The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket : Series 1 to 3

The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket  :  Series 1 to 3 British radio comedy series. Starring the dear ladies Dame Hilda Bracket and her companion Dr Evadne Hinge . With Daphne Heard as Maud. From their home at the Old Manse, in the genteel Suffolk village of Stackton Tressel. The popularity of the characters led to an initial three series on Radio 4, followed by a further seven series on Radio 2. There was also a television series. And the dear ladies made regular appearances in the theatre. The act was popular not just because of the comedy in the scripts and the situation. It derived part of its appeal from the singing ability of Dame Hilda, and the musical ability as a pianist of her accompanist Dr Hinge. Together they made an attractive musical act. Dame Hilda in fact subsequently established a solo career as a musical comedy star. Listeners familiar with this radio series will understand that despite appearing to be two elderly spinster ladies with a background in musical comedy, the two stars - who are in fact a genuine comedy double-act that originated on the English stage - are actually two young men in drag . Part of the joke (not originally known to the radio audience) was that this is a Pantomime act: in English pantomime there is a long tradition, originating in the Victorian music-halls, of the Dame comedian in skirts being played by a man, and of the Principal Boy being played by a girl. This form of reversal comedy can be traced back to the Sixteenth Century, when Shakespeare's comedies for the stage often involved a man being disguised as a woman, or vice versa, for humorous effect.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.