Tony Robinson's Cunning Night Out!

Tony Robinson is probably best known to American audiences as the lovable dullard Baldrick from Rowan Atkinson's hilarious Blackadder series, a PBS staple for years. But despite the fact that the title is drawn from that character's catchphrase about having “a cunning plan,” this one-man show—successfully performed across the U.K. and taped here before a live audience at the town hall in Cheltenham in June 2007—finds Robinson presenting what amounts to a standup routine on his own life and career, employing photos and film clips to illustrate parts of his story. While mostly engaging, Robinson is unfortunately a bit out of his element here, lacking the mastery of timing and tone that marks the best standup. Moreover, many of the television programs Robinson discusses will be unfamiliar to U.S. viewers, since they were never exported to these shores. On the other hand, the actor's description of his first stage appearance as the Artful Dodger in Lionel Bart's Oliver! will ring a bell, while his reminiscences about the Blackadder experience will also be welcomed by fans on this side of the Atlantic. DVD extras include bonus footage, as well as a Q&A session with the audience. Optional. Aud: P. (F. Swietek)