/swearing). Coogan/Marber/Ianucci, etc., seem to have brains and
can run a well-crafted show.
I wish I could wave a magic wand and suddenly make it appear in front of all
the posters who keep on praising AYBS, 'Allo 'Allo, One Foot In The Grave,
To The Manor Born, etc. :)
Brian Gunning - U.K.
P.S. - Who still remembers watching the first ever Monty Python on a Sunday
night as a teenager!
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: I am looking for someone to write on "Knowing Me, Knowing
You" for an upcoming issue. Any interested readers should email me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I saw Graham Chapman years ago at a college here in Florida where he
appeared to many Python fans. [He took questions from the audience and] I
asked him if whoever yelled "Burma!" during the "Penguin on the telly"
sketch improvised it or if it in the script. He replied, "You mean like
this," and to my surprise shrieked, "BURMA!" which clued me that he was the
one who did it in the sketch. People turned around to look at me as if I
was completely stupid for not knowing. He said that it was in the script,
and I was thoroughly embarrassed.
Tom Cipullo - Brooksville, Florida
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Thank you for the amusing antecdote. If any readers were
in a college audience when Graham Chapman was "touring" and would like to
share their story, please email me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A WORD ABOUT MAIL: Drop us a line! (The wacky letters are _sure_ to get in
the next issue.) E-MAIL: <casino@pobox.upenn.edu> OR WRITE: Melinda Casino,
Britcomedy Digest, 404 So. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146.
E D I T O R 'S P A G E
------------------------
A couple of months ago I became curious about Britcomedy Digest's
readers--what shows the typical reader liked and disliked, and where they
were writing from. So I included a Reader's Survey in the September issue.
Since I had the idea, the temperature's dropped from 80 degrees Farenheit
to the 50's, the leaves have all turned brown and crackly and fallen to the
ground, making it treacherously slippery to walk the streets of
Philadelphia, and as promised, I have the results.
The number of responses wasn't _exactly_ a landslide--only 53 responded. The
results cannot therefore be considered a representative sample of our
readership.
Predictably, the majority of Britcomedy Digest's readers are male; 40 of the
responses were from men, 13 from women. Not so predictable is the median
age of the readership: male readers were 40 years old and above (20). The
women were more evenly distributed from the 19-25 range (4), the 26-30
range (4), and the 31-39 range (5).
I consulted the subscription list for a more thorough sample of readers'
locations. I could positively identify 251 email addresses with countries
out of approximately 500. The results were: U.S. (95), United Kingdom
(48), Australia (34), Canada (31), the Netherlands (7), South Africa (7),
Sweden (7), Germany (6), Denmark (2), Finland (2), New Zealand (2),
Singapore (2), Spain (2), Switzerland (2), Austria (1), Israel (1), Norway
(1), and Thailand (1).
Since the majority of readers who responded were from the U.S. it's no
surprise that Monty Python took the Number one slot for favorite Britcom
with 16 votes. Red Dwarf came in a close second with 15 votes.
Surprisingly, Fawlty Towers got only one number one vote...and Blackadder
received a meager 6! Absolutely Fabulous, Chance in a Million, Whose Line
is it Anyway?, The Young Ones, and The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy each
got two votes. These shows got a nod with one vote each for favorite
Britcom: Yes, Prime Minister, The New Statesman, Bottom, Victoria Wood, and
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
As readers might guess from reading posts about Are You Being Served?, you
either love it or hate it. (One reader: "I HATE IT! I HATE IT!") It got the
most votes for "Britcom least liked": 14. Next came Keeping Up Appearances
(5), Absolutely Fabulous ("Absolutely Scrophulous" according to one
respondent, 4), Benny Hill (4), The Good Life/Neighbors (3), Whose Line is
It Anyway? (2). A whole slew of Britcoms got one vote for most disliked
show, including Alexei Sayle, Hale & Pace, Bless Me Father, French &
Saunders, To the Manor Born, Birds of a Feather, Man About the House, and
something called the Piglet Files. One reader even cited Dr. Who--saying
that some of the worse ones are bad enough to count as comedy.
One of the reader's replies is particulary noteworthy. To question #9,
"Would you pay for a subscription?": "I would rather have it for
free--sorry, I'm an American."
BRITCOMEDY NEWS...
------------------
JO BRAND FLOGGING A LOAD OF BALLS...
"My label is fat, lesbian, man-hater--but I'm heterosexual [and] I like
men," says Jo Brand, comedian and now author of _A Load of Old Balls_.
A well-known comedian in the U.K., but only known to a smattering in the
U.S. for a cameo role in "Absolutely Fabulous", Brand's new book was
released last month; she has a Christmas special of her t.v. series
"Through the Cakehole" in the can; and has launched a 50-date tour that
would exhaust most people.
She is reportedly often heckled about her weight by men in her audiences.
Her quips about men like, "I think they're fantastic, as a concept," and
"Never trust a man with testicles," might lead some to believe that
she's...well, hostile towards men in general.
But the Brand's one-liners are only a way of dealing with some very real
problems she--and many women--face in one form or another. "I think the
majority of blokes are OK, but every female friend I have has a catalogue
of stories [of] being abused by blokes in packs. Each woman thinks it's
because something's wrong with them. I got so fed up with it that I did
something about it. Comedy was the way."
