‘Surreal, satirical and slightly insane’

Richard Herring is developing a historical sitcom set in pre-revolutionary Russia for BBC TV.

Ra-Ra Rasputin is said to be ‘surreal, satirical and slightly insane’ and influenced by the likes of Blackadder, Allo Allo and Baron Muchausen.

Centred on the ‘unreliable memoirs’ of Grigori Rasputin – who is said to have invented Europop in the show – the historical setting was chosen for its parallels with modern Britain.

Producers Avalon said: ‘The super-rich are partying their way to disaster, whilst the poor starve, corrupt newspaper bosses and police chiefs, aristocratic public school educated politicians who have an arrogant disregard for the people they rule over, greedy bankers and a benign but out of touch and superstitious monarchy.’

Herring is currently celebrating his Edinburgh Silver Jubilee with a reworking of his 2002 show, Talking Cock.

His 1993 show was a play, also called Ra-Ra Rasputin, and when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind in 2010, he chose the religious leader as his specialist subject.

Published: 20 Aug 2012