Month: May 1993

My parents only came to see NewsRevue once and it seems to have escaped my diary as an “event”.

In those days, I was regularly going on a Thursday evening as long as I didn’t have anything else on, so it could easily have been scheduled quite casually and I do not recall anything as event-like as having dinner with the folks before the show or anything like that.

Of course, we now (he says writing in 2019) know that NewsRevue is a Guiness World Record holding show which has been going for over 40 years:

…but I think to my folks, especially my mum, it was just some sophomoric thing I was doing as a vague hobby.

I remember dad liking the show.

I remember mum not liking it.

I remember the director, Michael Eriera, ever the professional, making a fuss over my parents for a while when they visited, which helped to make them feel special and was a nice touch.

The reason I think it was probably this particular Thursday (or the one after) is linked to my Michael Eriera-linked memory of that evening. I wasn’t around for all that many Thursdays of Michael’s runs.

I remember mum saying, I paraphrase only slightly:

I’d have thought you’d got all this sort of thing out of your system when you were at university, dear.

That was me told.

The lot of a NewsRevue writer – opinion polls don’t always help planning political comedy songs – especially when the polls move. Indeed the Liberals did pull off a surprise win in the Newbury by-election.

The Zany Tony Song is this one – here and below:

Beckett, Smith, Claire Short And Zany Tony Blair, NewsRevue Lyric, 23 April 1993

As for the Social Chapter opt out clause from the Maastricht treaty, it was something to do with labour laws and became obsolete even before the Brexity business…but in truth I’m none the wiser now…

                                                                 5 May 1993

 

Dear Michael

 

I have taken a look at the Zany Tony song and have concluded that you only need to change a couple of lines at the end for the song to work perfectly well in the event of a Liberal win.

 

Who needs alliance,

To gain triumphs?

The Liberals won it fair and square,

And the Labour chappie came nowhere,

We’re Beckett, Smith, Claire Short and zany Tony Blaire.

 

The Liberals seem to be doing so well that I suggest you swop in these lines for Thursday (and swop back to the original if the polls are wrong and the Tory limps home).

 

Consider also changing the spoken bit in the Maastricht song to cover the Social Chapter issue which seems to be so big this week.

 

MAJOR:This is a special bulletin.  Ma Stricht is the Tory Whip’s most considerably wanted treaty.  Oh yes.  If anyone can explain what the Social Chapter Opt Out clause means, please report immediately to Tory Central Office.

THATCHER:Don’t anybody move.  Hand over that treaty.

 

 

Please have a think about any new areas that you would like to me to cover over the next couple of weeks and we can chat about them on Thursday.  As you reckon that Keith is already warming up to take over, perhaps have a word with him about what he is looking for.  I am unlikely to get much chance to write again for a couple of weeks after the coming weekend.

 

See you tomorrow.