even more impressively, the cream of British comedy talent gave up 7 1/2 minute of their own appearance time to allow the comic they most adored just do his own thing with an untried bit.
At the time no-one would have believed that this sketch would last as it was choc-full of highly specific and topical references to the Thorpe trial, It does still work however, as Cook is satirising an archetype of corrupt and incompetent authority. The line "so flimsy", which doesn't get a laugh here, was always the one that cracked me up.
You are so right. I found this sketch before I knew about the affair (I am a pagan foreigner). The praise put upon Peter Cook made me look it up. I read about the affair, then realized how fantastic it was. I have watched it many times and I think it's one of the highlights of satire, world wide, all time.
as he about to walk out to make this speech he asked if anyone had a good phrase for masturbation - and Billy Connolly piped up with 'playing the pink oboe' - and he used it!
@@jaolin6042 page 371 of Harry Thompson's biography of Peter Cook. I was right with the story but it's about being homosexual, not masturbation (or fellatio).
I first watched this sketch when I was 12 in 2002, part of some comp/doc night about SPB. I was watching purely because I'd slipped downstairs and my parents hadn't caught me. I didnt have a clue who "Mrs. Thrope" was or Cook, save a vague name recognition, but I cried with laughter. Chasing this sketch tonight, I came across Stephen Fry's epitaph of Cook who described him as "supernaturally funny". I couldn't agree more. I definately appreciate this sketch more 20 years later, but in terms of pure belly laughs? Hasn't changed a jot.
Sir Joseph Donaldson Cantley, OBE (8 August 1910 - 6 January 1993) was an English barrister and later a High Court judge. He is most notable for presiding over the trial of Jeremy Thorpe in 1979
An absolute scream! I don't know how Coole got away with it with his stinging satire of an establishment high court judge at the time of the notorious Thorpe trial, but he did and we are the better for that.
Plenty of non-PC comedians about, who choose to punch down. What's sad about this sketch is how little has changed. When it comes to attacking privilege and power, the crude cudgel (Frankie Boyle et al) is no match for the deft rapier.
I would have loved to have been in an actual court listening to this bilge. Thorpe was damned fortunate he was part of the establishment. But note - after the trial nobody touched him.
A really funny sketch, but the truth is funnier... in magistrates courts, the court clerk, prosecutor & magistrate, all work together for the state against the defendant & practice Maritime Law on Land!... How funny is that?!
Cook wrote this the night of the judge's summing up in the Thorpe trial and performed it the next day - absolute comic genius
fantastic. spot on.
I don’t know how he wasn’t charged with scandalising the court. Bloody funny though.
Miriam Thrope
even more impressively, the cream of British comedy talent gave up 7 1/2 minute of their own appearance time to allow the comic they most adored just do his own thing with an untried bit.
Jeremy Thorpe
Having watched 'A Very English Scandal', this is indeed blistering stuff.
A top-notch drama, for sure.
More than that surely.
Tremendous stuff. Easily one of the greatest comic talents the country has ever seen.
At the time no-one would have believed that this sketch would last as it was choc-full of highly specific and topical references to the Thorpe trial, It does still work however, as Cook is satirising an archetype of corrupt and incompetent authority. The line "so flimsy", which doesn't get a laugh here, was always the one that cracked me up.
You are so right. I found this sketch before I knew about the affair (I am a pagan foreigner). The praise put upon Peter Cook made me look it up. I read about the affair, then realized how fantastic it was. I have watched it many times and I think it's one of the highlights of satire, world wide, all time.
My criticism is only that the left has become the right, the female has been entirely ignored and anything goes.
Peter Cook at his absolute best - the most devastatingly hilarious send-up of establishment figures since the Savoy Operas.
A stunning piece of satire for ANY era. As good now as it was thirty years ago.
True, you don't really need to know about the case or the individuals referred to for it to be hilarious every time you watch it again.
If I’m having a bad day this is one of my go to’s. Sheer brilliance!
