"Topical" Comedy on Radio 4

[Steamer]

chrispmartha said:

Don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread but one of the best comedies of the last decade either TV or Radio(IMO) was on Radio 4, it's not on anymore I think due to the death of Felix Dexter but Down the Line was utterly glorious - Paul Whitehouse and some other from the Fast Show at their best - not particularly topical comedy but it was sublime.

I can listen to those time and again.

- A friend of mine tuned into a 'Down The Line' show half way through and didnt realise it was a spoof (the tit ).. which I think goes to show how well crafted it was.

[Halmyre]

Steamer said:

chrispmartha said:

Don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread but one of the best comedies of the last decade either TV or Radio(IMO) was on Radio 4, it's not on anymore I think due to the death of Felix Dexter but Down the Line was utterly glorious - Paul Whitehouse and some other from the Fast Show at their best - not particularly topical comedy but it was sublime.

I can listen to those time and again.

- A friend of mine tuned into a 'Down The Line' show half way through and didnt realise it was a spoof (the tit ).. which I think goes to show how well crafted it was.

It fooled me a bit the first time I heard it. Gary's a dead ringer for Dermot O'Leary.

[chrispmartha]

Steamer said:

chrispmartha said:

Don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread but one of the best comedies of the last decade either TV or Radio(IMO) was on Radio 4, it's not on anymore I think due to the death of Felix Dexter but Down the Line was utterly glorious - Paul Whitehouse and some other from the Fast Show at their best - not particularly topical comedy but it was sublime.

I can listen to those time and again.

- A friend of mine tuned into a 'Down The Line' show half way through and didnt realise it was a spoof (the tit ).. which I think goes to show how well crafted it was.

I never get bored of them either, Simon Day is particularly good in it, but Felix Dexter is just pure comedy gold.

[dxg]

Any fans of John Finniemore's Souvenir Programme?

Perfect example of timeless, as non-topical as you could get it, comedy.

[Nimby]

dxg said:

Any fans of John Finniemore's Souvenir Programme?

Perfect example of timeless, as non-topical as you could get it, comedy.

Yes me - I mentioned it in this thread back on p.7.

[Mr Gearchange]

^ Very much so - Finnimore's stuff is excellent. I enjoyed Cabin Pressure enormously and hopefully it will get a new series - but probably difficult to get Cumberbatch lined up for a pokey R4 comedy slot these days.

[Halmyre]

Mr Gearchange said:

^ Very much so - Finnimore's stuff is excellent. I enjoyed Cabin Pressure enormously and hopefully it will get a new series - but probably difficult to get Cumberbatch lined up for a pokey R4 comedy slot these days.

Unless they extend the alphabet I think we've seen the last of Cabin Pressure! Which is no bad thing; lets it go out on a high.

[Mr Gearchange]

Halmyre said:

Mr Gearchange said:

^ Very much so - Finnimore's stuff is excellent. I enjoyed Cabin Pressure enormously and hopefully it will get a new series - but probably difficult to get Cumberbatch lined up for a pokey R4 comedy slot these days.

Unless they extend the alphabet I think we've seen the last of Cabin Pressure! Which is no bad thing; lets it go out on a high.

Ha - I hadn't noticed that, even though I downloaded all the audio books.

[MarshPhantom]

dxg said:

Any fans of John Finniemore's Souvenir Programme?

Perfect example of timeless, as non-topical as you could get it, comedy.

I always thought Cabin Pressure was bloody awful, but enjoyed the Souvenir programme. Friday evening is generally good but we now have the dull old Museum of Curiosity.

I can recommend R4 Extra for anyone with DAB.

[Europa1]

MarshPhantom said:

I always thought Cabin Pressure was bloody awful, but enjoyed the Souvenir programme. Friday evening is generally good but we now have the dull old Museum of Curiosity.

I can recommend R4 Extra for anyone with DAB.

Yep, same view here.

Slightly O/T, my flabber was well and truly ghasted when I saw a headline the other day along the lines of "Mrs Brown's Boys voted best comedy".

[Blib]

Europa1 said:

Yep, same view here.

Slightly O/T, my flabber was well and truly ghasted when I saw a headline the other day along the lines of "Mrs Brown's Boys voted best comedy".

Ahead of The Office.

People have short memories.

[AdeTuono]

MarshPhantom said:

...but we now have the dull old Museum of Curiosity.

I used to quite like Noel Fielding, but now think he pushes the 'surreal' schtick a bit to far. There's only so many times you can trot out the 'like an 'x' doing 'y' with a 'z'...line before it gets pretty boring.

[MarshPhantom]

AdeTuono said:

MarshPhantom said:

...but we now have the dull old Museum of Curiosity.

I used to quite like Noel Fielding, but now think he pushes the 'surreal' schtick a bit to far. There's only so many times you can trot out the 'like an 'x' doing 'y' with a 'z'...line before it gets pretty boring.

I uaed to love The Boosh but he hasn't done much since.

[Chocmonster]

I love Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang-Ups, not topical satire but rings true for my family life!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07pjb9t

[Smiler.]

Chocmonster said:

I love Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang-Ups, not topical satire but rings true for my family life!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07pjb9t

I too like this. Also enjoyed To Hull & Back (on earlier).

The Friday night slot has been dire for years now, except for Dead Ringars.

[AdeTuono]

Smiler. said:

I too like this. Also enjoyed To Hull & Back (on earlier).

The Friday night slot has been dire for years now, except for Dead Ringars.

Dianne Abbot!

[Smiler.]

AdeTuono said:

Smiler. said:

I too like this. Also enjoyed To Hull & Back (on earlier).

The Friday night slot has been dire for years now, except for Dead Ringars.

Dianne Abbot!

LOL.

I was in the workshop the other day & she was being interviewed after the then latest Corbyn faux pas & I actually said that out loud in the voice, several times.

[Steamer]

AdeTuono said:

MarshPhantom said:

...but we now have the dull old Museum of Curiosity.

I used to quite like Noel Fielding, but now think he pushes the 'surreal' schtick a bit to far. There's only so many times you can trot out the 'like an 'x' doing 'y' with a 'z'...line before it gets pretty boring.

I'm glad someone else mentioned that. Big fan of the Boosh but everything else just seems to have a ring of vanity / 'try hard' to it.

Museum of Curiosity is a good format, I just find Noel a bit annoying.

'Museum of Everything' Cracked me up though.

[coppice]

To Hull and Back feels like it was written in 1972 and not in a good way. Some great stuff on R4 Extra - I am a sucker for book quizzes like The Write Stuff - but some truly dreadful tat too. Round the Horne is fascinating in a time capsule sort of way(Ooh err, he's a queer sort..) but there aren't the words for Men from The Ministry. It sounds 1953 but ran well into the 70s at least and is just tragically lame.

[Blib]

If we're going for comedy dramas then Bleak Expectations is really good, scatty and weird. I also like Elvenquest. Mainly because Kevin Eldon and Alistair McGowan chew up the scenery as the baddies.