Funny Woman (2023)

[lauraxsynthesis]

Has there really not been a thread for this yet? Maybe because it's not on terrestrial? I saw the first 5 episodes on a flight so am now looking for a way to see ep 6. Gemma Arterton, who I know a lot of youse are hot for, plays a working class woman from Blackpool trying to make it in comedy in London in 1964. There's a mixture of real and made up light entertainment references crammed in by the programme-makers. Nick Hornby and Morwenna Banks produced from Hornby's novel. A real love for comedy comes through in the show which is delightful. I was particularly chuffed that Eleanor Bron got some long overdue kudos and we see a sketch with her and John Fortune at The Establishment (renamed The Opposition, for some reason).

Some of the soapier elements of the programme annoyed me, but I recommend it. It's unusually slowly paced and takes  time and care setting out the various hurdles someone like the protagonist has to overcome. A lot of it reminded me of things described by Doon Machichan in her autobiography. Doon's also in a couple of episodes. Rupert Everett plays an agent who looks like a cross between Barry Humphries and Sir Les Patterson, presumably deliberately. Frankie Howerd and Spike Milligan turn up though strangely played by actors who don't look like them. They manage to establish Spike's importance while also condemning his racist Pakistani character. The racism of the time comes up a lot in the programme and always from the point of view of the POC characters.

Anyway, a good show and lots for a comedy nerd to geek out on.