Due to my terrible memory, I think I was expecting Daunt and Dervish when I put this on. That programme is a relatively serious post-WW2 drama about two women who are missing the challenge of working for the Ministry of Defence and so set up their own detective agency.
Which is why I was rather surprised by the absurd humour I encountered in this (like a fool, I've missed the first two series).
Working in the Cabinet War Rooms, Dot, Myrtle and Peg (anachronistically codenamed Pegatron when operating the radio), have been given the task of encouraging people to engage with a recycling scheme. This is intended to have the end result of turning aluminium saucepans into spitfires (which is rather impossible).
Of course, the aim of this isn't really the retrieval of vital aluminium for the war effort, but actually to improve morale by giving people something to do that makes them feel part of the war effort. (Other than the bombings, rationing and working in munitions factories.) In order to get people's hearts and minds behind this, it's been given a pithy motto, "Purpose Through Sacrifice".
Since Peg is highly strung and hideously competitive, she takes this as something of a personal challenge, immediately bullying everyone within throttling range into handing over anything that even looks like cookware. I sense a hint of satire in this, as she sets about dividing people into either patriots or saboteurs, and creates the Saucepan Service in order to get what she wants with only a smattering of fascism. Sneaky references to the Daily Mail and "Enemies of the people" make me suspect that the writer, Ed Harris, might have some opinions on more recent political events.
Along with the troublesome Meg, it's got a fun set of characters, with Dot as the horrid but ineffectual manager who only rules through violence, and Myrtle who is both worrying suggestible and reassuringly incompetent. They're also all frightfully filthy-mouthed, which is nice. My personal favorite however is Officer Background, who speaks entirely in "rhubarb rhubarb", the famous background noise.
Very silly comedy, that isn't afraid to break the fourth wall with quick asides such as: "thanks, that sets us up succintly", and "don't do that, those are visual gags" (with a beautiful PR accent), as well as drive its already unhinged characters completely insane. Luckily I enjoy that, so going to happily listen to the rest of the series.
Tagged: Radio Comedy Cast Sitcom Geography/History