Ab Fab - How UK and The World Has Changed Since 1990's

[launderess]

Soldiering On - Stephanie Cole - Talking Heads

Another great monologue from Alan Bennett's Talking Heads series.

If you've only know Miss. Cole from "Waiting For God" this will hit home.

Just an aside Miss. Cole often actually quite younger than the roles she was cast to play such as Diana "foul mouth" Trent.

 

[launderess]

Hetty Wainthrop in Hetty Wainthrop Investigates

In interviews writer/creator of that series *created* HW out of a composite of a group of "northern women that I knew".... What emerged is a bossy no nonsense woman who wasn't quite a battle axe, but likely could help out if there was a rush.

The character appealed to PR because she felt it was a 360 degree turn from Hyacinth Bucket. You'd *NEVER* get Hyacinth on the back of a motor bike, but Hetty has no problems.

 

[launderess]

"Didn’t know she was vocally trained at all, let alone clasically trained"

Ohh yes.

Fact tis those who have been professionally trained singers often make the best ones to act as if they can't. Well they would, wouldn't they? After all having spent so much time learning how to sing properly, they also know what not to do; so they just "switch" off or reverse what they've learned.

Many having seen PR only as Hyacinth Bucket would assume the actress couldn't sing to save her life. But if you listen carefully it is clear PR does have a rich and powerful voice, moreover she knows how to control it.

Another famous example if this is the late Madeline Kahn who channeled Marlene Dietrich in Blazing Saddles.

Miss. Kahn had a wonderful classically trained singing voice. She auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera, but was turned down not because of the quality, but that it was deemed the voice was too small/lacked power for operatic roles.



As opposed to:

 

[rolls_rapide]

Comedy series

I must say that I am not a fan of modern UK comedy series - I think they are just far too contrived. And the acting is as stiff as a board.

I get more joy with Capt Mainwaring, Mrs Slocombe, Margo Leadbetter, and "That Bucket Woman!".

I recently saw a couple of old black and white Laurel & Hardy films. They still make me laugh.

 

[cuffs054]

Rolls, I did love 'The Duchess of Duke Street" and thought it was very well done.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Old series actors

Part of the fun of the old series, comedy or drama, is recognising actors before they were famous.

Lalla Ward (2nd 'Romana' in Dr Who) and Pauline Quirke (Birds of a Feather) turn up in 'The Duchess of Duke Street', in addition to Barbara Lott (Timothy Lumsden's mum in 'Sorry!') and Margaretta Scott (Tricki Woo's 'mum' in 'All Creatures Great & Small'). As was Elizabeth Shepherd, who apparently played Emma Peel in 'The Avengers' just before Diana Rigg was cast. The producers didn't like the dynamics of the shot footage, so recast and refilmed with Miss Rigg.