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What do you think of it so far?

January 1, 2012 by

If you’ve been taking the advice of this website and watching The Fast Show in its all-new online only format over at Fosters.co.uk, then you’ll surely already be delighted with your findings?

 

These are some very funny videos indeed. There will be 12 episodes in all, though at the time of writing we’ve only been treated to six; but they are quite superb.

 

The latest show sees Ted and Ralph discussing their use of the web. Ralph is keen to connect with Ted as a friend on Facebook, but Ted prefers to keep things on a far more professional employer–employee type of footing.

 

Ron Manager, meanwhile, is a little out of his depth with some off-camera sexist chat with his two co-hosts, whilst Professor Denzil Dexter is busy with one of his most convoluted experiments of all time!

 

Music Hall legend of yesteryear, Arthur Atkinson, is back with a few of his offbeat catchphrases from the 1940s, which never fail to enthrall his adoring audience. And then there’s Billy Bleach, ushering in the latest episode with his views on a female pubgoer’s new smart phone.

 

Now just in case you don’t know the names of all these characters and what they’re all about, then get your fingers tapping and search around the web for some of The Fast Show’s earliest stuff – and you’ll quickly build up an understanding of who the characters truly are. In a word, it’s all plain ‘daft’ but that doesn’t stop the show from having some of the most insightful glimpse you’re ever likely to see of the true essence of human nature – and no, I’m not being ironic!

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Fast Show review

December 19, 2011 by

If you’ve been having a look at the latest Fast Show shows online – what do you think? And if you haven’t; why on Earth not!?

The 12 episode series includes brand new material created British comedy legends Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson. It’s been a long wait for those of us who loved the show the first time around – so maybe I’m not the most objective judge – but I honestly think it’s even better than the original.

In episode one of the Fast Show 2011, landowner Ralph approaches groundsman Ted who is standing at a fence in a field eating his sandwiches. As Ralph starts to speak, Ted interrupts him immediately, shaking his head and saying “I’m not interested in coming to See Lady Gaga sir”! As Ralph walks forlornly away, Ted adds: “But I wouldn’t mind going to see the Elton John show,” much to Ralph’s obvious (gesticulating and cavorting in the background…) delight.

Pure comedy gold for some of us!

Meanwhile, Rowley Birkin QC, the mainly unintelligible posh old bloke with his shock of dry white hair, recounting stories from his past in front of his fire in a his leather armchair is also back “Cancer! Aaaagh” (mumbles) taps fingers (mumbles) “or maybe it was a Scorpio, I don’t know.”

Monkfish also makes a very welcome return taking a job as a butler at what seems to be a hilarious take on “Downton Abbey” and all the other shows roughly the same.

Superb stuff! “John Actor plays a tough, uncompromising butler in ‘Upstairs Monkfish, Downstairs Monkfish’ .”

The Fast Show comes back to us courtesy of Fosters.co.uk along with other comedy legends including Vic and Bob.

The comedy duo’s episode 5 featuring the glassblowers for the “Afternoon Delight” is not to be missed.  “Our first love is blowing glass” and … “it’s a kind of isolated lonely life”. The pair can’t hold back the giggles and nor will you!

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Hit comedy show returns on the web

December 4, 2011 by

When The Fast Show left our television screens in 2000 with a special Last Fast Show Ever, it looked as if the comedy sketch show which rose to prominence on the BBC in the mid-1990s was gone for good.

Now, eleven years on, the show has made a comeback for a 12-episode online series, with fresh material written by creators Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson. The first episode went live on the World Wide Web on November 10 and has already proved to be a big hit with the show’s fans.

Ted and Ralph, Swiss Toni, the Chanel 9 team – all these instantly recognisable characters are back and it is as if they have never been away. Actress Caroline Aherne is also back after missing the Last Fast Show Ever, but Mark Williams isn’t part of the cast and he is missed, particularly at The Suit You Tailors.

The comeback episode features a typically unintelligible ramble from Rowley Birkin QC, Lord Ralph Mayhew and his estate worker Ted continue their unique relationship and another scorching day is forecast for the people of Republicca. Whitehouse and Higson are on top form, ably assisted by Aherne, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Simon Day.

The return of The Fast Show adds to the growing list of classic British comedies appearing from the wilderness and making a comeback on the internet – after Vic and Bob and Alan Partridge took the same step earlier in the year. The old favourites are back with new material. That can only be good for British comedy.

If you are planning to look at YouTube funny videos today, don’t overlook The Fast show 2011.

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The Fast Show is back … for a limited time only!

November 25, 2011 by

There’s some great news for fans of the hit comedy 1990s sketch show – The Fast Show; it’s back with a vengeance.

For many aficionados, the Fast Show has been sorely missed. Other comedies inspired by the show such as Catherine Tate and Little Britain have been excellent. But they don’t quite come up to scratch for us die-hard Fast Show fans.

