Anyone with the sense of humour to enjoy "League of Gentlemen", "Blackadder" and can remember enjoying a very similar series 20 years ago called "Fallen Arches" (a copy of which I love to get hold of) will love this. Every episode contains gems like Poppy inheriting an anvil from her father (which often comes in handy) or Mr Sourquill the journalist and his "Pencock," which is a Peacock filled with ink (simply remove a quill!)

Set in the 18th century ("These enlightened times") the series plots the life of Pip Bin from teenagerhood through dangerous escapades to escape St Bastards, the evil Hardthrashers and even his guardian, the inappropriately named Mr Gently Benevolent (who is determined to get his hands on the Bin fortune by murdering Pip, to his triumph in inventing something in which to place discarded paper, initially called the Piperator. Even then Pip is not safe from Mr Gently Benevolent and finds himself in a court case against an awesome competitor the American Mr… more »

Anyone with the sense of humour to enjoy "League of Gentlemen", "Blackadder" and can remember enjoying a very similar series 20 years ago called "Fallen Arches" (a copy of which I love to get hold of) will love this. Every episode contains gems like Poppy inheriting an anvil from her father (which often comes in handy) or Mr Sourquill the journalist and his "Pencock," which is a Peacock filled with ink (simply remove a quill!)

Set in the 18th century ("These enlightened times") the series plots the life of Pip Bin from teenagerhood through dangerous escapades to escape St Bastards, the evil Hardthrashers and even his guardian, the inappropriately named Mr Gently Benevolent (who is determined to get his hands on the Bin fortune by murdering Pip, to his triumph in inventing something in which to place discarded paper, initially called the Piperator. Even then Pip is not safe from Mr Gently Benevolent and finds himself in a court case against an awesome competitor the American Mr Trash Can. The ending? Well buy it and find out!

I could recite every episode and I've only heard them twice! Each character and performance is a jewel from Pip Bin (the elder) played by Richard Johnson who can't bear to see women smoke (unless they've been set on fire), Geofrey Whitehead as the Hardthrasher brothers, Aunt Lillie (Celia Imery) who manages to fight off a hord of vicious under water squirrels, angry because Pip Bin had eaten 3 of them ("and they were delicious') to Pip Bin's sibblings, Poppy and Pippa and Pip's loyal friend, Harry Biscuit (son of the inventor of the biscuit.)

Like the radio version of The League of Gentlemen, Bleak Expectations is the epitomy of lunacy, drama and silly humour that only radio can deliver. Play.com and Marke Evans, you owe me!! But thank you both for makiing recordings available. (How about Fallen Arches?)

Funnier every time you listen.

If on listening you don't agree with me, then in the words Mr Hardthrasher (Headmaster of St Bastards public school) "I shall beat you to within an inch of your life and quite possibly closer."