The Cheese Shop
Encyclopedia
The Cheese Shop were a troupe of six comedy writer-performers from the revue
circuit of University of Warwick
.
Between 1997 and 1999, Gerard Foster, Dave Lamb
, Gordon Southern
, Tim Verrinder, Ben Ward and Richie Webb
appeared in three series of their comedy sketch show The Cheese Shop Presents: The Butter Factor on BBC Radio 4
.
This show featured a number of sketches based around eccentric and outrageous characters, including drug-addicted and sexually deviant singer-songwriter Ted Ruby, maniac gardener Jack Finsborough, petty official Miles Stoat and an unnamed but inexperienced vet ("'Tortoise', you say? Hmm… I must write that down...")
The third series included a regular section called "Fellah's Hour" this was expanded in a fourth series of The Cheese Shop renamed "Fellah's Hour" but still written and performed by the same 6 writer performers and featuring many of the same characters.
Ben Ward, Gerard Foster and Richie Webb
also took part in the Saturday morning children’s TV programme Live & Kicking
, as Men In Trousers, a parody based on the 1997 film Men in Black
, where they all shared the same pair of trousers.
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
circuit of University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
.
Between 1997 and 1999, Gerard Foster, Dave Lamb
Dave Lamb
Dave Lamb is a British actor and voice-over artist best known for his work on Come Dine with Me as well as appearances in British television and radio programmes, especially comedy programmes. He also currently presents the CBBC game show Horrible Histories: Gory Games.- Early work :Lamb's first...
, Gordon Southern
Gordon Southern
Gordon Southern is a British comedian with over 16 years experience in the comedy scene. He regularly performs headlining gigs in England and all over the world, especially in Australia where he spends several months every year...
, Tim Verrinder, Ben Ward and Richie Webb
Richie Webb
Richie Webb is an award-winning British comedy writer, actor and composer. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School.As a writer and performer, he is perhaps best known for his work on BBC Radio 4 comedy programmes...
appeared in three series of their comedy sketch show The Cheese Shop Presents: The Butter Factor on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
.
This show featured a number of sketches based around eccentric and outrageous characters, including drug-addicted and sexually deviant singer-songwriter Ted Ruby, maniac gardener Jack Finsborough, petty official Miles Stoat and an unnamed but inexperienced vet ("'Tortoise', you say? Hmm… I must write that down...")
The third series included a regular section called "Fellah's Hour" this was expanded in a fourth series of The Cheese Shop renamed "Fellah's Hour" but still written and performed by the same 6 writer performers and featuring many of the same characters.
Ben Ward, Gerard Foster and Richie Webb
Richie Webb
Richie Webb is an award-winning British comedy writer, actor and composer. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School.As a writer and performer, he is perhaps best known for his work on BBC Radio 4 comedy programmes...
also took part in the Saturday morning children’s TV programme Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning children's magazine programme, running from 1993 to 2001. The fourth in a succession of Saturday morning shows, it was the replacement for Going Live!, and took many of its features from it, such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of...
, as Men In Trousers, a parody based on the 1997 film Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
, where they all shared the same pair of trousers.
Cast
- Dave Lamb went on to contribute to AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n comedy show Goodness Gracious MeGoodness Gracious Me (TV & radio)Goodness Gracious Me is a BBC English language sketch comedy show originally on BBC Radio 4 and later televised on BBC Two based on four British Indian actors: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal and Nina Wadia...
and is a prolific comedy actor. - Ben Ward wrote the remake of The Basil Brush Show, SMTV LiveSMTV LiveSMTV Live , also written SM:TV Live and in early promotional material SMTV://live, was a British Saturday morning children's television programme, first broadcast on ITV on 29 August 1998 and last broadcast on 27 December 2003.On the surface, the programme did not seem to stray away from the format...
, The Big BreakfastThe Big BreakfastThe Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former...
and the award-winning Disney series called Bus LifeBus LifeBus Life is an English mini-series that aired on Disney Channel in England from 2003-2004. Each episode airs between ad breaks and lasts around five minutes. It is currently airing in on Disney Channel Australia.-Plot:...
for which he was nominated as best Original Writer at the 2004 Children's BAFTAs. - Gerard Foster went on to write and star in a very successful Radio 4 sitcom called "At Home with the Snails"; he also wrote Young DraculaYoung DraculaYoung Dracula is a British children's fantasy television series airing on CBBC, loosely based on Young Dracula AND Young Monsters, a children's book by Michael Lawrence. Directed by Joss Agnew, the first series was broadcast in 2006, and the second series, which started in late 2007, concluded in...
and My Parents Are AliensMy Parents are AliensMy Parents are Aliens is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television and later Granada Productions for CITV about an eccentric family, which was produced as seven annual series, first broadcast in 1999 and ending in 2006...
. - Tim Verrinder is now a television director specialising in live television and events including music, comedy and entertainment.
- Gordon Southern is a stand up comedian.
- na na na cant touch this
- Richie WebbRichie WebbRichie Webb is an award-winning British comedy writer, actor and composer. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School.As a writer and performer, he is perhaps best known for his work on BBC Radio 4 comedy programmes...
writes and performs extensively on Radio 4 and is a prolific composer of music for TV