Oh, The Places We've Seen: Part 3

As I said in Part 2, London falls outside the itinerary for this year's trip to England. But there were many great sites we visited, and as we plan out this year's trip, I thought I'd share some of special moments with you.

Two of our favorite British sitcoms (or, if you prefer, Britcoms), are "Yes Minister" and its sequel "Yes, Prime Minister." As in the United States, the British Prime Minister lives and conducts business with politicians, civil servants, and world leaders from his home in the nation's capital. 10 Downing Street isn't like the White House: it's just a row house, connected to other row houses in Whitehall. While I didn't expect the grandeur of the White House, on our first trip to England I had hoped to get a clear view of the doorway through which James Hacker, Bernard Wooley, and James Hacker came and left. Sadly, the home of the British Prime Minister doesn't make for a very good photograph, at least not for the casual overseas visitor. 

Unless, that is, you like photos of guards with guns. Then it's awesome.

Oh yeah, show me that heavy artillery! Yes!!!

This year, we've been watching another Britcom that was recently released on DVD. It's called "No Job For A Lady," and stars Penelope Keith, best known for her role as Margot Ledbetter on "Good Neighbors" and Audrey fforbes-Hamilton on "To The Manor Born." In this series she plays Jean Price, a member of Parliament for the Labour Party. She sees herself as an ordinary woman: a woman for the people and of the people. She's not rich, nor does she readily align herself with businesses, unless she's sure the result will be to help the poor and needy. She doesn't even own a car. She rides her bicycle into London each day, chains it to the fence outside the Palace of Westminster, and goes into the House of Commons, where she meets with other politicians and the people she represents. 

"No Job for a Lady" may not be as important as "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister," but it shines a bright light on the life of the ordinary, lowly MP. Yes, that's right, I said lowly. As a member of the Labour Party, set before Tony Blair's big win in 1997, Jean Price serves in the Opposition. Consequently, she and her fellow Labour MPs hold little power beyond influence. Still, through grit and determination, Jean Price manages to get some good things done, while working in one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

On our most recent visit, in November 2013, we walked the streets of London dressed in our thick jackets, with knitted hats covering our heads and gloves on our hands. Between sites of interest, we hopped on the bus, and enjoyed a few brief moments out of the cold and the wind. One day, we decided to try something different, and boarded a water taxi instead. This allowed us to see the Palace of Westminster as many other visitors and locals see it: from the River Thames. 

As for the Daleks, the water taxi ride allowed them to relive a moment of glory, when their fellows invaded London and ruled the world, in the classic Doctor Who story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth." 

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links
Watch the trailer for "No Job for a Lady"

Remembering Nigel Hawthorne

Whitehall, home to Sir Humphrey Appleby

As you all know, I love the British sitcoms Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. In the two series, Nigel Hawthorne played the role of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the man in charge of the civil servants who work in the Ministry of Administrative Affairs. He carried the role with such style and aplomb, and always more than held his own when playing his scenes with many other formidable British actors. As he played starring roles in lots of subsequent productions, I assumed he had always been a highly sought-out actor. But a documentary on his life, included on the Yes Minister DVD set, makes it clear that he found no real success in acting for the first thirty years of his life. 

Growing up in South Africa, he received no encouragement whatsoever from his parents regarding his desired career. So he returned to England, the country of his birth, and took whatever little acting parts he could get. All his TV roles were bit parts, for the most part minor appearances in shows unremarkable and long forgotten. He suffered alone, without anyone to champion his cause, never giving up on acting (as so many actors do), until he finally landed the role of Sir Humphrey on Yes Minister. Finally, at the age of 50, he found a part for which he was ideally suited, and which resonated with the viewing public. That role made him a star with the British public, freed him from the necessity of taking on bit parts, and finally allowed him to sink his teeth into major roles in other productions.

Talk about determination! Talk about persistence! Talk about never giving up on your dreams!

Amazing.

If you'd like to watch this short film about his life (split into three 15 minute segments), follow the link below.

