John Finnemore's Double Acts, Radio 4

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Anyone else hear the first one in this new series? Link to i-player I thought it was pretty good. Celia Imrie and Charles Edwards (Edith's editor chappie from Downton).

I enjoyed it. It started out with what appeared to be clichéd characters (a British upper class twit and a brassy American) but turned out to be more subtle and clever than that.

Yes, it did, didn't it? Celia Imrie's accent was extremely good too.

I just popped over here to see if anyone had listened to this. I haven't had a chance yet, but I really want. Glad you liked it.

I meant to start a thread on this at the time. It was really clever.

I thought that he'd taken the cliched idea of opposites trapped together in a confined space and had updated it fantastically. John Finnemore's sense of pace and timing is phenomenal. The acting was excellent, I was really egging the repressed father along, as his potential was realised, by the conversational insinuations of Celia Imrie.

Looking forward to the second one tomorrow! Alison Steadman and Isy Suttie, no less. Telling that such good actors are keen to do these. He is a marvellous writer.

Did anybody go to see his stage show recently? We thought about it but didn't get around to it in the end. I hope it went well.

As a veteran of many years of office life I enjoyed that enormously.

I went to the stage show, there's a thread further down where I talk a bit more about it. It was a jolly evening made even better by him coming and talking to people at the end.

Oh, how lovely! Off to find that thread now.

The Alison Steadman episode had me clenched throughout. Brilliant.

I'm afraid that I didn't enjoy this one as much. After last week, I was waiting for the twist in the tale and ... there, predictably, it was.

The first one was lovely, I agree with R4 that the second one wasn't as good. DH and I were discussing it and partly I think it's that the expectations are so high for anything JF does. It wasn't as good as most of his other stuff, but equally I've heard much much worse...

We listened to both episodes back to back in the car yesterday, I liked the linking of the two episodes via the bath company (Willard & Son); I'm very much hoping there is going to be an arc to the series which links together and pays off in the final episode.

I think I agree that the first one was better. Thanks for pointing out that connection, as I'd missed that!

I think it was the benefit of listening to them back to back - if I'd had a week between episodes I'd probably have missed it. I'm a sucker for an arc plot though and am trying hard not to get my hopes up for the next few episodes.

Oooh, I missed the Willard connection. Well spotted.
I read a quotation from JF where he said of Double Acts “if there’s one thing they all have in common… I’ll be very surprised. And a bit annoyed.”
So I'm now confused.

John Bird today - superb!

The link or one of the links has to be the bath company "Joel" in today's episode was the Joel that Adele kept calling "Noel" in last weeks episode.

Knowing JF there will be another link but "Willard and sons" must be one.

Both John bird and Alison steadman were in Cabin Pressure, I wonder if Rodger Allam or Stephanie Cole will turn up at any point. Or maybe that's another of the weird links maybe they've all flown OJS air. Maybe the last double header will be Douglas and Carolynn talking about the weird costomers!

Listening to all three back to back I've thought of another "connection".

There all about the manlipation of thoughts/behaviours just by mere suggestion.
Delarosa gets Willard to play imaginary games
Kerry manipulated Adele in to selling the sales contacts/getting Todd fired.
Henry stops Joel from calling the police through manlipation get the situation.

I know Alison Steadman was Carolyn's sister in (I think) Helsinki, but who was John Bird in Cabin Pressure?

Back to normal service! I really enjoyed this week's episode, 'Henry' was excellently devious. The story didn't need a twist and was all the better for its absence.
Who would have thought that someone in the insurance business could be a slippery, untrustworthy character who would fleece you, complete with your own connivance?

Oh sorry kings tote I convused john bird with John sessions who played yves jutteau in Doux my mistake! I should have looked that up before but I honestly had it my head it was john bird, when I listen to doux I picture john bird no idea why now.

Just listened on i player. I enjoyed that a lot!

Ooh good spot Naught.

Just listened to red-handed, it was a real joy. I'm going to look a bit askance at Dadadad on the Archers Thread now as I have a feeling he's an actuary .

Well this weeks didn't seem to have anything to do with the Willard family or manlipation.

I'll listen with close attention when I get round to i player, Naught!

I've loved all three, but the Isy Suttee one most of all I think. I listened out of order and that was the first one I heard. Just thought the characterisation was brilliant.