New play about sitcom's genesis

Birds Of A Feather writers Maurice Gran and Laurence Marks have penned a new play telling the story of how their sitcom came into being.

Early Birds will premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe with a cast including Charlie Quirke, who plays Travis Stubbs in Birds Of A Feather alongside his mother Pauline.

He plays three supporting roles, with Sue Appleby playing Lesley Joseph, Katriona Perrett as Linda Robson and Harriet Watson as Pauline Quirke.

The blurb for the show, which is being staged by Pauline Quirke’s company Q Productions, reads: ‘Early Birds tells the incredible yet true story of the birth of one of the nation’s favourite situation comedies. It starts with a chance encounter in a West End hotel, and ends with a show considered so saucy it was nearly cancelled two weeks into its run, yet is about to enter its thirtieth year as a TV comedy classic.’

On their blog, Marks and Gran wrote: ' When we created Birds of a Feather we attempted to write a show that was honest and direct in speech and attitude. As a result, on the night of the first transmission, the BBC switchboard was almost overwhelmed with complaints of saucy language and sexual behaviour, and we were summoned to appear on breakfast television to defend our baby. We were only saved from cancellation when… Well, if we tell you, you may not trek up to Edinburgh to watch Early Birds.'

They added that the focus would be less on their early years than 'on the Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke of 1988, two life-long friends still climbing the foothills of television and about to get their big break'.

Birds Of A Feather originally ran for nine years on BBC One from 1989 to 1998 before being revived by ITV in 2014.

Marks and Gran were childhood friends who started writing comedy while holding down day jobs as a journalist and as a civil servant with the Department of Social Security. A chance meeting on a train between Marks and Barry Took led to them to writing for Frankie Howerd. 

They went on to write Shine On Harvey Moon, The New Statesman and Goodnight Sweetheart as well as Birds Of A Feather.

Early Birds is being staged at Edinburgh historic Riddle’s Court, just off the Royal Mile, which is being used as a Fringe venue for the first time since 2014 following a £6million facelift.

The  Grade A listed building has previously hosted performances by Stephen Fry in 1979 and 1980 and Maggie Smith in 1953, and will this year be managed and programmed by PQA Venues. 

Published: 28 Jun 2018