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links
Nigel Hawthorne Remembered 

The Sausage that Brings Isolation: Part 1

From movies and TV, we all know where the Prime Minister of Britain lives: in 10 Downing Street.  When a crisis arises (such as in the episode “Aliens of London” in “Doctor Who”), political and military leaders converge on this seemingly nondescript building in Whitehall.   When a new political party takes control of the House of Commons (as in the film “Love Actually”), a limousine rolls up outside the building, and out walks the new Prime Minister (in this case, played by Hugh Grant).   Or, as portrayed in the first “Yes, Minister” episode, when James Hacker gets a call from the Prime Minister, we next see him outside Number 10, and learn that he has just become Minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs (DAA).  

I had chosen to tour Whitehall this evening, not only because the DAA would have been located there, but also because I wanted to see this famous building (and residence).  I didn’t expect to see the Prime Minster standing outside, or to be ushered into the Cabinet Room to speak with him (an honor accorded the staff of Grace Brothers department store in an episode of “Are You Being Served”), but I had hoped to see the 10 Downing Street that I was familiar with from the episode “The Key” in Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn’s sequel series “Yes, Prime Minister.

In “Party Games,” the last episode of “Yes, Minister,” Sir Humphrey Appleby is promoted to the role of Cabinet Secretary, the highest Civil Service position in Britain.  Then the Prime Minister announces he will retire before the next election, and DAA Minister James Hacker ends up succeeding him through party machinations and the furor he arouses over the so-called “English Sausage.”  In “The Key,” Sir Humphrey is trying too hard to control Hacker, so the new Prime Minister changes the lock to the hallway that has, until now, allowed Sir Humphrey to burst in on any meeting he is conducting.  With his way through the intervening corridor blocked, Sir Humphrey walks outside, past a typical English policeman or “bobby,” and the people standing outside waist-high metal fencing.  He is only prevented from visiting entering Number 10 by another “bobby” who tells him his name is not on the daily list, so he cannot be admitted.  Had I done my homework, I would have read of the IRA bombing in 1991, several years after “The Key” was filmed.  Thus, I would not have been flabbergasted to see this.

Not your typical English "bobbies"

Clearly, my beloved Fiction had let me down.

This story will conclude in my next post: The Sausage that Brings Isolation: Part 2

“Aliens of London” is included in Doctor Who Series 1, which features the exploits of the Ninth Doctor (portrayed by Christopher Eccleston).  “Party Games” and “The Key” are included in “Yes, Prime Minister.”  Both series, as with "Are You Being Served?" and the movie "Love Actually" are available on DVD (and well worth watching).

Walking Whitehall

Imagine you are an MP (a Member of Britain’s Parliament), and unlike Alan B’Stard in the TV series “The New Statesman”, you actually care about the party, your country, and the people you represent.  When you aren’t visiting your constituency, or debating in the House of Commons, you might find yourself at work in your office located in a district of London near the Palace of Westminster known as Whitehall.  In fact, many key scenes in the first two seasons of “The New Statesman” take place in B’Stard’s office, as he fashions his latest scheme to enrich himself and carefully nudges it into motion.  


Suppose you have proven your ability to wield popular support with both the public and your party.  If your party’s leaders find you capable (and your party holds the majority in parliament), you might find yourself, like James Hacker in the TV series “Yes, Minister” being requested by the Prime Minister to run a government department.  In that case, you would move from your office in Whitehall…to an office in another area of Whitehall.


Whitehall is an unassuming place of power.  As I walked its streets in the relative quiet of an evening when the politicians were engaged in the House of Commons, I saw people entering and exiting buildings, a few parties of caterers and other service staff, and the occasional policeman.  Not wanting the latter to question me as to why I should be interested in photographing nondescript government buildings, for the most part I contented myself with studying architectural details and taking in the area’s vibe.   But I had to wonder: if Hacker’s Department of Administrative Affairs were not fictitious, where might it be housed among other real-world departments such as the Admiralty, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office?

Old buildings jostle for preeminence in Whitehall.

While numerous scenes depict B’Stard in the House of Commons, none are set there in “Yes, Minister.”  Following its creators’ belief that actual government is conducted behind closed doors, the shows are almost entirely set in government offices and private clubs.  Once, as I passed a café with outdoor seating and the sign “Civil Service Club,” I had to smile, thinking of Sir Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Wooley, the two members of the Civil Service with whom James Hacker worked most closely.  I wondered: were tonight’s patrons discussing the weather, their families, and their hobbies with their coworkers?  Or were they scheming as to how they could block their Minister’s latest reforms?


