The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin review: A fast and funny romp through history
Review Overview
Cast
8Concept
8Comedy
8Ivan Radford | On 03, Mar 2024
“It’s daylight robbery!” Those are the words of Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding) in The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, after he hears of an extortionate deal between highway robbers and Thief-Catcher General Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville), which sees robbers pay 95% of their takings to the crime boss. The problem? Turpin has just killed top highwayman Tom King (David Threlfall) and become the head of the Essex Gang. And he did both those things by accident and is more concerned with sewing than guns. No wonder he’s such a disappointment to his father, John (Mark Heap), a butcher. Did we mention Dick’s a vegan?
If this is starting to sound a little less than serious, then rest assured: this new Apple TV+ is a lot less than serious, following in the footsteps of The Great, Monty Python and Maid Marion and Her Merry Men as it provides a barely factual account of events and wildly swerves away from accuracy in favour of laughs. Noel Fielding is the endearing ringmaster of this silliness, delivering the kind of whimsical warmth and the odd flight of fancy that you’d expect from the Mighty Boosh veteran. That familiarity occasionally wears thin at first, as the show tries to decide exactly how self-aware Turpin is, but the comedy gets better and better as it builds momentum – and its absurdly stacked cast gets bigger and more stacked.
The Essex Gang includes a brilliant Ellie White as the untrusting Nell, who craves the spotlight but can’t stand pressure, the hopelessly loyal Honesty (Duayne Boachie), and the hopelessly hopeless Moose (Marc Wootton, turning the goofiness up to 11). Crossing their paths are the not-quite-a-warlock Craig (the delightful Asim Chaudhry), Dick’s enjoyably dastardly rival, Leslie (Greg Davies), and the prim and properly ruthless queenpin Lady Helen (Tamsin Greig).
The more peril that’s thrown into the chaotic fray, the tighter the scripting gets, as our central gang are driven by the need to stay alive as well as make some money (and look fashionable while doing it). That fast pacing is coupled with some inventive plotting – an unrobbable, cursed coach is an inspired premise – a surprising amount of stunts and a relentless onslaught of physical and verbal jokes.
“We had a poor rapport and I abhor a poor rapport,” laments Wilde mid-stand-off, as the scene-stealing Hugh Bonneville threatens to walk away with the entire show – a running joke involving his son, Christopher, is an excellent touch. But Hugh’s in good company: in the first three of the six episodes, we’ve also met the never knowingly understated Paul Kaye as a deliciously eccentric fight club leader, Dolly Wells as the writer destined to put Turpin’s exploits in the history books, Michael Fielding as Noel’s doubting cousin, Benny, who’s ready to take Turpin’s place as heir to the family business. And not forgetting Mark Heap as Dick’s dad, who implores him to “come work for meeee…at” – a line so well written and delivered that it’s worth tuning in for alone. (If they weren’t enough, there’s the promise of Jessica Hynes and Connor Swindells still to come.)
The more the show plays like an ensemble of every top British comic talent going, the more it becomes exactly that, and it’s a joyous sight to behold. “I want this Dick in my hands as soon as possible,” declares Wilde early on. Be prepared to share that sentiment.