A short-lived BBC sitcom detailing the courtship of a young engaged couple in 1950s London.
The serial follows the lives of a young engaged couple, shorthand typist Abigail (Julie Webb) and city worker Roger (David Drummond). Living in separate London bedsits, their path to the altar is complicated by friends and neighbours, including Abigail’s confidante Shirl (Rosina Enright), Roger’s friend Clive (John Stone), and their formidable landlady, Mrs Moloch (Grace Denbeigh-Russell). Episodes are built around the gentle comic situations arising from their pre-marital life and plans for the future.
This nine-part serial is a footnote in the early history of the British sitcom, notable for the complete creative control wielded by Kevin Sheldon, who served as writer, producer, and director. Broadcast live on Wednesday evenings during the summer of 1956, it was a modest affair built around the simple premise of a young couple’s courtship; a format that would later become a television staple. The series was ephemeral, completing its short run without extension and leaving little cultural trace. Like most live productions of its era, Abigail and Roger is believed to be lost, with no surviving recordings of any of its episodes.
Broadcast: BBC, 9 Episodes, Wednesdays, 4 July – 29 August 1956
Writer, Producer & Director: Kevin Sheldon
Main Cast: Julie Webb (Abigail), David Drummond (Roger), Rosina Enright (Shirl), John Stone (Clive), Grace Denbeigh-Russell (Mrs Moloch)