For the most part, “Yes, Minister” does not concern itself with the personal lives of its protagonists.  Instead, each episode concerns a different aspect of how the business of England is conducted.  MPs, Ministers, and even the Prime Minister are politicians; the Civil Service is its government.  Employed by the Crown, Civil Servants are protected from becoming the mere tools of any political party.  A politician serves as Minister of a particular government department for, at best, a few years.  While in power, he or she, as well as his party, will pursue agendas that they believe best represent the public’s desires.  When parliament changes hands, or a new minister takes over, the political agenda may change.  Meanwhile, Civil Servants work to preserve their department’s stability by pushing ahead with procedures and legislation that will ensure Britain’s long-term development.  Politicians crusade for causes; they fight so that good (as they see it) will win out in the public arena.  Civil Servants view government’s role as less of a struggle between good and evil and more in terms of order versus chaos.  Politicians concern themselves with garnering and maintaining voter approval; Civil Servants believe that unpopular policies are often the most necessary.


While the government of the United States is organized differently, I want to believe that it functions along similar lines.  Those working at all levels, regardless of whether they have been elected, appointed, or hired, may have a little of Alan B’Stard in them.  But most are probably people just like you and me, concerned about fulfilling their duties in a responsible fashion, and hoping that their efforts contribute positively to the lives of their fellow Americans.


That’s why I’d like to visit my own nation’s capital someday.  That’s why I’m walking through Whitehall now, instead of visiting a park, a restaurant, or relaxing in my hotel room.  That’s why, even though there’s really very little for a tourist to see, I find myself smiling. 


And unable to stop. 


“Yes, Minister” was written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, and is available on DVD.

The Power of Big Ben

Clocks order our days.  They dictate where we need to be, remind us if we fall behind in our duties, and periodically demand that we reassess our priorities.  In return for how they help us organize our lives, we craft them into diverse shapes and sizes, using an infinite variety of materials.  Clocks tick upon our mantles.  Intricate fretwork clocks guard our shelves.  Noisy cuckoo clocks and cat-clocks with roving eyes and swaying tails hang upon our walls.  Grandfather clocks dominate our entryways and rooms.  Cities build monumental clocks in which life-size figures move and dance and interact with each other.  But all of these, regardless of size or quality of workmanship, are banished from our minds in the presence of Big Ben.

This indomitable clock rises from the north end of the Palace of Westminster.  It towers above government officials, busy Londoners, and tourists.  It has become as recognizable a symbol of London and England as the Statue of Liberty is representative of New York City and the United States.  But Big Ben does not belong solely to just one city or nation or people.  In a strange way, it exerts its power and dominion over all of us.  And in return, we adore it.

Visual storytellers recognize its hold over the viewer.  Peter Pan lands atop Big Ben before heading off to Neverland.  Events in “The Great Mouse Detective” and “Shanghai Nights” climax with a fight in the clock’s workings or out on its faces.  In the movie based on the British TV show “The Avengers,” when Sir August de Wynter attempts to hold the world to ransom with his weather-control machinery, he demonstrates his weapon's effectiveness by using lightning to destroy Big Ben.  In the science fiction comedy “Mars Attacks!” and the Doctor Who episode “Aliens of London,” invading aliens cannot resist destroying this famous landmark.  And when Big Ben appears in the opening of the TV sitcoms “The New Statesman” or “Yes Minister,” we know that we are about to watch a show about the British government at work.

As I wrestle with my camera to cram as much of Big Ben as I can into frame, I feel the tight knots inside me begin to loosen.  Before, as I walked past buildings displaying London’s diverse variety of architectural styles, I could have been in any city enriched by centuries of human habitation.  Westminster Abbey’s treasures inspired a sense of awe, but I have visited many beautiful churches.  For varying reasons, both experiences reminded me that I was a foreigner.  Now, in Big Ben’s presence, I know where I am. 

I may have traveled halfway around the world, but strangely, I now feel more at ease in this immense and bustling city.

Related Dragon Cache entries

A Journey into English Fiction Part 1

Where Church and State are One: Part 1