"I have a detention book." Rowan Atkinson, ladies and gentlemen: a perfect example of how to shut down a heckler in as few words as possible without breaking character.

@woodfamily5229

8 жыл бұрын

+Alex Quill Actually my favorite part. haha

@ivucica

7 ай бұрын

For those of us too lazy to look back and to find it after watching, it's at 0:53

It took serious balls to go on stage, in front of a live audience, with no set, no props, one light, and just a list of words, and rely on your delivery alone to get laughs.

@johnchornyTheOnly

8 ай бұрын

Buehler? Buehler?

I was fortunate enough to have attended this show at Her Majesty's Theatre back in '79. I'd seen it advertised in the London Evening Standard (as it was called back then) and next day in my lunch break (the band were rehearsing in Trident nearby) I bought 4 tickets at cost of £20. A fiver a ticket can you believe it. All relevant to the times. I have never laughed so hard or so much at a live show since. Rowan Atkinson stole the entire show. Here I am, now in my 60s reliving it. Cool as fuck if you ask me.

@Kerbeygrip

Жыл бұрын

Me too

@hugohackenbush1554

Жыл бұрын

@@Kerbeygrip It sure was some night Patricia and it's terrific we can both relive it here 😁👍🏻

@Kerbeygrip

Жыл бұрын

@@hugohackenbush1554 i have a video of the show. It e en has a clip of me and my husband in the audience. Fabulous night.

@hugohackenbush1554

Жыл бұрын

@@Kerbeygrip Oh wow! That's fantastic. I loved the first sketch with Peter Cook and John Cleese. “An interesting fact about the ant...” “Is that a fact?” “No. That was a joke.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Kerbeygrip

Жыл бұрын

I have never laughed as much in my life before or since!

Those of us who went to an English boys-only school in the 60s will have gone through this kind of thing every day.

The man is a genius! There are only a handful of comedians who could do this sketch justice and Rowan is the best of them! It is purely the way he says words. There are almost no jokes in this what so ever!

He could read out any Terms & Conditions and have you rolling on the floor laughing.

Rowan Atkinson is one of the best comedians ever, alongside with John Cleese. They never break character or get distracted, but what makes them even greater is that they are fucking serious while playing comedy.

Ah, finally the original headmaster sketch. This one demands much more comedian skills than the dirty version, which Rowan Atkinson displays flawlessly.

@harrytd

10 ай бұрын

Fully agree 👍

23 fresh out of Engineering school and destined for greatness. This had the comics in the audience beside themselves. Launched his career.

You are absolutely right! He can say a totally non-dirty word and make it sound obscene! Genius indeed. I hadn't seen this since it first aired, and revisiting it now, I still laugh my ass off :)

I remember watching this with my sister in my Grandparents house. We were crying with laughter and they were looking at each other in bemusement. It's a generational thing I guess. Brilliant! Never tire watching it!

Ah, I remember Masters exactly like this. That perfect mix of disdain and despair backed up by rapier wit and untrammeled confidence in their authority. It kept horrible boys like me in fear and awe. Do they still exist? I hope so.

@gdj6298

8 ай бұрын

Plus the ability to whirl round from the blackboard and hurl the chalk at any offender, all in one sudden, pinpoint move !

@tricia5792

4 ай бұрын

​​@@gdj6298I had a headmistress like that (every time I see Professor McGonagall I think of her)! The magnificent Miss Holden was her name - and she was a dead shot whether with a bit of chalk, a chalkboard eraser or her acid tongue. God bless her 😂

@MichaelKingsfordGray

Ай бұрын

Yes. In Australia.

The writer of this sketch wrote a lengthy comment on YT a few years back about how and when it was written -at university I believe - and how Rowan's brilliant delivery elevated it to timeless comedy.

@sammencia7945

4 ай бұрын

I read that comment also.

I love the way how he does the improvisations with one member shouting out during the role call.

@ArmyJames

Жыл бұрын

The headmaster shut him down right quick.

The comedic equivalency of a comic genius making the reading of phone book funny. Not many of them around anymore.

This was the sketch which Atkinson employed to get into the Cambridge Footlights. Simply brilliant.

