This British sketch-comedy series, which logged 13 episodes from 1983-84, showcased a truly amazing array of future stars, including Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Robbie Coltrane, and Paul Shearer. Alfresco's sketches straddled two schools of humor, balancing the pop-culture referential approach of Saturday Night Live with the anarchic surrealism of Monty Python's Flying Circus. American viewers may not catch some of the jokes referring to British mores, traditions, and personalities, but there are lots of laughs to be gleaned from the irreverent skits focusing on more familiar targets. Particularly impressive here are the polished performances of Fry and Laurie (already masters of comic timing), as well as the vivacity of Thompson, originally introduced to American audiences as a dramatic actress, but shown here to be a lively and brilliant comedienne. Like most topical comedies, Alfresco has dated somewhat in the quarter century since it first aired, but overall still retains its appeal, in large measure because of the presence of charming performers captured in their salad days. DVD extras include the three-episode pilot, cast biographies, filmographies, and an essay on the alternative comedy boom in 1980s Britain. Recommended. (E. Hulse)
Alfresco
Acorn, 2 discs, 315 min., not rated, DVD: $39.99 Volume 23, Issue 6
Alfresco
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