Stage Fright (Only Fools and Horses)

Last updated

"Stage Fright"
Only Fools and Horses episode
Episode no.Series 7
Episode 3
Directed by Tony Dow
Written by John Sullivan
Produced by Gareth Gwenlan
Original air date13 January 1991 (1991-01-13)
Running time50 minutes
  • 49:39 (DVD/iTunes)
Episode chronology
 Previous
"The Chance of a Lunchtime"
Next 
"The Class of '62"
List of episodes

"Stage Fright" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses . It was the third episode of series 7, and first broadcast on 13 January 1991.

Contents

In the episode, Del wins a contract to put on the entertainment at the Starlight Rooms, and arranges for Raquel and a club singer named Tony Angelino to perform a duet, unaware that Tony has a speech impairment. The scene when Raquel and Tony perform "Crying" was named the "8th Greatest Only Fools Moment" by UKTV Gold in December 2006. [1]

Synopsis

Raquel is now three months pregnant, and Del Boy has another get-rich-quick scheme when the Starlight Rooms, managed by an old friend, Eric, needs a good act. Del believes that Raquel's previous experience as a singer makes her perfect for the job. Raquel tells Del that her solicitors are trying to locate her ex-husband, and Del successfully convinces Raquel to marry him. He also reveals he is due in court in a week's time for fly-pitching.

Later, at the Down by the Riverside Club, Del and Rodney meet Trigger's friend, "Singing Dustman" Tony Angelino, who has modelled himself on a young Tom Jones and singing – fairly well – to various old women who cheer for him. Although Rodney thinks he is tacky, Del thinks that Tony would be the perfect singing partner for Raquel. He then gets Tony to sign a contract by pretending to ask for an autograph, then tells him all about the upcoming performance at the Starlight Rooms with Raquel. Tony agrees to do the performance, with Raquel as his partner, Del as their manager, and Rodney as their roadie. Tony warns Del that he can only sing certain songs, but Del refuses to listen to his pleas.

The next day at The Nag's Head, Del learns that the Starlight Rooms are owned by a local gangster named Eugene McCarthy, who has been known to nail people to doors. To further complicate matters, the night Raquel and Tony are due to perform is also Eugene's mother's birthday.

That night, Del eventually makes it to the Starlight Rooms after being in court. Eric introduces Raquel, who starts singing "Crying". The audience are captivated, until Tony takes to the stage and sings along. Only then does it emerge why Tony only sings certain songs; he has a rhotacism, causing him to pronounce his Rs as Ws, making "Crying" sound like "Cwying". Del hastily escapes after the song is over, while Rodney applauds sympathetically.

Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del is concerned about what Eugene will do to him, until a humiliated Raquel and a jovial Rodney both enter. Raquel reveals that she and Tony carried on with the performance, singing "Please Welease Me", "Congwatulations", and the "Gween Gween Gwass of Home", followed by a medley of "wock and woll".

Tony shows up for his money, and Del pays him, Raquel, and Rodney. Tony then talks about how his rhotacism has discriminated him, and although he is a talented singer, he can only sing songs without any Rs in them. With that said, Tony gets paid (after hesitation from Del) and leaves, Del gets a phone call from Eugene, who says that his mother thought Raquel and Tony's performance was the funniest thing she had seen, and he wants to book Tony and Raquel on a five-week contract at the Starlight Rooms. Del tells Raquel, Rodney and Albert and then runs out to call Tony back from the balcony and tell him, "Hang about, Tony. I've got you some more bookings. Stick with me, son, I'll make you wich!"

Episode cast

ActorRole
David Jason Derek Trotter
Nicholas Lyndhurst Rodney Trotter
Buster Merryfield Albert Trotter
Tessa Peake-Jones Raquel Turner
John Challis Boycie
Roger Lloyd-Pack Trigger
Kenneth MacDonald Mike Fisher
Philip Pope Tony Angelino
Trevor Byfield Eric
Roger Blake Eugene McCarthy
Lyn Langridge First woman

Music

Related Research Articles

Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor.

