Class sketch - Revision history

Kurt at 16:59, 6 February 2023

2023-02-06T16:59:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:59, 6 February 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~{{Use British English\|date=October 2020}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2020}}~~
	The '''''Class sketch''''' is a [[comedy sketch]] first broadcast in an episode of [[David Frost]]'s satirical comedy programme ''[[The Frost Report]]'' on 7 April 1966.<ref>{{IMDb title\|1150598}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.uknowotimean.com/funny-stuff/top-25-sketches/cleese-barker-corbett/\|title=John Cleese, Ronnie Barker, and Ronnie Corbett, I Know My Place \|publisher=uknowotimean.com \|accessdate=24 November 2012 }}</ref> It has been described as a "genuinely timeless sketch, ingeniously satirising the [[Social structure of the United Kingdom\|British class system]]"<ref name = BFI>{{cite web \|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/852164/ \|title=BFI Screenonline: Frost Report, The (1966–67) \|publisher=[[British Film Institute]] \|accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref> and in 2005 was voted number 40 in [[Channel Four]]'s "Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches".<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/old_story/278/ \|title=BBC4 to celebrate The Frost Report \|publisher=comedy.co.uk \|accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html \|title=Channel4 – 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches \|publisher=Channel 4 \|accessdate=21 April 2010 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327141914/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html \|archivedate=27 March 2010 }}</ref> It was written by [[Marty Feldman]] and [[John Law (writer)\|John Law]],<ref name = TVH>{{cite web \|url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/shows_fi_to_fu.htm#frost_report \|title=THE FROST REPORT – A TELEVISION HEAVEN REVIEW \|publisher=televisionheaven.co.uk \|accessdate=18 May 2014 }}</ref> and features [[John Cleese]], [[Ronnie Barker]], and [[Ronnie Corbett]].		The '''''Class sketch''''' is a [[comedy sketch]] first broadcast in an episode of [[David Frost]]'s satirical comedy programme ''[[The Frost Report]]'' on 7 April 1966.<ref>{{IMDb title\|1150598}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.uknowotimean.com/funny-stuff/top-25-sketches/cleese-barker-corbett/\|title=John Cleese, Ronnie Barker, and Ronnie Corbett, I Know My Place \|publisher=uknowotimean.com \|accessdate=24 November 2012 }}</ref> It has been described as a "genuinely timeless sketch, ingeniously satirising the [[Social structure of the United Kingdom\|British class system]]"<ref name = BFI>{{cite web \|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/852164/ \|title=BFI Screenonline: Frost Report, The (1966–67) \|publisher=[[British Film Institute]] \|accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref> and in 2005 was voted number 40 in [[Channel Four]]'s "Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches".<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/old_story/278/ \|title=BBC4 to celebrate The Frost Report \|publisher=comedy.co.uk \|accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html \|title=Channel4 – 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches \|publisher=Channel 4 \|accessdate=21 April 2010 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327141914/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html \|archivedate=27 March 2010 }}</ref> It was written by [[Marty Feldman]] and [[John Law (writer)\|John Law]],<ref name = TVH>{{cite web \|url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/shows_fi_to_fu.htm#frost_report \|title=THE FROST REPORT – A TELEVISION HEAVEN REVIEW \|publisher=televisionheaven.co.uk \|accessdate=18 May 2014 }}</ref> and features [[John Cleese]], [[Ronnie Barker]], and [[Ronnie Corbett]].

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-08-17T02:45:32Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 21:45, 16 August 2022
(No difference)

en>Antiquary: /* Spinoffs */ +wl

2022-04-10T17:36:57Z

Spinoffs: +wl

New page

{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
The '''''Class sketch''''' is a [[comedy sketch]] first broadcast in an episode of [[David Frost]]'s satirical comedy programme ''[[The Frost Report]]'' on 7 April 1966.<ref>{{IMDb title|1150598}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uknowotimean.com/funny-stuff/top-25-sketches/cleese-barker-corbett/|title=John Cleese, Ronnie Barker, and Ronnie Corbett, I Know My Place |publisher=uknowotimean.com |accessdate=24 November 2012 }}</ref> It has been described as a "genuinely timeless sketch, ingeniously satirising the [[Social structure of the United Kingdom|British class system]]"<ref name = BFI>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/852164/ |title=BFI Screenonline: Frost Report, The (1966–67) |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref> and in 2005 was voted number 40 in [[Channel Four]]'s "Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/old_story/278/ |title=BBC4 to celebrate The Frost Report |publisher=comedy.co.uk |accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html |title=Channel4 – 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches |publisher=Channel 4 |accessdate=21 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327141914/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/comedy_sketches/results.html |archivedate=27 March 2010 }}</ref> It was written by [[Marty Feldman]] and [[John Law (writer)|John Law]],<ref name = TVH>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/shows_fi_to_fu.htm#frost_report |title=THE FROST REPORT – A TELEVISION HEAVEN REVIEW |publisher=televisionheaven.co.uk |accessdate=18 May 2014 }}</ref> and features [[John Cleese]], [[Ronnie Barker]], and [[Ronnie Corbett]].

