Ben Elton’s ‘Upstart Crow’, the eagerly-awaited new sitcom starring David Mitchell as William Shakespeare, started at 10pm. on BBC2 last night. With a supporting cast including Harry Enfield, Paula Wilcox, Mark Heap, Dominic Coleman, and Gemma Whelan, the first episode attracted audience figures just shy of 1.3 million and is perfect engaging and irreverent fare to complement the marking of the Bard’s death 400 years ago this year.
Gareth Gwenlan OBE, who as Head of BBC Comedy from 1983 to 1990 commissioned ‘Blackadder II’, ‘One Foot in the Grave’, and ‘Yes, Prime Minister’, has died at the age of 79. A skilled producer and director, his most endearing successes include ‘Red Dwarf’, ‘Only Fools and Horses’, and ‘To the Manor Born’; returning for the 25th. anniversary special from 2007 as pictured above.
I spent the morning on the Wren Davis diary farm, Great Missenden, filming a brief interview for an up-coming feature on ‘The One Show’. The piece should be broadcast later this year, and I’ll give you a heads up just as soon as I know!
I’m delighted that my Leicester Square Theatre guest this month is that fine actor and lovely chap Peter Egan. The show, on Sunday, 24th. April, starts at 4pm. and will include a whistle-stop tour through Peter’s life and work, from Big Breadwinner Hog to Downtown Abbey, via his much-loved turn as Paul Ryman in the classic BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. Tickets are available at leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com or by ‘phoning the box office on: 020 7734 2222.
What a terrible year of lose for the great, good, and gracious of the business. Ronnie Corbett’s death, at the age of 85, really does feel like the end of an era. An evergreen force of positive energy, twinkly laughter, and dogged determination, Ron C. is quite simply one of the pillars of British Light Entertainment. Such happy memories of working with him, and seeing him skilfully flex his stand-up muscles live on stage. Irreplaceable.
I’m delighted to be welcoming my good friend and that brilliant actor Neil Pearson to the Leicester Square Theatre for an intimate chat on Sunday, 20th. March, from 7pm. Please note the later than usual starting time for this ‘In Conversation…’ show; an evening that promises to be amusing and enlightening. Expect anecdotes and analysis of ‘Drop the Dead Donkey’, ‘Trevor’s World of Sport’, ‘The Missing Hancocks’, and so much more, including ‘Hand to God’, in which Neil is currently appearing at the Vaudeville theatre. Tickets for our chat are available from the Leicester Square Box Office: leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com
Very sad to hear that film and theatre producer Michael White died on Monday, at the age of 80. Award-winning stage productions of ‘Sleuth’ and ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ led to filmed work with the Comic Strip Presents… and Monty Python teams. Terry Gilliam, who co-directed Michael White’s ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, said: “‘Chalky’ White is gone, leaving years of indelible graffiti scrawled across the cultural walls of the world”. The following day, legendary record producer Sir George Martin died at the age of 90. His legacy with the Beatles re-shaped music, but his comedy credentials should never be under-estimated; from ‘Right Said Fred’ with Bernard Cribbins to Charlie Drake’s ‘My Boomerang Won’t Come Back’, Sir George’s comic and tragic cuts for laughter-makers such as Joan Sims, Terry Scott, Peter Sellers, Peter Ustinov, and Spike Milligan, remain seminal. And he even cut his rock ‘n’ roll team with a youthful Jim Dale. What a back catalogue. Thank you, gentlemen.
My monthly interview show, at home at the Museum of Comedy since December 2014, is moving to the Lounge at the Leicester Square Theatre from this month. Having been happily ensconced there for most of this year with ‘Jeepers Creepers’, I’m really looking forward to returning. This month’s guest is that award-winning actor, writer, wit, and good friend Mark Gatiss. A founding member of the League of Gentlemen, Mark’s many other comedy credits include ‘Psychoville’, ‘Nighty Night’, ‘Spaced’, ‘Sex Lives of the Potato Men’, and the ‘Dad’s Army’ film. We are chatting from 4pm. tomorrow. It’s a complete sell-out, but beg, steal or borrow a ticket. It promises to be a blast. See you there!
Very sad to hear that my good friend Norman Hudis has died at the age of 93. A good innings for a lovely man, his work has made me laugh, cry, and think for more years than I care to remember. Obviously, as the scriptwriter for the first six Carry Ons, he created a British film legacy that continues to entertain millions across the world. His other work, from the rock ‘n’ roll biopic ‘The Tommy Steele Story’ to the animated adventure ‘A Monkey’s Tale’, via American television credits on the likes of ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ and ‘Marcus Welby, M.D.’ are very much worth searching out too. From our first meeting, we bonded as both writers, and friends. He looked me deep in the eyes and said: “You know, Robert, if there is a generation gap, you provide the bridge”. I’ll miss our laughs on stage, our e-mail correspondences, and our all too infrequent reunion dinners, when he found himself in London. Norman was a kind, gracious, and generous friend. Rest well, old chum. And Carry On. Always!
A brand new week of ‘Jeepers Creepers’ performances kicks off with the Gala Night tonight, at 7pm. Terry Jones directs my play, with the peerless Rebecca Vaughan and David Boyle starring as Lauretta and Marty Feldman. The show runs until Saturday, 20th. February, and tickets are available from the Leicester Square Theatre website www.leicestersquaretheatre.com, or by calling the Box Office on: 020 7734 2222.