Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Cissie and Ada

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Gender
  
Female

Nationality
  
British

Cissie and Ada BBC One The Best of Les Dawson Episode 4 Ada39s Peculiar Complaint

Created by
  
Portrayed by
  
Roy Barraclough and Les Dawson respectively

Aliases
  
Cissie Braithwaite and Ada ShufflebothamCissie Braithewaite and Ada Sidebottom

Creators
  
Les Dawson, Roy Barraclough

Similar
  
Alec Gilroy, Ashley Peacock, Ena Sharples, Widow Twankey, Ugly Sisters

Les Dawson - Cissie & Ada - Chatting on the Doorstep


Cissie and Ada, in full Cissie Braithwaite and Ada Shufflebotham or Sidebottom are two housewives from Northern England (or, more specifically, Lancashire) created and played by the comedian Les Dawson and the comic actor Roy Barraclough on television in the 1970s and 1980s. With a love of gossip, stoical pursing of lips and constantly heaved bosoms, Cissie and Ada became a hit with the British public. Dawson explained that this mouthing of words (or "mee-mawing") was a habit of Lancashire millworkers trying to communicate over the tremendous racket of the looms, and then resorted to in daily life for indelicate subjects.

Contents

Cissie and Ada httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen66dCis

The pair created the characters in rehearsals, in homage to the music hall star Norman Evans, before being persuaded by the producer to use them in sketches in the show Sez Les. Although Dawson needed persuading to don drag, and Barraclough was nervous that he would not be able to match Dawson's talent for ad-libbing, the characters became permanent features of the show.

Cissie and Ada Les Dawson Cissie amp Ada Chatting on the Doorstep YouTube

The characters were revisited by the pair in a series of commercials for fresh cream cakes in 1984.

In 2006 Sir Ian McKellen, writing in The Independent, named them the tenth best drag act ever created, commenting that they "were as real as the crones in the Rover's Return". Barraclough recalled that his characterisation of Cissie "was drawn from an aunt of mine who always thought she was slightly above the rest of the family, Auntie Annie. You know, she would always have a sherry. And the rest of the family always took the piss out of her." Key to Dawson's portrayal of Ada was a handbag "tightly clutched to the waist in a manner suggesting infinite disapproval".

Cissie and Ada Cissie and Ada Hard At It Barlborough Life

A planned Christmas special and a series to follow were both cancelled because of Les Dawson's death in 1993. Barraclough has declared that "it's rewarding to see Cissie and Ada have passed into comedy legend".

Cissie and Ada Les Dawson Cissie amp Ada The Magic Of Travel YouTube

Cissie And Ada: An Hysterical Rectomy (Stage Show)

Cissie and Ada Les Dawson Quotes QuotesGram

A new play written by Graham Warrener, (incorporating Cissie & Ada original sketches from Les's BBC days, written by Terry Ravenscroft), and directed by JJ (John-Jackson) Almond, Cissie And Ada: An Hysterical Rectomy, began a UK tour at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool on 15 July 2013, in Les Dawson's hometown. The show starred Eric Potts as Ada/Les, Steve Nallon as Cissie/Roy, Steven Arnold as the writer and Natasha Magigi as the dresser.

Cissie and Ada Les Dawson Cissie amp Ada At The Laundrette YouTube

References

Cissie and Ada Wikipedia


Similar Topics