In the country small is how it is inconceivable the so little is known about the all the way of life to anybody living south of the gap gentleman England is a nation divided his words brought forth an outburst of protest but the wave of his strong hands he silenced him and his matter of fact analysis riveted his audience the southern modal reeled into the realisation that the North was planning to break away from the rest of Britain to become a separate state self-governing under this man Peabody Brown who were a suit of Lincoln green in honor of Robin Hood and he was now the emblem of the struggle for freedom and so gentlemen don't make the mistake of tracing this business tonight the stranger said as loud Bellamy threw open of those they mean to present had with their plans to Paterson the country heavy breathing full of the strangest symmetry and also Willoughby Willoughby noted Would it help things if we gave them a few bob told reboot. 11 slightly It was suggested that they should join the main party on the lawn and there was commence to shuffle out of the study callosum the hammock aware of the child among looking at it with undisguised and Kalar father said That means an acquaintance of mine Mr Albert Butler white teeth flushed as the man bowed his head and thumped like an overstretched drum skin please to major mishap matter he rest Calicut said Likewise I'm sure Mr Butler he smiled again not Mr but I beg of you call me back and I need to read his eyes devout her beauty she felt as if he had stooped to have Vesta knickers he's pursing gaze she couldn't run away down the gazebo and that she wished she hadn't fall behind a potted fern inside the summer house she said Ashton went in an embrace with many . Colors ice one which is the whole body shook with jealousy and rage they took an effort of will to stop herself marching into the gazebo and pulling Melanie's at about roots she bawled her hands into tight fists she clearly heard well say in a trembling voice no humanity mind numbing he shall not have him you in separate bitch calibrated to her teeth with that she silently waits for the shrubbery oblivious to the cat being sick and the party seems to be breaking up and making for the house curious Caliph Olive the gas into the elegant lands and suddenly wonder why they seem to be gripping it on the television screen in Evening News flicking into focus she saw her father and his influential friends listening avidly to the news read the demonstration was broken up by the police but it is fair that the prime minister was it several times with a pen full of Lancashire hotpot as he walked into the Guild Hall the newsreader paused and there appeared on the screen a rather large lady in a Red Hat smock in the primaries his head with a saucepan the contents of the vessel could be seen dribbling the other promises weskit from a man who still in the middle of his bald head you may have just been handed a newsflash and used just to clean his throat. Don't be body Brown the sofa appointed prime minister from the north of England and stated that Lancashire and Yorkshire with Cumbernauld humble and have declared that they are now no longer to be governed by Westminster and that all Southern based companies in the north are to be taken over by the new confederation of counties Mr Peabody Brownsburg early today in Halifax the screen Szymon for a moment there on came a picture of Peabody Brown in the suit of Lincoln green and dressing a packed hall in the town fellow Northerners the time is approaching for all true men of this great Shi'a just done and be counted for years we have been enslaved by the faceless politicians in Westminster. Our cotton mills now lyin cheatin dead I'll coal mine is different than I was shipyards closed I want children now without bread our women folk in rags he pauses shook his bow and arrow his face was screwed as it were the mace of rage the shout of all the economic wealth in the good life is the hazard our next bend I was swept I would load well and no Friesian of my friends and I call on Cheshire and I burn me I'm sure l.h. Of the flag of rebellion this flag the flag of freedom and that point to Billy Manning Pete Capps joined Peabody Brown on the roster and who filled a standard upon which was a Yorkshire pudding and a Lancashire but putting on a background of chipped potatoes all matters pile for ticks to route to the spot as the news ended in the screen went blank mag guard declares a no pulse it's West and I thought Cal and pouted her party was in ruins Fiddlesticks she brayed she's only a storm in a teacup with that she tried to entertain the gathering with this but it's acceptance and impression of Jimmy Cagney read butler still alone in the corner of the room with the sad Onyx man of the lips snow minutes eager way how little they knew these facts idiots war was in the air they were too blind to see it he would go right out of the coming conflict already was making an enormous profit from smuggling whiskey into the south his main concern now was how to get Calum out his knickers then. Come up with the will was written animated by love. Produced by Richard winds. Come back with the wind. I'm a peacock and you're listening to Les on b.b.c. Radio 4 extra The theme music you just heard was played by last Olson himself he was an accomplished pianist with a love of classical music but as with his comedy he could not resist the urge to prick the pomposity of ill playing the last night off and subverting expectations an edge borne of comedic instincts his nail and it's another man who mixes the comic on