REVIEW: That Was The Week That Was

Broadcast: Saturday, 1st December, 1962

Character: Himself

Some Background

‘That Was the Week That Was’ was a groundbreaking satirical television programme, produced and broadcast by the BBC from November 1962 and until late December of the following year. The show was the brainchild of broadcaster, author and stage director, Ned Sherrin, and Jack Duncan (founder of the satirical magazine Private Eye with Richard Ingrams and Paul Foot), and was hosted by David Frost.

Arriving just in time for the Profumo affair, ‘That Was The Week That Was’ gained a reputation for savage satire.  It witnessed and commented on all the major events of the time, including producing a special, non-satirical, edition as a tribute following the assassination of President Kennedy. 

As well as launching David Frost into the nation’s living-rooms, the programme also established the careers of such varied talents as Roy Kinnear, Lance Percival and Willie Rushton as well as providing an outlet for writing by Keith Waterhouse, Richard Ingrams, David Nobbs, Christopher Booker, Peter Tinniswood, Bill Oddie, Michael Frayn, Johnny Speight, Clement Freud and Graham Chapman among numerous others.

With the satire came a vast numbers of complaints.  Nonetheless the BBC kept the show on for two series, only finally bowing to the inevitable when the perceived need to avoid political controversy during the run-up to the 1964 General Election resulted in the programme being halted.

Peter’s Appearance

Peter invites the audience to consider the words of ” one of the vice presidents of the Paignton operatic, drama and choral society society RN (retired)”, who complains about the proposed staging of John Osborne’s play, ‘Look Back In Anger’. which he describes as “Muck”, in the Devonshire town.

“We feel it is up to us to keep Paignton clean,” the gentleman exclaims, to which Peter asks the following question: “Was he thinking of the John Osborne that wrote to his fellow countryman last year. The John Osborne that denounces the England of the Bomb, bingo and the Twist. ‘Damn you England, you’re rotting now, and quite soon you’ll disappear. My hate will overrun you yet if only for a few seconds. I wish it could be eternal.”

Various character punctuate the monologue, including a working class man (played by Kenneth Cope); two British navel officers (Willy Rushton and Roy Kinnear), and scenes from Osborne’s play, ‘The Entertainer’ are recreated with Lance Percival playing Archie Rice – the character made famous by Laurence Olivier.