Ronnie’s Animal Crackers
Fri Sep 20, 7.30-8pm, BBC1
Taking as read that ‘we Brits’ are all ‘barking mad’ for our ‘pedigree pals’, Ronnie Corbett takes us on an a generally insight-free tour into some of the odder reaches of pet-related marginalia for a gently subversive half-hour that allows its human subjects enough rope to make themselves look actually and properly ‘crackers’.
Is, for instance, a dog-sculpting show in which the uncomprehending contestants are styled into anything from a Salvador Dali painting to a dimensionally baffling Elmo/Big Bird ‘Sesame Street’ hybrid merely harmless village hall fun? Or the vile, gaudy expressions of their owners’ minds being buckled and warped by the meaningless provincial tedium of their everyday lives? Are they kooky creations or cries for help?
The jaunty music might hint at the former, but the tone of Ronnie’s voiceover suggests he’s not entirely won over by the extremes to which these pooches are put. Elsewhere, there’s a listless visit to a pony show, Ronnie and Mrs Ronnie buy a new mutt and – oh brother – a section on doga. Y’know – yoga, for dogs!
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Proud Camden
Enfolded within Camden Market, this building may have been a horse hospital at one point in its lifetime, but it certainly ain't an animal refuge any more. The cobbled floors remain, as do the stables, but they've been spruced up and turned into booths. The roof terrace has also been revamped with bright colours and twee bunting. The main space is usually decked with artwork on the walls and also has a stage for live bands. There's a cabaret room on the other side of the venue and, of course, a bar serving up the usual tipples. Club nights here usually feature indie-electro, synth-pop, R&B, hip hop and funk.
Venue says: “From Drizzy to Dizzee, we play you the best in hip hop, trap and grime every Wednesday at Proud Camden.”