the musical Let's pick it done Copyright 2 Swan Lake Ok the other. Is begging for a chord change but when he doesn't it's funny because the weeks come to expect it to me is going to take you somewhere that is clearly wrong whereas But he carries it off by so think it's wonderful Yeah it's not just the piano playing it isn't just not how it's that he has bravado about this because he believes that he's doing it correctly yes it has a single chastise the audience for not keeping up with it is quite right yet it is wonderful is it in a way it's like the injustice of it all but the fact is he's wrong and everybody knows they're right yeah it's a wonderful conspiracy it really is reverse. We found a piano we thought we could have fun piano now. And it's pleasantly tuned to a purpose I'll give you just really have to do but. See this isn't generally in the slots one night it was just one no one not yeah but actually as you say that's what I mean I mean beautiful Tchaikovsky. Well we. Need to do it in the most absurd but. I just reply. They can't just write badly it's going to be funny and I think. Cool is that I also genuinely boy. If you put this bit I want with disposable income I like it and it's hard yeah. Meanwhile back in the studio. There was also thing that he did which is much I think probably my favorite as those mime and which was the son the same feelings and he basically did vocally what he did not get. Through them so I would know who was because let's send it straight for a good choice. Downtown proper COAs kicks in and then some feed the feeds back wonderfully Ok amazingly Ok the release is not written this is also the time where you can really feel it that the Opus maybe they were slightly uncomfortable that he was again properly. The thing is he knew what he was doing musically and yeah you can if you can sing in page she can sing out of pitch terror Yeah and it's never his typical of Les to sort of set it up like that yeah for for the relief to happen and just do it you know semi turn or turn above where it should be and it takes concentration and ability to do there I mean people who don't know you know. Get up and sing at weddings or whatever and it's funny it's. Something something elegant about it being deliberate Yeah yeah I think everybody picks up on that but when we hear somebody who is sitting out to tears and making a mess with your one of us brother. I have acquired a less says he was a phony musician which probably his movements comically did when he when he 1st got out in the clubs he did do some good straight using the place kind of properly and it wasn't working out from what I can gauge he considered himself not a great musician because he failed it and that's interesting because you're a genius in his comedy less is probably sort of gilding the lily a bit yeah you know I mean what he's really saying is that people don't want just good music blares I know how tricky it is you know sort of like Franco from big city to actually saying a proper song and I do write proposition. And I think we have ages to sort of work around to get an audience of about 12. Get what I'm doing yes I think I can take that with a pinch of salt he really knew what he was doing Yeah but it's time now to love a man who can claim to have had 14 years of his show business career wrapped up in this very theater it's the easiest introduction. Evident in all my life all I need say simply is late isn't gentleman lez Dawson thank you thank you. Some a play this place had the audience with me all the way for sure about the clicks and I think if I'm dead think of these plans and you think of the great names that appeared in people like bloody selves up. Jenny Lind of Ripley. She was using it in my good to the end of a stick she's in the book if it thank you if. I thought it was Ok with me she lost one of the sentence in the book you presented a smiley face 5 thank you for. One day one day and. To see the missive missed out here which we must never ever be allowed to forget one 3rd of course is that bottom of. The 1st month it is given that people at times and it led to a function. To dry so one of the songs in here are just a few of. Those a young man from. A. Who is said to chide one day. He was struck to the to live with the sex gorilla I'm 5. And shyness ability a lot if you think if. I want to get. Some funny behind a steak but Senate policy and not going to the v.a. . And the only advice we could get was to look. At this in the last. Evening this would have been to. Maybe be nice if we had a little bit of a farewell 6 weeks ago. You joined me. In the I enjoyed that it was out. Of step with this one of the mothers side by side so please John and. and also I often played to the beginning of his career that's had many different skills even a one to a concert comedian and also of a very good musician you know he loved the bits to do when he played on a tune that was a mob gag Yeah and how many gags him you're a comic so how many Gods do you know that you can keep on repeating telling the same God the same Gaga same guy and still get a big laugh at me now stop so many know an epic is only one I think is only headbutt you can do it and people how I know I do it works I've read song it's unique spectacle Yeah you know and funny cynicism plays a big pot in less conduct but also there's a degree of pomposity and which he punches himself in yes of us a sense of self and mock self-satisfaction he thinks he. Has been missed once he was a success as a comedian and then he stopped a day going in all directions musically and certainly he loved