Reply With QuoteExcellent news, thanks for posting that. My DVD recorder will be poised at the ready.
‘One of the funniest books ever written.’ Andrew Davies
The Diary of a Nobody
BBC4 ... Monday 28th June - Thursday 1st July 2010
11.20-11.50pm
11.00-11.30pm
11.00-11.30pm
10.55-11.25pm
Very welcome repeat showing of this deliciously funny serial ... Hugh Bonneville is perfect as the seriously pompous and self-important Charles Pooter in this excellent Andrew Davies adaptation of George and Weedon Grossmith's classic novel.
The Diary of a Nobody, an English comic novel written by George Grossmith and his brother Weedon Grossmith with illustrations by Weedon, first appeared in the magazine Punch in 1888 – 89, and was first printed in book form in 1892. It is considered a classic work of humour and has never been out of print.
The diary is the fictitious record of fifteen months in the life of Mr Charles Pooter, a middle aged city clerk of lower middle-class status but significant social aspirations, living in the fictional 'Brickfield Terrace' in Upper Holloway which was then a typical suburb of the impecuniously respectable kind. Other characters include his wife Carrie (Caroline), his son Lupin, his friends Mr Cummings and Mr Gowing, and Lupin's unsuitable fiancée, Daisy Mutlar.
The humour derives from Pooter's unconscious gaffes and self-importance, as well as the snubs he receives from those he considers socially inferior, such as tradesmen. In The Diary of a Nobody the Grossmiths create an accurate if amusing record of the manners, customs and experiences of the Londoners of the late Victorian era.
The book has spawned the word "Pooterish" to describe a tendency to take oneself excessively seriously.
Pooter is mentioned in John Betjeman's poem about Wembley.
With the internet enabling anyone to set down their daily thoughts for the whole world to read, the classic 1892 satire The Diary of a Nobody now seems like a startlingly prescient mickey-take of the self-importance of today's bloggers.
By turns pompous, trivial, self-deluded and hilarious, George and Weedon Grossmith's diarist hero Pooter embodies the era's lower-middle class pretensions perfectly … and Hugh Bonneville captures Pooter's comic pathos in a solo performance of breathtaking virtuosity.
Andrew Davies's adaptation of the comic novel is directed by Susanna White (Jane Eyre, Bleak House) for Clerkenwell Films.
Adaptations ...
An audio version was produced, performed by Arthur Lowe. In 1964, Ken Russell directed a black and white film adaption for BBC 2, with Bryan Pringle in the title role and Jonathan Cecil as Cummings.
A TV version of the novel appeared on BBC2 in 1979 with Terrence Hardiman (Pooter) and Timothy Bateson (Cummings) … this adaptation, first shown on BBC Four in 2007, stars Hugh Bonneville as Charles Pooter.
The Diary of a Nobody …
4th April … In the evening, Cummings unexpectedly dropped in to show me a meerschaum pipe he had won in a raffle in the City, and told me to handle it carefully, as it would spoil the colouring if the hand was moist. He said he wouldn’t stay, as he didn’t care much for the smell of the paint, and fell over the scraper as he went out. Must get the scraper removed, or else I shall get into a scrape. I don’t often make jokes.
5th April … Two shoulders of mutton arrived, Carrie having arranged with another butcher without consulting me. Gowing called, and fell over scraper coming in. Must get that scraper removed.
6th April … Eggs for breakfast simply shocking; sent them back to Borset with my compliments, and he needn’t call any more for orders.
Borset, the butterman, called later to complain ... he was both drunk and offensive … he left the house, slamming the door after him, which nearly broke the fanlight; and I heard him fall over the scraper, which made me feel glad I hadn’t removed it. When he had gone, I thought of a splendid answer I ought to have given him. However, I will keep it for another occasion.’
26th April … Got some more red enamel paint (red, to my mind, being the best colour), and painted the coal-scuttle, and the backs of our Shakespeare … the binding of which had almost worn out.
27th April … Painted the bath red, and was delighted with the result. Sorry to say Carrie was not, in fact we had a few words about it. She said I ought to have consulted her, and she had never heard of such a thing as a bath being painted red. I replied: “It’s merely a matter of taste.�
Sources … Radio Times/BBC4/Wikipedia/The Diary of a Nobody - online
Emma
Excellent news, thanks for posting that. My DVD recorder will be poised at the ready.
I like Hugh Bonneville, obviously, but I thought doing a one-man version didn't really work and was indeed, dare I say it, a bit dullI missed Carrie, Cummings and Gowing and above all, the magnificent Lupin.
name='CaptainWaggett' date='23 June 2010 - 12:48 PM' timestamp='1277293695' post='443102']
I like Hugh Bonneville, obviously, but I thought doing a one-man version didn't really work and was indeed, dare I say it, a bit dull
I couldn't agree more. I found it dreadfully disappointing
Oh good - last time I recorded this it ended up out of sequence on two discs. Will do better this time.
I saw it on stage with Rodney Bewes and the first half was dreadful - the second half much better. I'm really not sure about the one-man show aspect. With Hugh Bonneville it seemed to work better.
Hi,
This is something I keep meaning to check out or whatever, as I was born in Holloway. (No. NOT the prison.)So, when I do, it had better be good.
Alan French.
The book is marvellous. I remember liking the adaptation with Terence Hardiman too.name='alan french' date='23 June 2010 - 07:31 PM' timestamp='1277317913' post='443275']
Hi,
This is something I keep meaning to check out or whatever, as I was born in Holloway. (No. NOT the prison.)So, when I do, it had better be good.
Alan French.
Hi,
Thankyou. I'll shall stop thinking about it and go and read it.
Alan French.
I only know the radio version with Arthur Lowe - his voice had me in fits of laughter. Really, he was just reviving his Captain Mainwaring persona.
Quite a few people have suggested that in fact Mainwaring was inspired by Pooter. It's certainly hard for me to imagine anyone else's voice reading these diary entries.
name='alan french' date='23 June 2010 - 07:39 PM' timestamp='1277318383' post='443278']
Hi,
Thankyou. I'll shall stop thinking about it and go and read it.
Alan French.
It's a lovely book. Apparently inspired by, and a skit on, the torrent of boring autobiographies being written by self important people in the last quarter of the 19th century. I reread it often.
name='cully' date='24 June 2010 - 11:53 PM' timestamp='1277420005' post='443785']
It's a lovely book. Apparently inspired by, and a skit on, the torrent of boring autobiographies being written by self important people in the last quarter of the 19th century. I reread it often.
Have you read this one by Keith Waterhouse? It's hilarious. Mrs Pooter's Diary
name='CaptainWaggett' date='24 June 2010 - 11:58 PM' timestamp='1277420321' post='443788']
Have you read this one by Keith Waterhouse? It's hilarious. Mrs Pooter's Diary
Thanks, Captain, I hadn't heard of this follow up which, as it's by such a fine writer, must be good, as you say. Thanks for the tip!
name='cully' date='25 June 2010 - 12:09 AM' timestamp='1277420951' post='443791']
Thanks, Captain, I hadn't heard of this follow up which, as it's by such a fine writer, must be good, as you say. Thanks for the tip!
There's another one about Mr Pooter's letters but it's not so good. This one is sublime though
Pooter-fans might enjoy Augustus Carp, written 30 years later about the same social milieu and equally hilarious though the narrator is a lot less sympathetic.
Thanks for the reminder! I caught it late on it's original airing (before i had subscribed to bbc4 newsletter) so missed much of it!
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