Alfesco S01E01 Part 2/4

Alfresco was a British television series starring Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Siobhan Redmond and Emma Thompson, produced by Granada Television and broadcast by ITV from May 1983 to June 1984. Running for two series, it totalled 13 episodes and was named Alfresco (from the Italian al fresco, meaning "in the fresh air") because, unusually for a comedy sketch show of the time, it was shot on location rather than in a studio.

The programme was a sketch show which was scheduled as an answer to the BBC's highly successful Not the Nine O'Clock News. The main writer was Ben Elton, with Fry and Laurie receiving writing credits by the second series. Of the original team, Tony Slattery was supposed to join the cast for There's Nothing To Worry About!, but accepted an offer from Chris Tarrant to join Saturday Stayback, his follow-up to O.T.T.

After the three-part There's Nothing To Worry About! pilot in 1982, which featured Elton, Fry, Laurie, Redmond, Thompson and Paul Shearer, a first series of Alfresco was commissioned, replacing Shearer with Robbie Coltrane. The third of the seven transmitted episodes in 1983 was in fact a compilation show of the pilot series, featuring some additional material.

The sketches of the first series had a very odd and surreal mood to them. In the second series in 1984 the overall style changed slightly. A linking device in form of a "Pretend Pub" was created, and the sketches themselves were less dark than in the first series.

Though the programme was mostly composed of one-off sketches, a few characters appeared over several episodes.

Mr Butcher and Mr Baker

Elton and Laurie appear four times during the first series as two odd gentlemen in a strange cinematic black & white setting. They usually have a dialogue which relies heavily on wordplay, and Laurie does an obvious impression of Peter Cook in EL Wisty mode.

Alan & Bernard

Fry and Laurie appear four times during the first series as two young men discussing topics such as war prevention, a trendy cinema and the SAS. The characters appeared before on There's Nothing To Worry About! and the Cambridge Footlights Revue.

Doctor De Quincy

Fry appears twice as Doctor De Quincy, a character he also plays in the sitcom Happy Families in 1985, which was also written by Ben Elton.

Pretend Pub

The cast appear as crew and guests of a pretend pub, which serves as a linking device during the episodes of Series 2: Pretend pub landlord Bobzza (Coltrane), barmaid Shizza (Redmond), Lord Stezza (Fry), Huzza (Laurie), Bezza (Elton) and Ezza (Thompson)

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Robbie
• Coltrane
• Ben
• Elton
• Stephen
• Fry
• Hugh
• Laurie
• Siobhan
• Redmond
• Emma
• Thompson
• Alfresco

[firedrake300]

Where's part 3?

[aitch79]

@firedrake300 Sorry! it never finished uploading as it ran over the 10minute allowance, so I will have to make it a 4 part episode instead! Glad your enjoying it tho ;)

[anonymouse1973]

Thanks for this. Understand why it's a fairly obscure relic of British televisual comedic sketchiness. Not sure that I really get the end of the cable TV sketch. Am I missing something, or is it just that maybe the cattle et al have run through the lounge (which might be seen as a distressingly weak ending)? On the whole, historically interesting, but can't say it stands up well compared to the individual work done by the protagonists.

[lady12480]

"Oh look, roger's cracked his sore patch." lol

[singinginachurch]

Do you have season 2? Please upload it if you do.

[NotTheRealKatyB]

i know other very talented people are in this but i only saw Stephen Fry! He's just gorgeous! I love him <3

[Luarrangel]

Both look beautiful!!

[Emzo99]

Stephen looks beautiful <3

[wolfxbloed]

Emma, "I WAS ENJOYING THE BLOODY WRESTLING, TED!" Made my night.

[Orlabobz]

@Captainmop

I think you over estimate its "coolness" I mean, its grand and can be good.... but it's not easy. it's only one of my modules I do however!

[Captainmop]

@Orlabobz I've read 'Moab is my Washpot'. It's pretty amusing. English reading assignments for uni?! You study English?! That would pretty much be the coolest thing ever.

[Orlabobz]

@Captainmop

Unfortunately no, and I do so wish to read them.... but at the moment i'm completely swamped with english reading assignments for uni.... i don't have time.... but I will at some stage. And you?