GLASGOW HERALD ARTICLE:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/62816.html:

Goody! Comedy stars to reform for festival

ALLAN LAING May 26 2006

MORE than 30 years after they first inflicted themselves upon an unsuspecting nation, The Goodies are set to reform for this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Goody-goody-yum-yum, you might say. Or, then again, you might not.

Now all in their sixties, they will reprise their classic comedy routines each evening between August 4 and 27 at the Assembly Rooms Music Hall in George Street.

However, conspicuous by his absence live on stage will be Bill Oddie. Due to filming commitments for his wildlife show, he will be unable to take part. Instead, he will join the other two - Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor - through the wonders of pre-recorded video inserts.

A spokeswoman for the Assembly Rooms said yesterday: "It is definitely happening. It all started when they appeared together at the Big Laugh comedy festival in Australia recently. It was very successful so they talked about bringing it to Edinburgh. Now it has been confirmed - and that's great.

"Tim and Graeme will be on stage. Unfortunately, Bill can't make it because he's away with his birds. But he'll be there on video."

The trio, who first met as undergraduates involved in the Cambridge University Footlights, still express amazement at being remembered by anyone at all. The Goodies, a combination of surreal and slapstick comedy, started in 1970 and ran until 1982 on BBC2. The series twice won the Silver Rose at Montreux.

Adored by a loyal following, it was something of an acquired taste. Many people dismissed it as childish humour while, famously, campaigner Mary Whitehouse condemned it for being "too sexually orientated".

In the TV show, they dressed as mice, perpetually fell off a tandem, and bred a plague of Rolf Harrises in their own safari park.

The Edinburgh stage show is likely to concentrate on a mixture of insights and reminiscences with sketches, clips, and audience talkback thrown in.

With both Aberdeen-born Garden and Brooke-Taylor fast approaching bus pass age, there is unlikely to be a great deal of physical action involved.

However, the prospect of the Funky Gibbon sung live on stage should help/hinder (delete according to taste) the box office returns.

Playing in Scotland, they may be tempted to perform their kilted Scotsman sketch.

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CHORTLE ARTICLE:

Oldies but Goodies

Cult heroes head for Edinburgh

 
The Goodies are to perform live at this year's Edinburgh Festival.

Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden will follow the success of a recent Australian tour will a full run of dates at the Assembly Rooms.

However, Bill Oddie will not be appearing on stage, as he will be tied up with filming commitments. But he has recorded video inserts for the show.

The Australian shows saw the Goodies reminisce about the making of their cult TV classic, interspersed with videos of their greatest hits

The 90-minute show will be on at the venue's Music Hall at 5.30pm from August 4 to 27.

The Goodies are not the only act for nostalgia buffs at this year's Fringe. The Krankies and Bernie Clifton have both announced one-off dates.

Tickets for all the shows will go on sale once the Fringe programme is published on June 8.