A Bit of Fry & Laurie

Well, really I don't know what to write, as I summarised it all in the title of the review! "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" is a programme that is unique of its time. There were other surreal comedy products in the 80s, such as the Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, The Young Ones and some of the Comic Strip Presents material. However, this is the only mainstream show which managed to effectively bridge the gap between sophistication and comedy, yet somehow managing to avoid coming across as pretentious.

Often as silly as it is clever, the comedy never falls into the trap of alienating a certain audience, always having something for everyone to enjoy, yet never compromising its unique style in doing so.

It's no surprise that the stars of the show are Stephen Fry - renowned for his intelligence and cultured nature and Hugh Laurie - renowned for his quirky and laughter-inducing surreal style. Combined, they make a perfect team.

In the 80s and 90s Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson were known as the kings of the 'nob gag'. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie will forever be the distinguished gentlemen of surreal wit.

Monty Python's footballing philosophers sketch is a good example of the painful varsity guff that has been a part of British TV and radio right up until today's 'League of Gentlemen'. It isn't what Fry and Laurie do at all. They plough a completely original furrow of snatched conversation, admass and inane banter that forms an impressionistic picture of the most baffling and frustrating 'bits' of the British experience.

A collection of sketches and routines that could well baffle some foreign viewers who may not understand the love/hate relationship that most sensible Britons have with their country. For example, in mentioning the town 'Utoxeter' Fry and Laurie are able to throw the audience completely. One viewer may remember a trip to the town, another may never have been there but is able to wonder quite how unpleasant/pleasant it may be. Some will know that there is a race track there but know no more. And we all get to celebrate a name that is bound to be far more interesting than the place it's self. Don't let that put you off. Most of their material is more universal than this example implies. It's this kind of circular thinking that Fry and Laurie spend most of their time exploiting while also chucking in TV show pastiche, songs and quite a few traditional 'shop sketches' that simply leave Monty Python wheezing on the touch-line. What I mean is that random elements are seemingly clumsily adhered to tried and tested comedy formulae to create something quite striking and original.

It's not to everyone's taste but if you believe that stupidity and intelligence are the two vital sides of the comedy coin then this pair may be for you.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

There's a snobby element of British society that can't do without their humour being 'refined' and 'sophisticated.' Cambridge graduates Fry and Laurie would, by their appearance and eleqution, fit this bill perfectly, and certainly a lot of the humour on offer in this series does test your sense of subtlety to the limit. But these two pithy academics also seem to have an interest in lampooning the lower classes they seem to have less in common with, so the humour covers a wider section of society than those this might be slightly more aimed at.

It was up to these guys to set the standard for fellow Cambridge 'footlighters' Mitchell and Webb and Armstrong and Miller, and their style does seem to have rubbed off, though arguably to less well effect. ABOFAL plays out like a wacky mish mash of ideas in the shape of sketches, where nothing is spared. Unlike more recent 'sketch shows' like Little Britain or That Mitchell and Webb Look, there are no real consistent characters here, just different set ups and scenarios for each new episode, with exceptions such as the people who seem to be stopped in the street and asked for their opinions in each episode. Many have commented on how 'british' the humour is, and this certainly rings true, but there also seems to be a deep affinity with America in a few of the sketches, such as 'Kickin' Ass' and the air force commanders, that doesn't let any of it get bogged down too much in Anglo culture. Indeed, Laurie would go on to achieve international fame as Dr. House in the hit series (as well as having a CD release in the pipeline, displaying his talent for country 'n western warbling that we see a bit of here), and we'd go on to learn that Fry was in fact almost born in the States and later wowed us with his Stephen Fry Does America programme, touring the country, so the early signs of this love and appreciation were already there.

The more modern Mitchell and Webb are eerily similar to this pair, with Fry and Laurie in the respective roles as the portlier, more hesitant one and the leaner, more dynamic sounding one. And while M&W are very good, it was doubtless up to this pair to really show them how it was done. ****

Amidst the 'alternative' comedy chaos of the '80's, 'A Bit Of Fry & Laurie' arrived almost unnoticed. Unlike 'The Young Ones', it had no ambitions to 'tear up the rule book book of comedy', but simply to present funny, surreal sketches. 'Not Only But Also' was undoubtedly an influence; highlights included 'Its A Wonderful Life' starring Rupert Murdoch, 'Kickin' Ass', and the 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' send-up with Fry as a Smiley-type intelligence boss who comes out with such cryptic phrases as: "You know I can't stick The Department up my arse, George.". Another notable feature were the vox pop sequences. As a double act, Fry and Laurie were peerless. After three excellent seasons, the show moved to B.B.C.-1 for its final run, which predictably became bogged down by guest-stars such as Caroline Quentin. The pair then split to pursue successful solo careers. It would be nice to think that they might come together again some day to give us more of their offbeat brand of humour.

If you love comedy that can be intelligent and frivolous at the same time, A Bit of Fry & Laurie is the perfect show to view. Fry and Laurie each bring to the table their own form of comic genius which when combined becomes an explosion of guaranteed laughs. Anyone who has seen this show has their own favorite sketches. Some love the spy sketches in which Fry & Laurie satirize the British Secret Serivce and the mechanically amiable Tony and Control. Others may prefer the Utoxiter sketches featuring the pair as scotch-sucking John and Peter, always trying to outwit their rival, Margorie. My own personal favorites are Hugh Lauries singing numbers (particularly in the fourth series) and any sketch that involves Hugh Laurie and a bar (in particular the one with Fry as the piano player whom he forces to play "Strangers in the Night." For those who enjoy satirical comedy at its best, you will love the work of Fry and Laurie.

As a citizen of the United States, my exposure to the brilliance of British comedy is limited to one night a week on public television. I was familiar with Hugh Laurie from Stuart Little and his guest appearance on Friends. It was in 2004 when I began watching House and became fascinated by the acting of Hugh Laurie. Okay that's an understatement, I fell in love with him. I searched his name on my library database and found that he was in a show called Blackadder. This was my first experience with British comedy and I think it was an amazing show to begin with. With Blackadder I became familiar with British terms and slang, and I began to watch more British comedy on television. When I found this show that was chocked full of Hugh Laurie, (I mean, his name was in the title!) I jumped at the opportunity to view all four series. I was now familiar with some British pop culture and the work of both Fry and Laurie, and I feel that a better pair could not join together than these two brilliant gentleman. Each of them has their own unique qualities that makes the show twice as hilarious. Stephan has the ability to say any random phrase that can make absolutely during conversation without breaking the tone, and his satirical comments are classic. Laurie possesses brilliance with accents and musical talent as well as his ability to play a range of characters from an uptight and short tempered upperclassman to his rather goofy side that is often used in the introduction. (I apologize for that run-on sentence. I get carried away when I discuss Hugh Laurie.)

Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry bring something very rare to comedy (especially in the United States). They don't spell everything out for the audience. It's hard to explain if you have never before seen their comedy, but what would be a complete joke for another show is only a section of a joke for Fry & Laurie, and not even the punchline. I guess what I mean is that they keep the entire sketch funny, rather than the traditional way of keeping it serious to the punchline. Well, I think I've bored you enough with my thoughts of the show so I will leave you with a phrase which I think sums up all of my thoughts completely: Soupy Twist.