"Den" is also something I'm unfamiliar with, but I assumed it was tag-related. Nevertheless, the split-second of confusion numbed the punchline somewhat.
For broader appeal, it might be worth considering a different line - though at present, I can't think of one that would work as concisely.
Sootyj,
I've sent a few in to RFTP and was mailed to say they might use some, but they then decided not to. I had a similar experience with play and record (for which I wrote what I still consider the best railway announcement gag ever) and the producer of the last series of tilt said they'd use my npower sketch but it wasn't topical enough. So remember the front page of the Sunday Telegraph is not topical. Basically BBC radio spend their life teasing me.
I entered the sitcom trials this year and am through to the staging.
Bit long-winded but I guess the answer is I've only really tried responding to opportunities through Writers Room so far. All suggestions welcome.
Let's see that platform announcet gag then.
I'm getting out of synch here!
Nils and Mav.
Thanks! It never occured to me that there may be regional (or indeed temporal) variations in this. If a generic does occur I'd be grateful to hear it.
platform announcer:
Would the passengers waiting on platform 9 3/4 for the Hogwarts Express, please just grow the f**k up.
Course my wife hated it so I may just be deluded.
Good sketch 9 3/4 gag, but I bet that f**k dropped the ball.
Quote: Ponderer @ January 10 2009, 9:26 PM GMTplatform announcer:
Would the passengers waiting on platform 9 3/4 for the Hogwarts Express, please just grow the f**k up.
Course my wife hated it so I may just be deluded.
I like it. 
Probably, but I refuse to compromise my artistic integrity. 
Managed to shoehorn it into my sitcom trial submission anyhow.
Quote: Ponderer @ January 10 2009, 9:26 PM GMTNils and Mav.
Thanks! It never occured to me that there may be regional (or indeed temporal) variations in this. If a generic does occur I'd be grateful to hear it.
Will do. I don't really get the whole 'tag' theme tbh. Maybe I'm thinking about it too much, but when I use to play it there was one person who was 'it' chasing everyone else. This is the other way around.
Liked the Hogwarts gag a lot.
However artistic integrity is all well and good but if the material doesn't fit the brief then I think that you need to be aware of what will work, assuming of course that you wanted to sell the sketch to that particular outlet.
A slightly cleaned up and albeit more sanitised version would have IMO walked in.
Quote: Blenkinsop @ January 10 2009, 9:40 PM GMTLiked the Hogwarts gag a lot.
However artistic integrity is all well and good but if the material doesn't fit the brief then I think that you need to be aware of what will work, assuming of course that you wanted to sell the sketch to that particular outlet.
A slightly cleaned up and albeit more sanitised version would have IMO walked in.
Yeah, you're totally right, it wasn't really a concious decision it didn't really occur to me which is probably worse.
Quote: Nil Putters @ January 10 2009, 9:35 PM GMTWill do. I don't really get the whole 'tag' theme tbh. Maybe I'm thinking about it too much, but when I use to play it there was one person who was 'it' chasing everyone else. This is the other way around.
I can't claim to have thought it though too much, just thought it was an amusing twist on the expected dramatic ending.
Thinking back, I can remember "safe" or "home" being quite common in the games of tag I used to play.
While "home" is probably just another regional variation, "safe" might be a less ambiguous alternative.
Thanks Mav42. I think 'home' was used around my way too.
Hi Griff,
I am 'Trainspotting'. Sadly my creative juices had run dry by the time I got round to the title. I'm very excited/nervous being a bit new to all this. 
I'm not London based but hope to make it down at least for a couple of nights so hopefully I may bump into you and '19th Nervous Breakdown' (hopefully in the final!).