As the leading comedy series of the 1970s, The Two Ronnies garnered extraordinary acclaim, captivating millions of viewers who eagerly anticipated its weekly offerings of comedic sketches and monologues delivered by Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker. Numerous elements from the series' scripts and dialogues were transformed into published works, resulting in several volumes that included both opening and closing news segments alongside cherished sketches.
In 1978, Spike Mullins, the writer responsible for Ronnie Corbett’s charming and humorous chair monologues, released Ronnie in The Chair, which features a collection of monologues from the first seven years of The Two Ronnies. This book comprises 34 chapters, many of which are illustrated by Frank Dickens, and invites readers to revisit a variety of entertaining joke within joke anecdotes told in the distinctive and often whimsical style of Ronnie Corbett.
One notable story recounts the fate of his wife's great-grandfather, who met his end at Custer’s Last Stand after venturing from a nearby camp to voice his complaints about the noise. Another tale tells of Ronnie’s uncle Spyro, who mysteriously disappeared at sea after climbing the ship's mast, only to discover that the vessel had sailed away while he was aloft. Yes, sometimes the humour challenges our perception of reality, but this is a wonderful throwback to when comedy writers were creative with their imagination, something that’s lost in a lot of the situational stand-up comedy of the 2020s.
Ronnie in the Chair serves as a wonderful memento of Ronnie Corbett’s chair monologues and stands as a tribute to Spike Mullins, the creative force behind them. This collection is best appreciated in brief segments, allowing readers to relish the humour as they either revisit Ronnie Corbett’s unique style or encounter these amusing stories for the first time.