In describing _A Load of Old Balls_, Simon & Schuster note that Brand
takes a "satirical look at the contribution of the male species to the
civilised world."
_A Load of Old Balls_. Simon & Schuster, #9.99.
VICARS ON THE BRAIN:
RICHARD CURTIS CREATES NEW COMEDY, "VICAR OF DIBLEY"
What is it with Richard Curtis and Vicars? After the success of "Four
Weddings And A Funeral," in which Rowan Atkinson was cast as a Vicar,
scriptwriter Richard Curtis has returned to his roots by writing a new
television situation comedy, "The Vicar of Dibley."
The program, which recently premiered in Britain, stars Dawn French as a
female cleric. Given the uproar that occurred when the Church of England
allowed women to become ordained, the series might provoke controversy as
well as laughs.
Curtis, who co-wrote "Mr. Bean" and the Blackadder series, based the
character of the Vicar on a real-life priest named Joy Carroll. As Curtis
told a London newspaper, "Many recent comedies, including Blackadder,
Fawlty Towers, One Foot In The Grave, etc., are about people who are rude,
dismissive, angry. I thought it would be fun to write about someone who was
keen, enthusiastic, and, in moments of conflict, has to be the soul of
sweetness."
YET ANOTHER "BOTTOM" IS UP AND RUNNING
The third season of the t.v. comedy series "Bottom" is currently in
production in England. Written by and staring Rik Mayall and Adrian
Edmondson, Bottom has developed a cult following. According to Britcomedy
Digest's inside sources (read: the internet), tickets for studio recordings
have been available from the BBC for about 2 months. Nine episodes will be
screened next spring/summer. The question on everyone's minds: how are
"Eddie" and "Richie" going to push the envelope in bad taste this year?
Afterall, it's hard to top the last two seasons!
UPDATE: "RED DWARF" ACTOR CRAIG CHARLES
Craig Charles was released on bail October 25, 1994 from Wandsworth prison.
The actor, known for his role as "Dave Lister," did not attend the
15-minute hearing at the Old Bailey, which was held in chambers with press
and public excluded. His co-accused, John Peploe, was granted bail the week
before. Both men are charged with raping and indecently assaulting a woman
in her flat in Kennington last July.
Charles is staying with relatives (under court orders) in Liverpool.
His solicitor, Howard Stacey, did say that his client "will be pleased to
have been granted bail and looks forward to establishing his innocence at
his trial next February."
Writers of "Red Dwarf", who prefer to be cited to as the single entity
Grant-Naylor, have issued statements that the taping of the show's seventh
series will continue as scheduled. Fans are less optimistic.
YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS LIFE AFTER PYTHON...
Ex-Pythons Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam have been plugging their recent
projects. Terry Jones has just released "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy
Book" (ISBN 1-85793-336-2) a pastiche of Victoriana with illustrations by
Brian Froud. Ever the history enthuasist, Jones has also completed a
four-part TV series on the Crusades for the BBC and will be releasing a
companion book.
Meanwhile, Terry Gilliam recently engaged in a "cyber-interview" with
America Online--he claimed to be wearing his tool outfit and matching
organdy slippers--and used the opportunity to shamelessly plug the "Monty
Python Complete Waste Of Time" CD-ROM. (In the latest issue of "Multimedia
World" magazine, the CD was given the highest rating possible.) He is
considering doing another CD-ROM based on his book _Animations of
Mortality_.
Gilliam's has started a film project called "Twelve Monkeys," scheduled for
release by the end of this year or in early 1996. Bruce Willis, Madeline
Stowe, and Brad Pitt will be among the cast of actors. And he will be
presenting a BBC TV series on the early days of the cinema as part of the
100th anniversary of cinema, which will air sometime next year.
During the cyber-interview, Gilliam also commented that Terry Jones came up
with the infamous "nude organist" character because he was desperate to get
someone to look at his body. He said that the remaining Pythons will get
back together for to make another movie "only in Heaven and Graham will
direct."
"FISH CALLED WANDA" SEQUEL: "DEATH FISH II"
The rumors that John Cleese is making another "Fish Called Wanda" movie
aren't just rumors anymore. On the American cable network "E!" and on
several other media sources, Cleese's new project has been promoted as
"Death Fish II." Although it will star the same team that made "A Fish
Called Wanda"--namely, Cleese, Kevin Cline, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Michael
Palin--it will not be a sequel. Cleese currently can be seen in Kenneth
Branaugh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," and he performed the voice of a
character in the animated film, "The Swann Princess."
Newsquirks
----------Pixels in the press
AND ONE MORE BEAN MAKES...A VERY SMALL CASSEROLE.
Viewers in Britain were treated to a previously unseen episode of "Mr. Bean"
in late October. Entitled "Back To School, Mr. Bean" it revolved around Mr.
Bean's visit to an Open Day at an Adult Education Centre. A cameo by
Christopher "Young Ones" Ryan, a chemistry lab explosion, and a very flat
green Mini are involved. We leave the rest to your imagination. The October
1994 issue of BBC Worldwide reported in an interview with Atkinson that he
will begin shooting "Mr. Bean--the Move" (must be a working title) in early
1995.
