Quote: Sir Geoffrey Loftus @ August 3 2009, 2:27 AM BSTWas just watching 'Mr Jolly Lives Next Door' the other day. It's still pure awesome.
One, if not the best 'Comic Strip Presents...' films. Has everything great about Rick and Ade, plus Nicholas Parsons, plus Peter Cook. Somewhat madly, it was directed by Stephen Frears, around the same time he was directing 'Dangerous Liasons' with Malkovich.
Like to give this another look as so many remember it fondly but I seem to remember disliking this series intently. Loved Blackadder's villainous nastiness, Yes Minister's clever satire and generally like Rik Mayall's silliness but The New Statesman just felt like a mixed up poor-man's version of all the aforementioned shows.
Alan B'stard was a Thatcherite MP which you could tell because he parked his Rolls Royce in disabled bays, wore spivey suits and had loads of money. Also his name sounded a bit like bastard.
Did it??!! Bloody hell, that *is* funny!
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ August 11 2009, 9:29 AM BSTDid it??!! Bloody hell, that *is* funny!
Dan
Methinks that is a ferric comment.
Yes, laced with ferrus...
Dan
The New Statesman is one of my all time favourite comedies ever, and it's still very much relevant today I feel. Rik Mayall is absolutely superb in it, but when he's on form he's one of the finest comedians/actors ever. I love most of the things he's done - Comic Strip/Rik Mayal Presents/Bottom/Young Ones/Filthy Rich and Catflap and this.
'We can't dump the waste here, Alan, it runs under a school'
'It's only a council school, Norman'
'You were with Mrs Thatcher!'
'Come on, you don't think she gets that warm glow of sexual satisfaction from Dennis, do you?'
Classic show! Could quote it all day. I only wish they'd release a DVD of the stage play.
Yes, it'd be excellent if they'd recorded that. Very good show!
Quote: Mr Richard @ August 27 2009, 8:31 PM BSTThe New Statesman is one of my all time favourite comedies ever, and it's still very much relevant today I feel. Rik Mayall is absolutely superb in it, but when he's on form he's one of the finest comedians/actors ever. I love most of the things he's done - Comic Strip/Rik Mayal Presents/Bottom/Young Ones/Filthy Rich and Catflap and this.
'We can't dump the waste here, Alan, it runs under a school'
'It's only a council school, Norman''You were with Mrs Thatcher!'
'Come on, you don't think she gets that warm glow of sexual satisfaction from Dennis, do you?'Classic show! Could quote it all day. I only wish they'd release a DVD of the stage play.
Rik, being Rik, I expect that each performance of the stage show was slightly different. The script was also polished a bit after each performance and there were of course two rather different versions of the stage show, due to the Gordon Brown's accession to the PMship during the run of the show.
I've not heard of any recordings made of the show, so I think they might have to re-do a performance with a recording to make a DVD, which would be expensive... and may not be possible with the cast now dispersed.
I'll try to remember to ask Laurence, next time I speak to him, if a recording was made of the show.
Quote: billwill @ August 28 2009, 3:10 AM BSTthere were of course two rather different versions of the stage show, due to the Gordon Brown's accession to the PMship during the run of the show.
They weren't that different, as far as I remember. Just topicals updated as necessary. But certainly a fair point generally.
Quote: billwill @ August 28 2009, 3:10 AM BSTI'll try to remember to ask Laurence, next time I speak to him, if a recording was made of the show.
Let him know that if it was people are prepared to pay for a copy, as well. I didn't get to see the follow up btw. B'stard's Secret Weapon - was it vastly different to the original play?
I'm currently watching series 4
'Did you see the Prime Minister?'
'No, he was seeing the Phantom of the Opera.'
'Oh, I had no idea he was still talking to Lamont'
'Oh stop crying, Squidgy. Okay, I'll return the photos if becoming the Queen is so important to you!'
Quote: Mr Richard @ August 29 2009, 9:27 AM BSTI didn't get to see the follow up btw. B'stard's Secret Weapon - was it vastly different to the original play?
That's the Brown version we were talking about. It was just tweaked for the topicals really. You didn't miss anything, if you saw the first.
Quote: Aaron @ August 28 2009, 3:54 AM BSTThey weren't that different, as far as I remember. Just topicals updated as necessary. But certainly a fair point generally.
Did you manage to see both versions?
I did hear that the first performance of the Brown version Rik forgot all his lines & did something like:
Turned to audience & said "Hang on a minute".. went off stage & got his script, then continued and consulted the script whenever he forgot the lines.
But the audience loved it!!!
Yes, I did. TBH I doubt I'd have spent the money going to the second if I'd known that it was pretty much the same thing. AND I was unlucky enough to book one of the ones Rik was sick for. >_<
I've had a word with Laurence & he says that no recordings were made of the New Statesman play, so there is no real chance of a DVD of it at all.
