Upstart Crow

[weecalf]

To much dialogue me thinks .Is it funny ?

[davegosling]

I can't watch anything with David Mitchell in it.

[ummmm]

Very very mildly amusing occasionally.

[zebo]

I love it.

[AKMild]

It won't appeal to everyone, that's for sure, but it certainly hits the spot for me. It's not necessary to know any Shakespeare, but if you do then there are some clever references in the comedy.

[Cloverjo]

I love David Mitchell, but this is far from his best work.
I also love Ben Elton esp Blackadder, but similarly, UC is far from that. I still watch it though.

[douglas9401]

Would I be right in thinking that Ben Elton isn't a fan of Ricky Gervais?

[jim360]

The problem with such comedy as this,
Is that it be not to all of our taste:
To some its humour is not worth a miss;
For others all the jokes do go to waste.

The references -- obscure or not -- I love!
Though many I don't get myself, I find
They prompt some reading into Shakespeare's trove
Of works and plays to which I once was blind.

For as a child, reading Shakespeare seemed
undoubtedly a most unpleasant task;
But through this show his work has been redeemed:
Of such a programme, what more can one ask?

If reading Will's words helps my spirit grow,
I'll owe it all to Elton's "Upstart Crow"!

[douglas9401]

Jim my orse, Pam Ayres and I claim my five pounds. :-)

[EcclesCake]

I think it's brilliant,

[Guilbert53]

I do think it pays to have an understanding of Shakespeare's life and family and his plays and sonnets to get the best out of it.

For example Shakespeare's father held quite a few official posts in Stratford but he also got in trouble with the law a few times and got fined so he was rather discredited in later life as is mentioned in the show quite a few times.

There was also a "joke" in one episode about signatures of famous being valuable in later life and Shakepeare made a joke about never signing his name the same each time.

This is in fact true. We only have 14 words in Shakespeare's handwriting, and 12 of those are his first and last name, but in each case he spelt them differently.

There are also "jokes" about Shakespeare's lack of education (which is why some people don't think he wrote the plays). In a number of his plays he sets cities in the wrong place (an inland city on the coast and so on).

Also in his sonnets (which some people believe were private and never meant to be published) about two thirds of them are a man talking of love for another man, which is why in the shows he often makes "jokes" about not fancying the person who he wrote the sonnets for.

btw The title comes from Robert Greene (played by Mark Heap in the show) who also wrote plays, but who in his life published a pamphlet attacking Shakespeare and calling him "Upstart Crow"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Greene_(dramatist)

Anyone who fancies reading about Shakespeare's life then Bill Bryson wrote a fine fairly small book about his life. It also covered the history those times (Catholic and Protestant arguments etc) and the problems people had just surviving what with the plague and other illnesses.

Like all Bill Bryson books it is very well written and a joy to read with quite a few amusing lines and "jokes" in there. He really is a great writer.

[mikey4444]

It probably is witty, but that is not the same as saying that its funny.

[Togo]

As Mickey says witty in a "look how clever " we are sort of way. Not hooked on it but can tolerate. Now if you want "funny" look out for Red Dwarf series 12 this Thursday. The very talented Chris Barrie and some great script writing make this an evergreen. Can't believe it started in 1988.

[Gromit]

It is bad. Really terrible.
It thinks its cleverer than it actually is, and is not at all funny.

[naomi24]

I agree with Gromit. It does think it's cleverer than it actually is - but then I've always thought Ben Elton thinks himself cleverer than he actually is.

[naomi24]

Togo, I'm looking forward to Red Dwarf. That's funny!

[jim360]

Poetry is wasted on you lot :P

[roopower]

I enjoy the programme, I wished I watched previous series. I think it does help to know a little about the plays. Not sure it will be relevant in years to come as some series are - there are a lot of digs at various things in life at the moment.

[hereIam]

Good poem Jim !