Ripping Yarns
Roger of the Raj
by
Ripping Yarns is a British television comedy anthology created by Michael Palin and Terry Jones, best known for its affectionate send-up of boys’ adventure stories and imperial-era British attitudes. Each story follows a different hapless hero into an exaggerated adventure, with Palin often playing the central character.
The series uses the conventions of classic adventure fiction—bold declarations, perilous journeys, stiff-upper-lip resolve and exotic settings—as material for parody. Its humor comes from the contrast between grand, self-important storytelling and the foolishness or discomfort of the people caught up in it. The title “Roger of the Raj” identifies the episode represented here.
Palin and Jones bring a dry, deliberately old-fashioned comic style to the material, balancing absurd situations with straight-faced performances. The result is a playful send-up of adventure tales that rewards listeners who enjoy character comedy, period pastiche and the gap between heroic legend and ordinary human frailty.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
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