Just William

Just William - Live!

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

William Holds The Stage

20121223

20130826 (R4)

Last May, as part of Winchester's Best of British Festival in celebration of the Jubilee, Martin Jarvis performed the first of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage.

In William Holds the Stage, when an old boy of the school gives a lecture on Hamlet, William gets a somewhat confused idea that Shakespeare's plays were written by a man called Ham, and that Shakespeare poisoned Ham, and stole the plays and pretended he had written them. Then a man called Bacon got involved and possibly someone called Eggs as well.

When it's announced that the class will perform a scene from Hamlet in front of a live audience, William decides that, despite being cast as an attendant, he'd prefer to play the leading role himself. But things don't go entirely to plan.

A packed house at the Theatre Royal rocks with laughter as Jarvis performs William's hilariously inventive version of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Just William as 'stand-up'.

Performed by Martin Jarvis

Director: Rosalind Ayres.

A Jarvis and Ayres Production for BBC Radio 4.

William wants to impress Dorinda.

02 LAST

Aunt Arabelle In Charge

20121230

20130830 (R4)

In 2012, as part of Winchester's Best of British Festival in celebration of the Jubilee, Martin Jarvis performed the second of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage.

In Aunt Arabelle in Charge, William and his faithful Outlaws (Ginger, Douglas and Henry) encounter a strangely complacent six year old who is staying in the village. This odious child turns out to be the hugely famous Anthony Martin, subject of his mother's best-selling books and poems.

The Outlaws need to redeem themselves in the admittedly short-sighted eyes of Ginger's journalist aunt. She, equally, is desperate to secure an exclusive interview with the child star. It's soon clear that this wonderfully constructed story is a brilliant parody of - who else - A.A. Milne's Christopher Robin.

The packed Winchester audience understood this at once. In Jarvis' inhabitation of both the smug infant and Ginger's aunt, the comedy is unremitting.

Can William sort this out and, incidentally, give the horrific child his just deserts? Blackmail is the answer, of course.

Performed by Martin Jarvis

Director: Rosalind Ayres

A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.

William meets a famous six-year-old.

The Outlaws And The Triplets

20140323

20141212 (R4)

As a highlight of last year's Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Martin Jarvis performed the first of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage.

In 'The Outlaws and The Triplets', Henry's mother demands he takes his baby sister out in her pram. The Outlaws loyally join him on this 'walk of shame'. The problem is that they end up with three babies and three prams. Which one is theirs?

A packed house rocks with laughter as Jarvis, genius of the spoken word, dazzles his audience with Just William as a 'stand-up' classic.

Performed by Martin Jarvis

Director: Rosalind Ayres.

A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.

Martin Jarvis performs the first of two comic classics at Cheltenham Festival.

02 LAST

The New Neighbour

20140330

20141219 (R4)

As a highlight of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in October, Martin Jarvis performed the second of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage.

In The New Neighbour, William Brown is at his lateral-thinking best. How to rid the village of a horrific newcomer who torments his neighbours? William, master of human psychology, devises a brilliant plan. But, when the local policeman intervenes, will it work?

Dazzling stand-up from Jarvis - as William, and every other character. A comic tour de force.

Performed by Martin Jarvis

Director: Rosalind Ayres.

A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.

Martin Jarvis performs the second of two comic classics at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Christmas Truce

20171224

Martin Jarvis performs the first of two Just William stories by Richmal Crompton in front of an enthusiastic, invited audience at the Riverhouse Barn Theatre, Walton on Thames in Surrey.

In The Christmas Truce, William's arch-enemy Hubert Lane and his cronies sabotage William's Christmas party. William and his Outlaws are then forced by conniving mothers to attend Hubert's party in return. So can they execute a pleasing and satisfactory revenge?

Director: Rosalind Ayres

A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.

Martin Jarvis performs The Christmas Truce by Richmal Crompton for a live audience.

02 LAST

Violet Elizabeth Runs Away

20171231

Martin Jarvis performs the second of two Just William stories by Richmal Crompton in front of an enthusiastic, invited audience at the Riverhouse Barn Theatre, Walton on Thames in Surrey.

