The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything

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The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything

Started by neveragain, October 03, 2023, 05:41:42 PM

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neveragain

October 03, 2023, 05:41:42 PM Last Edit: October 03, 2023, 07:24:27 PM by neveragain
The news about the Palin/Jones discovery led me to this weird little show from 1999.

Part One:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x36w836

Part Two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhgNUxZBIZQ

It's a grab-bag of historical sketches by/with Fry and Laurie, French and Saunders, Vic and Bob, Hale and Pace, Victoria Wood, Lenny Henry and Harry Enfield. With guest spots from names such as the Two Ronnies, Spike Milligan, Richard Briers, Barbara Windsor, Tim Brooke-Taylor. Plus many more (see Sketch List). An amazing cast. Despite which, it's not spectacular but it is very interesting and certainly has enough moments of hilarity.

There aren't really that many stars (or groups) in the pre-2000 comedy firmament that aren't represented here, despite John Cleese not appearing in a sketch literally written for him, but a notable absence is Blackadder - they must have tried to get him in there, it's an open goal.

The main reason I love this show is that it captures a wonderful time in British comedy, a time when we were rightly proud of our comic heritage (and it was well-known enough to have such an obscure title for a prime-time show) but also still making tons more. And it all fits together so well, it's unified even if coming from completely different places. Like that BBC trailer with all the different comedy characters and personalities telling a joke.

I'm no "Urgh, these days" moaner but you really couldn't do something like this at the moment.

Do enjoy.

SKETCH LIST
Spoiler alert
Hosted by Angus Deayton
Additional voices from Jon Culshaw

**PART ONE,
in which Angus Deayton immediately mentions visiting prostitutes

The Ages of Man
Ronnie Barker – Renaissance Man
Ronnie Corbett – Medieval Man
Stephen Fry – Modern Man

1066 As A Football Match
*At times quite dull
Clive Anderson – Archbishop of Canterbury
Ray Clemence – Ray Clemence the Younger
George Cohen – Master George Cohen
James Fleet – William of Normandy
Archie Gemmill – Archie Gemmill, currently in exile
David Gower – Lord Gower
Ricky Grover – Aberforth
Alan Hansen – Lord Alan Hansen
Geoff Hurst – Sir Geoffrey of Hurst
Gary Lineker – Lord Gary Lineker
Rory McGrath – King Harold II
Peter Osgood – Squire Peter Osgoode
Martin Peters – Lord Martin Peters
Steve Punt – French soldier
Peter Shilton – Peter of Shilton
Rupert Vansittart – Bishop of Cardiff

Scott of the Antarctic
Bob Mortimer – Geordie
Vic Reeves – Captain Scott
Amanda Holden – Geordie's girlfriend

The First Spin Doctor
Martin Clunes – King Henry V
Angus Deayton – Lord Mandelson
Martin Trenaman - Someone else

Treaty of Westphalia
*Featuring some splendid cheekiness from Fry
Stephen Fry – At The Head of the Table
Patrick Barlow – Advisor
Robert Bathurst – English Ambassador
James Dreyfus – Swedish Ambassador
Hugh Laurie – French Ambassador

Marriage Guidance
Brian Blessed – King Henry VIII
Julia Sawalha – Catherine Parr
Jack Dee – Marriage guidance counsellor

The Nice-But-Dim Family
Harry Enfield – Tim Norse-But-Dim / Sir Timothy Nice-Butte D'imme / Sir Timothy the Lionbrain / Dim Turpin  / Major-General Sir Timothy Nice-But-Dim / Midshipman Nice-But-Dim
Jessica Hynes – Peasant Woman with No Lines (I don't think it is her, but Wikipedia claims so)
Adam Blackwood – Norman
Natasha Little – Lady Lionbrain
Richard Briers – Highway robbery victim
Barbara Windsor – Highway robbery victim
Tim Brooke-Taylor – Earl of Sandwich
Peter Davison – Duke of Wellington
Nigel Planer – Lord Cardigan
Steve Punt – Lord Tampax
Spike Milligan – Admiral Lord Nelson

Philosophy of a Hairdresser
*Notable for bearing no relation to the show's remit!
Victoria Wood – Moira
Thora Hird – Ida

**PART TWO
which is set in the year 3000 for some reason

Millennium Dome
*Surprisingly good
Dawn French – Dome Staff Dressed As An Egg
Jennifer Saunders – The Same
Joan Bakewell – Herself

A Victorian Evening
*Contains a necrophilia joke!
James Fleet – Mr Parsons
Maria McErlane – Mrs Richards
Trevor Peacock – Colonel
Caroline Quentin – Lady Butterworth

Explorers Explorers Explorers
Robert Bathurst – Francis Drake
Peter Davison – Ferdinand Magellan
Angus Deayton – Sir Walter Raleigh

Holby Village Hospital
Jack Dee – Dr Barber
Gary Olsen – Mr Baker

Early British Comedy
*Written by Simon Nye, as a caption helpfully tells us
Neil Morrissey – Director
Richard Wilson – Monty DeLauncy
Helena Bonham Carter – Lily
Caroline Quentin – Marcia Bournemouth
Geraldine McNulty - Unnamed Matriarch
Philip Pope - Pianist
Matthew Ashforde – Reginald

When Columbo discovered America
Gareth Hale – Christopher Columbo
Norman Pace – King Ferdinand
Kim Wall - Spaniard

Looking Forwards
Lenny Henry – Deakus
Clive Mantle – Dr Mike Barrat

Ends with some outtakes featuring Ronnie B and Hugh Laurie.
[close]

Ignatius_S

#1
October 03, 2023, 07:17:00 PM
It's worth mentioning that the sketch with Corbett and Barker was the first time they had preformed in over a decade. The sketch was shown a few days earlier and reused for this show - and is a version of the Frost Report's Class Sketch.

As you say, it's quite an incredible line-up.

neveragain

#3
October 03, 2023, 07:18:56 PM
Quote from: Ignatius_S on October 03, 2023, 07:17:36 PMOh, it was broadcast in January 2000.

Ah thanks.

Billy

#4
October 03, 2023, 07:29:40 PM
I thought at first this was a clip show of old timey-themed sketches broadcast around Xmas 1998 that I've got a bit of on tape hosted by Stephen Tompkinson, that had a pleasantly varied lineup of material- not just yer Morecambe/Wise and French/Saunders, but things like long forgotten David Schneider sketch show 'Up To Something' with a Canterbury Tales sketch featuring jokes about Sony Walkmans. God knows what that was called but I found it quite enjoyable during that festive season.

Nice find though, hopefully not as clunky as whatever show that was with Vic and Bob recreating a Tom Jones Morecambe & Wise sketch to the infamous fury of Barker, Forsyth etc.

neveragain

#5
October 03, 2023, 07:40:06 PM
Quote from: Billy on October 03, 2023, 07:29:40 PMI thought at first this was a clip show of old timey-themed sketches broadcast around Xmas 1998 that I've got a bit of on tape hosted by Stephen Tompkinson, that had a pleasantly varied lineup of material- not just yer Morecambe/Wise and French/Saunders, but things like long forgotten David Schneider sketch show 'Up To Something' with a Canterbury Tales sketch featuring jokes about Sony Walkmans. God knows what that was called but I found it quite enjoyable during that festive season.

I remember that. I believe it was hosted by Paul Tonkinson (easy mistake) and had quite an obscure selection. Can't remember what it was called though.
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