Bleak Expectations is a 6-part 2007 Radio 4 comedy series, first broadcast at 11. 30am on Wednesdays from 15 August 2007, with the first series repeated on Radio 4 from 9 January 2008. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It is a pastiche of the works of Charles Dickens, like Bleak House and Great Expectations from which it derives its name, and costume dramas set in the same period, and parodies several of their plot devices (such as cruel guardians, idyllic childhoods interrupted, lifelong friendships, earnest young people). Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December A costume drama is a Period piece in which elaborate Costumes Sets and properties are featured in order to capture the ambience of a particular It is written by Mark Evans, who also stars. Mark Evans is a Welsh comedian actor and writer He has written for many U
The plot revolves around Philip "Pip" Bin and his two sisters, Poppy and Pippa, whose seemingly ideal life is disrupted by the death of their father and the madness of their mother. They are then locked away by their guardian, Mr. Gently Benevolent, in St. Bastard's, the most vicious boarding school in England, and St. Bitch's, a near-by convent. Pip and his sisters attempt to free themselves of their guardian with the help of Harry Biscuit, whose father invented the biscuit. It is narrated by Pip as an old man.
A second series was commissioned late 2007, and was recorded on the 18th, 23rd and 26th of May 2008 at the BBC Radio Theatre.
Cast
- Richard Johnson - Sir Philip ("Pip") Bin
- Tom Allen - Young Pip
- Perdita Weeks - Poppy Bin, his sister
- Susy Kane - Pippa Bin, his other sister
- Celia Imrie - Agnes Bin, their mother; Aunt Lily, their aunt
- Mark Perry - Thomas Bin, their father (impersonating Martin Jarvis); Bakewell Abertwitch (a parody of Magwitch); Henchman, Benevolent's henchman; town crier; King George IV
- Anthony Head - Mr Gently Benevolent "who was, ironically, a complete bastard" (parodying Dickensian characters with names giving their character, like Uriah Heep) / his descendent the journalist Sourquill
- Laurence Howarth - Mr Parsimonious, who is contrary to his name very generous
- Mark Evans - Mr Wyckham-post-forburton. Richard Johnson (born July 30 1927) is an English Actor, writer and producer who starred in several British films of the 1960s and has also Tom Allen is an English stand up comedian. At the age of 22 Allen won the UK's most prestigious comedy newcomer award So You Think You're Funny Perdita Weeks (born 25 December 1985) is a British actress. She portrays Mary Boleyn (King Henry VIII's sister-in-law in the Susy Kane is an English Actress, comedy Writer and Musician. She is the daughter of opera singer Alison Warner and actor and writer Celia Diana Savile Imrie (born 15 July 1952 is an Olivier Award-winning English actress. Mark Perry (born Phillip Perry is an British impressionist and his notable impressions include David Dickinson, John Prescott and the late Martin Jarvis can refer to Martin Jarvis (actor, UK actor Martin Jarvis (conductor, Australian conductor and lecturer in music Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December A town crier is a person who is employed by a Town council to make public announcements in the streets Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February, 1954) is an English Actor and Musician who has appeared in Theatre, Television Uriah Heep is a Fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield. Laurence Howarth is an English comic actor and writer He has appeared in one episode each of the TV series After You've Gone (2007 Hyperdrive Mark Evans is a Welsh comedian actor and writer He has written for many U . . . , Thomas's lawyer whose full name took 20 minutes to say and to whom - since he charged by the hour - "his name was his greatest asset"; Revd Supermarket; Waiter; Dr Cure-Some-By-Chance
- Geoffrey Whitehead - Mr Hardthrasher (a parody of Wackford Squeers and Mr Bumble), and his equally harsh siblings (beadle, mental-asylum owner, workhouse chief, admiral, Flora's chaperone, judge)
- James Bachman - Harry Biscuit (parodying Alec Guinness's portrayal of Herbert Pocket in the film of Great Expectations)
- Sarah Hadland -
Episodes
- A Perfect Childhood Cruelly Kippered - The idyllic life of Pip, Pippa and Poppy Bin is ruined by the scheming of their evil guardian and Pip's incarceration in Britain's most violent school, St Bastard's (based on Dotheboys Hall). Geoffrey Whitehead (born 1 October 1939 in Sheffield) is a highly regarded English Actor. Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial James Bachman (born February 24, 1972 in Cuckfield, Sussex) is an English Comedian, Actor, and Writer Great Expectations is a 1946 British film directed by David Lean and based on the novel by Charles Dickens. Sarah Hadland (born 1971 in London) is an English Actress who has a career across both theatre film and television as well as a Voice over Original transmission date: 15 August 2007. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- An Adolescence Utterly Trashed - Pip meets a mysterious aged crone who can help him escape from Britain's most terrifying school, with only a false beard and disguises as Nelson, a giant rabbit and a grandfather clock. But can they stop his evil guardian marrying his mother? Original transmission date: 22 August 2007. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- A Youth Utterly Crocked - Pip must thwart the plans of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent. Can underwater squirrels, oddly placed church bells and a stint in the workhouse foil him in his noble quest? Or will Aunt Lily and her Gloucestershire racing cows save the day?. Original transmission date: 29 August 2007. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- A Young Adulthood Bitterly Dismantled - Pip finds himself saved from the workhouse with the arrival of a vast sum of money from a stranger. But new problems await him. Original transmission date: 05 September 2007. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered. - Pip is saved from the wreck of Admiral Hardthrasher's vessel by Aunt Lily on a raft of trained tuna. He returns to London, to find true (if brief) love with the beautiful but terminally feeble Flora Dies Early. Pippa and Mr Parsimonious flee to the continent, with Mr Benevolent in pursuit, but his nefarious attempts against them are thwarted by Aunt Lily. Harry, meanwhile, tries to join the army to forget his love for Pippa, but is thwarted by an allergy to the colour red. Original transmission date: 12 September 2007.
- A Life Sadly Smashed…Then Happily Restored A Bit. Things look grim for Pip as he faces a highly prejudicial court case to defend his masterful and eponymous invention, the Bin. Is he to be hanged, or will there be a last-minute escape? Original transmission date: 19 September 2007.
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