The Show Must Go Off (6 Feb. 2001)

Frasier and Niles try to reawaken the career of Jackson Hedley, an old actor they saw perform Hamlet when they were young. When they see him perform again, however, they realize that he is talentless and will humiliate himself.

Director:

Robert H. Egan

Writers:

David Angell (creator), Peter Casey (creator),

Stars:

Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Kelsey Grammer	...	Dr. Frasier Crane
Jane Leeves	...	Daphne Moon (credit only)
David Hyde Pierce	...	Dr. Niles Crane
Peri Gilpin	...	Roz Doyle
John Mahoney	...	Martin Crane
Derek Jacobi	...	Jackson Hedley
Patrick Macnee	...	Cecil Hedley
Patrick Kerr	...	Noel Shempsky
Ray Porter	...	Dwayne
Ben Livingston	...	Stage Manager
Jonathan Adams	...	Fire Marshall
Milan Dragicevic	...	Klingon
Alan Heitz	...	Guy Fan

Storyline

While shopping at a science fiction convention, Frasier spots Jackson Hedley, a Shakespearean actor whom he and Niles idolized as children. They try to re-start his career with a revival of the show Hedley performed in junior high, but their grown-up eyes reveal that he is a talentless ham. Rather than face public humiliation, they try to sabotage their own show, right up to the moment of curtain.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 February 2001 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Grub Street Productions, Paramount Network Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is from the universal show business adage that the show must go on no matter the injury or heartache.

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Quotes

Dr. Frasier Crane: Let me be frank because an artist of your caliber deserves honesty. An acting performance is a journey of discovery. This brief rehearsal time that we've given you is - is far too short to reach... Parnassus, home of the muses.
Dr. Niles Crane: Forgive us for being so blunt.

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Crazy Credits

When the title "Frasier" (in apple green) and the usual silhouette of Seattle are on screen, several lights are being lit in the "windows" of the buildings.

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Connections

References Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

User Reviews

Jacobi Doing Bad Shakespeare and Patrick MacNee Too!

Frasier learns a much beloved Shakespearean actor, Jackson Headley (Jacobi) has been reduced to playing an android on a scifi program.

Frasier and Niles decide to set Headley up in a theatre to do Hamlet.

Ah, there's the rub. Headley is AWFUL! The Crane brothers believe he has become affected by the scifi work, so they find an old audio of his.

Nope, Headley cannot act.

Now they must find a way to stop the show.

With an appearance by Patrick MacNee as Headley's father, unquestionably the most fascinating aspect of this episode was Jacobi delivering bad Shakespeare.

It surely must seem sacrilegious for Jacobi to do this, but in truth, who else could safely deliver bad Shakespeare and do it right? Yes, Mystery Science Theatre 3000 did run a German version of Hamlet (or was it MacBeth? Been so long since I've seen it) with Maximillian Schell that was pretty hysterical, so bad Shakespeare was and is out there.

Perhaps it was just fun seeing Jacobi do it bad for a change. Proof that he does know what bad acting is, or his way of saying he knows how good he is at it.

Kudos.