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Pam Ayres: Word Perfect
R2 - United Kingdom - Acorn Media Review written by and copyright: Leigh Riding (8th September 2011). |
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The Film
 Well gentle readers, I have pondered for quite a while about how to start this article, patiently re-tooling it so it can be of interest to people who politely read this work whilst looking at their watch and waiting for that 2nd Anniversary Avatar re-re-re-re-release review to drop. But hey ho, here we go with a history lesson of sorts. Let’s start at the beginning, for our younger readers... who is Pam Ayres MBE, exactly? Well, At first glance, the lady would appear to be a comedienne, but it isn’t as clear cut as that. First coming to the spotlight in the mid-seventies on the variety talent show Opportunity Knocks (a sort of Britain’s Got Talent for non-mouthbreathers), Mrs Ayres is in fact a poet, who performs witty poems in an almost stand-up presentation, and is notable for her down to earth persona and distinctive ‘country bumpkin’ accent. And despite appearing all those years ago... unlike most of her fellow contestants back in ’75, Ayres is still much loved today by fans, regularly touring to this day, with various releases ranging from books to audio CDs and DVDs selling in millions. It’s not intended to be a slur towards her talent, but I have trouble selling the concept of the DVD to what I am rather sure our readership is. Whilst there is essentially a traditional stand up look to the performance, the delivery is so very different. There is occasionally a thin black comic streak to her writing and delivery, but essentially it’s a gentle show, best described as a pleasant experience. Being of a certain age (I’m, ahem, thirty-X) I am well aware of her work and remember her from my youth, and it has to be said, her writing and delivery is as nice and sharp as it was when I was a wee kiddie. She also has a great rapport and warm reception from her fans in the audience who treat her like an old friend. It is very true, however, that the show may be of an acquired taste to certain readers, but even those people should be able to concede that Mrs Ayres is undoubtedly a thoroughly charming and warm persona to watch. Those who DO appreciate the lady’s work will have already pre-ordered this, and will not be disappointed with what they receive. Again, this is a thoroughly pleasant experience from a very charming woman, and well worth a purchase if you are a fan.
Video
Well, there is little grandstanding to this release. Anamorphically shot at a 1.78:1 format, it’s fairly clear and un-fussy as an image... and there is little else I can say about it!!! It’s a woman in front of a curtain, you know???
Audio
Again, the English 2.0 Dolby Surround track is perfectly serviceable. It does it’s job well, with the all important dialogue being perfectly clear and well presented. It does what it says on the tin, really. There are also English HoH subtitles offered.
Extras
There is a solitary special feature, an ‘exclusive’ interview (I’m assuming it was shot backstage at the filming of the March 2011 performance shown on the DVD), and it will be of great interest to fans of Ayres’ work, and offers a little look at her offstage and continuing onstage life, and a little insight into her charity work. It’s nice to see that Pam is as charming offstage as she is on it.
Overall
Well, it’s all relative really. If you are unsure about Ayres’ work, toddle over to Youtube and have a look and see if it’s for you before buying. But to be honest, it really feels like a gift for her loyal fans, and one I think they will enjoy immensely. And what kind of cynical git would I be to deny people that?
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