British Comedy Guide
Gloomsbury. Image shows from L to R: Henry Mickleton (Jonathan Coy), Vera Sackcloth-Vest (Miriam Margolyes), DH Lollipop (John Sessions), Lionel Fox (Nigel Planer), Venus Traduces (Morwenna Banks), Ginny Fox (Alison Steadman). Copyright: Little Brother Productions
Gloomsbury

Gloomsbury

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2012 - 2018
  • 30 episodes (5 series)

Radio parody of the arty Bloomsbury group. Stars include Alison Steadman, Miriam Margolyes, Morwenna Banks, Jonathan Coy and John Sessions. Also features Roger Lloyd Pack and Nigel Planer.

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Series 4, Episode 2 - Your Very Very Humble Servant

While driving to Sandwich to get Mrs Gosling back, Vera and Ginny call on Lytton Scratchy and Dora Barrington. They have heard that she epitomises Modern Womanhood.

Further details

Vera and Ginny are off to Sandwich to get Mrs Gosling back. Henry must crack on with his biography of the King - Ginny orders Lionel to stay and help him.

Ginny wants to call en route on Lytton Scratchy and Dora Barrington who have rented a cottage nearby. Ginny admires Barrington's boyish and independent spirit (and haircut) and thinks she is the epitome of the Modern Woman.

Back at Sizzlinghurst, Lionel, a republican, tries to persuade Henry to abandon the biography of the King, but Henry needs the money, finds Lionel's interference annoying, and sends him off to walk the dogs. The peace and quiet is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Prince of Wales with Mrs Simpleton.

The Prince wonders how the book is going and Henry assures him he it's all wonderful and fascinating even though moments before, he was telling Lionel that the King is the most boring man ever born. Then, walking in the garden, Mrs Simpleton meets Lionel. Not knowing who she is, he launches into an anti-monarchist tirade about Henry's talents being wasted on this mediocre king. When he realises who she is, he has a panic attack and feigns madness to escape.

Meanwhile Ginny and Vera have moved on to Sandwich, disappointed by what they found at the cottage. For all their claims to a modern lifestyle, Scratchy and Barrington displayed a nauseating example of women's enslavement. Talking of which, Mrs Gosling is persuaded to come home, but her marriage to Mr Gosling is more fragile than ever now that she knows he has slept with her sister.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 14th April 2017
Time
11:30am
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Miriam Margolyes Vera Sackcloth-Vest
Alison Steadman Ginny Fox
Jonathan Coy Henry Mickleton
Alison Steadman Mrs Gosling
Nigel Planer Lionel Fox
Nigel Planer Gosling
Guest cast
Morwenna Banks Dora Barrington
Morwenna Banks Mrs Simpleton
Morwenna Banks Ermintrude
Nigel Planer Prince Of Wales
Nigel Planer Lytton Scratchy
Writing team
Sue Limb Writer
Production team
Jamie Rix Director
Jamie Rix Producer
Clive Brill Executive Producer

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