British Comedy Guide

All People Great And Small

Another dusty old sketch I wrote a few years ago. It was actually picked up by a BBC sketch show but it never got made in the end. Stll got paid though, so hah!

1. INT. DOCTOR’S SURGERY. DAY.

AN EMBARRASSED-LOOKING BLOKE IS ON AN EXAMINATION TABLE ON ALL FOURS, WITH HIS ARSE STICKING UP IN THE AIR. HE’S WEARING A HOSPITAL-STYLE OPEN-BACKED SMOCK.

NURSE:
Doctor Farnham will be with you shortly, Mr Watts. Just try to relax.

BLOKE:
Right... is all this really necessary? I only came in for a flu jab.

NURSE:
Doctor knows best, Mr Watts.

DOCTOR FARNHAM ENTERS. HE’S WEARING A TWEED SUIT, HOMBURG HAT, AND BIG GREEN MUDDY WELLIES.

NURSE:
Morning Dr Farnham.

DOCTOR:
(VERY CHEERFULLY) Morning Nurse Tilly, Ah, I see you have the
patient prepped and ready, excellent work. Handsome specimen isn’t
he?

HE SLAPS THE BLOKE’S RUMP...REALLY HARD.

BLOKE:
Ow! Bloody Hell!

DOCTOR:
Whoah there old boy!

WITH ONE HAND THE DOCTOR GRASPS THE BLOKE’S TIE AS IF IT’S A HORSE’S REIN, AND WITH THE OTHER HE STROKES THE MAN’S FACE.

DOCTOR:
TO NURSE)
Feisty one, isn’t he? Probably from racing stock I shouldn’t wonder. (HE PULLS THE BLOKE’S LIPS APART AND QUICKLY CHECKS HIS TEETH.) Don’t you worry now old chap, I’ve done more of these procedures than you've had buckets of oats.

BLOKE:
What procedures? Look, I just want a flu jab that’s all.

THE DOCTOR IGNORES HIM. HE TAKES OFF HIS JACKET AND ROLLS UP HIS SLEEVE AS HE TALKS TO THE NURSE.

DOCTOR:
Did err...did old Mrs Eckerslike come in for her medication?

NURSE:
Yes Doctor. I gave her two weeks worth of Bob Martins worming tablets
like you said.

THE BLOKE REACTS.

THE DOCTOR COVERS HIS ARM IN LUBRICATION RIGHT UP TO PAST HIS ELBOW.

DOCTOR:
Excellent, excellent. She might be on her last legs but she’s a nice enough old bitch. Right then, best hold him firm Nurse. This can be quite a shock at first.

THE NURSE PUTS THE GUY IN A HEADLOCK.

BLOKE:
No, please, wait!

DOCTOR:
In we go then, let the dog see the rabbit...

CLOSE-UP ON BLOKE’S FACE. WE HEAR A HORRID ‘SCHLOOP’ SOUND, AND THE BLOKE’S EYES GO CROSSED AND HE WHINNEYS LIKE A HORSE. (THIS SHOULD BE A REAL HORSE WHINNEY, OVERDUBBED)

NURSE:
Good boy, good boy. Sugarlump?

SHE OFFERS HIM A SUGARLUMP ON HER PALM. HE SNORTS AND EATS IT.

END OF SKETCH.

very good sharp, defined characters, and a lovely surreal feeling

weak ending though, maybe the guy goes out and then runs the grand antional with a midget on his back?

nice sketch. like joel's ending too. although i'd have the doctor ride him off as the end scene.

which sketch show was it ?

Oh that's vile!
Laughing out loud

Quote: Nick Rivers @ January 31, 2008, 7:03 PM

nice sketch. like joel's ending too. although i'd have the doctor ride him off as the end scene.

which sketch show was it ?

I think it was called 'In Character' or something. A pilot was commissioned but it never really got off the ground.

Quote: joel soetendorp @ January 31, 2008, 6:45 PM

very good sharp, defined characters, and a lovely surreal feeling

weak ending though, maybe the guy goes out and then runs the grand antional with a midget on his back?

Fanks. Yeah you're right, it should've ended on a stronger note - probably the bit where he gets anally fisted and we he whinneys like a horse.

There's nothing wrong with the ending. In fact, it's very good. To delete it would be a HUGE mistake and would turn a decent sketch into a very mediocre one.

The sketch itself taps into our fear of receiving the 'wrong' treatment in hospital - especially our fear of receiving irreversible treatment intended for another patient.

On the negative side, there's more than a little unnecessary dialogue.

The nurse's line "Doctor Farnham will be with you shortly, Mr Watts. Just try to relax." doesn't need the names. "The doctor will be with you shortly. Just try to relax." is much better. Using the names may make the audience think they need to remember the names in order to understand a forthcoming plot development.

Also, we don't need the references to Mrs Eckerslike and her treatment. The lines themselves are not particularly funny and the fact that he treats OTHER patients as animals actually DETRACTS quite substantially from the surreal horror of the scene before our eyes.

A decent sketch - and the ending is GOOD.

Chimes, yes, I'm a big fan of throwing out names in sketches (unless they add a joke). And agree with the principle of removing fluff as and where it appears. Good contstructive comments.

Very nice sketch, Perry. You're making some worthwhile contributions to the forum, as is Chimes with his critiques.

I agree wholeheartedly with dropping the name checks and the superfluous bit about Mrs Eckerslike.

And keep that ending.

Perry, hasn't the poor woman on your avatar suffered enough?

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