In Violet Elizabeth Runs Away, Martin tells the tale of six year old control-freak Violet Elizabeth Bott and her determination to latch onto William Brown and his faithful friends, the Outlaws. If they don't let her stick with them following her escape from school, she'll 'scweam and scweam and scweam 'til she's sick'. She can too. Reluctantly, William allows her to spend the afternoon with them. But then fate takes an unexpected turn.

Director: Rosalind Ayres

A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.

Martin Jarvis performs Violet Elizabeth Runs Away by Richmal Crompton for a live audience.

William And The School Report

20190501

20220503 (R4)

Award-winning Martin Jarvis performs the first of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage. It's Just William as stand-up!

It's the last day of term. William is depressed. He's got to have holiday coaching unless his school report is a really good one.

It isn't. It's the worst he's ever had.

As he walks slowly home through the woods he meets an old lady. She's lost. It's his father's aunt who is coming to lunch at his house. Then William has one of his most brilliantly lateral ideas.

A packed house at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, Surrey rocks with laughter as Martin Jarvis performs as William and the batty aunt.

Director: Rosalind Ayres.

A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4

Martin Jarvis performs a comic classic at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.

02 LAST

William And The Musician

20190508

20220510 (R4)

Award-winning Martin Jarvis performs the second of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage. It's Just William as stand-up!

William's imagination runs away with him when he tells an impoverished Punch and Judy man that he owns The Hall and is giving a garden party there. The little man believes him.

In fact, the event is courtesy of local wannabe Mrs Bott and she has invited a celebrated musician, Zevrier, to perform. When the Punch and Judy man turns up on the day to entertain, can William prevent a creative catastrophe?

A packed house at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond rocks with laughter as Martin Jarvis plays William himself - and everybody else. He is joined by violinist Sophie Mather who plays Zevrier's frightfully modern' music.

