Another gentle, classic BBC sitcom with the wonderful Prunella Scales. Hope you like it (and it hasn't been posted already - search doesn't show it...)
After Henry was a British sitcom written by Simon Brett. It started on BBC Radio 4 and later moved to television. Prunella Scales and Joan Sanderson starred in both radio and television versions.
Cast
Prunella Scales - Sarah France
Joan Sanderson - Eleanor Prescott
Gerry Cowper - Clare France
Benjamin Whitrow - Russell Bryant
SERIES 1 | SERIES 2 | SERIES 3 | SERIES 4
128/44
Plot
Sarah France is the 42-year-old widow of a GP, Henry. She lives in an often volatile family situation with her mother, Eleanor Prescott, and her daughter, eighteen-year-old Clare France. After Henry's death, the three generations of women have to cope with one another as best they can, under their shared roof.
Sarah often finds herself in the middle of things, usually figuratively but always literally, as her mother lives upstairs and her daughter has the basement flat. Eleanor, ruthlessly cunning and emotionally manipulative, takes every opportunity to get one over on Sarah. Anything told to Eleanor will spread quickly throughout the extensive "geriatric mafia," the elderly of the area. Clare is trying to be independent of her mother, though often has to come running back in times of crisis.
The relationships among the three women change constantly through each episode. Sometimes mother and daughter ally against grandmother, sometimes mother and grandmother go against daughter, but usually grandmother and granddaughter gang up on the long-suffering Sarah, whose one haven is Bygone Books, the remarkably unsuccessful second-hand bookshop where she works for Russell, who dispenses in turn sympathy and wisdom. Most of the time, Russell sees the women's relationships second-hand through Sarah, although he isn't opposed to taking the occasional more active role when necessary. In turn, Sarah can see some of Russell's difficulties of living with a gay partner in 1980s London suburbia, while at the same time seeing Russell's relationship as the one perfect marriage she knows.
Replies
Great series!! Link no longer works.
Sorry Patsy. Microsoft reduced free quotas. I'll upload again when I get a chance.
Many thanks for this, I have a few episodes already, but am excited about listening to all four series.......
Dear Star Eater,
I am so hooked on comedies like this. I love the gentle humour that the BBC can and does produce. This comedy series was so literate and intelligent. Alas I miss shows like this from most of radio today.
Thanks so much again for the 4 series.
Bob
Love to hear what people think once you've listened to some. I love this one.
Dear Star Eater,
Thanks so much for a wonderful series. I truly appreciate the offering.
Bob
After Henry is an absolute gem :)
Wonderful, cheers!
I happened to be passing and saw this entry. After Henry was one of those flashes of Radio Comedy brilliance by Simon Brett that was an absolute joy to listen to and strangely compelling. There have been few comedies written in which the leads are all female, although this has improved in latter years, it really is unique. Probably in my top 20 comedy series! My late wife loved it too!
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