@steveosborne2297

Жыл бұрын

Although it is a copy of a Will Hay stand-up routine from about 40 years earlier

@electrowavez1680

11 ай бұрын

@@steveosborne2297what was the routine?

@steveosborne2297

11 ай бұрын

@@electrowavez1680 It’s basically the same sketch that Will Hay used on the music halls in the 1920s and 30s . As a headmaster he will stand at a lectern on the stage and read out a roll call of boys names which got progressively sillier . You might even be able to find a video of it on KZread as Will Hay did do this on telly in the 1950s as far as I can remember

Its like his face is made out of elastic. He can convey every emotion to its absolute fullest with such little effort.

Its so funny . Always a Nancy Boy Potter or a Elsworth Beast-major in an English school lol .

@notesl5576

6 жыл бұрын

Paul Hewett Oh so those were real names? 😂

@timomastosalo

4 жыл бұрын

Having a long talk with Undermanager for bullying Zob

This is much funnier than his "dirty" version.

he is the best!!!

Comedy gold, purest fecking 110% gold.

An unknown Rowan Atkinson in 1979 in the sketch that made him a star overnight.

Absolutely hysterical! Rowan Atkinson = Comedy Legend.

Saw this live brilliant

NIBBLE! LEAVE ORIFICE ALONE! Lol XD the funniest part!

That’s the highest summit of the British humor,Rowan Atkinson

Years of experience of education made this sketch

10 years old and still brilliant"

@LeoDragon34

Жыл бұрын

10 years old? This sketch was first performed in 1979. It’s 44 years old. And still brilliant.

Remins me of a sketch of the Dutch comedian Toon Hermans Voorzitter 'Ons Genoegen' witch was from 1968 ( also seen on KZread), still the Rowan Atkinsons scetch is hilarius.

Most of this sketch is a play on words. Rowan Atkinson is known for making any word funny by the way he says it. Plectrum (one would assume) would have said something about the 'Headmaster' not being allowed to 'tweak' him and being asked whether he has a solicitor is one way of saying Plectrum can't do anything about it.

A very young Rowan Atkinson.

Brilliant!!!!

I have not laughed like I did when watching this in a long long time. Definitely being bookmarked.

My favorote sketch from this live show is the one where he keeps making those noises while he was talking to John Cleeses character. Lol!

A comedic genius.

I was there!

My favorite actor is Rowan atkinson

He was 24 here. A very old 24 year old.

@johanbrand8601

2 жыл бұрын

?

1:05 I have a detention book 2:48 haha

when i came here i was thinking he's going talk! HEEEEEEEEE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING JUST TO BE FUNNY ? HE DONT NEED IT !

Brilliant

Am I crazy or does he look exactly like he did in the mid 80s?

@badideass

7 жыл бұрын

it is the 80s.... maybe the late 70s

@TheBorderlineWarrior

6 жыл бұрын

1979 this is from

At 4:07 HE'S LAUGHING INSIDE HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA

The full list is missing

Yes

yes he is ^.^

5:08 lol XD

Yup, Matron!!

great

4:09 or so - it's just for a second or two, but he's corpsing.

@DaveDexterMusic

9 жыл бұрын

jackal59 I prefer to view it as the smirk of a man who has firmly put a boy in his rightful place.

@notesl5576

6 жыл бұрын

He's laughing inside LMAO I CANT HAHAHHAHA

@TobiasRobertson

5 жыл бұрын

The control though, the way he forces his muscles into that scowl after, masterful!

@pix046

5 жыл бұрын

Just part of the overall performance.

ah the well dressed sadists in british public schools......funny sketch,thanks.

@thewhatorwhy

7 жыл бұрын

And universities, media.

My school to a T!

Haha legend ❤

5:11 LOL!

Zob....absent. Is a reference to Unman, Wittering and Zigo

5:07 LOL

Do you have a solicitor plectrum...

Someone was commenting on confusing bits, and I think part of that may be that this was assembled from two different performances. When he lists the names of those who need to see him afterward or who did something in particular, he says names that aren't in the roll call ("German," "Quibbing"). Also, one camera seems to visibly hit the end of its film reel (at 5:03 before the cut to "NIBBLE!"), and his shirt collar is in a different position between the stage-right and stage-left cameras.