would she leave the end of the you have to stick a them and take them and chew them and down. And find Woods Yeah I love what I. I like the meanings of words and I thought the part of fashion fascinates me where they where they came from and what they mean but left you just the shallow end of the word she loved Neil Ennis how it is not something to write words that are almost a song but I'll answer me as well Your Honor that is the case for the different. Proves he was the musical ear poet enjoys the sound of yeah and it's off the mainstream of getting your point across yeah if you like the way one word answer another and it makes sense as the bonus but it's an added bonus if the words sound good together yeah and they also make sense so I think Les had an ear for that and it's the same kind of way he has an ear for the music and how to really screw it up and I think it's the screwing up in a funny way that people identify with you know the probably the broader philosophy Yeah you know because there we all go in now the door slams on our face you know the Shard Freud of life. Did I say Shelton for what it is. Perhaps or has come to. Let his love of the rhythm of language is presented in a standup monologues and in his writing but it's also illustrated beautifully in our next programme for the b.b.c. Archive and this performance for the b.b.c. Education cassette service were the gig broadcast on Radio 4 in 1900 less Dawson performs alongside the b.b.c. Concert Orchestra telling the Hans Christian Andersen story to be the Chiba. Everybody sat. Up and didn't think so. Toby was a fat lip. When he walked. Out when he told. And when he signed. Well it was the Saudis are you going to. Be Spring is here. Oh no it isn't said to be when the boats begin to pop on the robin takes up. Everybody's Ses It's spring today. I suppose that maybe so but I'd like you to know I could just Elliot spring though. I can overstep the screen when the circus comes to town it makes me want to sing when I bump into what's when the circus magic past and the man goes. I know it's spring it'll come. Back. To fade I'm not jumping to the circus 9 No it's great. Suddenly a happy little idea started buzzing around to be had a chubby Why should you have to wait for the circus every year why don't you join the circus then you'd be with it all the time. What would I do said to me I'm not very talented. Why that's easy to be you could be a bad back writer. I'm 90 I'm a. Clown. A juggler. And I could match. You could be anything you want to be he said to me you know that best idea of a good. Let's go and tell send your peppery the right there. Send your Petrino the great ringmaster twiddle his mustache. Showed him my little of Fatah for the and you would like it to join of the static as a. I have just had the job for. My own if I'm sort of a way that if that's you can to make sure they have enough for water to today. To be picture to pockets full of will work. Well he said and. I suppose this is better than nothing. You know how many books it takes different in jail different. Or more than that. Even more the. Poor tired to be. Well now said the Qandil the elephant I think we've had quite an interesting least for now thank you to me. Innocence on the surface is about to start why don't you check to look you deserve it. To be window to the sickest and. Best of send your pony you know twiddling is a step in flicking with. A design a gentle man yet attention I believe. It was the most wonderful circus to be devastating. The clowns went. To project. The project. To have a day off he went. To magick. Politically magick limited to magick to magick to declare victory would you tell. Him how Bill is Acrobat's when Live t.v. Lot. And then tell me so why did squeak in the chippy go away. I'll lay you. Ali you own pot and run back. To the alley you own alley you own. A job you'd be a sight to see. Well then show it to me what am I waiting for when I go to the top of the circus. All right to be lets see you walk a tight rope. Used to bookies to help balance the place one foot calf you from to the other. Slowly step by step balance across a tight rope. Took me look out. Down . And down came job me. Right sometimes you send your pepper in new. Rides send you a Bentley no ring you get to be Mr Nice you haven't ruined me. Back to me on a frontier with you. To be killed in a power struggle and that is dropped one by one. 2 each to abuse of the candle to the different 2 2 2 things that. You just try to do so and 2 2 that's. What would you say if I told you that a very long time ago I want to be a ballet dancer to be smiled That's better said the elephant that you listen to me . Be yourself you can't beat anybody else. Be yourself is my advice to you ought else your own wisdom be a nobody So be yourself all else 2 2 2. Now so very well said so the only think I do best is. Well said the elephant. That must be so eager. To be began to sing. And before he knew it all the elephants were standing around him in a cell at some swaying to the music. I said the Cat and the elephant I do believe that out of yours just makes me want to dance. The difference in their lives and they started to waltz. Suddenness and you're a prisoner want to. Know what does or the nerve I was seeing the other friends or downs or so on. What is up and. The kind that would put it to being out in a way with a happy smile on his face. Oh it's. Remarkable sensation Dubay I have a wonderful idea how would you and your so graceful and it's like to be the main attack in our set. Ladies and gentlemen I haven't agreed on a job