Tutti Frutti

Tags

BBC Scotland, Emma Thompson, Glasgow, John Byrne, Maurice Roeves, Richard Wilson, Robbie Coltrane, Tony Smith, Tutti Frutti, TV Drama Series

Oh glorious, hysterically funny knife edging with pain and tragedy simultaneously

I remember being GLUED to this when it was first broadcast, and again on a rerun some I think 10 years later…..but like its many other fans was left wanting the ability to watch again (and again!) whenever I, as opposed to the schedulers, wanted.

It felt at the time a remarkable programme, all credit to John Byrne’s script, Tony Smith’s direction, Andy Park’s production and performances by a fabulous, stellar cast, headed by Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson, who are well matched in the scene-stealing stakes by the likes of Richard Wilson, Katy Murphy, and particularly Maurice Roeves as the hellishly accident and prostrate-by-lust prone lead guitarist Vincent.

The fortunes of the never quite made it 60s rock and roll band the Majestics, desperately still trying to scratch a living in the 80s, receding hairlines, middle-aged bellies and all is a fabulous mix of the gritty and fantastical.

Curiously, whilst being AS enamoured of it as I was back in 86 I have a bit more trouble with some of the very fast paced exchanges – Back in the 80s I travelled round more, including some time spent working in Glasgow, so had no problems in comprehending what was said. Glaswegian – in common with pretty well all city accents, is delivered at a lick, so it can take a little while to adjust your ears – and with dialogue this tight and punchy, delivered with a fast and furious throw away, you really won’t want to miss a single line ! Nice that DVDs offer a subtitle if you need it – though I prefered to watch each episode a couple of times to make sure I’ve missed nothing – the performances warrant that anyway. They are that good.

However, for those without access to Region 2 Players, a cut up version exists of the whole series on You Tube I’ve linked Episode 1, Part 1 which will give a taster or the wonderful juxtaposition of mordant humour, pathos, wit , strange and wonderful images – and great music. But, be warned, the You Tube videos are not subtitled, – plus it IS annoying to run to the end of a clip every 5 minutes or so and have to search for the next Part of the same episode to watch

There are some similarities with another BBC Scotland production of the 90s – which equally carved out a sure road in black comedy, heartbreak and searing performances, balancing realism with something on the tightrope of caricature – edgy, brave, on the edge work Takin’ Over The Asylum [1994] [DVD] This latter once again with the wonderful Katy Murphy, Ken Stott and a beautiful, vulnerable lead performance from a young David Tennant.

BBC Scotland, you rock!

Tutti Frutti Amazon UK
Tutti Frutti Amazon USA

However, for those across the pond, this marvellous series, whilst available, is only for those with Region 2/Europe Players

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Takin’ Over The Asylum

Tags

Angus McFaddyen, BBC Scotland, David Tennant, Donna Franceschild, Katy Murphy, Ken Stott, Takin' Over The Asylum, TV Drama

More quality from BBC Scotland (and Happy Hogmanay, to one and all, given the date of this posting!)

Well, I’m SO pleased David Tennant achieved great fame as Dr Who, as undoubtedly it was THIS which caused the long overdue release of this wonderful 6 episode series to DVD. I was gripped by this when it was broadcast, (20 years ago now) due to the marriage of a wonderful script by Donna Franceschild, and a chock-full batch of brave and gritty performances. Franceschild had previously written for some of the small scale political theatre groups. She manages social content and a serious message whilst using all the tools of entertainment skilfully.

The young David Tennant is brilliant in a large, on the edge of going over the top but never doing so, performance of a young man with Bipolar disorder. The performances which really hung in my memory over the years though were the always wonderfully complex Ken Stott – here as a bruised, messy, alcoholic – in many ways less sane, outside the asylum, than some of the inside the asylum characters, particularly, much less sane than the intelligent, tender, witty performance by Angus McFaddyen, as the schizophrenic Fergus (this is the second performance which stayed with me) – beautifully restrained, full of depth, breaks your heart – and then there is the achingly vulnerable Katy Murphy as lacerated, self-harming Francine. Ruth McCabe is beautifully low key as a woman with OCD and there’s even a delicious performance by Elisabeth Spriggs, looking eerily like a fatter, older Meryl Streep as Stott’s Lithuanian grandmother.

At the time, the series won a BAFTA for best series, and Franceschild an award for her wonderful script, so the release to DVD was well overdue!

Cracking drama, inventive, great soundtrack – it’s set in a hospital radio studio, after all, sparkling humour, and break your heart painful emotions. Like life, there are winners and losers in the story lines, and there’s little which would satisfy Hollywood in their endings, but they are RIGHT.

You can even watch episodes on You Tube – annoying cut up into several sections, but maybe watching Episode 1 Part 1 will whet your appetite for more

Takin’ Over The Asylum Amazon UK
It is available in the States, but only for machines which play European region DVDs
Takin’ Over The Asylum Amazon USA