Here's A Funny Thing

Here's a Funny Thing

A one-hour TV adaptation of the stage play about the personal and professional life of Max Miller, 'the cheeky chappie' starring John Bardon, written by R.W. Shakespeare.

Introduction to Here's A Funny Thing

The introduction to the show, recorded at the Fortune Theatre in front of a live audience, performed by John Bardon.

About the show

With the original stage production also starring John Bardon, we collaborated with the writer and stage director to truncate an evenings viewing at the theatre into a one hour TV show.

Bright Thoughts had a certain style for producing the 'one-man-shows' so that, not only did they bring an hour of entertainment about a specific person or character, but they also included biographical data and often some documentary elements to augment the performance and which otherwise would not be part of a live theatre show. The two types of interpretation of the same show would therefore not be mutually exclusive but be complementary to each other.

Our production style was never to simply point cameras at a stage in order to capture a live performance, it was always to also help interpret the play and its main character.

There are several reasons for producing this type of show for Channel 4. Firstly, a great way to watch a virtuoso performance of an accomplished actor, in this case John Bardon. This type of opportunity generally wasn't available on the BBC or ITV Channels.

Another reason is that it made good economic sense. This does not mean that it was a cheap show to produce, more that hiring a theatre was more cost-efficient than hiring a TV studio. There's not a large cast to book and the basic components of the show already exist by the fact of it already being a successful touring show which only has to be adjusted and tailored for a TV audience. At the time, OB equipment was modernising, less bulky and required less crew to operate, and therefore this in itself was more cost-efficient.

Sadly, John is no longer with us, but this show is a great tribute to his work as an actor, not only because he was exceptional - with a naughty twinkle in the eye - but also because he had a passion for this play and also because John was the main driving force for this show to be produced for TV. We may remember John for his role in Eastenders but he was a well established actor long before taking on that part.

Neil Anthony, Producer

Channel for change?

One of the first stars of the fourth TV Channel may appear to be the late Max Miller.

Miller, the flashy-suited, loud-mouthed, fast-talking comic with a reputation for rudery died in the 50s and is due for 're-discovery' by a generation which never knew him as Britains highest-paid comedy star.

He left behind very little visual record of his style, but actor John Bardon has recently been re-creating it on the London stage in a one-man show called Here's A Funny Thing.

This show has been immortalised for showing on Channel Four shortly after it opens in November and Miller's material is unlikely to suffer by comparison to the work of today's stand-up comics.

Here's A Funny Thing - the title refers to one of the Miller's catchphrases - has been produced for television by the Bright Thoughts Company, one of the many independent production companies springing up in expectation of a big new market on Channel Four.

Albert Watson, Evening Post, 10 March 1982