Megla is putting on an opera, and the Russian Ambassador ( Philip Stone ) has been invited. Celia and her lover Tom ( Oliver Cotton ) are there too. Everyone who works at Megla has been invited - except for Nesbitt, and he is not happy about it. So he decides to gate-crash...
Another Yorkshire Pudding that failed to rise. This episode is similar to an edition of 'The Galton & Simpson Playhouse broadcast in 1977 entitled 'Swap You One Of These For One Of Those'. Only then Richard Briers was attempting to gate-crash a wife-swapping party. Stephanie Cole, of 'Open All Hours' and 'Waiting For God' fame, appears as 'Audrey', Hughes' new companion. The plot takes a twist when Madame Markova ( Miranda Forbes ), the famous opera singer, wants to defect and moves in with Nesbitt. You think here we are going to get some witty scenes with the Russian lady being mystified by British culture but it does not happen. Harry Fowler has a small role as a commissionaire. One of his lines - 'its flatter than a witch's t-t' originated in 'Steptoe & Son'. That Ray Galton felt the need to plagiarize his own work tells you a lot about this show.
Funniest moment - having failed to gain entry to the opera by forging a ticket, Nesbitt climbs up into the rafters to see the performance. Unfortunately, he knocks over an old Big Mac box and it lands on the head of the male tenor!
Another Yorkshire Pudding that failed to rise. This episode is similar to an edition of 'The Galton & Simpson Playhouse broadcast in 1977 entitled 'Swap You One Of These For One Of Those'. Only then Richard Briers was attempting to gate-crash a wife-swapping party. Stephanie Cole, of 'Open All Hours' and 'Waiting For God' fame, appears as 'Audrey', Hughes' new companion. The plot takes a twist when Madame Markova ( Miranda Forbes ), the famous opera singer, wants to defect and moves in with Nesbitt. You think here we are going to get some witty scenes with the Russian lady being mystified by British culture but it does not happen. Harry Fowler has a small role as a commissionaire. One of his lines - 'its flatter than a witch's t-t' originated in 'Steptoe & Son'. That Ray Galton felt the need to plagiarize his own work tells you a lot about this show.
Funniest moment - having failed to gain entry to the opera by forging a ticket, Nesbitt climbs up into the rafters to see the performance. Unfortunately, he knocks over an old Big Mac box and it lands on the head of the male tenor!