Last week saw the passing of that fine comedy actor Richard Briers. Most newspapers predictably highlighted 'The Good Life' as his best-known television work ( 'Goodbye Mister Good Life' was how 'The Daily Mirror' reported the news ), although I personally thought his performances in John Esmonde and Bob Larbey's 'The Other One' and 'Ever Decreasing Circles' far more noteworthy. The latter cast him as compulsive worrier 'Martin Bryce' who finds himself living next door to 'Paul Ryman' ( Peter Egan ). Paul is both charming and seemingly good at everything, the exact opposite of Martin. 'Manure' opened the third series - Paul has had to go away, and left Martin to take charge of a lorry load of manure for his garden. Alas Martin is standing in his own drive when the lorry arrives, and the driver dumps the manure on the spot! As if that wasn't bad enough, he also has to contend with his neighbours, 'Howard' ( Stanley Lebor ) and 'Hilda' ( Geraldine Newman ), who have managed to get a skip delivered to his home. In no time at all it is full of other people's rubbish, including what appears to be a dead monkey...
What can one say? A wonderfully funny show, with fine performances from all concerned. Briers' 'Martin' is a wonderful comic creation - we all know someone like that - and it is surprising the programme has not enjoyed endless repeats the way 'Dad's Army' has. Ray Winstone ( who made a twit of himself recently trying to be John Thaw in the lousy remake of 'The Sweeney' ) has a small role as a lorry driver.
Funniest moment - the look on Martin's face as he finds the manure on his drive!
In an eerie coincidence, Bob Godfrey - animator of the 'Roobarb' series on which Briers was narrator - also passed on last week. Would it be asking too much for someone to release all his films on D.V.D.? Not just the naughty 'Henry Nine Till Five' but obscure gems like 'Do-It-Yourself Cartoon Kit' and 'The Plain Man's Guide To Advertising'?
What can one say? A wonderfully funny show, with fine performances from all concerned. Briers' 'Martin' is a wonderful comic creation - we all know someone like that - and it is surprising the programme has not enjoyed endless repeats the way 'Dad's Army' has. Ray Winstone ( who made a twit of himself recently trying to be John Thaw in the lousy remake of 'The Sweeney' ) has a small role as a lorry driver.
Funniest moment - the look on Martin's face as he finds the manure on his drive!
In an eerie coincidence, Bob Godfrey - animator of the 'Roobarb' series on which Briers was narrator - also passed on last week. Would it be asking too much for someone to release all his films on D.V.D.? Not just the naughty 'Henry Nine Till Five' but obscure gems like 'Do-It-Yourself Cartoon Kit' and 'The Plain Man's Guide To Advertising'?
