All About "Early Doors"

"Early Doors", penned by Craig Cash (gormless Dave from "The Royle Family") and Phil Mealey, may disappoint those who were expecting the broad Royle Family style humour but this gentle, character driven comedy is the kind that gradually grows on you.

John Henshaw stars as Ken, pub landlord of typically non themed, down to earth northern pub, dealing with his genial but complacent customers, including Joe (Craig Cash) and Duffy (Phil Mealey) as two buddies with a tendency to reinforce each others talent for dispensing bad advice. These two together with a handful of supporting character are not exactly life's losers but then again hardly over achievers either. Sharing his living quarters with his adopted daughter and demanding mother, Ken, underneath the gruff exterior is a complex creature of hopes, dreams, regrets and hidden desires and not the usual two dimensional caricature that usually pepper sitcoms.

Cash knows his characters well, particularly northern folk with their sayings and idiosyncrasies, coming out with the kind of patter that is often bereft of self awareness. Whether it's the most boring man on the planet, who thinks detailing travel directions and other trivialities is gripping stuff, or the two laziest policemen in the world, who spend more time supping in the pub than catching crooks; they are all part of a rich repertory of well rounded characters that make up this 'rooted in reality' comedy. Think Mike Leigh with more laughs and less plot.

Early Doors may not seem an obvious winner and its dour sets may appear a tad off putting, even depressing, but the viewer's investment pays off, as you realise that you are listening to some great lines from real characters, some of whom we've all met at some point.

This is what BSG reader Rob Kenyon wrote in with...

The creators of "Early Doors" have tapped into their literary roots and come up with a modern equivalent of the early C20 Manchester school of drama as epitomized by Harold Brighouse, author of 'Hobson's Choice'. The production is superb, with lighting and cinematography that would not disgrace The Godfather. The Tracking shot of the Big Boys' day out leaving the Grapes in the morning to 'The Camptown Races' and re-entering after midnight to 'Sex Bomb' was just one example of the joy taken in each stage of the production.

Ken's realisation of the emptiness of his life when Melanie tells him of her contact with her 'real' dad was another - with Tony Bennett singing 'The Good Life' in the background. The co-ordination of shot to background music is always interesting - Ken with his hands down the toilet singing ' they can't take aaway my digniteee'. A show which stands repeated watching, which makes it a modern classic, and deserving of a much higher audience.