SEXUAL FIDELITY? NOT FOR THIS NUDE ORGANIST...
Former Python Terry Jones has disclosed in recent interviews that his is an
'open' marriage. Considering that the marriage has lasted for 24 years,
Jones may be right in thinking that sexual fidelity is not necessary for
true love. He stressed in recent interviews the importance of mutually
consenting adults in this arrangement. All we can say is, does anyone have
his phone number?
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS VIDEOTAPES TO BE RELEASED BY CBS/FOX VIDEO
A source at the BBC Shop (see FAQs and Comprehensive Lists, this issue) said
that commerical releases of "Absolutely Fabulous" will be released by
CBS/Fox Video. Bootleggers beware!
E D I T O R I A L / O P I N I O N P A G E
-------------------------------------------
"A Britspeak Guide to Red Dwarf," by Mark Atherton <MarkAth@aol.com>
1
class\'klas\ n, a group sharing the same economic or social status;
social rank; esp.: high social rank.
Red Dwarf has several things going on which may not be obvious to the U.S.
audience. The difference in accents and the implications from them is just
one example.
In the U.K., there is a social frontier which separates the North from the
South. It has a nominal position called the Watford Gap, which is a service
station on the M1--the main North/South motorway. As you head north up this
motorway you will see a wonderful sign which reads: Watford and The North.
The service station is about 40 miles north of London and serves revolting
English food in the classic style (congealed fried eggs, bacon grease,
etc.)--a meal fit for any truck driver.
If I could indulge in some widely-accepted stereotypes for a moment: In the
North, hair curlers are normally worn by the women to the supermarkets,
reported conversations become the only topic of conversation ("...and I
said to her, and she said to me..." etc.); while southerners tend to be far
more up-tight, less friendly and are only able to discuss the weather.
If you live north of Watford Gap you will generally have a loathing
for the "stuck up snobs" who live in the south; if you live in the
south, you may consider the northerners to be "common."
I find it amusing in itself that something as insignificant as a motorway
service station should be the chosen point for this "great social
frontier". The simple act of taking a service station (a pretty horrible
one at that!) and elevating it to the status of a significant landmark may
give Americans the (mistaken) impression that we are all just a little
loony. But more importantly, it says alot about the structure of English society
and how just having a particular type of accent says a lot about your
"class"...or lack of it.
Very briefly: Because the south has always been the wealthier end of the
island, education tends to be better, incomes tend to be
higher--and this in part explains the friction between Southerners and
Northerners.
What's all this got to do with "Red Dwarf"? "Red Dwarf" is produced in the
north of England. The hero, Dave Lister, is a totally delightful slob who
hails from--you guessed it--the North. His accent is a typical Liverpudlian
accent, sometimes called 'Scouse.' (The Beatles are a good example of this
accent.) On the other hand, Rimmer has the generalized middle-class
Southern English accent, but the nassal twang he gives in his delivery
lends the character a pompous, condescending attitude. And he is, of
course, the anti-hero.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Don't you think there's a shining good reason why I'm your superior?
...It's because I'm better than you. Better trained, better equiped,
better--better." -- Rimmer to Lister, "Red Dwarf," season 1.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the "good old days," the BBC tended to only produce programmes using
actors with posh, home counties accents. But the writers of Red Dwarf have
calculatingly gone against this tradition! Therefore, to viewers in the
North of England, Dave Lister (hero) is "one of them"--a great selling
point for the show. To us Southerners (for I am a Southerner), the plot is
amusing in its novelty because the whole thing goes against the tradition
of having Southerners play the heros. (I myself am glad that this tradition
is changing.)
To complicate matters further for the American audience,in addition to the
North/South divide, there is also an East/West divide within London. East
London tends to be run down and poor, while West London is trendy and
affluent. Education and prosperity follows accordingly. Hence East Enders
are traditionally regarded as not one of the brighter species to inhabit
the planet.
Knowing this, then, the irony of having the computer with an I.Q. of 6000,
Holly (Norman Lovett), speak with a very thick East London accent can be
appreciated by Americans. Similarly, the second actor who played Holly
(Hattie Hayridge) appears to be from Luton, a town a little north on
London.
Of course, Americans are not _completely_ at a disadvantage when watching
this British comedy. In some instances, they have all the advantage: have
you spotted the two Californian license plates decorating Rimmer and
Lister's quarters (1st and 2nd seasons)? I had to move 3,000 miles to
California before I spotted them!
###
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ben Elton: A Career in Review
by Stefan Zielinski
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
To most American audiences, Ben Elton's name (alas!) does not ring any
bells. To those among us who follow British comedy, however, mention of
Elton's name is wont to bring a smile to our faces, no matter which of his
numerous and varied projects we are thinking of. This article is not meant
to be an extensive and exhaustive list of all of Elton's works, nor is it
intended to be a review of any one (although much will be said about his
most recent novel, _This Other Eden_), but rather its purpose is to
highlight the most high-profile of Elton's projects for those readers who
are woefully unfamiliar with his work.
