Gloomsbury

[french frank]

I like this quote from John Sessions, re Gloomsbury: "There’s an obsession with accessibility in television today and many people might consider this project too elitist but I fight that like the very devil. Radio is a wonderful land which has kind of been left alone by managerial types and it seems to be where all the really interesting things go down."

[greeneyedwoman]

I have just caught up with Gloomsbury and thought it was brilliantly funny and I would love to hear the first episode which I missed. It is no longer available to listen again on i-Player. Did anyone download it and if so can they send me the mp3 please ?

[amateur51]

Top-class stuff with the best performers, clever, witty, affectionate, hilarious. Many thanks to Caliban for prodding me to listen

[french frank]

'Morning greeneyedwoman - and welcome.

If anyone does have a recording (I hope legally obtained!) perhaps they would PM gew.

[greeneyedwoman]

Of course a legally obtained recording only is required, thanks for that and for the welcome !

[umslopogaas]

Gloomsbury

Is anyone listening to this on R4? Its a new series taking the p**s out of D H Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, who are two of the "classic" authors I most hate, and I'm finding it very funny.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Series two and three have been run in the last year or so, so this is a rerun of series one. Yes - amusing. Great cast. Will catch up, and follow the programmes coming up......

[ardcarp]

Ah. The SacKville Vests at Sizzlinghurst.

[umslopogaas]

Its hard to know where to begin. I'd say that if you want a genuine funny laugh out of our literary heritage, try Mervyn Peake and the Ghormenghast trilogy.

If you want a surprising literary experience, try Robert Musil, 'The Man Without Qualities'.

But there might be more, I'll just have to go and inspect my shelves.

[Nick Armstrong]

Is anyone listening to this on R4? Its a new series taking the p**s out of D H Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, who are two of the "classic" authors I most hate, and I'm finding it very funny.

The first series I found very funny - second and third somewhat less so. Judging by the schedule, today's was the first of series 2. John Sessions as "D.H. Lollipop" I found the least successful joke, oddly. The teeming double entendres delivered by Miriam Margolyes, Nigel Planer and Alison Steadman (the latter two taking dual rôles) in series 1 I found sublime! But still plenty of chuckleworthy material - with a dream cast* like that, how could there not be?

.

*The late great Roger Lloyd Pack replaced Nigel Planer in series 2 (his last work).

[umslopogaas]

I've obviously got a lot to catch up with, because I didnt know there were previous series, but this is a fine item, none the less.

[Barbirollians]

I like Woolf but have never got on with Lawrence .Gloomsbury is fun but agree it does seem to be a case of diminishing returns .

[Flosshilde]

Its hard to know where to begin. I'd say that if you want a genuine funny laugh out of our literary heritage, try Mervyn Peake and the Ghormenghast trilogy.

Was Ghormenghast written as a satire (or parody) of a literary or social phenomenon?

[gradus]

If Vera Sackcloth Vest tickles you it's unmissable. I love it.

[umslopogaas]

Flosshilde, I dont know if its a satire or a comment on a social condition, but any way, I'm delighted to find somebody who knows it exists and between you and me its a great read.

There is an interesting thought here, before I go to bed. I have a large shelf of books. We are now talking about Peake, Musil, Grass, Wyndham Lewis and Thomas Mann to name but a few. Do you have any favourites? I would say, if I was pressed on the matter, that Mervyn Peake is much neglected and Ghormenghast is desperately needing to be rediscovered.