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Stephen Fry and John Bird star in all four series of the BBC Radio 4 satirical comedy, plus the 2006 special episode. Set in the Machiavellian world of modern PR, Absolute Power introduces us to London-based 'government-media relations consultancy' Prentiss McCabe, whose partners Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are frequently embroiled in the machinations of the British political system.
Is English an innately playful language? Are word games good for you? Do we divide into number and word players? And could Scrabble have been invented in any other language?
Join Professor John Lloyd and curators Jimmy Carr, Humphrey Ker, Phill Jupitus and Sarah Millican as they plunge down the badger hole of ignorance in a search for the universe's most mind-boggling oddnesses. The Museum of Curiosity is BBC Radio 4's monumental comedy edifice and the only one with gargoyles in the foyer. It allows nothing inside that doesn't make you scratch your head, stroke your chin or, at the very least, go 'hmm'.
This is the second series of one-off comedies written by the genius behind the smash-hit radio sitcom Cabin Pressure - John Finnemore. The first series won the coveted Writers Guild of Great Britain award for Best Comedy. Each show is a comedy perfumed by just two actors - including (across the series) famous household names such as Martin Clunes ( Doc Martin), Julia McKenzie ( Fresh Fields) and the inimitable voice of Carolyn in Cabin Pressure, Stephanie Cole.
Set during World War Two, Hut 33 follows the adventures of a team of codebreakers at Bletchley Park as they work tirelessly to break German codes, matching wits with the fabled Enigma Machine. Unfortunately, they hate each other. Archie is a stroppy Geordie socialist revolutionary while Professor Charles Gardner is a toffee-nosed snob. In theory, the immensely stupid 3rd Lt. Joshua Featherstonhaugh-Marshall is in charge of the hut, but he is still struggling with even the most basic concepts....
More sketches from the inside-out world of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, including what James Bond is really like as a party guest, and the rather too exciting world of Rabbit Newsnight. Their distinctive and lopsided view of the world includes the worst possible name for a dry cleaning shop; the brave and dangerous work of Hairdressers Sans Frontiers; and the tragic consequences when a stray piece of ham goes unchecked.
Stephen Fry and John Bird star in all four series of the BBC Radio 4 satirical comedy, plus the 2006 special episode. Set in the Machiavellian world of modern PR, Absolute Power introduces us to London-based 'government-media relations consultancy' Prentiss McCabe, whose partners Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are frequently embroiled in the machinations of the British political system.
Is English an innately playful language? Are word games good for you? Do we divide into number and word players? And could Scrabble have been invented in any other language?
Join Professor John Lloyd and curators Jimmy Carr, Humphrey Ker, Phill Jupitus and Sarah Millican as they plunge down the badger hole of ignorance in a search for the universe's most mind-boggling oddnesses. The Museum of Curiosity is BBC Radio 4's monumental comedy edifice and the only one with gargoyles in the foyer. It allows nothing inside that doesn't make you scratch your head, stroke your chin or, at the very least, go 'hmm'.
This is the second series of one-off comedies written by the genius behind the smash-hit radio sitcom Cabin Pressure - John Finnemore. The first series won the coveted Writers Guild of Great Britain award for Best Comedy. Each show is a comedy perfumed by just two actors - including (across the series) famous household names such as Martin Clunes ( Doc Martin), Julia McKenzie ( Fresh Fields) and the inimitable voice of Carolyn in Cabin Pressure, Stephanie Cole.
Set during World War Two, Hut 33 follows the adventures of a team of codebreakers at Bletchley Park as they work tirelessly to break German codes, matching wits with the fabled Enigma Machine. Unfortunately, they hate each other. Archie is a stroppy Geordie socialist revolutionary while Professor Charles Gardner is a toffee-nosed snob. In theory, the immensely stupid 3rd Lt. Joshua Featherstonhaugh-Marshall is in charge of the hut, but he is still struggling with even the most basic concepts....
More sketches from the inside-out world of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, including what James Bond is really like as a party guest, and the rather too exciting world of Rabbit Newsnight. Their distinctive and lopsided view of the world includes the worst possible name for a dry cleaning shop; the brave and dangerous work of Hairdressers Sans Frontiers; and the tragic consequences when a stray piece of ham goes unchecked.
Aha! Six BBC Radio 4 episodes featuring the king of chat Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) in a series of hysterically excruciating encounters with guests played by Rebecca Front, David Schneider, Patrick Marber and Doon Mackichan. Also included are two bonus programmes: a spoof behind-the-scenes feature, Knowing Knowing Me, Knowing You, and In Conversation with Steve Coogan. Duration: 4 hours approx.
The Mighty Boosh is unlike any show you are ever likely to hear, and one that defies description; the closest you could get to the unique style of Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding would be in the early days of Reeves and Mortimer, with their cardboard props and men with sticks.
Robert Webb and Olivia Colman co-star in the first series of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show. Welcome to the surreal, silly and ingenious comedy sketch show that features one half of Mitchell & Webb and Olivia Colman from Peep Show, with Sally Hawkins, Steven Kynman and Chris Pavlo. Highlights include Narnia being vandalised by two kids from Peckham, Mr Punch's parole board, Thomas Hardy's agent, temping for NASA, Batman's schedule and the theft of Hitler's jewels.
