Bristow - A BBC Radio comedy

BBC Radio 4

(3.7 stars; 3 reviews)

Michael Williams stars in all three series of the BBC Radio 4 sitcom based on Frank Dickens’ famous comic strip character. Bristow is a middle-aged, ineffectual buying clerk for the Chester-Perry Organisation. He is merely a small cog in a gigantic wheel...and he knows it. But he has his own small ways of rebelling, and together with sparring partner, Jones, and tea lady, Mrs Purdy, he weaves hopeless tangles of red tape to confound the system and liven up everyone’s day. In these 14 episodes, Bristow hopes to make a mint from a rumoured takeover bid, helps Jones to plan his escape from Chester-Perry, crusades to improve conditions for the cleaning ladies, and falls in with troublemaker, Tom Paine, at the office dinner dance. Plus, he obtains some inside information that must surely lead to promotion, learns the meaning of poetic justice while writing for the house journal, and bumbles towards proving his theory that he is surrounded by incompetents. Adapted by Frank Dickens from his own cartoon strip, which ran for 41 years in London’s Evening Standard, and was syndicated internationally, this charming corporate comedy stars Michael Williams (A Fine Romance) as Bristow, with Rodney Bewes (The Likely Lads) as Jones, and Dora Bryan (Last of the Summer Wine) as Mrs Purdy. Cast:  Michael Williams, Rodney Bewes, Dora Bryan, Owen Brenman, Jon Glover, Bernard Cribbins, Norman Bird, Katy Odey, Carol Starks, David Battley, Simon Schatzberger, Christopher Benjamin, Sheila Reid, Liz Fraser, Roger Lloyd Pack, Robert Bathurst, Leslie Phillips, David Ryall and Sarah Huntley Written by Frank Dickens Produced and directed by Neil Cargill Music composed and performed by John Whitehall First broadcast on BBC Radio 4:  21 April-26 May 1999 (Series 1),  24 November-15 December 1999 (Series 2),  7-28 July 2000 (Series 3)

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.