An Audience with Alf Garnett (1997 TV Special) User Reviews

Alf Tells 'Em All !!

[joshuacraigstrain · 10/10 · 31 July 2019]

If you're into classic 60's/70's British sitcoms , specifically Till Death Do Us Part's main star , actor Warren Mitchell's character of Alf Garnett - You'll just love almost 90 minutes of his abrasive yet lovable carrying on , as he tells off an audience of sport stars , TV celebs and politicians . Classic Brit stuff .

Alf on stage

[ShadeGrenade · 5/10 · 21 May 2023]

The BBC axed 'In Sickness & In Health' in 1992. That looked like the end of the Alf Garnett character, but it was not. In 1997, UK. Gold made 'A Word With Alf'. It consisted of mini-episodes featuring Alf, Mrs. Hollingbery, and a new drinking friend for Alf, played by Brian Murphy. How good these were I do not know because I never saw them. That same year, London Weekend Television gave Alf one if its popular 'An Audience With...'shows. These basically consisted of well-known people such as Mel Brooks and Elton John performing on stage, intercut with shots of celebrities laughing their heads off. The main problem here is that Alf is essentially a sitcom character who works best interacting with other characters, such as 'Mike' ( Anthony Booth ) or 'Mrs. Hollingbery' ( Carmel McSharry ). Put him on his own ( apart from pianist Ronnie Cass ), he is nowhere near as funny. This show gave Alf the chance to spout off about Tony Blair's New Labour ( who were about to win an election landslide ), religion, old age, foreigners, and the Monarchy. Some of the dialogue was culled from old Johnny Speight scripts. A few members of the audience, such Rowland Rivron and Nigel Planer, looked distinctly uncomfortable with the un-P. C. Comedy. Clare Rayner had a sour expression on her face and, at one point, had her hand clasped over his ear to blot out Garnett's homophobic tirade. One wondered what she was doing there in the first place. Ken Campbell ( a.k.a. 'Fred Johnson' ) asked a question about religion, causing Alf to lose his temper. If Campbell had stepped onto the stage and argued with Alf, it would have improved the show no end. For good measure, Alf got to sing some Cockney songs. The programme was a disappointment, but it led LWT to commission an series entitled 'The Thoughts Of Chairman Alf'. Speight died in 1998, and Alf died with him. Thankfully, Johnny never got to see the abominable BBC remake of a sole 'Till Death Us Do Part' episode twenty years later. How hypocritical of the BBC to axe 'In Sickness & In Health' only to try and revive Alf years later with a different man. It was never going to work, and didn't. Alf is not likely to be resurrected in the near future, given the ease with which modern audiences are offended. Back in the day, being offended was part of the fun of watching Alf.