This is a local Op. For Local People... (League of Gentlemen Season 1 Boxset (DVD))

Member Name: pjs21

Product:	League of Gentlemen Season 1 Boxset (DVD)
Date:	28/04/01 (98 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Laughter

Disadvantages: Some people won't find it funny

Welcome to Royston Vasey. You'll Never Leave.

This comedy started life on Radio back in 1998 under the title On The Town with the League of Gentlemen. Only one year, and an award, later it had transferred to the small screen, where it one several more awards.

So, here it is on video, one of the most original, entertaining and disturbing comedy series created.

Written by four men; Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and all of the major characters are played by the latter three of these talented writers/actors.

I'll run you through some of the characters you are likely to come across in this first series.

Barbara

Babs Cabs. The one and only taxi rank with only one taxi driver. A Pre-op transsexual with the gruffest voice in the trade. In his/her red stilettos, bad gold jewellery and pink cab. As a passenger in this cab you will hear the finest details of his pending op. This really is the taxi driver you wouldn’t want to pick you up.

Edward and Tubbs

Hello, hello? What’s going on? We'll have no trouble here.

The regular chant of one of the best known characters, Edward. He and his wife, Tubbs, own and run the local shop, for local people. They never sell anything, they never take any money, but they have been known to take lives. If you're a stranger do expect to walk out of the shop with merchandise. Do not expect to walk out of the shop. With a new road being built, no-one is more upset than Edward. Strangers! Nooooo!

Pauline, Ross and Mickey.


"Okie Dokie, Pig in a Pokie. Good Morning Job Seekers."

Pauline is patronising, foul-mouthed, foul-tempered, violent, and her only friends are her pens. She is the restart officer in the local job centre. Ross and Mickey are two of the "re-starters" on her course. Ross is the smart one who she can’t stand, and Mickey
is the village idiot who can’t even spell JOB. Pauline is by far one of the best and most tragic comedy characters, and her scenes are amongst the funniest.

"So Jobseekers, when we think of the skills you've got. We can narrow this list down to Babysitter, and Bramble Picker."

The Dentons

A family of four. Uncle, Aunt and their sinister twin daughters who appear from nowhere. They are highly organised and incredibly anal. They have towels for different uses – one for hands, one for feet, one for torso, one for… you get the picture. They have a rhyme to remember which towel is for what, and also which pair of scissors does what job. And for reference, Uncle Harvey has a collection of toads and they don't masturbate – no pleasures of the palm in this house.

Mr Chinnery

Mr Chinnery the sympathetic and highly disastrous local vet. Has a habit of destroying the wrong animal, or killing your beloved tortoise.

Mike, Geoff and Brian

Three local business men. Three best friends. The biggest problem is Geoff. He hates them both. He always carries a gun and he always, always loses his temper.

There are so many more characters in this village, the butcher, the judge, the two guys who watch films all the time.

The comedy will obviously not be for everyone, it can seem very distasteful. There is also strong language throughout.

With that said – other than Spaced, this is by far the funniest British comedy I can ever remember seeing, and lets be honest – we’re not that great at the sitcom! Drama, yes, comedy – not really.

The character are well thought out, the scripts are very clever, the acting is superb.

The second series recently finished on TV, so hopefully will be out on Video soon. Here’s looking forward to a third.

You can visit their website for more information,
it even has the theme tune typed out so you can have it as a ring tone. And if you missed them touring and in the West End the first time round, don’t worry, they are back on tour again from the end of May in Ireland, before coming back to the UK in June, mainly Northern venues.

It's dark, it's sinister, it's sick, it's very, very funny.

Summary: