Keeping Up Appearances icons, Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift recently (ok, it was almost 20 years ago) sat down with BBC Radio broadcaster, Judi Spiers, for a really fun behind the scenes conversation about the iconic British comedy, Keeping Up Appearances, where they allude to their upcoming (at the time) journey aboard the QE2 as part of the Christmas 1994 special.

While they were, obviously, on the show to talk about their current project of appearing together on the stage in a tour of Mr. and Mrs. Nobody, you do get some great insights about the ‘glamorous’ QE2 shoot. We also learn that Patricia Routledge did a majority of her own stunts, a point that was verified recently in our interview with KUA producer/director, Harold Snoad, for the upcoming Behind the Britcom program for PBS.

What’s also interesting is to get a sense of something we’ve talked about here for some time and that’s how much regional theatre in the UK plays in to an actor’s training, many of whom we come to know over the years in our favorite Britcoms. Listening to Patricia tick off the places that they were on tour with their play in 1993 such as Brighton, Guilford, Bath, etc. you really do begin to understand the training that many comedy actors talk about and how it translates to the small screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt9OLpX2I7g