Bleak Expectations

"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. 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). It is written by Mark Evans, who also stars.

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 Skinflint Parsimonious, who is contrary to his name very generous
*Mark Evans - Mr Wyckham-post-forburton...., Thomas' 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; sundry boys, gentlemen and chavvies

*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 - Ripely Fecund

Episodes

Series 1
#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). Original transmission date: 15 August 2007.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.

Series 2
#A Happy Life, Cruelly Re-Kippered - Pip Bin struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, recently returned from the dead. A plot is afoot to steal Britain's loveliest school. Transmission date: 07 August 2008.
#A Re-Kippered Life Smashed Some More - Pip and Harry find themselves building an entire railway network in their bid to catch Benevolent. Transmission date: 14 August 2008.
#A Recovery All Made Miserable - Pippa is lost so Harry makes a "Pippa Detector" which actually works! Transmission date: 21 August 2008.
#A Restoration Re-ruined, Only Even Worse - Pip finds himself heavily in debt when he has to bribe the whole of the House of Commons. Transmission date: 28 August 2008.
#An Already Bad Life Made Worse but Sort of on Purpose - Full of self-loathing, Pip drinks some very strong gin, finds he is really quite keen on opium, and falls in with a gang of thieves. But is their leader Abraham Bagel, all he seems? Transmission date: 4 September 2008.
#A Happy Life Broken and then Mended a Bit - The planet is in deadly peril when Gently Benevolent summons a massive Martian invasion. Is this the end for Pip, Harry and the rest of the human race, not to mention Pippa's goose sanctuary? Transmission date: 11 September 2008.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/bleakexpectations/ Radio 4 Homepage]
* [http://www.comedy.org.uk/guide/radio/bleak_expectations/ British Comedy Guide]