A fake Van Gogh, a royal visit, and two porters about to ruin EVERYTHING.
All seems ready for a major sale of impressionist paintings to be graced by a royal visit. But panic erupts in the boardroom when the pedigree of the Van Gogh - to be sold by the Russians - is questioned. When it causes a scene between the porters, Les and Mick, a respectable firm is forced to take drastic action to save the big day.
Acting
Peter Vaughan's Les — magnificent deadpan desperation.
Writing
Ian La Frenais' script: every lie breeds two worse ones.
Direction
Richard Wilson stages escalating disaster like a maestro.
Director
Richard Wilson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ian La Frenais co-created 'Porridge' and 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet' — this fits his obsession with working-class ingenuity beating the system.
Made for Thames TV in 1984, when British television still regularly produced single-play comedies this sharp — a format now nearly extinct.
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