Violin music composed by Richard Sisson

Director: Rosalind Ayres

A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4

Martin Jarvis performs a comic classic at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
03	01	William Holds The Stage	20121223	20130826 (R4)	Last May, as part of Winchester's Best of British Festival in celebration of the Jubilee, Martin Jarvis performed the first of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage. In William Holds the Stage, when an old boy of the school gives a lecture on Hamlet, William gets a somewhat confused idea that Shakespeare's plays were written by a man called Ham, and that Shakespeare poisoned Ham, and stole the plays and pretended he had written them. Then a man called Bacon got involved and possibly someone called Eggs as well. When it's announced that the class will perform a scene from Hamlet in front of a live audience, William decides that, despite being cast as an attendant, he'd prefer to play the leading role himself. But things don't go entirely to plan. A packed house at the Theatre Royal rocks with laughter as Jarvis performs William's hilariously inventive version of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Just William as 'stand-up'. Performed by Martin Jarvis Director: Rosalind Ayres. A Jarvis and Ayres Production for BBC Radio 4. William wants to impress Dorinda.
03	02 LAST	Aunt Arabelle In Charge	20121230	20130830 (R4)	In 2012, as part of Winchester's Best of British Festival in celebration of the Jubilee, Martin Jarvis performed the second of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage. In Aunt Arabelle in Charge, William and his faithful Outlaws (Ginger, Douglas and Henry) encounter a strangely complacent six year old who is staying in the village. This odious child turns out to be the hugely famous Anthony Martin, subject of his mother's best-selling books and poems. The Outlaws need to redeem themselves in the admittedly short-sighted eyes of Ginger's journalist aunt. She, equally, is desperate to secure an exclusive interview with the child star. It's soon clear that this wonderfully constructed story is a brilliant parody of - who else - A.A. Milne's Christopher Robin. The packed Winchester audience understood this at once. In Jarvis' inhabitation of both the smug infant and Ginger's aunt, the comedy is unremitting. Can William sort this out and, incidentally, give the horrific child his just deserts? Blackmail is the answer, of course. Performed by Martin Jarvis Director: Rosalind Ayres A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4. William meets a famous six-year-old.
04	01	The Outlaws And The Triplets	20140323	20141212 (R4)	As a highlight of last year's Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Martin Jarvis performed the first of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage. In 'The Outlaws and The Triplets', Henry's mother demands he takes his baby sister out in her pram. The Outlaws loyally join him on this 'walk of shame'. The problem is that they end up with three babies and three prams. Which one is theirs? A packed house rocks with laughter as Jarvis, genius of the spoken word, dazzles his audience with Just William as a 'stand-up' classic. Performed by Martin Jarvis Director: Rosalind Ayres. A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4. Martin Jarvis performs the first of two comic classics at Cheltenham Festival.
04	02 LAST	The New Neighbour	20140330	20141219 (R4)	As a highlight of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in October, Martin Jarvis performed the second of two of Richmal Crompton's comic classics, live on-stage. In The New Neighbour, William Brown is at his lateral-thinking best. How to rid the village of a horrific newcomer who torments his neighbours? William, master of human psychology, devises a brilliant plan. But, when the local policeman intervenes, will it work? Dazzling stand-up from Jarvis - as William, and every other character. A comic tour de force. Performed by Martin Jarvis Director: Rosalind Ayres. A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4. Martin Jarvis performs the second of two comic classics at the Cheltenham Festival.
05	01	The Christmas Truce	20171224		Martin Jarvis performs the first of two Just William stories by Richmal Crompton in front of an enthusiastic, invited audience at the Riverhouse Barn Theatre, Walton on Thames in Surrey. In The Christmas Truce, William's arch-enemy Hubert Lane and his cronies sabotage William's Christmas party. William and his Outlaws are then forced by conniving mothers to attend Hubert's party in return. So can they execute a pleasing and satisfactory revenge? Director: Rosalind Ayres A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4. Martin Jarvis performs The Christmas Truce by Richmal Crompton for a live audience.
05	02 LAST	Violet Elizabeth Runs Away	20171231		Martin Jarvis performs the second of two Just William stories by Richmal Crompton in front of an enthusiastic, invited audience at the Riverhouse Barn Theatre, Walton on Thames in Surrey. In Violet Elizabeth Runs Away, Martin tells the tale of six year old control-freak Violet Elizabeth Bott and her determination to latch onto William Brown and his faithful friends, the Outlaws. If they don't let her stick with them following her escape from school, she'll 'scweam and scweam and scweam 'til she's sick'. She can too. Reluctantly, William allows her to spend the afternoon with them. But then fate takes an unexpected turn. Director: Rosalind Ayres A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4. Martin Jarvis performs Violet Elizabeth Runs Away by Richmal Crompton for a live audience.
06	01	William And The School Report	20190501	20220503 (R4)	Award-winning Martin Jarvis performs the first of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage. It's Just William as stand-up! It's the last day of term. William is depressed. He's got to have holiday coaching unless his school report is a really good one. It isn't. It's the worst he's ever had. As he walks slowly home through the woods he meets an old lady. She's lost. It's his father's aunt who is coming to lunch at his house. Then William has one of his most brilliantly lateral ideas. A packed house at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, Surrey rocks with laughter as Martin Jarvis performs as William and the batty aunt. Director: Rosalind Ayres. A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4 Martin Jarvis performs a comic classic at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.
06	02 LAST	William And The Musician	20190508	20220510 (R4)	Award-winning Martin Jarvis performs the second of two Richmal Crompton comic classics, live on-stage. It's Just William as stand-up! William's imagination runs away with him when he tells an impoverished Punch and Judy man that he owns The Hall and is giving a garden party there. The little man believes him. In fact, the event is courtesy of local wannabe Mrs Bott and she has invited a celebrated musician, Zevrier, to perform. When the Punch and Judy man turns up on the day to entertain, can William prevent a creative catastrophe? A packed house at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond rocks with laughter as Martin Jarvis plays William himself - and everybody else. He is joined by violinist Sophie Mather who plays Zevrier's frightfully modern' music. Violin music composed by Richard Sisson Director: Rosalind Ayres A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4 Martin Jarvis performs a comic classic at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.