President send your time with his magnificent. Dancing elephants. Be played with the elephants dance. Steps to secure the freedom they're going to under 5. Percent of just honest. I have never played before oh. Oh oh thought. I wouldn't change places with anyone in the whole wide world. Now send your fortissimo who was in charge of a big orchestra got to hear about to be famous last even I said to me that you a bit too John. Before every concert the office too would be busy chewing up no time atoll up and down the scales everyone raced helter skelter. All but to be the tube. It was only ever blowing and puffing away and oh so slowly. Oh what lovely music thoughts of the winds and board were. They was the most acceptance of the critter. To be average Who are you when you race you won't get sued and treated used to playing except me i never gets a prediction never. People don't write pretty choose to choose it just is not. Oh that's the conductor sure if it's a good up to a of his but some of the Highlands they done with a little of the consumed on their strings. And they cried to the flute catch. Tried the flute. My turn to do the trumpet. 2 and the rest joined. The cello. Ergo. The soon. To be just went. Home. To. Catch me teased a little. Don't you tried to be. You're sitting on me trying the little truth. Chubby pics at the flat little to try to squeeze it back into shape. You come here full stop the vine and. I'm so to Miss diffidence had to be. Fiddle What do you mean fiddle by leaders that. Believe these abbesses are by least fiddles and need. To be said Send your fortissimo award do you think you're doing all. Lisa or I thought it would be so nice to dance pretend it's June and instead of going out all the time. Down this left the violence down this well really. And hone quiet to put his hand his mouth and smile. Then the full of. Stuff I said stuff big. Tubby cried send your 40 Simo please I was having rehearsal was over Toby was walking home the people the piccolo please people said to me I just feel so miserable I don't think I went to the company and that's all right I understand said people good night good night said to me to me went to the river and sat down on the log and he looked himself in the water and then suddenly. A big bull frog jumped out of the water and something along right next to me. But to be just sat there where you said the frog if I'm not wanted. Oak lied to me please come back I didn't mean to be rude and back hopped a frog. Oh that's all right I'm used to it though when they that attention to me either really said to be wary of course not every night I sit here and sing my heart out does anyone listen to me of course I don't can you sing us to be can I say listen to our dog or your dog dog the 000-000-0000 extension 0000. 000000000 god or. God order. Oh Ok Oh that's lovely said to me Well why don't you try it said the frogs Oh thank you said to me org. Board war. Born. Or American fighting Numero. You should try that on your altars of Dharm Oh I will said. Goodbye Mr Frank and off went to be as happy as could be the next day the accursed it was as busy as ever churning up the rehearsal everyone was buzzing with excitement all the arrival of the great new conductor Send your pet sick cat no. Order. To be passed on land Hallam self. People the piccolo caught his eye fitting better. Send your pics a kind of tone. That I don't need to begin and to be began to play a little. Old that Reggie Juba snapped violins. Some bones took out his tongue. And the trumpet sniggered. Tubby said send you a bit sick Otto told me I have never heard the children play at you in a before now let's hear the rest of it. One difference at the start. Please tell me maybe send your child to. How about me said is out of. College or let. Me. Ask. Here I come to people. Where we have done it haven't we. It was a bullfrog sitting beside him we're good old or something every put our minds to it conned where. Well the cake to be the Chiba performed by Les Dawson with music by Klein single words by poll trip and played by the b.b.c. Console Orchestra conducted by Barry was with and led by Martin Loveday it was produced by Brian Scott Hughes. Thank you for. This is b.b.c. Radio 4 extra I'm right Peacock And while listening to lads. We're here now at the Les Dawson statue in the only mental gardens and rhythms and islands the statue stands in pride of place in the center of the small quadrant despite being born in Cali has the money just less made with him soon and his home and his book less doses long less rights of leafy dreaming Lytham that holds a special nation my heart. And in this 1970 from radio phones talk about gardening Let's take presents a clay gens on a tour of his beloved gotten and let them sometimes you've got about a new kind of ground here just your your mother in law to it all not to you know some of it you know she's bet it so better than it was going to the roses but I dug you bringing it up how do you find time in your busy life to devote to almost any kind of ground well to me it's a sanctuary it's an escape from the feminine tell you say because my wife would be knighted for many you know she. Is it escape route for me yes me away from the kids with all the various that each one is their own musical taste so this is really sort of thing that you break down prisoners resistance with the say so I escaped as I got to get away from it we're sitting by the way outside what would you call this lessness the sun lounger This is live in some towns it's the sunlight and the whole area surrounded by beautiful trees