# Identify a PBS televised comedy play

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 8, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089 "2016-11-08T18:40:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/1 "2016-11-08T18:40:54Z")

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I think it was in the 80s or 90s. I think it was an English playwright, (maybe Ayckbourn?). It was shown on our public TV station.

It involved married couples and was one of those “misunderstandings leading to outrageous double entendres and further misunderstandings” situations to the nth degree. It was very funny.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/2 "2016-11-08T18:52:11Z")

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Ayckbourn’s _[The Norman Conquests](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Norman_Conquests)_ were aired on PBS in 1978.

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**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/3 "2016-11-08T19:12:56Z")

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It might have been [_ **Absurd Person Singular** _](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088667/), also by Ayckbourn, which originally aired on BBC in 1985. It was on the Beeb again a year or two later, and no doubt was on PBS around then or a little later, especially with Prunella ‘Sybil Fawlty’ Scales being one of APS’ stars.

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/4 "2016-11-08T22:32:52Z")

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> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> Ayckbourn’s _[The Norman Conquests](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Norman_Conquests)_ were aired on PBS in 1978.

My first guess as well. Very good job by Tom Conti. Here’s the IMDb [page](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4322992/) if you want to see if any of the actors look familiar. Note: It was a 3 parter but I remember watching it in one go.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/5 "2016-11-09T00:21:27Z")

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\*The Norman Conquests \* is the name of three interconnected plays, all set the same weekend. They’ve even performed all three plays simultaneously on different stages, with actors performing the roles in all three each evening.

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**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-a-pbs-televised-comedy-play/771089/6 "2016-11-09T17:33:35Z")

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I had watched Norman Conquests and it wasn’t the one. I’ll try the other one.