The Royle Family Series 1 : The Scripts

In these pages we are invited to follow the high points of the Royle social calendar; the preparations for Denise and Dave's wedding, Mam's new job at the bakers; Dad's knock-off jeans purchase, and Antony's trips to the fag shop.

Owing more than a nod to its Ps & Qs counterpart Abigail's Party, The Royle Family echoes Mike Leigh's play in its claustrophobic representation of life in small-time Britain. The focus this time is on the working--or not working--class. The hearts and voices of the show's ensemble cast made the Royle family spring to life; but the actors' blueprint was already well established, and the flavour of the series is immediately evident in these scripts. It's true--character dialogue is lifelike to the point of an-afternoon-with-Auntie-Marge tedium, but salvation comes when the blackest of comedy undercurrents strolls among the minefields of small-talk and resigned suffrage.

Aherne and Cash have certainly demonstrated rare talent in their ability to reproduce these folk from the real world-but you may find yourself wishing they'd had the nerve to go on to comment on the society represented-instead of leaving the reader/viewer to do that work themselves.

In any case, fans of The Royle Family know exactly what they are getting with this compendium (the only extra inclusion being a short introduction from the writers). For them, it's true, there may be few surprises--but certainly, a lot of laughs. --Helen Lamont