"Everyone's a national treasure these days; you can't move for them. But there should only ever be one at a time. For years, it was Dame Thora Hird. After she died, it was going to be Judi Dench, but then Joanna Lumley saved the Gurkhas so she got the gig."
It's certainly the year of sad anniversaries. On this day a decade ago, we lost the genius that was Victoria Wood. And, yes, she was a "national treasure"!
Needless to say, I, Madam Arcati, and all "our gang" absolutely idolised the woman. As did the majority of British society. We can all recite lines - maybe even whole sketches word-for-word - from her ground-breaking television series. And here's just a tiny sample of our favourites...
Of course, I haven't forgotten it's a Tacky Music Monday - so here's the ultimate pick-me-up with which to start the week!
Victoria Wood (19th May 1953 – 20th April 2016). We still miss you.
Have a good week, dear reader.
Them vericose veins there... I’ll have to watch all these when i have time later. I wonder if her characters inspired Jane Horrocks’ Bubble.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Wood, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders all came through into the comedy circuit around the same time, and their paths crossed loads, so it was inevitable that they would have an influence on each other's humour.
DeleteHowever Victoria Wood tended to be more observational in her writing, rather than absurd - we've commented on many occasions about how she chose words and phrases (overheard, perhaps, or just from her fertile imagination) so carefully for maximum effect: "twins" isn't as funny as "triplets", for example, and she's the only person I know who can weave such mundanities as "guttering", "pedestal mats", "poplin", "bangles and a polo neck", "hen droppings", "macaroons" and so on in a way that leaves you crying with laughter every time. A female Alan Bennett, in many ways. Jx
I can't believe it's been that long already! And for Dame Thora Hird. Where does the time go?????
ReplyDeleteI know! We used to think a decade was a long time - now, blink and you miss it... Jx
Delete2016 was quite the year for celebrity pop offs. Victoria certainly knew how to tickle us I could watch the videos but they are so firmly etched in my memory. Now I have to dash, I've a manic depressive chum to visit, Babs from Urmston.
ReplyDelete"This watch has never been the same since it went in the Bournvita. I had my friend Win with me from Kidderminster, and I think we'd had a couple of liqueur chocolates too many."
DeleteIndeed. Jx
PS Yes, 2016 was a terrible year for famous people shuffling off! I mean, Victoria Wood one day, and Prince the next - it seemed like that happened all year...
'I'm looking for my friend Kimberly. Have you seen her?'
ReplyDelete"She's really, really tall. She's usually got bits of ceiling in her hair. Have you seen her?"
DeleteFaboo.
Jx
" and rilly,rilly wide" With appropriate arm gestures. God! We love her Chez Dinahmow! Now I need to watch "Dinner Ladies" again...
DeleteAnd "Acorn Antiques"... Jx
DeleteI loved Victoria Wood! I can't believe it's been 10 years either - and what a horrible 10 years that's been! I used to like those docu-sketches - such as the one about the young girl swimming the channel, and the drama student. Everything she wrote was spot on.
ReplyDeleteSx
She mastered those mock "fly on the wall" documentaries, too - although the cross-channel swimmer one was a bit sad, really. My fave is the "Very Ordinary Man" one that launched Jim Broadbent's career. We still quote it now:
Delete"What's on, Marian?"
"Faggots in rum sauce, liver au poivre, sweet and sour haddock..."
Cracks me up every time! Jx
PS It's going to be a year of "ten years since some beloved telly or music star died" posts, I can tell.