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Upstart Crow, new UK sitcom for Ben Elton.

Ben Elton turns his attention to the inspirations of William Shakespeare.

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WA-based writer Ben Elton has a new British sitcom on the way, Upstart Crow.

The BBC Two comedy about the life of William Shakespeare is part of a wider celebration on the Bard, 400 years after his death.

Shakespeare will be played by David Mitchell with other cast to include Harry Enfield, Paula Wilco , Liza Tarbuck, Helen Monks, Gemma Whelan and Mark Heap.

Ben Elton said, “I have tried very hard to think myself into Shakespeare’s creative world, writing only with a small chicken feather and not changing my underpants for a year.”

David Mitchell said, “I’m delighted to be playing England’s greatest bard at this difficult time for bards everywhere. You just try getting work as a bard these days. It’s virtually impossible.”

It will air next year.

It’s 1592 and Will Shakespeare is just at the beginning of his extraordinary career. The series will focus on both Will’s family and professional life and include the surprising stories of where many of his ideas came from. Also featured are his wife Anne and his extended family, his servant Bottom, his friends Kate and Marlowe, his theatrical troupe, and his rival Robert Greene.

In the series, Will finds inspiration for Romeo from an unlikely source; mislays a nearly treasonous masterpiece; gets tricked into a very embarrassing pair of tights; has a spot of bother with the wife over some sonnets; meets three witches who predict great things for him; and borrows some money on some rather unusual conditions.

6 Responses

  1. No I’m not Ben, I’m just someone who has read his books, seen his stand up and watched pretty much all of his TV. From that I know that he wasn’t being propped up by others as you suggest. I also stand by my statement, he’s nearly without peer when it comes to a body of work. If we judged everyone on their last innings rather career, even Don Bradman would be a faded name on a scoresheet.

  2. Ben Elton is without doubt one of the best writers out there. iothanthe head to the book store Popcorn, Stark, this other Eden, Meltdown and then add that to his long list of shows (start with the Young Ones), sure he’s had a couple of flops, but he is nearly without peer when it comes to body of work.

    1. Is that you Ben? I agree he seems to be a reasonably talented novelist – haven’t read any of them myself but people whose opinion I respect say his books are OK but his TV output is surely by any standard more miss than hit. The Young Ones was ground breaking in its day but hasn’t dated all that well and he was indeed one of the writers. All Blackadders (bar the dismal first) were brilliant and he was a writer on 2-4 but if you look at Richard Curtis’s subsequent career and work, it’s pretty clear that most of the comedic genius came from him rather than Elton and since then it’s been mediocre at best with the exception of ‘Live from Planet Earth’ which what ever else you can say about it was not mediocre. I guess there are a lot of TV writers out there with worse bodies of work but can’t think of any that are still getting new shows up. In the unlikely event it’s any good…

  3. Like the idea and the cast but this is Ben Elton whose output has been a litany of disaster since Blackadder culminating of course in “Live from Planet Earth” (possibly the worst TV aired anywhere, not just in Australia). He seems to do OK with the right collaborators – although the subsequent success of Richard Curtis suggests it was him rather than Elton who did the heavy lifting there – but on his own limps from one disaster to another. I guess it’s a tribute to his powers of persuasion that despite this he’s been able to pitch another show.

    1. I think that’s a little harsh. Live from Planet Earth was indeed execrable but The Man from Auntie and The Ben Elton Show were both quite acceptable sketch comedy shows, and The Thin Blue Line, while not up to the standard of Blackadder (what comedy series is?), was very watchable.

      Then there are about a dozen novels he’s written, several of which I have enjoyed, and his plays – Popcorn was great.

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