SENSE AND SENILITY

'''Sense and Senility''' is the fourth episode of the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder''.

Contents

Plot

Trivia

Plot

An anarchist (played by Ben Elton) makes an attempt on Prince George's life. Blackadder suggests that the Prince should improve his public Image and so two actors, Keanrick and Mossop, are hired to train him for a speech. Blackadder has little respect for actors in the first place ("You mean they actually rehearse? I thought they just got drunk, stuck on silly hats and trusted to luck.") but takes an extra dislike to the pair when they insult his speechwriting; beginning with repeatedly forcing them to perform the Macbeth ritual, he moves on to framing them for conspiracy. The fact that the Prince doesn't grasp the difference between a theatre performance and real life only adds to the confusion (at a performance of ''Julius Caesar'' the prince shouted, "Look behind you, Mr. Caesar!"). At the end of the episode, Blackadder offers a lead role in a new play. The prince agrees, but asks for the title. Blackadder replies "Thick Jack Clot Sits in the Stocks and Gets Pelted with Rancid Tomatoes". The credits roll after George says, "Excellent!".

Trivia

★ The theater superstition, in which saying the title of the Scottish play (''Macbeth'') brings bad luck, appears in this episode when Blackadder informs Baldrick about its unlucky qualities and that he "won't be mentioning it. Well, not much."

★ Kenarich and Mossop's dance has words to it, running thus: "Hot potato, Orchestra stalls, Puck to make amends." After this quotation, it is necessary to pinch the nose of your partner.

★ The title of the episode is a reference to the novel ''Sense and Sensibility'' by Jane Austen.