Here’s the thing though, The Fast Show 2011 isn’t on television. Instead, you need to visit fosters.co.uk and tune in each Thursday at 1pm. Alternatively, just watch re-runs on the same site.

And if you need a little refresher first, or you’re 21 or under and don’t really know what the show is all about – then have a look at YouTube funny videos and you’ll quickly find your way to see a few of your favourite Fast Show characters.

And just in case you’d forgotten some of the memorable interchanges by your favourite characters, here are a couple to rekindle your enthusiasm. How about this from Irishman and estate worker Ted and his employer; member of the landed gentry Ralph:

Ralph: “What are you fishing for?”

Ted: “Fish”.

It’s no wonder the pair got their own mini spin-off show

And who can forget the legendary perma-coughing Bob Fleming presenting his show on country pursuits despite his incessant throaty tickle and constant attempts to clear it? When handed a bottle of cough syrup to help him out when rehearsing for a show, Bob takes a look at it, has a little chuckle to himself and says: “Cough medicine? What will they think of next!?”

After several unsuccessful attempts due to coughing , Bob eventually manages to down some of the syrup, only for its unfortunate side-effect of terrible wind to become all-too apparent during the live transmission; priceless stuff.

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Sunday in the Park with George – art gives way to art …

March 10, 2011 by
Sunday in the park with George
Sunday in the park with George

Sunday in the park with George

“Art isn’t easy” … that’s what Stephen Sondheim proclaims in his musical “Sunday in the Park with George”.

Fine art was the inspiration – the painting “Sunday Afternoon on The Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat.  It’s a musical that reveals the extraordinary battle within and without that any artist must go through to produce his work.  The painting in question or even the musical by Sondheim must both be “born” of blood, sweat and tears – often at the expense of personal life, relationships and family.

It’s interesting to note that the extraordinary painting in question took over two years of work on the part of Seurat and was received by the public and artistic cognoscenti in a very unenthusiastic way.  Seurat, a French post-impressionist who lived from 1859 –1891 was thought to have altered the direction of modern art because of his extraordinary style.

He believed that he could create a “sad” feeling on the canvas by using cold, dark colours and using lines that pointed down.

During the first act of “Sunday in the Park with George” Sondheim breaks apart the extraordinary Seurat painting, examining each character, each tree, each sentiment in turn.  The painting depicts how members of each of the social classes enjoy the park.  Seurat used colour to create harmony and emotion in his paintings almost on a par with the way Sondheim uses counterpoint and variants to create a musical harmony.  This helps Fine Art meld with Musical.

In the painting “Sunday Afternoon on The Island of La Grande Jatte” Seurat uses tiny little dots of paint which viewed closely look like nothing.  However, stand back and the effect is breathtaking.  Interesting that Sondheim calls Seurat’s model (and mistress) Dot.  It appears Seurat made around sixty sketches before he started his painting and the whole work took around two years to complete.

“Sunday in the Park with George” was donated to the Art Institute of Chicago back in the 1920’s and Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Sunday in the Park with George” pops up every now and again when it’s revived.  Sondheim the musician/composer continues to struggle for perfection.  Some argue Georges Seurat achieved it in his lifetime.  One thing’s for certain – “art isn’t easy” …

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The British Museum

February 21, 2011 by
British Museum

British MuseumAt any one time, the British Museum is home to a very special Exhibition of Fine Art, artefacts and photos.  It invariably showcases a special Season focussing on a special part of the world and there are also some three hundred and fifty thousand books, journals and pamphlets covering all areas of the museum’s collection.  In addition to this there are some artifacts that others believe should be returned to their countries of origin.  Among their number are the Elgin Marbles, The Rosetta Stone and the Benin Bronzes.  Various organisations continually demand they be returned to Greece, Egypt and Nigeria respectively.  Established in 1753, the museum was first opened to the public in 1759.

Here, in brief, is a list of what you can expect to find on a visit to the British Museum:

●  More than a million coins and medals

●  Greek Bronze Age artifacts

●  The British Library

●  A fragment from Nebamun’s garden, from the tomb-chapel of Nebamun in Egypt

●  Stone tools and axes from China’s Neolithic Period

●  Fine Art prints and Drawings from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas

●  A Human Headed ‘Lamassu’ Bull (883-859 BC) from the Middle East

●  Greek and Roman sculpture

●  Chinese Jade

●  Special exhibition passing through currently consists of a Journey through the afterlife
     the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

This is a completely inadequate list, but shows the kind of contrasting items and experiences on offer at the British Museum.  The collections are constantly being enlarged and refreshed.  For example, in autumn 2001 the eight million objects forming the Museum’s permanent collection of were expanded by six million objects donated from a man in Texas from the Wendorf Collection of Egyptian and Sudanese Prehistory.

School children too, can enjoy and learn from exploration of the Anglo Saxon area of the British Museum. Online and on a visit, they can explore timelines and the history of time itself.  They can take part in exciting expeditions which augment their classroom learning.   One day at the British Museum is just never enough!

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