Bristow

The Complete Series 1-3 of the BBC Radio 4 Comedy Series

By: Frank Dickens

Narrated by: Michael Williams, Rodney Bewes, full cast

Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

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 fourteen 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 incompentents.

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.

Written by Frank Dickens
Produced and directed by Neil Cargill
Music composed and performed by John Whitehall
Image copyright © Estate of Frank Dickens, 2019.

First broadcast BBC Radio 4: 21 April-26 May 1999, (Series 1), 24 November-15 December 1999 (Series 2), 7-28 July 2000 (Series 3)

Cast
Bristow……………………Michael Williams
Jones……………………Rodney Bewes
Mrs Purdy……………………Dora Bryan
Hewitt……………………Owen Brenman
BJ Bothwick……………………Christopher Benjamin
Miss Sunman……………………Katy Odey
Fudge/Stationmaster/Samson/Hawkins/Tom……………………Jon Glover
Mrs Dimple/Molly……………………Sheila Reid
Jonathan Quartly……………………Bernard Cribbins
Rupert Clement……………………Royce Mills
Richard Blobb……………………Norman Bird
Miss Golightly……………………Lucy Akhurst
Postboy/Little Red……………………Simon Schatzberger
Receptionist/Yellow Overcoat Girl……………………Zeena Eate
Gert……………………Liz Fraser
Daisy……………………Joan Sims
Fred Stokes……………………David Battley
Hickford……………………Roger Lloyd Pack
Lift Boy……………………Ian Kelland
Miss Peach/Miss Glockling……………………Carol Starks
Moorcroft……………………Robert Bathurst
Witherspoon……………………Peter Kelly
Fenella……………………Anna Mountford
Perkins……………………Leslie Phillips
Teacher……………………Jane Booker
Sylvana/Miss Pleasant……………………Jackie Neglia
Liftboy……………………Ian Kelland

With Sarah Huntley and David Ryall

©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A lovely gentle comedy

I find this perfect for night time listening but I also had to listen to the whole thing to get the drift of the “plot”. Not a lot happens but the little insights into the characters is charming and I have a clear mental image of the inside of Chester Perry. It’s like a parallel universe, moving at half the speed of the real world. You have to forgive it its out of date attitudes given the age of the series.

Good Comedy to Revisit

If you enjoyed the original radio series, it’s all here. The excellent Michael Williams in the lead/title role and other characters well voiced by the cast. Amusing stuff.