which presumably more of them presumably they must have been here before you came yes yes but they always did just because they were when we 1st moved in here and with this I don't shop and say that I'm a dreadful thing about this you know I think she's a bit of dumb selling that I have you know I don't see why we should Palm Desert with some of them we were very lucky with shallow roots raised to replant them with a walnut tree I really did the well the tree that was all small and is now not that's taken again so I've been looking without John space and I don't like an oddly gap and I guess I'll give it. Well not once have it that's a phrase you know which had the cattle said Would I like it to look natural because on this lonely girl a lot of fastens with fondness Nesta this guy got rabbits and Stokes so. A lot of wildlife and I as you can hear the planes overhead as well do you get many of those just the window cleaners level. He's doing well he's doing. In front of us here that is. How can I describe. A new damsel. What did you put that one store when I used it well it's. Probably it was a sub to bin Laden frustration I don't know but actually what happened was out of a few dicks too many on the Gold Coast with a bloke who is a still Mason I want to let you know the cause of most of all to the damn thing he said and I wait I would not even count in there less and I don't know what to do with her so she's been everywhere as if that's the final resting place for he just hangs a sort of toss defended in post at you doesn't know it's a shit i left alone. Anyway as your looks pretty much of the older less if you could only grow one plant all some of that variety or whatever what would you choose I said so he wanted to like most of my light roses have many from the Rose and I must admit I think the roses have added pits and I like most flat was. So I'm also very fond of land you know that it was so I said shocked and you get a difficultly and I wrote it down to him that it was but he followed it and it was just a pity that. They don't seem to do so well he wrote it and a little what a lot today Bill a bank of roses he and she is just an idea of God I mean I'm not saying we look at statically beautiful but I can see a picture of banks of roses you know and I'm still an homage that is I must be thinking I'm going to you might be but the garden with respect as a professional look about it it has surprises you don't see it only wants what I love about getting so that you know I mean he said that's it before the protests there are gallons of paint what's nice of that but they're all pretty and I don't think Nate's intended things to be pretty he may not sound pretty plumbs but when men men get satsumas down 7 little roses with little puffs they like I like to see a little bit Black was he thinking nothing let's listen plies of it oh you'll have it out for a while lot because that and political in that not only that if you had that kind of walkin albums you could get away from well it's not just about she's live in Cambodia that she said interests. She don't mean well I just want to Australia when she was bitten by a shark they would tell not a shark dad. It's my little escape quite frankly I enjoy it I think it's very relaxing as again. You know to go oftentimes in diplomacy you know a little bit infused with. Myspace and you know nobody believes me that it would just live the life of a pseudo recluse if there were. A look at the very least if sadly particularly by you of course it is a private older ticket and so I'd be have always felt a timely basis because of course it's all adopted and you get stoned and flying over and sometimes it's a bit of a mess but the one thing I've noticed is very quietly of course the conifers they seem to absolve the noise don't think they do call it as in some of the birds about to do. Fades. Well I think in this world of noise I think it's nice to be able to stand as I often do quite frankly when I just listen to nothing you come back when you've done your famous Benita time spent after giving it all to do you know audience and this puts it right I think so. You know to the guy on the part of the planet which is even better to. Let those in any garden. Speaking to Clay jams in 1900 will go back now the last dozen statue in the short time we've been here been several visitors people approach illness that are approaching last in the south they seem excited happy smiling it's clearly a very popular attraction to those people that search out we're not going to take the trip 2 miles down the road along the front to Blackpool and it's 20 years since Dawson's death but police are now going to extensive regeneration to reinvent itself and keep up with the 21st century but its peers remain a testament to the variety of its past one particular remains a fortress a pristine preservation and restoration the ground. When together to meet Linda Tolson i.b.a. Who will take his role in the theatre 119 year history. And what do you charge with a gram when my husband Jeff and I call it the joint archivists as if it a wonderful home even though old. Says it I don't need to keep everything because you never know interesting it will seem in the future just said hey begins with living I thought that was just going to talk about having a struggle to. Get out of a round that time last was really really making a name for himself being moved from Yorkshire Television to the b.b.c. And we will watching and getting excited about it because we can kind of take him as as a local boy because he lives so near to the town now in 1982 