DUST, ANYBODY? NO, DUST? ... (Little Britain)

Member Name: coolcam7

Product:	Little Britain
Date:	23/03/05 (1972 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: hilarious

Disadvantages: not the most politically correct programme

Little Britain is in my opinion the best piece of comic genius to hit our screens in the past few years and I'm sure that most people will have watched or at least heard about this show at some point.

The final episodes of The Office seemed to mark the end of an era of comedy and I’m sure I’m not the only one to have been sorely disappointed when it left our screens but I needn't have worried as it was quickly replaced with a show that is just as side-splittingly funny as it’s predecessor (even more so in my opinion!)

>>>How ‘Little Britain’ Came To Be<<<

The two creators of the show are Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Lucas is probably best-known for playing George Dawes in Shooting Stars alongside Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer (“George Dawes, tell us the scores!”) and in case you’ve never seen it he plays a fat, bald baby who keeps the scores. Walliams is, perhaps, lesser-known but a quick glance of his biography shows that he has an impressive list of appearances. Casualty, Randal and Hopkirk deceased, Comic Relief’s Big Hair Do, Ted and Alice, and he played the fake registrar in Eastender’s for Alfie’s and Kat’s Wedding this list is to name but a few. He even appeared in the Top of the Pops audience in 1994, though perhaps that’s not something he wishes to be remembered for! He also won Bristish Comedy Award for best newcomer- well deserved, in my opinion. Lucas and Walliams have worked together on Rock Profile, a comedy- something which they do best.

Little Britain began life on Radio 4 but the creators always intended it to be for both radio and television. I can’t say I’ve ever heard the radio version but from what I’ve heard it is just as funny and includes some characters not in the TV version, which will hopefully make it into the second series on TV. Graham Linehan heard the show on radio and wanted to direct a TV pilot, however due to his numerous other commitments he always maintained that he’d be unable to direct the whole series enter Steve Bendelack who some of you may remember for his work on The League of Gentlemen. And the rest, as they say is history!

The show was originally only shown on BBC3 but now thankfully for all terrestrial viewers it is also being shown on BBC2 on Monday nights at 10pm. It is on BBC3 on Tuesday at 9pm and is then repeated Sundays at 9:30pm and Mondays at 10:30pm.

>>>What Is It? <<<

In case you haven’t grasped it by now Little Britain is a character comedy sketch show, which basically features the mad, quirky and sometimes quite crazy people and places of Britain. It certainly contains the most bizarre array of characters that I’ve seen on TV for some time (this is the best part; we’ll get to it later!) It also features the voice of Tom Baker, who’ll you’ll probably know as Doctor Who, his comments range from completely random, to hilariously blunt and definitely add to the craziness of the show. Matt Lucas and David Walliams play most of the characters, with a few extras as well. In each episode there is usually at least one sketch with each character in and two or three of some of them.

>>>Who Are These Hilarious Characters Then? <<<

There are so many funny characters in this that I’ve decided it’s just too hard to pick a favourite, though there are some that stand out!

One of my definite favourites has to be Vicky Pollard; an incomprehensible, fag-in-hand, fully kitted out in Kappa teenager. Firstly her appearance, picture Matt Lucas with long hair, make-up put on with a trowel and a bright pink shell suit and there you have it. Vicky denies ever having done anything wrong and frequently comes out with the line “Yeah, but no, but yeah, but no, shut up!” Vicky’s favourite activities include accusing people of being slags and gossiping about who’s sleeping with who, she denies involvement in things a lot too; “I don’t know nothing about that, I wasn’t even there”. Despite being found to be eight months pregnant she still tells the doctor “I can’t be pregnant because I only had sex once… eight months ago… as a joke!” Vicky is also a petty thief and has been known to steal cans of Red Bull but I think I’ll let you watch that one!

I’ve never really understood the Vicky’s of the world but it is true that they are everywhere. I actually find them quite intriguing! Just today I saw some Vicky’s at the bus stop talking about how one of them got drunk and slapped another girl. I swear one of them actually said “But yeah, no, yeah, I didn’t... shut up you bitch.” I just can’t help smiling when I see Vicky’s…

Another of my favourites is Marjorie Dawes. She runs Fatfighters, the local slimming club and offers some of the most useless and most entertaining slimming advice known to man. Her little gem’s include; "Dust … it’s actually very low in fat so you can eat as much dust as you like" just listening to the way she says dust has me in stitches! In a supposedly motivational discussion she encourages the group with; "Picture yourself naked - not nice is it, eh? Who the hell would want a great lump?" One of my favourite episodes was when Marjorie fills her trolley with the least diet-friendly foods (chocolate, crisps, basically not a carrot in sight) and is spotted by a member of the slimming club she pushes her trolley aside, denying it is hers and seizes someone else’s healthier selection along with a small child in the baby seat. On being asked the name of the child she replies “Baby”. It takes her a while to realise that the checkout assistant knows her but when she realises she leaves the shop- this bit is just hilarious, it even had my mum laughing, just watch it!

I also love Andy and Lou. Lou is the carer of Andy a wheelchair bound, monosyllabic, never satisfied Andy. However Andy does in fact have full use of his legs, which is demonstrated in every episode, while Lou remains oblivious. Andy stubbornly tells the patient Lou “I want that one!” then frequently changes his mind after Lou has carried out his wishes.

Emily Howard is a totally unconvincing transvestite, (although I’ve actually seen some worse ones before!) I think narrator Tom Barker sums up Emily, whose real name is Eddie, perfectly “People in Britain do all manner of things for kicks - some lick stamps, others sit on chairs. This fellow, who calls himself Emily Howard, likes to dress up as a lady. Takes all sorts." Emily spends most of the time trying to convince people that she is a lady and when people disagree she rips off the wig and storms off shouting in a manly fashion. David Walliams pulls this one off perfectly, just listen to the voice!

Daffyd lives in the mountains of Wales and is proud to be a ‘homosexualist’ but refuses to believe he is the only ‘gayer’ in the town; he once discovered that only copy of Attitude magazine in the newsagents had been bought by someone else. Usually found in the pub.

Anne is a seemingly crazy woman whose most famous line is “Eh-eh-eh!” which she uses constantly. She sees to be completely mad until the phone rings and she speaks totally coherently to the caller before hanging up and becoming crazy once again!

This is only a selection of the characters, I could go on but you’ll probably know by now whether this show is for you or not.

>>>My Opinion<<<

My mum actually admits that this programme is hilarious, which I found quite surprising so it’s hard to tell exactly who it will appeal to. I can imagine the political incorrectness (!) will offend some people and I’m sure certain groups will find it offending; homosexuals, transvestites etc.

There are some things which are sure everyone will find funny and inoffensive for example where a dwarf is cleaning a charity shop window and can only reach about two feet up the window so just cleans the bottom panel- you have to see it!

If you like the League of Gentlemen or the Fast Show, or both, then I’m sure you will love this; some will fail to see the funny side (they’ve already received some complaints) but it’s their loss.

I find it absolutely hilarious and I’m so glad they’re now showing it on BBC2 so more people can watch it.

Finally I’ll leave you with a few of Tom Baker’s comments that I found particularly amusing!

"As the sun sets in southern Britain, those in the North are just waking up."

"Until a law is passed to imprison fat people, the gluttons of Britain are free to walk the streets and attend special diet classes like this one."

"Since cigarette smoking has become mandatory, newsagents in Britain have flourished." (There’s actually a newsagent called Fags and That!)

I’d love to know what you think so let me know who your favourite character is!

Thanks for reading!

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