Bit Of A Do

by David Nobbs

From the author of the Reginald Perrin series comes a classic tale of two families, one posher than the other, set in a Yorkshire town.'I'm the groom's father. You're the bride's mother. It's their wedding day.'When Ted Simcock, maker of toasting forks in a small Yorkshire town, tries to avoid the inevitable with beautiful dentist's wife Liz Rodenhurst, his anguished attempt fails utterly, with huge consequences for both their families.From one awkward 'do' to the next, via a dentists' dinner dance and the Crowning of Miss Frozen Chicken (UK), the fall-out touches everyone, but none more than Liz's husband Laurence and Ted's wife Rita, the unexpected heroine of this tale.Charting the relationship of newlyweds Paul and Jenny, along with the infamous coupling of their respective parents, Ted and Liz, this book will have you cringing, crying and laughing out loud.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Comedy

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 1987

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomely funny. Excellent characters and absurd situations that work well. Beautifully described, too.
Was living together without being married, or having a child too soon after marriage really a big deal in the 80s? Apparently.

[Susan]

Same people show up at 6 different 'Do's". Hilarious. Winner of top British Comedy Screenwriter award

[Duncan Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

tickety boo

[Joey Britnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took a while to get into it, enjoyed it for a while but then felt a bit samey. I like the idea though and going to try the TV series, I think I may prefer that

[Grace Harwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love David Nobbs's work. His "Second from Last in the Sack Race" had me in stitches. The Reginald Perrin series is possibly my all time favourite comedy series. However, every writer has an off moment, and this, in my opinion, was written in one of them. The premise is as follows: the events of the novel take place during a series of "do's", celebrations and family parties. The same characters from two families attend the parties with their friends and relations. It commences with Paul and Jenny's wedding when it becomes clear that Ted (father of the groom) is having an affair with Liz (mother of the bride): and it's all downhill from there.

The parties become (much like real family parties) increasingly painful to attend for all of those involved (and I include myself as the reader in that category). Marriages breakdown, relationships form and then suddenly break up, pregnancies occur. New characters are introduced on top of the old ones (who aren't that prepossessing). The new characters fail to add any sparkle to the old characters. Even I didn't want to carry on attending these parties (figuratively speaking), but somehow I got so far through the whole debacle that I just decided to see it through to the end. I limped on until the final party and as glad to see the back of the lot of them.

The brand of comedy that Nobbs does best - the use of catchphrases and innuendo which define the characters - really doesn't work in this novel. They just become repetitive and boring; whereas they really worked in Reggie Perrin. The main characters are unlikeable and even though nobody really wins in the novel (except possibly Rita), there doesn't seem to be any sense of justice or satisfaction for the reader, or any of the characters.

As with all of Nobbs's work, there is some very fine writing in this novel, although less so than usual. It's just not up to his usual form. I think there's a sequel to this. I won't be reading it. Life's too short to attend any more tragic family parties.

[Bilbo Nobwank · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only 10% in to this and I'm about to throw in the towel. I can't believe the same person who wrote the Reggie Perrin books and the Henry Pratt ones wrote this tedious drivel.

Nobbs has always excelled at writing memorable characters. From what I've read of this book so far, the opposite is also true. Everyone is so boring and similar [and we get a ton of them dropped on us from the outset] that I honestly can't remember who half the people are and what their relationship is to each other. They're all so nondescript.

I may press on with it and see if it improves. I may not.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the earnest Paul and Jenny marry - their wedding being the first do of the title - the worlds of their very different parents collide with consequences that are hilarious and tragic at the same time. I didn't like many of the characters, but managed to sympathise with them none the less. I've only jsut found out that this was turned into a television series with David Jason as Ted Simcock which to me seems a perfect piece of casting. I suspect that may tell you all you need to know.

[Gareth Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farce is difficult to achieve print, especially when the plot is restricted to a series of periodic set pieces. However, Nobbs succeeds and in doing so displays great skill. The characters, at least by the standard of British comic novels, are reasonably believable and attract the reader's sympathy. It's been a long time since I read Nobbs and this reminds me what a talented writer he is.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I'd finished Reggie, I just had to read this too. A bit of head hopping going on in this one but again beautifully crafted and very funny. The characters absolutely alive on the page. Didn't have as much luck finding this on DVD as Reggie so definitely one for the Christmas list.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to "Fair Do's", and just as laugh out loud great!