==Synopsis==
[[File:FrostReportClassSketch.jpg|thumb|Cleese, Barker, and Corbett in the sketch as broadcast in April 1966]]

Cleese, tall and [[Elitism|patrician]] in appearance and demeanour, represents the upper class; Barker, of average height, the middle class, and Corbett, short in stature, the working class. Each in turn describes their social advantages and disadvantages, and contrasts them with their neighbours, an effect emphasised by the actors' relative heights as they look downwards or upwards to each other: {{quote|Barker: "I look up to him [Cleese] because he is upper class, but I look down on him [Corbett] because he is lower class."
Corbett: "I know my place."<ref name = TVH/>}}

It is this situation that gives Corbett the [[Punch line|pay-off line]]; as the others describe their advantages in the form of "I get ... (e.g. a sense of superiority)", his character finally looks up at the others and says "I get a pain in the back of my neck."<ref name = BBC>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thefrostreport/ |title=BBC – Comedy – The Frost Report |publisher=BBC |accessdate=21 April 2010 }}</ref>

==Reception and influence==
The [[British Film Institute]] commented, "Its twinning of height and social position, combined with a minimal script, created a classic TV moment."<ref name = BFI/> The sketch's influence has persisted to the present day, having been referred to in 21st-century discussions of politics,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1552095/Theres-no-way-up.html |title=There's no way up – Telegraph |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=21 April 2010 |location=London |date=20 May 2007}}</ref> sociology,<ref>{{cite book |last= Braham|first= Peter|author2=Linda Janes|year= 2002|publisher= Blackwell|isbn= 978-0-631-23310-7|page= 62|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j9rqacodOaAC&q=the+frost+report+an+understanding+of+class&pg=PA62 |title=Social differences and divisions|accessdate=21 April 2010}}</ref> and even football.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/jul/30/marina-hyde-manchester-city-united |title=Sir Alex's nod to Nancy Mitford | author=Marina Hyde |work=The Guardian |accessdate=21 April 2010 | location=London | date=30 July 2009}}</ref>

==Spinoffs==
Ronnie Barker wrote scripts for three further "Three Classes" sketches featuring the same characters, comparing their family life, their leisure activities, and their work.<ref>{{cite book |title=All I Ever Wrote |last=Barker |first=Ronnie |isbn=9780283073342 |page=42}}</ref>

A spinoff sketch was broadcast on the BBC Millennium programme,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSahEDRjvw|title=The Two Ronnies - 2000 Today|author=ratpackmanreturns|date=15 December 2007|via=YouTube}}</ref> satirising three eras of English history. [[Stephen Fry]] represents Modern Man, Barker a [[miller]] from the [[English Renaissance|Renaissance]], and Corbett a weaver serf from the [[Middle Ages]]. The basic premise of the sketch is no different from the original. The sketch was incorporated into ''[[The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything]]''.

Cleese revisited the concept as well with two new partners in 2017 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM3aU4mlVzI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/aM3aU4mlVzI |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=John Cleese and friends join Hacked Off to explain Section 40|author=Hacked_Off|date=28 November 2017|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> (as a Wealthy Man, a Newspaper Editor and an Average Joe) for a political [[Public service announcement|PSA]].

Also, The Counselling Channel on Youtube in 2016 presented "I Know My Place" by Three Therapists,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUkXD7K3dis|title=Three Therapists - "I Know My Place"|author=The_Counseling_Channel|date=7 September 2016|via=YouTube}}</ref> a sketch "inspired by" the 1966 original, featuring a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and counsellor.

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}

[[Category:British comedy]]
[[Category:Comedy sketches]]
[[Category:1966 in British television]]
[[Category:Social class in the United Kingdom]]