Farewell Dame Edna: Barry Humphries interview

Australia's housewife gigastar is making her last appearance on British stages. Her creator Barry Humphries explains why.

The best comedy events in Scotland for autumn 2013

Russell Brand, Barry Humphries and Mark Thomas set for UK tours.

Radio Times review

There's a touch of Carry On to Bert, the sniggering womaniser played with much zeal by Jonny Sweet. Yet his gags often feel the freshest in this First World War comedy because Simon Bird and Joe Thomas are playing characters almost identical to those they're famous for in The Inbetweeners: a goody-goody and an ill-starred romantic.

In this second episode, Bert makes eyes at a widow, Cecil has his knickers in a twist about plumbing and schoolmaster George's pacifism lands him detention. Look out for Barry Humphries (better known as his alter ego Dame Edna Everage) as a conniving headmaster.

Barry Humphries: I've finally had my first screen kiss

Comedy veteran Barry Humphries was happy to sign up for his sitcom debut - as it meant he got his first ever screen kiss.

Much was made in promoting the first episode of new Sky1 sitcom Chickens of the fact that Channel 4 had had first refusal on the series and, well, refused it. C4 must reject tons of comedies, but few of those mark the writing debut of the stars of not one, but three successful shows. Joe Thomas and Simon Bird, both of The Inbetweeners and then, respectively, Fresh Meat and Friday Night Dinner, seem quite chirpy about the initial setback, putting it down to their ubiquity in the Channel 4's comedy stable. That could be one reason, but another is that Chickens is just a little bit weak.

Here the pair have joined forces with old Cambridge uni pal, actor and stand-up Jonny Sweet. As well as writing, they all star in this First World War sitcom, which imagines the fates of three young men who escape conscription to stay at home in a village populated only by decidedly contemptuous women. Thomas is hen-pecked George, a conscientious objector whose fiancée forces him to help her draft flirty missives to her soldier penpals, while Bird plays pompous Cecil, supposedly rejected on physical grounds ("flat feet"). Sweet is nice-but-dim Bert, who keeps forgetting who the war is against and seems to have got out of it thanks to straight-forward cowardice. In this ineffectual trio of bickering frenemies there are strains of The Inbetweeners, but with some Mumford and Sons vintage styling. The tweed and twiddly moustaches suggests they were inspired by the recent vogue for all things chap-ish that peaked a while back and now looks dated rather than retro.

All three are as likeable as you'd expect based on their previous turns and they have a natural, punchy dynamic. Bird and Thomas do a great line in resignation to humiliation and Sweet is the right side of Pimms o'clock caricature. I liked the anachronistic touches - while Cecil is press-ganged by the local women into darning socks for the front, Bert embroiders a handkerchief with "Cecil, Bert and George - Takin' it easy 1914". The hanky ends up in a predictable set piece though, and what's missing, perhaps - especially since the trio say Sky offered them free rein - are a few darker or more surreal notes in all the frivolity. Barry Humphries is slated to appear in the next episode and I'm nursing the hope that, given time, Chickens might develop a bit more gutsily.

The only real way to judge the first episode of any new sitcom is by the number of laughs per minute. I managed four in the 24 minutes (including ad break) of Chickens (Sky 1); which is substantially above average, given that some time has to be spent establishing the characters and the sit in the sitcom. Chickens began life as a pilot for Channel 4. Not having seen the pilot, I've no idea why it got turned down, but I'd be willing to bet Sky took a punt on commissioning a series on the proviso that writers Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Jonny Sweet made it as much like The Inbetweeners as possible.

Chickens is set in the fictional town of Rittle-on-Sea in August 1914, just after the outbreak of the first world war. Much of the pre-publicity for the show has focused on the risky nature of its situation and the way it hopes to invert sexual stereotypes by placing three non-combatant men as a minority in a village run by women. Save that for a dinner party conversation, because Bird and Thomas are basically playing their Inbetweeners characters.

Bird is Cecil, who has been turned down by the army for having flat feet, but could just as well be Inbetweener Will. Both are brighter and better-intentioned than everyone else around, but end up misunderstood and picked on. Thomas is conscientious objector George, but could just as well be Simon, the Inbetweener who takes himself terribly seriously and isn't as bright as he thinks he is. Sweet wasn't in The Inbetweeners but his character, Bert the Bounder, could well have been. None of which is a problem as far as I'm concerned. I loved The Inbetweeners and I enjoyed this. And with luck it will get even better when the characters have settled in and Barry Humphries makes an appearance.

Audio: Chickens Q&A

Stars and creators Simon Bird, Jonny Sweet and Joe Thomas are joined by cast members Sarah Daykin, Emerald Fennell, and Barry Humphries at BAFTA to talk about the new WW1-set Sky1 sitcom Chickens.

Farewell Dame Edna, global gigastar from Moonee Ponds

We'll miss Barry Humphries' creation, especially for what she tells us about ourselves.

Dame Edna to retire after 60 years of comedy

Dame Edna Everage will retire after completing her last tour, her creator Barry Humphries has said.

Barry Humphries: the man and the mask

The multi-faceted performer behind the greatest comic creation of the age is about to give her one final outing.