British Comedy Radio
Season 1
The Navy Lark : NANA
Hancocks Half Hour - The First Night Party
by Westward Media
HMS Troutbridge sets sail with Phillips let loose on a new navigational aid. Starring Leslie Phillips as the Sub-Lieutenant, Jon Pertwee as the Chief Petty Officer, Stephen Murray as the Commanding Officer, Richard Caldicot as Captain Povey, Heather Chasen as Wren Chasen, Tenniel Evans as the Admiral and Michael Bates as Mr Harris. Scripted by Lawrie Wyman and George Evans. Producer: Alastair Scott Johnston. First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in November 1975 : Series 15, Episode 2
Welcome to British Comedy Radio, where we celebrate the golden age of British radio comedy. Today we're taking you right back to the very beginning with Hancock's Half Hour, Series 1, Episode 1, "The First Night Party." First broadcast by the BBC on 2nd November 1954, this landmark episode introduced listeners to Tony Hancock's wonderfully pompous yet hopelessly accident-prone character, brilliantly written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. In this opening adventure, Hancock decides to throw a party to celebrate the launch of his new radio series. As you'd expect, the evening quickly descends into a succession of misunderstandings, awkward encounters and classic Hancock chaos, with loyal sidekick Sid James on hand to help—or perhaps make matters even worse. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode that launched one of Britain's greatest comedy series. This is Hancock's Half Hour – "The First Night Party."
Welcome aboard HMS Troutbridge for a wonderfully chaotic voyage with the crew of one of radio's most accident-prone ships. First broadcast on 19 April 1959, The Fairground Lights finds the officers and ratings entangled in yet another seemingly simple task that, in true Navy Lark fashion, rapidly descends into confusion, misunderstandings and comic disaster. Featuring the familiar talents of Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Dennis Price, this early episode perfectly captures the charm of the series: eccentric naval characters, ingenious schemes, and the constant threat of Commander Povey discovering exactly what his crew have been up to. So, batten down the hatches, keep clear of the electrical wiring, and prepare for thirty minutes of classic British radio comedy as we present The Navy Lark – "The Fairground Lights."