we did manage to purchase it opening it in 8 she was and I have to say restrict it to because none of the management knew we were a charitable trust but this history of being close for the time is a bit that of being so we struck we were absolutely desperate to get a big name who could start. The season and along came. And it was absolutely brilliant for us I've got a program here but there are 2 very interesting things about this project at that time in 1984 on warm office and has a feature the road is now people have seen the road ponies on television but to actually see them aloud if it was a sensation they were local women in a lot of them certainly from the knolls they were absolutely brilliant and of course the oh this thing about show was this is in a disco she wrote articles in the eye rolling barrack life which in that she wrote about her. I've came in other things to fit over the years the city in a sketch was absolutely wonderful because again and as it started off on your television Well it made the friendship but I mean that was a very very popular thing very very funny so you can imagine. It really in the right question because the entertainment value is and will have always roles of rely on the success of the summit to see them through the Dr days of the wind so that was a major. Step in that if you get talking to them and they can actually quote you something from system in a manner now as I can see this look at it's very obviously for different reasons because. I couldn't get a ticket for love nor money it is significant that they had to see a tribute concert for last year at the Grammys so this was a $99.00 I always was in 1995. And the lovely thing about it was that it's had a lot of cool comics and people who were just been friends with that but then also we got this huge loyalty from the really really big names you do who came from London to pay tribute to this wonderful man because some people came just simply to announce the drugs go through this woman go because that is incredible the show starts of Michael Parkinson introducing the sixty's to the girls Brandon Grace Rosemarie. Gloria Hunniford intrusive list all. Dr Robb apologises Bill Tommy are required from control. It's warm. To them to pry a big box of the prior Bobby Bennett Edward Woodward and Michelle to trace who introduced the Rolie Polie is probably quite a. It doesn't help some food that was in listen celebs the radio shows Yeah it was a lady. Jackie sculpts peacefully goes featuring better let's diamond Roy walk Vince Hill from Cos in the be all. And then Bruce Forsyth to headline the Mon was a sham believe it will get all that's missing is less. That's all that's missing. How wonderful. This is this picture in the form of this I've never seen the pitch will so it's Liz Daulton in a white folks he's got kind of crypto And I'm astonished it. Was a well isn't that wonderful I was heartbroken about this I really was. And again it was one of those things where I thought they know which I love her. We have this one 0 yes. This is amazing roughly a wife Yes well we've had the spectacular season of 80 fall in 86 Hey we've got less again booked believe that. If you can make a run for your wife and I mean this just demonstrates that this tendency of the man that he is in a play he had with him Eric sidelights is mine and he said I did write stuff as a cost Yeah but John home before Ted Robbins was in that as well look whole amazing it's had actually plain clothes tools right on the Tigris and had a woman show about as well as an awful lot so yeah I was a big fan of the childhood of us that was that's amazing that would have been amazing was brilliant it was hilariously funny as you can imagine that was. Between which as the season progressed it became more and more spontaneous. And of course stuff that plays in the open because we're already written a wonderfully funny script that's receiving and you get used. As you say audiences adore because although it's thing that's never before we've seen something for the us it was very very. Very interesting scene last stores in a different kind of show but then we think about what we think about is almost Monologues I think. He was a wonderful actor that was Linda Tolson o.b.e. Archivist at the ground that's a blood pool as Linda Ses let's also was a wonderful actor as he hoped to be taken seriously as a writer he also become pushing more serious acting roles in later life David Nobbs I would hope that it would not have become the main strand of his career I Ok I don't like to think that he thought I'm moving on to something better just to something different and I think there was a feeling that he was tempted by these things to think of himself as having capabilities that he thought were greater than the capabilities he was showing in what he did whereas I think he was a genius at what he did yeah that's that's the point I'm making Not that this wasn't going to be good but that it's not necessary to have to have a sense that he felt he had to move on and perhaps improve but I don't think anything he did would have improved on his marvelous comedy they would have been good in its way lemak in the straight acting that Les Dawson did in the non-A and that was proper serious acting wasn't it was elements to it was 1st a very warped and actually comes across as quite a heavy piece of acting so that's a 1000000 miles away from what I could do so I was fascinated to see that and I still prefer Les Dawson doing comedy than there is to fly of course. He could definitely do it I can see him now being in the West End