<i>Only Fools and Horses</i> British TV sitcom (1981–2003)

Only Fools and Horses.... is a British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until the end of the show in 2003. Set in working-class Peckham in south-east London, it stars David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger half-brother Rodney Trotter, alongside a supporting cast. The series follows the Trotters' highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from BAFTA, the National Television Awards, and the Royal Television Society, as well as winning individual accolades for both Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Trotter</span> Fictional character from Only Fools and Horses

Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the long running BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying (Roy Orbison song)</span> 1961 song by Roy Orbison

"Crying" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third studio album of the same name (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number 2 hit in the US for Orbison and was covered in 1978 by Don McLean, whose version went to number 1 in the UK in 1980.

Tessa Peake-Jones is an English actress who has appeared in The Danedyke Mystery (1979), Pride and Prejudice (1980), When We Are Married (1987), Up the Garden Path (1990–1993), So Haunt Me (1992–1994), The Demon Headmaster (1996–1998), The History of Tom Jones: a Foundling (1997), Summer in the Suburbs (2000), Poppy Shakespeare (2008), Doctors (2009–2011) and Unforgotten (2015).

"The Jolly Boys' Outing" is the eighth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1989. Despite being aired as a Christmas special, it is set on an August bank holiday weekend, and sees Del and the gang go on a road trip to Margate.

"Dates" is the seventh Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first broadcast on 25 December 1988. In the episode, Del Boy joins a dating agency and meets Raquel. Rodney also goes on a date, with Nag's Head barmaid Nerys.

"Fatal Extraction" is the twelfth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first broadcast on 25 December 1993. In the episode, Raquel leaves Del so in response he asks out another woman. When he and Raquel are reconciled, Del becomes convinced that the woman is stalking him.

Rachel "Raquel" Turner is a fictional character from the BBC television sitcom Only Fools and Horses, in which she is Del Boy's long-term partner. She is portrayed by Tessa Peake-Jones.

"Modern Men" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy and the fourteenth Christmas special, first screened on 27 December 1996. In the episode, Del Boy is a reading a new lifestyle book, Modern Man. Later, Cassandra suffers a miscarriage.

"Strangers on the Shore...!" is An episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2002 as the second part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, the seventeenth Christmas special and the 63rd episode of the series.

"Sleepless in Peckham...!" is the final episode of BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the eighteenth and final Christmas special. It was the last Only Fools and Horses-related episode until the Sport Relief special in March 2014.

"Rodney Come Home" is the ninth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1990.

"The Sky's the Limit" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 7, and first broadcast on 30 December 1990. In the episode, Del acquires a satellite dish for Boycie, unaware that it has been stolen from Gatwick Airport.

"The Chance of a Lunchtime" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 7 and first broadcast on 6 January 1991. In the episode, Raquel auditions for a role in a Shakespeare play. Elsewhere, Del tries to sell musical national anthem doorbells.

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the fifth episode of series 7, and was first broadcast on 27 January 1991. In the episode, Uncle Albert comes home claiming to have been mugged and, thinking he has become a burden, decides to leave Nelson Mandela House.

"Three Men, a Woman and a Baby" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 7 and was first broadcast on 3 February 1991. This is the last episode of the last regular series, although Christmas specials were broadcast intermittently until 2003. In this episode, the birth of Del and Raquel's baby is imminent. Damien Trotter appears in the show for the first time in the episode's finale.

"Miami Twice" is the two-part tenth Christmas special edition of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The first episode, on-screen subtitle "The American Dream", was first screened on 24 December 1991. The second episode of "Miami Twice" was first screened the following day, 25 December 1991. The second episode is subtitled "Oh to Be in England".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Done It My Way</span> 7th episode of the 4th series of The Green Green Grass

"I Done It My Way" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It aired on 19 February 2009, as the seventh episode of the fourth series. This episode acted as a 'clip show' for both Only Fools and Horses and The Green Green Grass. In total, the episode contained around forty clips, some of which were made specially for this episode. When series 4 was released on DVD, both separately, as well as part of a box set, the episode was left out, because of the archive clips. Even digital comedy channel Gold refuse to show the episode because of this, and is not available to watch on any catch-up services, including BBC iPlayer.

References

  1. "Top 10 Only Fools Moments". Gold. 21 December 2006. Retrieved 21 December 2006.