A few additions to your Fall reading list have just hit the shelves the last couple of weeks from two long-time favorite British comedy stars. Dawn French Following the release of her memorable autobiography titled Dear Fatty, Dawn French talked of a very difficult, painful life that led her to a life of comedy. Now, […]
Read moreAs if playing Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Lady MacBeth in MacBeth, Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown and Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love wasn’t enough, Judi Dench has been James Bond’s boss, M, has lent her voice to the animated children’s series, Angelia Ballerina and possesses ten BAFTA’s, seven Laurence Olivier […]
Read moreOkay, it may not be the Simpsons, Family Guy or Southpark, but it is Funky Winkerbean with a not so subtle appointment television nod to Bob Larbey, Geoffrey Palmer and Judi Dench. A big shout out and thanks to Lisa C., long-time British comedy/drama fan in North Texas and frequent Tellyspotting contributor in the comment section, […]
Read moreIn another of our “what are they doing now” features, we had to look no further than the classic Theatre Royal in Bath. Peter Bowles (Richard DeVere) and Penelope Keith (Audrey fforbes-Hamilton) have been reunited once again, this time in the stage production of Sheridan’s The Rivals at the Theatre Royal in Bath. You might […]
Read moreWhat do you get when you possess ten BAFTA’s, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Golden Globes, one Academy Awards and a Tony Award? Obviously, you get to spend a week with Marilyn Monroe. Okay, not really, but Dame Judi Dench (A Fine Romance, As Time Goes By) has signed on for […]
Read moreYou might recall our recent post on the upcoming tribute to Stephen Sondheim by Dame Judi Dench that was to occur at the BBC Proms this past Saturday night at Royal Albert Hall. She described her part in the tribute as “hugely exciting but daunting“. After seeing the clip below of the performance, I’m reminded […]
Read moreSeems appropriate to follow up our last two posts with both a look back and a look ahead at the BBC Proms which is currently the happening event at Royal Albert Hall now through Saturday, 11 September 2010. Most recently, Doctor Who and the Daleks invaded Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, 24 July and Sunday, […]
Read moreThinking back some 12 years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet and interview Judi Dench for an earlier production, The Best of British Comedy for American Public Television. I was even more fortunate to be able to interview her a second time for the upcoming program on British comedy writers for PBS as I’m […]
Read moreSeems fitting as we landed on this side of the pond fresh from two weeks of interviews for the March 2011 PBS special on British comedy writers that we learned Red Dwarf co-creator and co-writer, Rob Grant will present a two-day comedy writing course at The Comedy School in early October in Camden, London. Grant also […]
Read moreThere are times that BBC commissioning folks get it right and times they don’t. Mulberry is one of those “didn’t get it right” moments in British comedy history. After two wonderful seasons (13 episodes) with brilliant scripts by Bob Larbey and, then, writing partner, John Esmonde and a wonderful cast headed by Karl Howman in […]
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