@JamesPoole007

9 ай бұрын

Also the section with Williams Witchly Wocket has been cut

@VonBlade

5 ай бұрын

Not quibbing, cribbing. As in, copying each other. Although the rest of your points are valid (and for anyone curious, the play with a joke in it is "Comedy of Errors in which two people look alike. Twice".

But if you are Rowan Atkinson, it tweren't nothing.

A shame Rowan didn't do this in Not the Nine O'clock News.

Pause at 5:07

Funny video

OMG! So Funny!

Presente professore Rowan😂

N I B B L E ! ! !

being italian i didn't understand this like i did the dirty names one

Hercules Balls

it is an honor: the bean

Spiritual successor to Alan Bennett's "Forty Years On"?

Bibble?

Great skit. Almost as funny as the "no one called jones" one.

Elsworth-Beast-Major

"NIBBLE! Leave - Orifice - alooone!"

In another version, he calls out to, "Mydick" , "Has anyone seen Mydick".

@steveforest8385

6 ай бұрын

Surely Mycock would be better because it's a real surname.

I don't think rowan was trying not to laugh at all. If you watched many of his interviews, you can tell that he is really serious when he is having a performance.

Ainsley (? is this right? if so, why would it be funny - English isn't my mother tongue) Babcock Bland (probably wants it written Blande - less… common place) Carthorse (heard first Hearthorse) Didnt (?) Elseworth-Beast Major Elseworth-Beast Minor Hemoglobine (Haemoglobine) Kosygin Loudhailer Muttock Nancyboy-Potter Nibble Orifice Plectrum Poince Sediment Soda Tare Undermanager Zob Correct my spelling if you will, I'm especailly curious how the two Elseworth Beasts would be written: can there be a name like Smythe-Brown-Jones(-Major)? Yep, you'll get a football team of them. Imagine their pride when they have their name on the jersey!

@RO8s

2 жыл бұрын

It's a reference to the elder and younger brothers. The elder brother is always called Major, the younger Minor and if there is a third at the school at the same time (as sometime happens with the Catholic families) he is called Minimus. Very unusual to have two brothers in the same class (year) so I guess we're talking twins here...

@sirknight1399

Жыл бұрын

@@RO8s Or the third brother might be called Tertius.

@RO8s

Жыл бұрын

@@sirknight1399 Yes, you are right, but not at either of my schools! Possibly somewhere snotty like Eton... :))

mr bean!

Is it the writing or the performance - or are they the same thing?

@SteveChisnall

7 жыл бұрын

It's in the delivery. What sells this sketch is Atkinson's ability to make even the most otherwise dull and boring of words into hilarious sounding side-splitters entirely by how he uses vocal inflections when pronouncing the words. You can't convey that in print, it takes someone like Atkinson, who has an instinctive and intuitive knack for finding the right inflections to use to make the material funny. That's NOT a dig at the writer, it just means that the writer intended for this sketch to be performed ONLY by comedians who could do his writing justice.

Hemoglobins

Really funny names, but who are the names of the girls with the high pitch laughs in the show? Can you name them?.

He doesn’t look 24!

"horrid little top..." 🤣🤣🤣!!

@rhiac9114

Жыл бұрын

'Horrid little twerp ' I think 😄

NIBBLE!!!! Leave Orifice alone!😂

“If it was meant to be funny.. he would have put a joke in it” Is Rowan talking about his lil sketch here?!?!

Has anyone ever told him, he looks the spitting image of that Mr Bean?

Wonder if Nancyboy-Potter is related to Harry Potter, on his mother's side?

@ibrahimihsan2090

2 жыл бұрын

JK Rowling was a kid when this was made. What are you talking about? Or are you referring to Big D?

Nibble?............NIBBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't get all these jokes... why would plectrum need a solicitor? sorry, my english is approximate...

@VonBlade

6 жыл бұрын

If Plectrum has a solicitor, the teacher wont beat him too badly. If he hasn't...

Ah, I miss school? Americans want these things to have fully automatic weapons and a free fire zone?

Zob

There are no obvious jokes. So yes unfortunately you do have to be English to be able to laugh at this.

@master-stratocaster4737

3 жыл бұрын

You dont have to be English, I am not.

@tdsims1963

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not English and I am laughing like crazy ...

British comedy at its very best