A new sketch by Richard Curtis is going under the hammer to help Book Aid International – and 30 other writers are backing the charity too.<\/p>\n
Their adventures spanned five centuries and featured mad royals and barking army generals, not to mention at least one giant turnip. Now, at last, the sardonic Edmund Blackadder and his eternally stupid manservant, Baldrick, are making a comeback. Of sorts.<\/p>\n
A new sketch featuring the hapless duo, in the handwriting of Richard Curtis, is one of the star lots at an auction next month aiming to raise funds for the charity Book Aid International, which was backed by The Observer\u2019s 2005 Christmas appeal with a donation of \u00a3100,000.<\/p>\n
Curtis, who co-wrote the hit Eighties comedy with Ben Elton, is among more than 30 authors and illustrators whose specially produced handwritten work is to go under the hammer.<\/p>\n
All were given the phrase \u2018between the lines\u2019 to inspire them. Another star contribution comes from JK Rowling, who has excited Harry Potter fans by designing a family tree for the character Sirius Black which is expected to fetch up to \u00a350,000.<\/p>\n
DBC Pierre, winner of the Man Booker Prize for Vernon God Little, Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, actress Joanna Lumley and playwright Tom Stoppard have also contributed manuscripts to the event, supported by Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.<\/p>\n
Book Aid International supplies more than half a million books each year to some of the world\u2019s poorest countries, mostly in Africa.<\/p>\n
Blackadder, which starred Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, ran for four series and was revived with a special, Blackadder Back and Forth, for the new millennium. There has since been constant speculation about a comeback. The new sketch, \u2018Blackadder Between the Lines\u2019, is apparently set in the Elizabethan era of Blackadder II. Fittingly for the charity, Baldrick attempts to impress his master by reading a book, but Blackadder points out that the book is upside down and written in ancient Greek. \u2018I thought it looked a bit funny,\u2019 admits the world\u2019s most stupid turnip lover.<\/p>\n
Fans\u2019 appetite for a return of the characters to television may have been whetted, but Curtis, 49, admitted it is unlikely. \u2018When we gave up, there was a thought that one day, when we were old and angry with the young world, we might bring Blackadder back to rail against the modern world,\u2019 he told The Observer. \u2018But I fear it\u2019s unlikely. Hugh Laurie is now a major American TV star, Stephen Fry is a poet, Rowan\u2019s a racing driver and Tony Robinson is an archaeologist. But never say never.\u2019 Curtis, a co-organiser of last summer\u2019s Live8 concert, spelled out why he was supporting Book Aid International. \u2018Education and information are clearly absolutely key in the battle to get out of poverty,\u2019 he said. \u2018World governments made a promise in 2000 to get primary education for every child – that promise has been reiterated with some extra money at the G8 last year, but until the promise is kept, every little bit helps.\u2019<\/p>\n
The charity auction takes place on 21 February and is hosted by Bloomsbury Auctions. Other authors to donate lots include Iain Banks, Maeve Binchy, Sebastian Faulks, PD James, Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, Lynne Truss, Jacqueline Wilson, Colin Dexter, David Mitchell, Dick King-Smith, Eoin Colfer, Frederick Forsyth, Louis Theroux, Sebastian Barry, Cathy Kelly, Babette Cole, Joanna Trollope, Sue Townsend and Sir Tim Rice.<\/p>\n
Between the lines: three different takes<\/strong> Baldrick:<\/strong> I\u2019m reading, sir.<\/p>\n Blackadder: <\/strong>What is it?<\/p>\n Baldrick:<\/strong> It\u2019s a book, sir. Baldrick:<\/strong> I\u2019m not entirely sure, sir. Baldrick:<\/strong> Thank you, sir.<\/p>\n Baldrick turns the book upside down. Blackadder has a look. Blackadder:<\/strong> It is the Iliad by Homer – so it is not the slightest bit funny. But am I to surmise, reading between the lines, Baldrick, that you do not actually know how to read?<\/p>\n Baldrick:<\/strong> No, sir, not a word.<\/p>\n Blackadder:<\/strong> So why were you sitting with a book in your lap when I entered the room?<\/p>\n Baldrick:<\/strong> I was hoping to impress you, sir.<\/p>\n Blackadder:<\/strong> It would take more than you knowing how to read to impress me.<\/p>\n Baldrick:<\/strong> Really, sir?<\/p>\n Blackadder:<\/strong> Yes.<\/p>\n Baldrick:<\/strong> How much more? Baldrick:<\/strong> In which case, I will never try to impress you again. Baldrick: What, my lord? -END<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A new sketch by Richard Curtis is going under the hammer to help Book Aid International – and 30 other writers are backing the charity too. Their adventures spanned five centuries and featured mad royals and barking army generals, not to mention at least one giant turnip. Now, at last, the sardonic Edmund Blackadder and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-specials"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p54TBn-9N","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":413,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=413","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":0},"title":"Blackadder meets Shakespeare – NOT Blackadder","author":"admin","date":"22 January 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Hot news just in. I emailed writer Richard Curtis regarding the charity sketch that has for a long time been considered a \u2018Blackadder\u2019 special. Well, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news, I can confirm that this is NOT a Blackadder sketch. Rowan is simply playing an un-named\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Series"","block_context":{"text":"Series","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":857,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=857","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":1},"title":"New Blackadder Book – Just in time for Xmas","author":"admin","date":"30 September 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Published on October 11th to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the first pilot episode of The Black Adder, The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated History of the Creation of a Comedy Legend\u00a0is the complete history of the series with the co-operation of writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Shop"","block_context":{"text":"Shop","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.blackadderhall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ba_book-191x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":468,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=468","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":2},"title":"Blackadder cast and crew to appear at Cheltenham festival","author":"admin","date":"11 September 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Hot diggegy dang and huzzah to boot! Tony Robinson, Richard Curtis and John Lloyd (not Tony Curtis, Richard Lloyd and John Robinson as I nearly wrote in all the excitement) are going to be appearing at the Chletenham Literature festival in October. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cast & Crew"","block_context":{"text":"Cast & Crew","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":812,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=812","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":3},"title":"Blackadder duo Curtis and Elton reunite","author":"admin","date":"7 January 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"After more than 10 years since they last collaborated on Blackadder Back & Forth, Richard Curtis and Ben Elton are writing new material together. \u201cI\u2019ve just started working on a new project with Richard,\u201d Elton explained at the first night of Cirque du Soleil\u2019s Totem at the Royal Albert Hall.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"blackadder\"","block_context":{"text":"blackadder","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?tag=blackadder"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":901,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=901","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":4},"title":"Rare Blackadder Christmas Script Goes Under The Hammer","author":"admin","date":"17 December 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source: Coastal Scene 24 A signed 22-page draft for an unfilmed Blackadder Christmas special was a star attraction at a recent fundraising auction held at Bruisyard Hall, near Framlingham. It was bought by the venue\u2019s Paul Rous, who was delighted to have secured the manuscript. \u201cI have always thoroughly enjoyed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fan stuff"","block_context":{"text":"Fan stuff","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":870,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=870","url_meta":{"origin":607,"position":5},"title":"Biblical Blackadder Uncovered in NEW Book!","author":"admin","date":"7 October 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"source: BBC.co.uk A draft script for a Christmas episode of Blackadder has come to light during research for a new book about the BBC's classic comedy series. Blackadder in Bethlehem sees Rowan Atkinson's character as the owner of the inn where Joseph and Mary seek a bed for the night.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Series"","block_context":{"text":"Series","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.blackadderhall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ba_book-191x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=607"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> What are you doing?<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> Yes, I can see it\u2019s a book. Which book?<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> You might find it easier if you had it the right way round.<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> And if it was in English, not ancient Greek.
\n
\nBaldrick:<\/strong> I thought it looked a bit funny.<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> Let me put it this way. If I came into the room – and William Shakespeare was on his knees begging you to help him finish his next play, and Queen Elizabeth was on her knees giving you a blow job, I would still not be impressed.
\n
\nBaldrick:<\/strong> Why not, sir?
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> Because I know you to be the lowest creature ever created by God and every time he looks down and sees you, he hits his forehead with his fist and shouts – \u2018Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I totally and utterly fucked up that time.\u2019<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> Good decision. Now, what in the hell did I want you to do? I\u2019ve completely forgotten\u2026 oh, yes, I remember.<\/p>\n
\n
\nBlackadder:<\/strong> I want you to take this scroll to Ben Elton and ask him to do a rewrite on this scene – Richard Curtis can\u2019t think of a punchline\u2026<\/p>\n