R.I.P. Dr Evadne Hinge

[Master Jacques]

The death of the surviving half of a great National Treasure, Dame Hilda Bracket and Dr. Evadne Hinge, has been announced. I don't suppose many people would have heard of George Logan in propria persona, but together with Patrick Fyffe (d.2002) he formed the most beloved of all operatic duos from the late 20th century.

What was great was the musical quality of their comedy, and the way they sent people away wanting to hear the operas and operettas from which they drew a substantial part of their repertoire. As a perfect example, here they are at a Royal Opera Fledermaus gala from New Year's Eve 1984 (P. Domingo watching on from his conductor's rostrum in the pit!) in 'Three Little Maids' and the Donkey Duet from Messager's Véronique.

The way Evadne manipulates her fan in the Sullivan, while keeping the accompaniment going in her left hand, is a wonder to behold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hxw69szjgI

RIP George Logan.

[Serial_Apologist]

The death of the surviving half of a great National Treasure, Dame Hilda Bracket and Dr. Evadne Hinge, has been announced. I don't suppose many people would have heard of George Logan in propria persona, but together with Patrick Fyffe (d.2002) he formed the most beloved of all operatic duos from the late 20th century.

What was great was the musical quality of their comedy, and the way they sent people away wanting to hear the operas and operettas from which they drew a substantial part of their repertoire. As a perfect example, here they are at a Royal Opera Fledermaus gala from New Year's Eve 1984 (P. Domingo watching on from his conductor's rostrum in the pit!) in 'Three Little Maids' and the Donkey Duet from Messager's Véronique.

The way Evadne manipulates her fan in the Sullivan, while keeping the accompaniment going in her left hand, is a wonder to behold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hxw69szjgI

RIP George Logan.

I remember them well.

[Pulcinella]

Times obituary:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/george-logan-one-half-of-drag-act-hinge-and-bracket-dies-aged-78-vmpn0js8b?shareToken=e47f9753025c28e82e8654b66e04ebf3

Anyone remember their Stackton Tressel telephone number?

The ladies shared a house (known as The Old Manse or Utopia Ltd) in the fictional village of Stackton Tressel in Suffolk; the name was adapted from Fyffe's Staffordshire birthplace of Acton Trussell. They employed the services of an eccentric housekeeper, Maud, played in the radio series by English character actress Daphne Heard.

[AuntDaisy]

Anyone remember their Stackton Tressel telephone number?

Stackton 295.

[Serial_Apologist]

Stackton 295.

!

[french frank]

Stackton 295.

I hope it was a candlestick handset. We had one - Nailsea 193.

[Nick Armstrong]

I remember them well.

I remember being amused by them when they popped up during family viewing or listening back in the 70s I guess. But much more recently, I listened to an episode of their radio show which appeared in the Radio 4extra schedule, and found it deeply unfunny - awful material. Perhaps they were best in small sketches and couldn’t sustain a 30-minute stretch with shaky plot…

[Barbirollians]

I remember being amused by them when they popped up during family viewing or listening back in the 70s I guess. But much more recently, I listened to an episode of their radio show which appeared in the Radio 4extra schedule, and found it deeply unfunny - awful material. Perhaps they were best in small sketches and couldn’t sustain a 30-minute stretch with shaky plot…

They did a television series called Dear Ladies in the 1980s which was rather mixed but funny in parts I recall.

[Master Jacques]

I remember being amused by them when they popped up during family viewing or listening back in the 70s I guess. But much more recently, I listened to an episode of their radio show which appeared in the Radio 4extra schedule, and found it deeply unfunny - awful material. Perhaps they were best in small sketches and couldn’t sustain a 30-minute stretch with shaky plot…

Radio sit-com would have been hardest for them, I think, without the visual side to bolster the illusion. I had a similar experience listening recently to a radio episode of All Gas and Gaiters, which doesn't wear well at all in sound only, though it's just as amusing on video as ever.

I saw H&B's whole-evening entertainment (100 minutes, with an interval) on tour in 1986, which held beautifully. It was a "day in the life of..." format, and ended with Evadne (nightie clad) tidying the drawing room and turning off the lights, in a gentle silence. Quite beautifully precise, and rather touching. The thing was, they were good actors first, comics and singers second, but with a wonderful sense of theatrical (and operatic) history. My goodness, they could hold the stage.

[AuntDaisy]

I remember being amused by them when they popped up during family viewing or listening back in the 70s I guess. But much more recently, I listened to an episode of their radio show which appeared in the Radio 4extra schedule, and found it deeply unfunny - awful material. Perhaps they were best in small sketches and couldn’t sustain a 30-minute stretch with shaky plot…

I wonder if that episode was from "The Enchanting World Of Hinge and Bracket" series, 1977-79?

"The Random Jottings of Hinge & Bracket", 1982-1989, was much better (IMHO); I taped most of them.

They did a television series called Dear Ladies in the 1980s which was rather mixed but funny in parts I recall.

All 3 "Dear Ladies" series and "Dear Ladies Masterclass" & the "Gala Evenings" have been released on DVD. Gyles Brandreth co-wrote Dear Ladies.

[AuntDaisy]

Radio sit-com would have been hardest for them, I think, without the visual side to bolster the illusion. I had a similar experience listening recently to a radio episode of All Gas and Gaiters, which doesn't wear well at all in sound only, though it's just as amusing on video as ever.

I saw H&B's whole-evening entertainment (100 minutes, with an interval) on tour in 1986, which held beautifully. It was a "day in the life of..." format, and ended with Evadne (nightie clad) tidying the drawing room and turning off the lights, in a gentle silence. Quite beautifully precise, and rather touching. The thing was, they were good actors first, comics and singers second, but with a wonderful sense of theatrical (and operatic) history. My goodness, they could hold the stage.

Yes, I agree about All Gas & Gaiters. It's a shame so many of the TV episodes were lost, although some of the scripts have been published.

Very envious that you saw the H&B's whole-evening entertainment. I did see Dame Hilda's Katisha at the Richmond Theatre, ~1993.

[Master Jacques]

I did see Dame Hilda's Katisha at the Richmond Theatre, ~1993.

And I envy you that.

I am sure you (and many others) will have heard and seen her incomparable Azucena from Harrogate. In case not:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnMQ5e_ffs

(It has plenty to say about the reasons we need opera in English, amongst other delights.)

[AuntDaisy]

I am sure you (and many others) will have heard and seen her incomparable Azucena from Harrogate. In case not:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnMQ5e_ffs

(It has plenty to say about the reasons we need opera in English, amongst other delights.)

Thank you - a real treat.

Update: Found it - ~22:25 Royal Hall Harrogate 1979 (episode 4) on disk 1 of the "Gala Evenings" DVD set.
The Genome entry has it "Introduced by" Noel Coward along with Corbet Woodall

[Nick Armstrong]

I wonder if that episode was from "The Enchanting World Of Hinge and Bracket" series, 1977-79?

It was, yes

[AuntDaisy]

It was, yes

Of the Random Jottings series, "Telling Tails" is good fun - it has the "Three Little Maids" song/duet (also shared by Master Jacques), introduces Mousey Butler (Frank Williams, the vicar in Dad's Army) and has Maud's spider story.

There's a copy on YouTube. It's one of the (few) episodes Auntie saved and has been broadcast on 4extra, but not for a while.