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Gloomsbury

Comedy: Sitcoms

Literary comedy by Sue Limb parodying the arty and bohemian world of the Bloomsbury Group.

Literary comedy by Sue Limb parodying the arty and adulterous adventures of the Bloomsbury Group.

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Gloomsbury: Series 1

Gloomsbury: Series 1: Episode 1: The Trials of Attempting an Elopement

Comedy

Comedy: Spoof

Episode 1

Episode 1: The Trials of Attempting an Elopement

Series 1

The Trials of Attempting an Elopement

BBC Radio 4 - Gloomsbury, Series 1, The Trials of Attempting an Elopement

Miriam Margolyes, Alison Steadman and Nigel Planer send up the Bloomsbury literary group.

Miriam Margolyes, Alison Steadman, John Sessions and Nigel Planer send up the infamous Bloomsbury literary group. From September 2012.

A stellar cast of Miriam Margolyes, Alison Steadman, Nigel Planer, Morwenna Banks, Jonathan Coy and John Sessions breathes life into the colourfully chaotic characters of Gloomsbury, a riotous comedy about the Bloomsbury Group.

The six-part series from the pen of Sue Limb is an affectionate send up of the infamous literary group whose arty and adulterous adventures dominated the cultural scene in the early 20th century.

The series follows the fortunes of Vera Sackcloth-Vest (Margolyes) - writer, gardener and transvestite - and her urge to escape from the tranquillity of her rather cramped little castle in Kent which she shares with her doting but ambiguous husband Henry (Coy), who is 'something in the Foreign Office'. Vera's heart is forever surging with exotic passion for Ginny Fox (Steadman), a highly-strung novelist who adores her, or the beautiful but shallow Venus Traduces (Banks).

As the scene shifts from Kent to London, and Cornwall to Monaco, this close-knit coterie is divided by misunderstandings, jealousies and rows.

In episode one, Vera longs to elope to Mediterranean sunshine with one of her bosom chums. But her first choice, Ginny, is stubbornly impervious to adventure and Venus Traduces is fully booked for elopements until next April. Will Vera run off instead with the perky waitress at Lyons' Corner house? Meanwhile, what is Vera's husband Henry up to as telegrams fly between him and Archie Pinkerton-Poker at the Foreign Office?


Produced by Jamie Rix
A Little Brother production for BBC Radio 4.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Literary comedy by Sue Limb parodying the Bloomsbury Group

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Episode 1: The Trials of Attempting an Elopement

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