The UK Comedy Double Act Thread (UPDATED: 20th July 2013) (Page 2 of 3)

I know, poor Saffy. A lot of their movie spoofs are great,  I love their Misery one but the video on youtube is of shite quality.

I think you'll like the next entry, Zarban......

Can't beat M&W.
Cannon & Ball seem to do panto in Lincoln every year and are so doing again this year.
http://www.lincolntheatreroyal.com/inde … showid=356

Hale and Pace
As time went on, it became apparent that the days of family friendly sketch shows were a dying breed. The 80s certainly pushed the envelope on what performers were putting into their shows like Alas Smith and Jones featuring sketches with topless women in them. As the decade went on, this ‘anything goes’ policy encompassed most of comedy with traditional sitcoms becoming the butt of jokes and new edgier ones fighting to take their place. But this isn’t about edgy sitcoms with swearing and violence in them, it’s about edgy sketch shows…. with swearing and violence in them. Former teachers Gareth Hale (the one with the moustache) and Norman Pace (the one with no moustache) had been on the comedy circuit for years before getting their own ITV show in 1988. Indeed they, like many other comedians, appeared in an episode of The Young Ones in 1984. Their show ran for ten years and was one of the most popular shows on a Sunday night on ITV and from the very first episode, they established just what kind of comedians they were going to be…..

The now infamous ‘microwave cat’ sketch got many complaints when it closed their first ever episode but rather than damage their chances at stardom, it actually helped. Millions tuned in every week to see just how far they would go and the sketch was not the first time they were cruel to animals. Another involved a town in England using tortoises for sports such as skeet shooting and tortoise conkers. The pair went even further however in their second series where they had the same set up as the cat microwave sketch but instead of a feline, Norman held a baby in his arms. Gareth flipped a coin to seal the child's fate and the baby responds in kind by puking on Norman’s arm in a moment of unplanned brilliance. Their sketches were always controversial and always prompted complaints from viewers who complained that their material was perverse and often almost ‘pornographic’ (indeed, one sketch involved the pair sitting naked with a topless woman as they all dubbed a porn film). The show featured some regular characters such as two bouncers both called Ron and the Billy and Johnny sketches which parodied children’s TV-

As well as the complaints from viewers, the pair also got slack from their peers. Producer (but not of Hale and Pace) and critic Victor Lewis Smith described them as the only known double act with two straight men. This description may seem a bit cruel, essentially saying neither man is funny, but it is an opinion that was held by many critics and comedians at the time. So, who was watching the show, then? Who was giving the duo their not to be sniffed at ratings? The answer is basically the same when asked who was watching The Young Ones at the start of the 80s- kids. The fact is, there were a lot of youngsters staying up late on a school night or sneaking their TV on when their parents didn’t know to watch the crudeness to talk about it in the playground the next day. I know, because, I was one of them. The humour of Hale and Pace seemed to appeal to a young audience more than say, Fry and Laurie because Gareth and Norm weren’t clever and their humour wasn’t too smart and wordy. A slightly back-handed compliment, sure, but a fitting one nonetheless. Parody of horror films time!

Their show ended in 1998, after ten years and thousands of complaints later. Their material started to become stale and they started to lose viewers. Apparently their usual viewers grew up and moved on to other shows. The 90s was ushering in new acts and a new style of comedy. Shows like The Fast Show and acts like Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer were who the kids were talking about now. While they were once seen as ‘edgy’ and ‘new’ now Hale and Pace were seen as being ‘old hat’. People wanted surrealism (Vic and Bob) and satire (The Day Today) not exploding tortoises and microwaved cats. After the end of their sketch show, Hale and Pace more or less faded into obscurity on the comedy front, instead focusing on more reality based TV. Later on, the pair went into acting with Gareth starring in daily UK soap opera Family Affairs for two years and Norman taking to the stage in productions such as Chicago. They have now tried a comeback, touring venues with their act but have yet to make it into television again. I have mixed feelings about that to be honest, I did enjoy their show at the time but probably mainly because it felt as though I shouldn’t have been watching it. I do think their comedy is of its time and maybe should be left buried there....

Next up: We jump to the end of the 90s with a pair whose sketch show spanned three different TV channels…..

Last edited by Jimmy B (2012-12-20 17:59:35)

I love the RAF sketches and the long-running 'kill them' series is great too.

Great write-up Jimmy.

I am still so excited by this thread.

Just found all the Armstrong and Miller RAF pilot sketches!