Elton is best described as a comedic jack-of-all-trades. His skills as a
writer and performer are not limited in their range, as he has worked in
television and film, and has written best-selling novels and wildly
successful stage plays. As Americans, however, our access to his varied
material has been limited. For most Americans, their introduction to Ben
Elton came from the highly successful sitcom "The Young Ones", when it ran
during the mid- to late-80s on MTV. This series starred Rik Mayall (who
co-wrote the series with Elton), Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, and
Christopher Ryan as four flatmates whose often bizarre escapades served as
a framework upon which Elton could display his characteristic ascerbic
wit.
After co-writing for "The Young Ones", Elton went on to write "Happy
Families" which starred Stephen Fry, Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders
and Dawn French in 1985. Then, also in 1985, Elton picked up writing
responsibilities for Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder series (along with Richard
Curtis) with the show's second series, aptly titled "Blackadder II." This
series also served to make Elton's name known in the U.S., as it was
rebroadcast frequently by many PBS stations, as well as being picked up for
national rebroadcast on the cable channel Arts & Entertainment (A&E). Elton
stayed on as co-writer with Curtis for the two following series, "Black
Adder the Third" (1987) and "Blackadder Goes Forth" (1989), as well as the
mostly clip-show format Christmas special, "Blackadder's Christmas Carol"
(1988).
Aside from the omnipresent Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, the Blackadder
series has served as host to a great many well-known serious and comedic
actors. Among these were Brian Blessed, Simon Jones (who played Arthur Dent
in t.v. series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), Tom Baker (Dr.
Who), Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson (The
Crying Game), Nigel Planer, and Chris Barrie (Red Dwarf). Additionally, the
third series' "Sense and Senility" also provided many Americans with their
first glimpse of Elton, when he played a crazed revolutionary who bombs the
Prince Regent.
To a great many Americans, the Blackadder series remains Elton's best-known
work, despite Elton's many projects since the final fourth series in 1989.
(It should be mentioned here that there have been rumors that Elton and
Curtis considered writing a fifth Blackadder series, to take place in the
1960s [at the suggestion of Rik Mayall], but both writers have said in
interviews that they didn't want to continue the series.)
In 1987, while Elton was writing "Black Adder the Third", he was also
reuniting with Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, and Adrian Edmondson on the series
"Filthy, Rich and Catflap." (For a review see Britcomedy Digest, vol.1 no.
3.)
Publication of Elton's first novel, _Stark_ occurred the same year as his
work on the fourth Blackadder series, in 1989. _Stark_ was the first in
Elton's series of ecologically-conscious novels. _Stark_ hilariously
recounts the tale of CD, an Englishman living in Australia who becomes more
and more involved with the environmental movement in an effort to get into
bed with a very attractive and environmentally aware woman. As a result of
his involvement, they discover a wild plan by the world's industrialist
tycoons to abandon Earth, which they have rendered unlivable through their
money-making enterprises, for colonies on the Moon, via "star arks," or
"starks." This was later turned into a television movie by Australian TV,
with Elton in the starring role as CD.
In 1991, Elton published his second novel, _Gridlock_, which continued with
this environmentally and socially conscious theme. In this novel, we follow
the humorous exploits of Dr. Geoffrey Peason, an employee of the Institute
of Industrial Research with cerebral palsy who finally solves the problem
of urban gridlock only to be killed off by the motor industry, after much
difficulty and ineptness on the part of both antagonist and protagonist.
This novel, like _Stark_, is filled with biting social satire and much
humorous material while expressing an essentially serious idea--that we
have to begin taking better care of the Earth.
In 1993, Elton made the move to the big screen with a minor comic role in
Kenneth Branagh's production of "Much Ado About Nothing." Elton and Michael
Keaton act as a pair of bumbling local law enforcement officials, providing
interludes of physical comedy which borders on slapstick at times. While
very skilled in this role, Elton is not given enough screen time to make
any profound impact on the audience, particularly given that the play's
leads are played with immaculate skill by the husband-and-wife duo of
Branagh and Emma Thompson.
1993 also saw the publication in the U.K. of _This Other Eden_, the latest
of Elton's environmental novels. _This Other Eden_ is a grand tale of the
marketing of the end of the world. Elton composes for us a vision of the
future in which the environment is at pollution's equivalent of critical
mass, and where the "Claustrosphere" is the world's next bomb
shelter--everyone who can afford one owns one, expecting the seemingly
inevitable end of the Earth's ability to sustain human life.
_This Other Eden_ does not have a clear single protagonist quite the same
way _Stark_ and _Gridlock_ did, but relies instead on an ensemble cast of
characters, ranging from an Irish environmental terrorist, to an English
writer trying to break in in Hollywood, to an American actor, to a male FBI
agent named Judy. This range of characters offers Elton a wide variety of
targets for his social commentary.
One of the primary targets of Elton's social satire in this novel is the
film industry and the Hollywood mentality. Elton's ascerbic style is well
suited to the material. Elton skillfully skewers Hollywood's penchant for
vapid programming and vacuous stars, and portrays a Hollywood where the
already fuzzy line between program and advertisment has blurred to the
point of invisibilty. Although lacking subtlety at times--a Hollywood
starlet is named "Tori Doherty"--Elton never fails to deliver in humorous
impact.