in some really proper way to play where people he's got lots of critical acclaim you know I mean that Gillian Reynolds I heard him talking in an interview once about being taught at school and how he had a particular teacher. Who would use rich language just go however and some paint pictures and take him into the story and you could tell Yeah that was the big influence on him and of course it is when his stories when you little when you brain is plastic and taking all that's it it's wonderful because. It seeps into you and cheese you up I think you too so that gift of connection because in the one time I met him yeah he was no different off stage most he was oh yeah but the ordinary ness of him again it was a confounding their expectation because what you would see 1st would be a glum face and you would hear the voice and then he would start talking and this flow would come out and you would like the ancient Barry and you would you would just absolutely go with the flow and I think that's what you would want to stay with yeah stay within that magic of the Narration Now let's have another programme for the b.b.c. Archive a moment showcases Les Dawson's performance skills as he recites Maria Adkins stories the Channel swimmer on the recumbent posture 1st broadcast on radio it's here in September 1901 this is Marriott's monologues. This. Is the b.b.c. . The Marriotts monologues. Best Writing. And laugh. In Marriott. Works of art. We present Marriott's monologues the monologues of Mary. Accompanied on the piano by Brian Fitzgerald carries this week's monologist Les Dawson with the channel switch. Would you hear a wild tale about that. Over here who after. Superman swimming in the ocean. To the tale of the only. Our channel our own straight said over. By an alien love. British born swimmers who tried. To resist fads that got. So good here each was their outcry in England. Spain is. There. And the chance little bit of named from the world's act. With a chap. Farting swimming baths around the country. Were noted for a daring and. Quiet dolphin need dive in the deep end and that nothing of swimming Island. So they heard him Carol. Was spending the summer with him and promised him to Christmas putting. It over the . Show chimps had breached laggy aerial. Shot all their fears out. And he didn't they're putting. Told him last Christmas Eve. Though many have chattel the channel number is no studio but that is. Fine they are learning of England having swim from Dover to reason is. Soon as his words were made public in the newspapers gathered around. And overdue give him a pension. For the legs and drowned. He bought a ditto from the Navy to swim in the shelter. Wireless folk lent him a wavelength. The water board let him the see. His wife strapped to mask it around him the tears in his eyes his Jensen store. Where some guineas cocks she had collected. And stitched to it over the company's own. He entered the wall to daybreak man with a camera stood near. He said earlier going out in you had just bought a man here and the pair. At last he were in he was swimming with the beautiful over Armstrong. Where the men on the tops are with horror. That the rope you were tied to had broke. Then down came a fog. That took so distant indeed. A voice shouted Help time crowd. Joe listened and found it would have been. The talk circled around till they found. They holding the board. Tied to a new Cho rope around him. Smacked him and then threw him back. To it at sunset just a minute later. And he realized I wasn't right. Toto which trailing behind him and the new revenues waist getting to. One hasty glance over to show he saw in a flash what went wrong. Jenna should have been. You know would go in the church boat along. On through the darkness. You bet it in. By the way he kept bumping the bottom. And hitting the stone with his chin. Was it yes he'd reached No it wasn't RINGBACK treacherous tided it. Had caddie him. To Blackpool. And have to walk all the way back. One of the reasons why I agreed to recite these monologues wasn't just because of the enormous fame that the b.b.c. Tense a profit in and on stamped on the low if you lived on the end of the stick the main reason was I feel that about it and get a compass is the humor of the North traditional cattle still is and of course the main thing they are very very funny. We who have the joy and privilege to live in the land of milk and honey Lancaster of course well beyond that as you know she was the only that's keep the window offers I've always known that we live in a very a pity that all that is sacred in comedy and it gives me I know most pleasure and will do for some yes that's a good thing to be enabled to be asked to take part in this wonderful program. And I must say as I read the fire line that it had gets chattels whether tears came unbidden to the o. Observe for I only remember quite well you're right he Dawson. Who was once in Leave it up the baker underwater swimming champion and people in Rochdale the miles around would often watch him line of the bottom of the deep end the night said as a child. To one of the Baths attendants I'm so proud of my uncle he's such a wonderful in the world to swim with the way he lies at the bottom there with hardly any bubbles rising to the surface and I should never forget the bath attendant somewhat cervical reply he said it just show off stunned in my infant child manner I said What do you mean he's a show off he's been down there a month and so the challenge for him of course holds a great place in my out. I am delighted to read the next monologue and.