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[jaymac]

A lost episode of The Navy Lark last played in 1962  will be available this Sunday 16th
 It is on Radio 4 Extra  at 0930 / 1430 / and 2030
Radio 4 extra  is available  on Freeview and Freesat channel 708, Sky channel 0126 .  and Dab

[SteamboatPhil]

Brilliant, and I thought I had the whole series.....left hand down....

[Baldrick]

 Everybody Down.....     crunch.   ooooh, nasty.

[jaymac]

Phil  it is the one called '' The Cornish Exercise''

[Rob47]

Brilliant, and I thought I had the whole series.....left hand down....

oh lumy

[roycv]

Hi all, back in my early 20's I went to the BBC theatre to watch 2 episodes being recorded it,  They did them 2 at a time. There were so many well known comedians who later did well.  Jon Pertwee is very tall.  Dennis Price a gentleman all the time and Ronnie Barker with the funny welsh accent a joy to watch.  Leslie Philips, I think we met them all either in passing or at the warm up before recording.
It must have been the first series as I went with my mum and she died in 1962 and was ill for some tiome before that.  We both had the same sense of humour, completely lost on my dad. 

To illustrate this in the early days of the NHS you would sit in chairs shuffling along as your turn came.  Privacy was something you paid extra for.  We were at the head of the queue, the doctor's door was open and a lady patient was saying "When I pull my thumb back like this, it hurts".  Doctor:-  "Well, don't do it then"  NEXT!
We could not keep straight faces when we went in.

I never knew where the tickets came from but we went to several BBC recordings and a few TV broadcasts as well.  I remember seeing Winifred Atwell and a new first time on TV commedian Dave King.

In all the shows they do retakes where the sound is wrong very odd to be in the audience when this is done!  One of our ex club members whose daughter was in the Strictly dancing final said that the audience were there for many hours and it was not the best experience. 
I recall that in the early days and above the actors there was a big sign saying "Applause"  This is where you 'paid' for your free ticket clapping to order and on command! 

I believe now they have 'fluffers' who get the audience to cheer and clap.  For me it really comes across badly especially watching 'Strictly'.
I had some minor celebrity feedback from a dancing couple who had been on Brittain's got talent.  They knew what they wanted in the way of music, but the production team said no and gave them different music.  When they were on screen You Know Who held up his hand to stop them and said that this is not the right music for you.  He then suggested the music they originally intended!

Almost everything is scripted even the audience, maybe not HIGNFY, well I hope not!

Roy

[Circlip]

The 'Navy lark' is re enacted quite regularly totally unscripted.


  Regards Ian.

[roycv]

Hi Circlip, I was recalling times a way back and the media was much more controlled.  The BGT reference is so that someone can appear very knowledgable, living up to his would be image?
I remember back in 1961 going to a Holiday camp and the last night entertainment was very good with slip ups that were very funny and odd things happening.  We were staying there for 2 weeks so when the last Friday came we went to see the Camp Show, totally identical to the previous week.  I expect these things did happen and if good were written into the script.
Some 10 years back I went to see 39 Steps the musical  it was very funny but the cynical side of me also watched for the included errors, still funny but....

The modern approach is different as you say and the current comedy performers are themselves very adroit at reacting to a flow of ideas.   With programmes based on these circumstances.  However if you here a bleep to blot out a dodgy word then they must be running delayed in some way.  Rarely live though.

Still if something is funny I am all for it and although I have not seen re-enactments of the Navy Lark I do like similar type programmes.  One of my favourites is the vintage American Carol Burnett show.  They usually had a point where Tim Conway tells a joke it is all rehearsed for timing etc beforehand.  However Tim when it came to the live show would often tell a different joke with hilarious consequences.  This is the Elephant joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qqE_WmagjY
You see the 4 performers the lady in the mauve is mama and she never has a word in any scripts so this was the first time she actually spoke live.

If you liked this then watch the same show with The Dentist, Harvey Korman was the patient and said he actually wet himself with laughter. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IUSM4EKcRI

Sorry drifted off thread a bit but maybe some readers might find something new to them.
Regards
Roy