While this novel is just as humorous as the first two, one does get the
feeling that Elton is driving his point home with a sledgehammer.
Certainly, we all need to be concerned about the environment, but I would
like to see Elton attempt a novel-length project on something other than an
environmental topic. This novel's refreshingly happy ending is perhaps
intended to be a change from the previous two novels, but is not enough of
one to avoid the feeling that Elton is stuck on this one framework for his
longer fiction.
Throughout his career as a writer and performer in television and film,
Elton has also had tremendous success as a stand-up comic. This side of
Elton is virtually unknown to Americans (the only time I know of that he
has appeared on American television as a stand-up comic was when he
co-hosted an HBO special with Howie Mandell highlighting new British
comedians). It has perhaps brought him the most commercial success, though,
with sold-out tours in the U.K. and Australia.
Ben Elton's is a name which must unfortunately be added to the long list of
skilled British performers who have garnered little recognition on this
side of the pond, much to the regret of those of us who are familiar with
his work. If any of the Elton projects mentioned above are unfamiliar to
you, I whole-heartedly recommend them to you as fine examples of modern
British comedy.
###
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claymation: The Wrong Trousers, by James Kew
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the best-deserved Oscars of 1994 was for "Best Animated Short Film,"
awarded to the British animator Nick Park for his film "The Wrong
Trousers". The clay-animated film features the characters Wallace and
Gromit, who first appeared in his 1989 short, "A Grand Day Out". "A Grand
Day Out" was itself Oscar-nominated in 1991, but was beaten to the prize by
"Creature Comforts", another Nick Park short, which featured zoo animals
expressing the views of real interviewees on housing.
Wallace, voiced by the soft Lancashire tones of Peter Sallis (star of "Last
Of The Summer Wine"), is a gentle man who loves cheese and tinkering with
his eccentric inventions. Gromit is his long-suffering and startlingly
intelligent dog. In "The Wrong Trousers", their quiet life is shattered by
the arrival of their new lodger, an unsettlingly silent penguin.
Wallace's latest acquisition is a pair of robotic Techno-Trousers
("Ex-NASA. Fantastic for walkies."), and after seeing them in action the
villainous penguin concocts a fiendish plan to rob the diamond
exhibition at the city museum, using the Techno-Trousers and a sleepy,
unwitting Wallace as accomplices. Fortunately Gromit springs to the
rescue, and after a thrilling high-speed chase sequence on Wallace's
model railway, the penguin is captured and justice prevails.
The clay animation is excellent throughout, with painstaking attention to
detail--the 30-minute film took an astonishing 18 months to produce.
Atmospheric music and lighting add to the cinematic quality of the action.
Park's characters are well-observed and believable, the penguin in
particular conveying a terrific feeling of brooding evil just through its
slow walk and beady eyes.
There are many deft comic touches and gags: Gromit reads "The Republic", by
"Pluto"; Wallace blow-dries his bald head, ears flapping in the breeze.
"The Wrong Trousers" is not only a superlative piece of animation, but also
a comic masterpiece in its own right--and British comedy at its best.
###
Why Python Broke the Mold, by Michael Clarkson
==============================================
On Sunday, October 5, 1969, a late-night comedy series hit the airwaves for
the first time. It was to change the face of British comedy forever. It did
for television what the "Goons" did for radio. I'm talking about one of the
most popular comedy troupes to come out of Britain: Monty Python.
For one thing, the structure of the show was very important. A traditional
situation comedy show was expected to have a definite beginning,
delevopment, and resolution of the plot in every 1/2 hour show. The same
idea applied to the variety show: the viewers anticipated the start (the
big opening number) and the top-of-the-bill act would finish the show.
However, Python's structure was clear from the start: there was none.
Skits could be started or ended seeminly at any time. The Colonel could
intervene, a 16 ton weight could hit any of the characters, or an animation
could send the show spinning into any number of silly directions. This
structure was applauded by critics and audiences alike, and the BBC
executives loved it.
The performers broke the traditional sitcom mold. The six Pythons all had
their individual parts to play - as well as writing the material
themselves. At the time, many of the top performers had not written their
own material. Moreover, the performers themselves had different ranges of
style which complemented each other's performances. There was Chapman's
Colonel, whose appearances struck fear into the performers, Cleese whose
Mr. Praline [of the Dead Parrot sketch] and also the Minister of Silly
Walks typified the English upper classes, there were Michael Palin and
Terry Jones - Jones, the Welsh fire who was totally different from Cleese.
Palin tried to keep in the middle of it all. Eric Idle kept on his own
writing but produced jems like the "Nudge, Nudge" skit and many hilarious
songs, and the American animator Terry Gilliam sometimes shocked, sometimes
pleasantly surprised audiences with his fascinating animations.
These six men [and let us not forget Carol Cleveland, Connie Booth and later
Neil Innes] made television history. By deliberately re-writing the rule
book on comedy they changed its face forever. One thing is for sure, Monty
Python lived up to its adopted catchphrase - it was "something completely
different."
###
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: Grand Old Men Of Comedy
Part one of a three-part series by James Kew
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
THE EARLY YEARS
Peter Cook was born on the 17th of November, 1937. While still at school
he began writing comic material, including several items for the
magazine "Punch" as well as some pieces performed within the school.