And, now, onto the final entry-

Mitchell and Webb
David Mitchell and Robert Webb are busy guys. They have been practically working non-stop since graduating university in 1995. Since then, the did a two man show at festivals including the famous Edinburgh Fringe and wrote sketches for Big Train (featuring Simon Pegg) and Armstrong and Miller’s channel 4 show. In 2000, they also wrote and starred in ensemble sketch show Bruiser which appeared for one series on BBC 2. Bruiser co-starred Olivia Coleman who would become a Mitchell and Webb regular and future Hobbit, Martin Freeman. Their next show The Mitchell and Webb Situation on short-lived channel Play UK but featured them as just a double act. When Play UK got canned, the duo went to radio for That Mitchell and Webb Sound, a sketch show that, like many BBC radio shows, made the move to TV. That Mitchell And Webb Look, hit BBC screens in 2006 and used many of the sketches and characters from the radio show. I like this sketch-

Of course, I would be remiss if talking about Mitchell and Webb and I didn't mention Peep Show. First airing on Channel 4 in 2003, the show is entirely shot from the point of view of the characters. Although a critical hit, the show was never a ratings winner and was almost cancelled a couple of times before the duo became more popular with their BBC show. That Mitchell and Webb Look won the 2007 BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme, an award they would be nominated for again twice but would not win again. The show would have occasional sketches of the duo appearing as themselves as well as some regular sketches. Here is a sketch I also like followed by one of the pair as themselves taking a breaking from filming the sketch you just saw......

During their time doing the show, both Mitchell and Webb kept themselves busy. David Mitchell became the king of Panel Game Shows, being a regular panelist on Would I Lie To You and Best of the Worst while himself hosting The Bubble and BBC radio's The Unbelievable Truth, a show he has hosted for 9 series. He has also appeared in QI, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Mock The Week and many more and his quick wit and comedic rants prompted Radio Times magazine to name him the best comedy panel show guest in the world. Robert Webb has done some presenting work too, hosting a movie mistakes show on BBC and one about internet videos on Channel 4. He has concentrated on acting more than Mitchell, though, appearing in the movie Confetti in which he and Olivia Coleman appear fully nude for most of the film's running time. Felt that they had been deceived by the film-makers into thinking their scenes would be pixelated, Webb and Coleman started legal proceedings to sue. Those plans were ditched, though, when Webb decided that he’d rather just forget the film ever existed. Anyway, clip-

Although, there may not be another series of the sketch show, David and Robert are still friends, Robert was best man as David's wedding in 2012 and the pair still work together on Peep Show. Mitchell and Webb are a double act that don't really need their sketch show to survive, they can happily work alone or as a duo. In fact, this year they both did series 8 of Peep Show (which makes it Channel 4's longest running sitcom) and provided voices of robots in an episode of Doctor Who. Separately, they do fine too, Webb was in the British film, The Wedding Video (you'd think he'd learn his lesson with Confetti) as well guest appearance on UK shows. David Mitchell, on the other hand proved himself as a great interviewer on the 10 O'Clock Show grilling politicians and political pundits alike. Either way, apart or together, they are still two of the UK's most loved performers.

Can you tell, I had trouble ending this one? I didn't really wanted to end with saying that David Mitchell is my favourite.....

Thanks, Red. And indeed, I love David Mitchell, he's such a smart and quick-witted guy. He's like a mini-Stephen Fry in a way but shorter, straighter and more prone to rants. And I forgot about SoapBox!

Ha. I knew someone would spot that, well done. They didn't date long, so it's perfectly valid

I always liked this one

I couldn’t really do a UK comedy thread without including these guys. They have been mentioned here and there throughout the thread and since they never had a sketch show, I thought I’d have them here instead. It’s a Christmas miracle, buckle in, it’s a long one- BAM!

BONUS: Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson
Richard Mayall and Adrian Edmondson met at Manchester University where they studied Drama. It was here where they also met Lise Mayer and Ben Elton, two people who would become important later. Mayall and Edmondson started performing under the name 20th Century Coyote and they became a hit at clubs, especially the Comedy Store in London. It was there they met some more up and coming comics such as Alexi Sayle, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson. Together they formed The Comic Strip, a group of alternative comedy performers housed in a new club in London. As well as his act with Ade, Rik performed as Kevin Turvey, a nerdy character that got regular TV slots in the 1981 show A Kick Up The Eighties and a poet called Rick. Mayall also appeared in movies such as An American Werewolf in London and Shock Treatment (the sequel to the Rocky Horror Picture Show). In 1982, however, things were about to get better for both Rik and Ade. New TV station Channel 4 was launching and became interested in bringing The Comic Strip to the small screen. Peter Richardson signed a deal to produce some one-off specials with himself as the main writer (with Pete Richens another member of the group). Around the same time, The BBC wanted a piece of the Alternative Comedy pie and commissioned a series to be written by Rik and his then girlfriend Lise Mayer. With the scripts being touched up by Ben Elton and with producer Paul Jackson in charge for the BBC, the show became The Young Ones. Taking Mayall’s poet character, Rick and with Edmondson as punk Vyvian, Nigel Planer as hippie Neil and Peter Richardson as cool dude Mike, the show was about 4 students living in a squalid house. Not long before shooting was to commence, Richardson bailed after disputes with Paul Jackson.  In turn, Jackson hastily hired non comedian Christopher Ryan as Mike and filming for the show went ahead. The very first episode of the Comic Strip Presents starring Richardson, Edmondson, French and Saunders aired on Channel 4 on November 2nd 1983, the very first episode of the Young Ones aired on BBC 2 one week later. Here is a clip with some familiar faces (from series 2)

