Scottish Comedy

1. Scottish Comedy By Katie Morton & Karen Kerr

2. An introduction ... • Sir Harry Lauder was one of the first people to really take the stage and tour the world with his Scottish songs and jokes. He was famously known as the little tartan comic with the twisted walking stick and playing many different character roles. His career first launched at the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall in Glasgow. From then on he toured the world for many years and was at one point one of the highest paid entertainers in the world & was the favourite of all. His works are still famous and loved world wide. • City Lights • Was written by Bob Black & first hit the Scottish screen in 1985 & ran until 1991 starring main the main character Willy Melvin played by Gerard Kelly. • Harry Lauder Clip • City Lights Clip

3. Rab C . Nesbitt • Scottish Comedy program produced in Scotland by BBC Scotland • Stars Gregor Fisher, Elaine C Smith, Tony Roper and Barbara Rafferty. • The show follows the family’s day to day life in working class Govan • Local Dialect and Glaswegian banter add to the shows comedic value.

4. Rab C. Nesbitt • First Female Lead Role In Scotland • Approached previously taboo issues • Alcoholism • Poor Living Conditions • Adultery • Serious health issues – Cancer.

5. Scotch & Wry • Scetch Show format. • Main Actor is Ricky Fulton • Characters Changed Continually • Supercop • Alky Broon • Dirty Dickie Dandruff • Reverend I.M. Jolly

6. Scotch and Wry • Contained Regional Glaswegian Humour • Focussed on Football, Sectarianism, Areas in Glasgow. • Issues approached with a strong comedic value. • Propelled Careers of Gregor Fisher, Gerard Kelly and Tony Roper. • Clip

7. Still Game • Tv Debut on 1st September 2002 • Was originally a Stage Play • Main Actors Ford Kiernan & Greg Hemphill. • Follows the two pensioners and their friends on their daily lives in Glasgow and shows the issues facing older people today. • Clip

8. Referring to the fifth series' finale, the Daily Record heralded for Still Game to be added to the ranks of the "greatest sitcoms ever". And said that it was " a perfect mix of empathetic friendship, laugh-out-loud gags, real feeling in the acting and genuine warmth and chemistry between the characters".

9. Popularity ... • Why did People find this funny ... • The main reasons would be that Scottish people are not afraid to take the piss out of themselves its part of the Scottish banter that even still exists today. • Scottish comedy is relatable to the viewers. As they are set in well known areas in Scotland, people have either been there or have been raised in similar areas. • Characters such as Rab C – is your typical drunk man but before this would have been the usual Scottish male, drunk & stupid knowing nothing other than his close by surroundings. • Rab c despite being full of the drink most of the time – is philosophical about life and knows more than just the area he lives in. • It is also because people can relate to the Character of Rab – everyone most probably knows someone who is very similar to Rab whether it be there dad, uncle, or neighbour. It is now a almost a joke & way of life that has creeped in to Scottish culture – when you see some drunk man wittering away to himself your 1st thought will probably be that of Rab C. Or how many times have you seen an angry wife dragging him out of the pub on a Friday night!!

10. To sum up ... • We want to leave you with some questions ... Do you think that the programmes mentioned & any other Scottish comedy programmes have had a lasting impact on British Television? • Can you think of any similar formats or characters in more modern British programme?