Avoiding National Service through a fortuitous allergy to feather
pillows, he spend a year in France and Germany, where he visited a
number of satirical nightclubs; it was here he had the idea of opening
what would later become London's "Establishment" club.
In 1957 Cook went to Pembroke College, Cambridge, to study French and
German literature. It took him a year to summon up enough courage to
audition for the Footlights Club; he is quoted as saying, "I felt the
Footlights was a tremendously elite club--I was too bashful to even
consider applying for it." He took part in the 1959 revue, "The Last
Laugh", and in 1960 became the president of Footlights, writing much of
that year's revue, "Pop Goes Mrs Jessup". It was seen by the theatrical
producer Michael Codron, who asked Cook to contribute material to a
professional revue, "Pieces Of Eight", which played at London's Apollo
Theatre in 1960. It was followed in 1961 by "One Over The Eight". In
Cook's words, "By the time I left Cambridge I had acquired an agent, and
was a 'professional writer'".
Dudley Moore was born on the 19th of April, 1937. He told the Observer
in 1979: "I was a very serious pompous child. I spent the first seven
years of my life siphoned off in hospital beds and wheelchairs with a
club foot...It was my leg onto which I projected all my feelings of
inadequacy and self-loathing." At school he took to clowning to avoid
the inevitable bullying and teasing. A keen musician, he went on to
study music at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he became interested in
the stage and cabaret and developed great skill in the jazz piano.
BEYOND THE FRINGE
In 1960 John Basset, another Oxford graduate, was assisting the organiser,
Robert Ponsomby, of the Edinburgh Festival--an annual festival of music and
drama. Many small theatre and revue companies also mount unofficial
productions on the so-called "Fringe" of the Festival. Ponsomby had the
idea that the Festival should have its own official late-night revue;
Basset suggested Dudley Moore and another Oxford man, Alan Bennett, and
suggested that they be balanced by two Cambridge people, Peter Cook and
Jonathan Miller.
The revue was given the title "Beyond The Fringe", and comprised of the best
of the foursome's solo material with some new sketches. It opened to
excellent critical reaction at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, in August
1960, and moved via Cambridge and Brighton to London's Fortune Theatre,
where it opened in May 1961. Much of the humour in the show is gentle; Alan
Bennett gave an earnestly-delivered spoof sermon, Dudley Moore provided a
number of musical interludes, Jonathan Miller delivered a whimsical
monologue about the startling number of trousers found in railway Lost
Property offices. The sketches poke fun at existing institutions, rather
than, as was common in previous revues, putting the performers into
imaginary situations. Jonathan Miller: "We resolved not to make these
conditional propositions, which were always the basis of old-fashioned
revue--'wouldn't it be funny if...'. Our idea was 'isn't it funny
that...'--let's observe what actually goes on, imitate it, and remind
people by the shock of recognition how absurd things are." Alan Bennett
remarks: "It did actually treat the audience as intelligent people who read
the papers."
Peter Cook contributed to most of the new sketches, and performed a
monologue, "Sitting On The Bench", a rambling conversational piece in
typical deadpan style delivered by a coal miner who wanted to be a
judge.
Cook: Yes, I could have been a judge but I never had the Latin, never
had the Latin for the judging, I just never had sufficient of it
to get through the rigourous judging exams. They're noted for
their rigour. People come out saying, "My God, what a rigourous
exam"--and so I became a miner instead. A coal miner. I managed
to get through the mining exams--they're not rigourous, they
only ask one question, they say, "Who are you", and I got 75 per
cent on that.
Dudley Moore recalls feeling rather intimidated by the other performers: "I
don't recall much of the writing process...perhaps because I felt fairly
futile in its creativity. I had to win my laurels eventually it seemed
through my abilities as a performer." His musical pieces were well
received. "I had to construct a solo...I decided to write a sonata movement
using one of the silliest songs I knew and one of the greatest
composers...Thus, I chose the 'Colonel Bogey March' as used in the film
'Bridge Over The River Kwai' and worked it in the style of Beethoven."
"Beyond The Fringe" was immediately hailed as a satirical masterpiece; a
label that the performers found a little uncomfortable. Jonathan Miller:
"None of us approached the world with a satirical indignation. There were
targets we wanted to hit--I was interested in lampooning productions of
Shakespeare, not because I had a burning indignation against them but
because I just wanted to get them right." Peter Cook: "Certain parts of it
were satirical...'The Aftermyth Of War' upset quite a few people, who
thought it was an attack on people who laid down their lives in the war,
when in fact it was a parody of the films."
Cook: We're two down, and the ball's in the enemy court. War is a
psychological thing, Perkins, rather like a game of football.
You know how in a game of football ten men often play better
than eleven?
Miller: Yes, sir.
Cook: Perkins, we are asking you to be that one man. I want you to lay
down your life, Perkins. We need a futile gesture at this stage.
It will raise the whole tone of the war. Get up in a crate,
Perkins, pop over to Bremen, take a shufti, don't come back.
Goodbye, Perkins. God, I wish I was going too.
Miller: Goodbye, sir--or is it--au revoir?
Cook: No, Perkins.
