Tracey Ullman: A Class Act
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act | |
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Genre | Comedy film |
Written by | |
Directed by | Les Blair |
Starring |
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Theme music composer | Simon Brint |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Production | |
Producers |
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Cinematography | Geoff Harrison |
Editor | Tony Woollard |
Running time | 40 min. |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 9 January 1993 |
Related | |
Tracey Ullman Takes on New York |
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act is an ITV sketch comedy television special starring Tracey Ullman, along with Michael Palin, playing a variety of original characters.
The show introduced viewers to characters that would go on to be featured in Ullman's American comedy special and HBO television series: gay flight attendant Trevor Ayliss, wife to a conservative MP, Virginia Bugge, and future magazine editor, Janie Pillsworth, and her mother, Jacqueline.
A Class Act aired on
Premise
The show opens aboard "Class Air", a British airline that seats passengers according to social class: lower, middle, upper.
37 up
In a parody of the British documentary
Powder Room
Various characters visit the powder room.
Hethers
A young girl, Janine Pillsworth is placed in a posh boarding school by her working class parents. She subsequently reinvents herself as "Janie" and disowns them.
Back on Class Air
Airline steward Trevor visits the working class section of the plane and closes the show singing "I Am What I Am".
Cast
- Tracey Ullman as Various
- Michael Palin as Various
- Timothy Spall
- Susan Wooldridge as Virginia Birdsall
Production
After the conclusion of
Format
The show features four sketches, with the first acting as bookends. Ullman plays a total of eleven characters; she's accompanied in the sketches by Monty Python alum Michael Palin who also plays multiple parts.
Reception
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s)/Nominee(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
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1995 | CableAce Award
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International Dramatic or Comedy Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries | Allan McKeown (executive producer), Jo Wright (producer), Les Blair (director), Dick Clement (writer), Kim Fuller (writer), Gary Howe (writer), Ian La Frenais (writer), Richard Preddy (writer) | Nominated |
Home media
A Class Act was released on home video in the UK in 1993. In 2009, the special (HBO version) became available in the United States via
References
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (23 November 1993). "Review/Television; Two Antic Evenings Of Comedy and Tributes". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ Ullman 1998, p. xi
- ^ Ullman 1998, p. xiii
- ^ "BBC - Comedy - Guide - Tracey Ullman: A Class Act". BBC. BBC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 April 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
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Sources
- Ullman, Tracey (1998). Tracey Takes On. ISBN 978-0-786-86340-2.