The BBC originally baulked when they first saw the show but were so desperate to compete with the youth orientated Channel 4 that they decided to air it after all. A collection of sketches full of slapstick violence and surreal non sequitur moments disguised as a sitcom, the show featured a music performance from bands such as Madness (twice) and Motorhead. This was a genius move by Paul Jackson as it made the show ‘variety’ rather than ‘light entertainment’ according to BBC guidelines so it got a larger budget. Which was a good job as the scripts were very outlandish and pretty big in scope using special fx and puppet work. After a year gap, The Young Ones returned in 1984 bringing its total episode run to 12. They had the chance to do another series but declined stating that Fawlty Towers only lasted a dozen episodes and if it is good enough for John Cleese, it is good enough for them. The year after The Young Ones ended, Ade marries Jennifer Saunders and both he and Jen joined Rik in the sitcom Happy Familes written by Ben Elton. In 1986, Channel 4 wanted a new live comedy show in the vein of hit US show Saturday Night Live. Hiring a host of comedy stars, established and up and coming, Saturday Live would feature Rik and Ade as their 20th Century Coyote characters now christened The Dangerous Brothers….

One Dangerous Brothers sketch was so anarchic for Channel 4 that they banned it, pissing Rik and Ade off no end. They didn’t return for series two when the show was renamed Friday Live due to its change of night. The duo went their separate ways for a year but teamed back up again along with Nigel Planer for Ben Elton’s sitcom Filthy Rich and Catflap. A scathing attack on showbiz, the show featured Rik as Richie Rich, an out of work actor, Planer as Ralph Filthy, Rich’s agent and Ade as Edward Catflap, Rich’s violent minder who doesn’t really care about Rich’s safety. Despite a promise in the last episode’s end credits by a BBC continuity announcer that the show would return (I remember hearing it back in the day), it never did. After the end of the show, the pair worked separately again on occasion.  Rik got praise (and a lot of ratings) for his role of evil Member of Parliament Alan B’Stard in The New Statesmen. During this time, Ade appeared in a stage performance of The Rocky Horror Show as Brad. In 1991, the pair reunited for a show on BBC 2 playing Richie Richard (Rik likes his own name) and Ade as Eddie Hitler in Bottom….

Running for three series, the show was a ratings success for the channel and featured the two as friends…well, I say ‘friends’ but I think it is safe to say that Eddie and Richie just barely tolerate each other. This is out of necessity, however, as nobody else will have them, so they are stuck with each other, forever fighting and screwing each other over. They got the idea for the show after starring together in the stage show Waiting For Godot. Bottom was seen as a cruder version of the play and obvious character comparisons can be made to the stars’ previous incarnations. Richie is basically an older Rik from the Young Ones and Eddie is the slightly milder version of Edward Catflap. Only just as violent. The third and final series aired in 1995 and the BBC declined a fourth but by then, Rik and Ade had been touring venues across the UK with Bottom: The Live Show. As the live material was not owned by the BBC, the video releases were produced by a different company and contained far harsher language that is allowed in the TV version. Five Bottom stage shows were toured between 1993 and 2003 and each one was released on home video. Here is a bout of one-upmanship from the first live show-

Following the 1997 live show, Rik and Ade wrote and starred in their first movie together, Guest House Paradiso. The film marked the directorial debut of Edmondson and despite the fact it was basically just a big screen Bottom (the characters had the same first names but different surnames) the film was mauled by critics. And, in my opinion, rightfully so. I saw it in the cinema when it was released in 1999 and was really disappointed, it seemed so lazy and not really funny. Still, it introduced me to a young actor called Simon Pegg, so it wasn’t all bad. The 2003 Bottom live show marked the final time Rik and Ade worked together. Ade was getting fed up with comedy and wanted to concentrate on other projects, especially music. They went their separate ways and despite a brief appearance together in a show for Comic Relief, they haven't worked together since. Earlier this year, the pair announced they were going to write and star in a new series of Bottom but soon after, Ade stated that plans had been scrapped. He claimed that when he and Rik tried to work together, they remembered why they stopped doing so in the first place. Shame, really.....

Fun Fact: There was supposed to be a second series of the Ben Elton sitcom Happy Families, so much so that the BBC allocated a budget for it when the first ended. It didn’t happen, though, so producer Paul Jackson took the money to finance a sci-fi sitcom called Red Dwarf….

Fun Fact 2: Ade’s nickname at university was Eddie Monsoon which is also a name for an alter-ego of his at the comic strip. Jennifer Saunders took this name for her character Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous.

Not so fun fact: In 1998, Rik Mayall had a crash on his quad bike on the grounds of his home. He was in a coma for days and doctors were worried he had brain damage. He fully recovered however and he and Ade have joked about the accident during the Bottom live shows after the event. The script for Guest House Paradiso was written in part while Rik was recovering.

That one was for you, Dave