One of the most controversial sketches was Peter Cook's impersonation of
the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan. Cook: "My impersonation of
Macmillan was in fact extremely affectionate...but merely because it
was the first time for some years that a living Prime Minister had been
impersonated on stage, a great deal of weight was attached to it."
Macmillan visited the show one evening; Alan Bennett recalls: "Peter has
a kind of madness on stage...he has the kind of self-confidence which
doesn't take into account audience reactions. One evening Macmillan came
to the show. Peter therefore went several steps further, remarking on
the Prime Minister's presence in the audience. Macmillan buried his face
in the programme, and the audience, out of embarrassment, gradually
froze. This didn't stop Peter. On he plunged. Someone with less
self-confidence would have been guided by the atmosphere."
The show ran for over a year, until the cast took it to America, when it
continues for another four years with a substitute cast. "Beyond The
Fringe" opened in October 1962 at New York's John Golden Theatre, where
it ran for about a year, returning in 1964 in a slightly revised form
with Paxton Whitehead replacing Jonathan Miller.
"Beyond The Fringe" changed British theatre and revue immeasurably--
old-fashioned revue disappeared completely from London. By pointing humour
at previously unexplored targets it opened the road for the new wave of
satirical comedy which emerged in the 1960s. Dudley Moore: "They were
exotic years and exotic experiences...I don't think I ever had such grand
excitement." Peter Cook: "I may have done some other things as good but I
am sure none better. I haven't matured, progressed, grown, become deeper,
wiser or funnier. But then, I never thought I would."
THE ESTABLISHMENT
Peter Cook was the only member of the "Beyond The Fringe" team with a
conscious desire to be satirical. His experiences of political cabaret
during his visit to France and Germany gave him the idea to open his own
club and having made some money from his writing, he began putting his
plan in motion before "Beyond The Fringe" even opened in London.
He got together with the treasurer of Footlights, Nick Luard, and they
managed to negotiate a lease on an old strip-tease club in Soho's Greek
Street. Cook: "It was all quite chaotic. Because of the advance
publicity, about seven thousand people joined before it had even opened:
they joined on the idea, at two guineas a time, which roughly financed
the opening of it." An excellent cast, including John Fortune, John Bird
and Eleanor Bron performed nightly shows at the new club, "The
Establishment", with frequent guest appearances.
Cook recalls: "I was very very lucky with the cast I got. I also
persuaded Dudley Moore to play with his trio down in the basement, at
slave labour rates, but he just enjoyed himself a lot and had a
fantastic opportunity to meet young women. For two years it was a great
place, which I still look back on with tremendous fondness. There was
all the excitement of bringing Lenny Bruce over...those were tremendous
times. Some of the things we did are as outrageous as anything that has
been done subsequently. I think more so...extremely bad taste
flourished at 'The Establishment'."
The cast of "The Establishment" later moved to the States, arriving
shortly after "Beyond The Fringe". Their new brand of comedy was
well-received, and led to an offer of a TV show from Ed Sullivan. The
show was to be directed by Jonathan Miller, but the restrictive nature
of network TV led to insurmountable difficulties, and the show was never
made.
Without the key members of its original cast, and suffering certain
financial difficulties, the London "Establishment" was running into
trouble. It was taken over and went rapidly down-market. On his return
from America, Peter Cook was offered his half-interest back by the new
owners. Cook: "I took one look at the club and said 'No'. The whole
atmosphere had gone--the place was filed with rather large men, and I
didn't think it was salvagable. And so I got out; that was the end of
'The Establishment' for me." The club soon became just a typical Soho
nightclub and was later converted to a blue-movie cinema.
At about the same time "The Establishment" opened, the satirical
magazine "Private Eye" began publication. It was a joint venture between
Richard Ingrams, Christopher Booker and William Rushton. By April 1962,
however, the "Eye" was in danger of sinking through lack of finances.
Peter Cook had hoped to start a magazine after the success of "The
Establishment", but was beaten to it by "Private Eye". He now came to
its rescue, and he and Christopher Luard became majority shareholders.
Under Cook's guardianship, "Private Eye" prospered, gaining a reputation
for scurrilous exposes and their accompanying libel suits; it continues
to this day.
NEXT INSTALLMENT, PART 2: "Not Only...But Also..."
====================
QUOTE-'O-THE-MONTH
====================
[on not watching t.v. on Christmas Day]: "We're English here, and we're
going to do Christmas properly...well, unless there's a Bond film on,
obviously." -- Richie
SHOW: Bottom
EPISODE: "Holy" (Season 2)
==========
net.comedy
==========
Douglas Adams, author of _The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy_ and many
other science fiction/comedy books, is a particular favourite amongst 'net
folk. There is a fan newsgroup, alt.fan.douglas-adams; Adams himself has
several internet accounts and has been known to read and post comments,
much to the surprise of the newsgroup.
An FAQ is posted regularly and is also available by ftp at:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/alt.fan.douglas-adams/
More information, including some very comprehensive indexes to the books,
is available by ftp from "The Mothership" (see below) in the directory
"fan". WWW users should visit the aptly named Douglas Adams Worship Page:
http://www.umd.umich.edu/~nhughes/dna/
Among other things, you'll find "Differences between UK and US versions of
_Life, the Universe, and Everything_," "The Hitchiker's Guide to Star
Trek", and .wav files for the computer game DOOM.
