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Are You Having a Laugh? Comedy and Christianity
Are You Having a Laugh? Comedy and Christianity (2013 TV Movie)
7/10
food for though
19 May 2013
In the Britain of the 1960s everyone could have a chuckle at family comedies about plummy vicars. The comedy became more contentious in 1979 when Monty Python released "Life of Brian" and upset the Christian community. These days though, that community harks back to the educated comedy of the Pythons while stand up comedians base a whole show on Christians and Christianity. To be a Christian is to be an object of ridicule. That is Ann Widdecombe's contention anyway and this documentary is her attempt to explore comedy in the 201x's.

So is Ann right or is she just an old fuddy duddy who can't face reality? I can't give an opinion on the outcome of the program as that is up to the viewer. What I will say though is that the show has been well researched and the interviewees all have something valid to say – both for and against. We get to see a former Archbishop of Canterbury, a political comedian and a number of other figures from the world of British comedy.

Widdecombe presents the program in a reasonably balanced manner without leaving you in any doubt as to her position. Overall I think the program is biased towards her viewpoint but then her viewpoint, after all, it isn't meant to be "that" balanced. The object of a documentary such as this is to get the viewer thinking and it does that. None of the interviewees scores a direct hit but there is plenty of food for though provided. I don't think the content will change many people's minds but it is stimulating nonetheless.
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Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door
The Comic Strip Presents: Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door (1988)
Season 4, Episode 3
8/10
a tad over the top
4 April 2013
So sad to see Rik Mayall in "Jonathan Creek", this is more like it. First Mayall & Ade Edmonson were the Dangerous Brothers. They morphed into Richie and Eddie for Ben Elton's "Filthy, Rich and Catflap". Ultimately they became "Bottom", but along the way we had the The Dreamy Time Escort Agency aka "Mr Jolly Lives Next Door".

Richie and Eddie (I don't think they have names actually) are Dreamy Time Escorts which is a pretty gross concept considering the lineage of the characters! The escorts steal school boys' lunches, effectively kidnap foreign business men for drinking tours of Olde London Town ("The French guy's paying"), drive a filthy old van very dangerously, drink copious amounts of gin. In fact they drive a filthy old van very dangerously before, during and after drinking copious amounts of gin. Shout, swear, throw up...and have dinner at the Dorchester with Nicholas Parsons. You get the picture!

Parsons and Peter Cook make magnificent cameos, the former as his TV persona and the latter as a murderous neighbour. The omnipresent Peter Richardson puts on his sullen head as an obsessive gangster type who cherishes his car.

There is some semblance of a story here. I guess that is where co-writer Rowland Rivron comes in. But don't let the story motif put that you off. This is an exercise in grossness and there aren't many better at that than Mayall and Edmonson. Except Peter Cook perhaps!
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The Supergrass
The Supergrass (1985)
7/10
accomplished effort from comic strip team
28 March 2013
In which the gang take us down to Devon for a spot of the old drug smuggling. Edmonson, Saunders and Richardson take the leads while various other Strippers pop up along the way. No Rik Mayall if that is a major factor.

Richardson and Richens cleverly tell a story which provides a level of interest while letting us concentrate on our favourite comedians. At this point in the game most of us were really looking for our alt comedy faves on the big screen. So, we are served up a series of semi humorous events while the plot gels along the way. Alexei Sayle grabs the limelight as a funny traffic cop but is, ultimately, trumped by Robbie Coltrane's "walking on water" act at the end. Both those roles are largely superfluous to the plot but the roles of Nigel Planer and Keith Allen have a bit more relevance than is immediately obvious keep watching!

Richardson & Saunders begin to appear as actors rather than comedians. Ade Edmonson gives us his "nerdy bloke" routine.

You will laugh: if nothing else at the above mentioned Sayle segment. And most people raise at least a chuckle at the pub disco scene. But it is one of those Brit films which leaves you amused rather than clutching your sides in laughter.
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Howard Goodall's Story of Music
Howard Goodall's Story of Music (2013– )
8/10
You will learn something if you watch this
21 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Howard's programmes are always entertaining and this is no exception. 6 hours well spent. However, unless otherwise advised, assume that a "story" of music is a story of classical music. No qualms with that but, really? Did the 20th century just fly by that quickly.

This could be taken as a SPOILER: Episode 1 delves into the origins of music, Episodes 2-5 are largely a guide through a few hundred years of classical music. Episode 6 concentrates on the 20th century.

The programme opened my eyes to a number of composers I had heard of but of whom I didn't know much. I began to be able to put a name to all those tunes I had heard in the background many times. No more grasping around in the dark when it comes to searching out classical works. Actually, a bit disappointed he didn't dwell further on the British composers (yeah, there were one or two) but maybe they were derivative rather than innovative.

I kept wondering what happened to all the traditional folk music growing in seclusion around the world. But I think seclusion is the point here – it didn't affect the outside world so it didn't affect the story of music. Pity but fair enough.

Now my major gripe: Episode 6 – the 20th century. 12 bar blues to jazz to skiffle to psychedelia to glam to prog to punk to rap to acid house and on including all those genres I have missed out. All neatly bundled up in one hour. Along with the progress of classical music in the 20th century. Hmmm, Goodall does highlight the fact that popular music is, essentially, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards so changes fall within the same rigid boundaries. Possibly. This is, after all, Howard's story. I guess it is the content, rather than the watchability I am querying.

If you already know your Bach from your Verdi, watch this program for pleasure. If you are interesting in broadening your horizons then pull up a stool and absorb the history lesson. Thumbs up from me :)
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