Summer School (31 Jan. 1983)

A motley band of suburbanites arrives at a summer school to simulate life in an Iron Age village. However the village is right in the middle of a modern university campus which somewhat ... See full summary »

Director:

Sandy Johnson

Writer:

Dawn French

Stars:

Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Adrian Edmondson	...	Peter
Jennifer Saunders	...	Liz
Rik Mayall	...	Tark
Lois Baxter	...	Beth
Gerard Ryder	...	Jake
Nigel Planer	...	Julian
Dawn French	...	Ursula
Peter Richardson	...	Nick
Rupert Frazer	...	Simon
Martin Potter	...	Tarzan
Elaine Ashley	...	Jane
Robbie Coltrane	...	Desmond
Megumi Shimanuki	...	Japanese Girl

Storyline

A motley band of suburbanites arrives at a summer school to simulate life in an Iron Age village. However the village is right in the middle of a modern university campus which somewhat detracts from its air of authenticity. Having invented a new language and stolen rabbits from the animal husbandry department for food they decide to light a funeral pyre when one of their number is accidentally killed. Unfortunately this gets out of hand,requiring fire brigade intervention and putting the future of the summer school in doubt.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Release Date:

31 January 1983 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, England, UK

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Did You Know?

Quotes

Ursula: So Pete
Peter: Umm Peter, I prefer Peter
Ursula: Yes I think I might prefer Peter... to all the other men here
Peter: Really? umm... what's your name?
Ursula: Ursula but you can call me Urs
Peter: Ursula right?
Ursula: So Peter
Peter: Yes
Ursula: Is your seed plenteous?

User Reviews

What were they on? Can I have some?

Written By: Dawn French

I hate to say it... but this is probably the weakest entry from the first year of Comic Strip Presents...(1983)

Never fear! It still has a few great moments for the Young Ones generation who are viewing this for the first time. Sadly, once should be enough.

A group of students have signed up for a summer course which is all about getting back to nature and experimenting with self-sufficiency... on campus! Basically, they're roughing it in some sort of ampi-theatre on school grounds. Half of them seem to be faithfully re-enacting the iron age, right down to the invention of their own grunting language, whilst the other half are treating it more like a swingers retreat (particularly Peter & Dawn). Nevertheless it still manages to go a bit "Lord of the Flies"... but instead of misquided little boys from the 80's... it's randy British uni students from the 80's.

Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer are playing it as straight as an arrow. For many people, this would've been the first time they'd seen Ade and Nige acting quite so square and sensible. It's also the first time that Ade and Jen portrayed an on-screen couple (I wonder if they'd started shagging at this point. Must remember to Google that later). Rik Mayall almost reminds me of Christopher Lloyd's character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Kevin Turvey meets Spud from Trainspotting). And as for Mr Coltrane... let's just say that he steals the show in this episode... with a little help from Rik who inadvertently explores his sexuality with a corpse! Or did he? Mmm Mmm Uh Uh!