There is also a Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Home Page, which collects
information relating to the books and series:
http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/~jdavis/hhgttg.html
See also Project Galactic Guide, a 'net project to create a real-life Guide
to the Galaxy, which has its own newsgroup (alt.galactic-guide) and ftp
site, known as "The Mothership":
[USA] ftp://vela.acs.oakland.edu/pub/galactic-guide/
[UK mirror] ftp://ftp.cs.city.ac.uk/pub/galactic-guide/
You'll find the PGG FAQ here, in the directory "information". Guide entries
are also here, along with reader programs to allow them to be read at your
leisure on your own machine. Several Web pages give information on
PGG--here's two, Roel van der Meulen's Research Vessel Leiden and Jeff
Kramer's PGG Home Page:
[Holland] http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~vdmeulen/
[USA] http://www.realtime.net/~lthumper/pgg/
A number of WWW interfaces to the Guide entries exist:
[USA] http://www.willamette.edu/pgg/
[UK] http://web.cs.city.ac.uk/pgg/guide.html
[Spain] http://aurora.etsiig.uniovi.es:3080/~~pippin/pgg/guide.html
Remember: always know where your towel is!
---> Mail news and views on "net.comedy" to James Kew <j.kew@ic.ac.uk>.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQs & COMPREHENSIVE LISTS, ETC.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The TARDIS ARCHIVE site is now up on the WWW! It has many episode guides
and a new database which can search by actor. The URL:
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~dave/guides/index.html
Dave Chapman maintains the site; it's still under construction, so
feedback is welcome.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOON ALERT: For fans of The Goons, there is plenty on the net. Anonymous ftp
to ftp.netcom.com (/pub/dbaker/goons). If you don't have FTP access, send
e-mail to <ftp-request@netcom.com> containing in the body of the message:
"send/pub/dbaker/goons/goonlist.asc"
For web browsers, there's the Goons Home Page:
http://minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au/Goons/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
_The Making Of Red Dwarf_, by Joe Nazzaro (ISBN 0-14-023206-0) 7.99 UK
pounds. About the makings of series 6 (with emphasis on the episode
"Gunmen of the Apocalypse". Introduction by Grant & Naylor. Behind the
scene photos, drawings of the Red Dwarf set, and more.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The _RED DWARF QUIZ BOOK_ (Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-023662-7) by Nicky Hooks
and Sharon Burnett, taxes the sinews of the fan's mind with questions like,
"What was the Love Celibacy Society's philosophy?" Biographies of the
actors also included. (UK #4.99, Aus. $9.95, CA $6.99)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Looking for books by SPIKE MILLIGAN? Vincent Golden has had luck with
The Good Book Guide, 24 Seward Street, London EC1V 3GB UK
Tel. +44 (0)71 490 9905 (for orders)
+44 (0)71 490 9900 (customer service)
They also carry BBC cassettes of "The Goon Show" and "I'm Sorry, I'll Read
That Again." They will ship internationally. And tell them Vincent sent
you!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
_A British-American Dictionary_ compiled by Jeremy Smith
<jeremy@csos.orst.edu> is available via ftp:
ftp://ftp.csos.orst.edu/networking/bigfun/usuk_dictionary.txt
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There is now a second ABFAB book, _Absolutely Fabulous 2_ (ISBN
0-563-37086-6). Joe Reda <jlr@netcom.com> was told by the BBC Shop that
CBS/FOX will be releasing them soon in the US. We say, it's about time!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you're into British comedies, you must read the MARMITE FAQ, by Dave
Chapman <dave@cheers.demon.co.uk>. Every schoolkid grows up on marmite
sandwiches in England...it's a cultural icon!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Upload your episode guide, cast index, or FAQ to the CATHOUSE.ORG BRITISH
COMEDY PAGES! Contact James Kew <j.kew@ic.ac.uk> for details. The URL is:
http://cathouse.org:8000/BritishComedy/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cornerstone Publications will start shipping Monty Python trading cards
in December. The cards are standard "baseball" size, and feature MP Flying
Circus TV show. Contact Lee Whiteside <leew@indirect.com> for more info.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTION INFO.
==============================
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic fanzine posted
monthly to: alt.tv.red-dwarf, alt.comedy.british.blackadder,
alt.comedy.british, alt.tv.comedy-central, rec.arts.tv.uk,
alt.fan.monty-python, alt.fan.douglas-adams.
DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf171.
GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Britcomedy Digest is free and you can unsubscribe at any
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BACK ISSUES
===========
GOPHER:
There are several different sites. Note the non-standard port at
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Login as "anonymous" and give your e-mail address as the password.
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WWW:
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[UK] http://http2.brunel.ac.uk:8080/Britcom/
[US] http://satelnet.org/~mentat/Britcom/
SUBMISSIONS
===========
Britcomedy Digest is always looking for knowledgeable fans with vigorous
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IN UPCOMING ISSUES...
=====================
A special "Books on Comedy Shows" issue, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, The
Goons, The Goodies, I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again, Bottom, The Brittas
Empire, One Foot In the Grave, and more!
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