A typical Saturday at 60 Going On 16 Mansions
For readers who are puzzled by the title of this post, it's attributable to Jesse, a rustic charmer, played by Mark Williams, in one of the very best sketch shows of the 1990s, The Fast Show.
Jesse made fleeting appearances in the show and was a man of few words. I would have posted a clip but the Jesse sketches are so brief that they don't really work well out of context.
(I first saw Mark Williams on stage in 1990 at the Barbican, in an RSC production of As You Like It; he was a brilliant Touchstone. You may have seen him more recently playing Mr Weasley, Ron's dad in the Harry Potter films.)
Simon Day's Fast Show Competitive Dad character was, however, much more loquacious. We've all come across the type . . . I just hope that, unlike Arabella Weir, Competitive Dad's long suffering wife, you're not married to someone like him. (And, yes, that is a very young - just 14 years old - and far less troubled Amy Winehouse on stage.)
Mr H is often referred to as Competitive Dad... Do you also remember the character Mark Williams played in the Fast Show as the Dad with the suitcases, running around shouting 'Come on, girls' to the wife & 2 daughters? Been there as well.
The show was brilliant. Ted and Ralph were great as well.
Posted by: Rattling On | 20 June 2009 at 10:53 AM
Hilarious - a good Saturday laugh. Thanks D.
Posted by: Pamela | 20 June 2009 at 04:22 PM
Adored The Fast Show, especially the old buffer who told stories, or rather wittered on and then added that he was very, very drunk (at the time of the incident he was relating.) Ted and Ralph great, and also the young lad who marched along with an ever-changing backcloth for which everything was "Brilliant!" Jesse's best diet was the week he had mostly been eating Bourbon biscuits. No, perhaps the very best was when he emerged out of his little hut only to walk right back in again without telling us his latest diet!
Posted by: Margaret Powling | 20 June 2009 at 08:45 PM
I do indeed know that type! So full of misplaced confidence and unaware of the cringing of those around them!
My favourite episode of the Fast Show, needless to say, was the one that Johnny Depp guest-starred in. That was very, very funny. LOL!
Posted by: Jay | 21 June 2009 at 12:17 AM
The Fast Show as brilliant and put so many new sayings into our vocabulary (which was nice).
Posted by: Jennyff | 21 June 2009 at 12:04 PM
Glad you all enjoyed the clip and , of course, now I want to go and watch the entire three series from start to finish.
Jay, I deliberately didn't put the sketch with Johnny there - I regard him as yours . . .
Hope you're all having a happy summer Sunday and that it's not too scorchio for you.
Posted by: 60 Going On 16 | 21 June 2009 at 01:41 PM