BBC2 Theatre Night - What The Butler Saw (1987)

When newly orphaned Geraldine Barclay applies for a job as a secretary in a lunatic asylum, little does she realize the situation she is about to find herself in. Her employer Dr Prentice persuades her to undress for a medical in an effort to seduce her, but when his wife enters the room Geraldine finds herself hiding behind a screen and devoid of all her clothes. But Mrs Prentice has a secret of her own, being blackmailed by a bellboy, Nicholas Beckett, over photos he has of her activities in a hotel the night before and also wants the job as secretary there. But things get further complicated when a policeman turns up looking for the bellboy, and a government Inspector called Dr Rance turns up to assess the clinic and amid the lies that Prentice tells to save his own skin risks putting poor Geraldine in a very pretty pickle! Starring Dinsdale Landon, Tessa Peake-Jones, Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Tyler Butterworth and Bryan Pringle. This was part of an anthology series on BBC2 called Theatre Night and was originally broadcast on May 24th 1987. When I heard of the death of Timothy West a few days ago, I felt I had to upload this just to showcase what a wonderfully charismatic presence he was on screen and the fact this has his real life wife Prunella Scales in it is an added bonus. In truth all the cast give wonderfully committed performances in this farce, the last written by Joe Orton before his murder a month later by his boyfriend Kenneth Halliwell in 1967. It's an outrageous farce that is definitely non-PC and I doubt would ever be repeated now and certainly has enough to offend the woke brigade, as well as raise a few eyebrows among others. It is though very funny and West's dexterity of wordplay in some of the lines are a joy to behold. Enjoy it as a dubious indulgence which is as free wheeling in it's humour and it's performers as it is often highly questionable. Please note that this does contain nudity, though a well placed fish tank may disrupt some people's enjoyment of that. You'll know what I mean...