One of Peter Cook's finest moments. From the 1979 Secret Policeman's Ball I think. "A self confessed player of the pink Oboe..."
as he about to walk out to make this speech he asked if anyone had a good phrase for masturbation - and Billy Connolly piped up with 'playing the pink oboe' - and he used it!
@@AnthonyEmery1970 Masturbation? Surely it must refer to fellatio.
@@jaolin6042 page 371 of Harry Thompson's biography of Peter Cook. I was right with the story but it's about being homosexual, not masturbation (or fellatio).
@@AnthonyEmery1970 Still, it clearly refers to fellatio, just like, e.g., "play the skin flute".
@@jaolin6042 Yeah ok fair enough, haha - love Cook, love the sketch - cheers mate :-)
I first watched this sketch when I was 12 in 2002, part of some comp/doc night about SPB. I was watching purely because I'd slipped downstairs and my parents hadn't caught me. I didnt have a clue who "Mrs. Thrope" was or Cook, save a vague name recognition, but I cried with laughter. Chasing this sketch tonight, I came across Stephen Fry's epitaph of Cook who described him as "supernaturally funny". I couldn't agree more. I definately appreciate this sketch more 20 years later, but in terms of pure belly laughs? Hasn't changed a jot.
Sir Joseph Donaldson Cantley, OBE (8 August 1910 - 6 January 1993) was an English barrister and later a High Court judge. He is most notable for presiding over the trial of Jeremy Thorpe in 1979
Great stuff. I was too young to appreciate it at the time.
An absolute scream! I don't know how Coole got away with it with his stinging satire of an establishment high court judge at the time of the notorious Thorpe trial, but he did and we are the better for that.
‘Carefully to consider’
Billy Connolly came up with the "pink oboe" line.
How could he do this while keeping a straight face? 😂
The sketch is alluding to the Jeremy Thorpe scandal of the time.
Marvellous stuff!
Comic genius. That sketch has never been bettered
A Very English Scandal brought me here
I so love Peter Cook. A true Genius! I now need psychiatric help!
Never saw this before. Absolutely brilliant.
Hilarious, top quality satire! Even to someone unfamiliar withe the background. British comedy rules!
Essentially written by the late Christopher Booker, for Private Eye, brilliantly riffed by the genius Peter Cook
The "D. Frost and leave to Cook" Christipher Booker?
The work of Genius. Superb!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The establishment carries on.
lmao..still funny decades later..miss you Pete.
RIP Peter
genius, miss him so much, who is there today???
I miss satire. In modern humourless PC Britain the new political class admits of no criticism
Plenty of non-PC comedians about, who choose to punch down. What's sad about this sketch is how little has changed. When it comes to attacking privilege and power, the crude cudgel (Frankie Boyle et al) is no match for the deft rapier.
Satire is PC proof anyway. That's kind of the point.
Excellent example of extreme eloquent and extremely extraordinary elaborated emotional embellishments. Excruciating excrement at it’s finest 😂😂
we published a book about Thorpe, everybopdy was a dog, it didnt sell but was fun doing
Now THAT'S satire!
Pure genius!
This top drawer quality !
Scott of the Arseantics.
sorely missed
Look up "pillow-biter" on Wiktionary. I'd link to the entry here, but TH-cam won't let me.
Exquisite satire.
Absolutely top genius ❤
Class !
I would have loved to have been in an actual court listening to this bilge. Thorpe was damned fortunate he was part of the establishment. But note - after the trial nobody touched him.
He was found not guilty; the reality is he was ostracised after the trial.
Rob Schneider sent me!
@neohip which is just why it IS funny? Sadly....
RIP Jeremy Thorpe.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Τα κουνελάκια μπορούν και θα πάνε στη Γαλλία ♥
A really funny sketch, but the truth is funnier... in magistrates courts, the court clerk, prosecutor & magistrate, all work together for the state against the defendant & practice Maritime Law on Land!... How funny is that?!
"British justice must be done,
Not only done but seen,
And now that it's been done to me,
I know how done I've been."
Fuck off you sovereign citizen/freeman of the land twat.