A Special Edition of the original radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978 and recently voted the Nation's Favourite Audiobook in a Guardian poll. Starring Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore, these six episodes (Fit the First to Fit the Sixth) have been remastered to modern-day standards by Dirk Maggs, and for the first time feature Philip Pope's arrangement of the familiar theme tune.
John Finnemore, writer and star of Cabin Pressure, returns in four episodes of his own sketches, as heard on BBC Radio. These episodes feature a tiger with a gun, reveal the truth behind the war effort, visit some documentary-makers, has a big debate and then treats itself to a little trophy. Plus, there are also some musical interludes from the zoo. John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme is written by and stars John Finnemore (The Now Show, Miranda, That Mitchell and Webb Look).
"A bear on Paddington Station?" said Mrs Brown in amazement. "Don't be silly - there can't be." The Browns first met Paddington on a railway station - Paddington station, in fact. He had travelled all the way from Darkest Peru with only a jar of marmalade, a suitcase and his hat. The Browns soon found that Paddington was a very unusual bear.
The complete series 1-5 of the Sony Award Winning BBC Radio 4 show, The Infinite Monkey Cage, presented by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. The duo, assisted by a panel of experts and entertainers, tackle subjects such as biology, cosmology, physics and why Brian's hair is always so perfect. Guests include Dara Ó Briain, Jon Ronson, Stephen Fry and Dave Gorman, amongst many more.
"Chekhov is probably better known in Britain for his plays than for his prose. For many, however, it is his short stories that mark the high water of his genius. It might at first glance be hard for those not used to his style of narrative to see what the fuss is about - and fuss there is: for most authors and lovers of literature Chekhov is incomparably the greatest short story writer there ever was."
John Finnemore, writer and star of Cabin Pressure and John Finnemore's Double Acts, returns for a sixth series of his hugely acclaimed Souvenir Programme, which won him Radio Broadcaster of the Year at the 2016 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards. Expect sketches! Expect songs! They're what made up the previous five series, so it seems a pretty safe bet that that's what will be in this series as well. And, well, since you ask him for some tall tales...
Stephen Fry, Daniel Rigby and Tamsin Greig star in all three series of the poignant BBC Radio 4 comedy drama. Warhorses of Letters is the world's finest and best-loved equine, military, epistolary romance, comprising the newly discovered love letters between two horses united by passion but cruelly divided by conflict.
Well-known cookery writer (and neurotic perfectionist) Damien Trench lives with his (rather more laid back) partner, Anthony, in Queen's Park, London. Damien longs for simple perfection in all things, but life has a habit of not quite working out the way he wants it to.... In these six episodes, Damien is offered the chance to present his own TV series about street food and persuaded to appear on a panel show and is forced to go to a music festival.
Sue Johnston, John Hannah and Eddie Marsan are among the stars of this spellbinding, hilarious and uplifting comedy drama. Set entirely at a series of weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, these 13 episodes also feature Rebecca Front, Paul Kaye, Julia Deakin and Samantha Bond.
Where does Saturday Night Fry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
'Saturday Night Fry' is my go-to comedy audiobook whenever I need to listen to something funny to cheer me up, or when I'm waiting for something, orcommuting, or, well any reason at all to sit down and listen to the genius of Fry, Laurie, Broadbent and Thompson.
What other book might you compare Saturday Night Fry to, and why?
'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again' is probably the nearest thing I can compare it to, another audiobook series which I can highly recommend.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
I have so many favourites sketches, but I do thoroughly enjoy Phyllida Law's inner monologue when she is in a restaurant. Also the Jekyll and Hyde-eqsue story. And the sketch involving muffins. Oh and visiting Hades with a piano.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I first listened to it all in one sitting, but being 6 episodes it is just as easy to listen to in the 25 minute sections.
Any additional comments?
As a side bonus, I also learned the names of quite a few classical pieces of music, being the intro snippets to many of the sketches.
The wonderful special guests include Alison Steadman, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's marvellous mum), Barry Cryer, Robert Bathurst and Julia Hills.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
fifteen words eh?
Bicycle.
tramp.
Vilm.
clitshine.
Fat man on a bicycle.
Welsh restaurant.
Eerie.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
For the first few minutes, I found it difficult to follow the show and almost considered stopping it. However, I kept listening and did not regret it! The comedy genius of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie shines in this very, very funny show from the late 80s. Be warned that a lot of the humor is based on British culture, history, politics, and radio. Between that fact and the fast pace of the show, it can be difficult to follow. Even though I have spent a lot of time in the UK over the past 20 years, I still probably missed 80% of the gags. Nonetheless, the 20% that I did get had me rolling on the floor.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
If you could sum up Saturday Night Fry in three words, what would they be?
Hilarious, fast-paced and engaging
What was one of the most memorable moments of Saturday Night Fry?
There were too many amazing moments to pick one, but their spoofs of classic dramas such as Jane Eyre were particularly memorable.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?
These characters are inseparable: Harriet Fenmount and Mr. Cunningham
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes indeed, and sometimes I have left it on repeat.
Any additional comments?
Prepare for the audiobook version of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie". The best buy I made this year.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
If you're a fan of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie's brand of film and TV comedies then this is definitely worth a listen. Basically a radio version of 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie', it's always fun to hear them be silly and play off each other. The guest stars are all great and recognizable from British comedy as well.
This is truly something special. listen if you are in any way interested. it's a joy.