Jeeves and Wooster: Introduction on Broadway

Greg Charles and Dena Davis

Jeeves and Wooster: Introduction on Broadway
ITV
12 April 1992
Historical Comedy
DVD
B

I almost went with a B+ on this, since it might be the second-best episode of the programme*, but it is marred by a scene where Aunt Agatha (Mary Wimbush) is treated like Margaret Dumont was in Animal Crackers and At the Circus, and these stuffy dowager types should be humiliated verbally, not physically.  That aside, this episode, which well blends two of the New York short stories (and frankly, uses the gap in the "Corky" chronology better than Wodehouse did), includes the following:

• Dena Davis as Muriel giving a wonderful period performance, with hints of her scheming even before the twist;
• Solid casting all around, including a fish-faced Cyril;
• Also very period-appropriate, the look of the poster for Ask Dad! and the children's bird book;
• And yummy glimpses of Ask Dad!, with its catchy early '30s musical numbers, including a Busby Berkeley tribute;
• Little sight gags, like Jeeves giving the Liftman (Ricco Ross, his last appearance) Bertie's cowboy hat as Bertie talks in the foreground;
• Ominous, horror-like shots for the Worple Mansion;
• Bertie bluffing his way as a jute salesman (from the story, but with Laurie's delivery selling it);
• And of course the modern art satire, with the shot of the cubist baby portrait at the end.

On a programme where recasting is common, it's a nice touch having Billy J. Mitchell and Anatol Yusef back as Mr. Blumenfeld and his son Sidney (or Sydney), even if no mention is made of them having met Bertie before.  Sam Douglas returns as Corrigan the cop.  Domini Winter would also play a Choreographer the next series (and was a choreographer in real life), while Kim Barrand, Di Cooke, and Nola Haynes would again be Chorus Girls.  John Cassady, who's Prysock here, did a Josie episode.


*"Brinkley Manor" is of course the best.