"Small Opening" is one of the best episodes from the fourth series, and it's the term used to describe the scale in which one of Saffy's plays is being presented. Saffy has written an autobiographical play titled, "Self-Raising Flower," and she's directing it at her local little theater. Her friend Sarah is also helping with the play. Edina and Patsy are spending a relaxing evening at home categorizing uppers and downers, and watching Katy Grin hosting a telethon. The relaxation turns to panic when Edina receives a disturbing phone call. She believes her son, Serge, has been kidnapped. She telephones the police, which sends Patsy into a frenzy due to all of the drugs in the house. The police arrive, believe Edina is drunk, and dismiss the whole ordeal. Soon Saffy arrives and attempts to help with the situation. She suggests her mother dial the number of the last incoming call. This plan proves worthy when Saffy's phone beings to ring. Edina asks Saffy if she's been with Serge, but soon learns she was accidentally listening to a rehearsal of Saffy's play. Learning the play is an autobiography sends Edina into a fury, and Patsy joins her friend in outrage. They know exactly how Saffy would have them portrayed on the stage! It's too late to attempt to stop the play, because the play is being presented that night. Soon the house fills with family and friends. Justin, Bo, Marshall (now a rabbi), and Mrs. M. arrive to give Saffy support as they anticipate the play. Edina and Patsy continue their disgust, and Edina has Bubble deliver an ultimatum to Saffy. Bubble's reading of the ultimatum is hilarious as she describes Edina's threat to go on a television talk show to do, "My daughter did the dirty, and stabbed me in the throat." Saffy overlooks the ultimatum, and tells her mother she'll be leaving a ticket for her. Saffy tells Edina she should come see the play. Instead, Edina and Patsy stakeout the theater to see who's going in. Justin, Mrs. M., Bo, Marshall, and Bubble take their seats in the audience, and Sarah is backstage helping out. Edina and Patsy decide to risk entering the theater (another hilarious scene), and the play begins. The accounts of Saffy's life have Patsy yelling obscenities toward the stage, but eventually Patsy becomes awestruck when she notices the person playing her. Saffy wanted the play to be presented in a rigid tone, but soon the audience is laughing and the play becomes comic. By the end, Edina and Patsy are having a good time, and find the play acceptable. Edina even runs onstage to embrace the woman who played her. Lill Roughley stars as Jude, the actress who plays Edina in Saffy's play. Emma Pierson stars as Kasha, the actress who not only portrays Saffy in the play, but seems to have a crush on Saffy as well. Miles Western stars as Martin, the actor who appears in drag to portray Patsy for the stage production. The actor bringing the long lost Serge to the stage is John Neale (IMDb and BBC both have the actor's name listed as John Neale, but the show's credits have Josh Neale listed.) Jon Plowman has a cameo as an usher at the theater. Melanie Jessop returns to the show as a policewoman. This episode features an eighties flashback in which a punked-out Edina and Patsy take Saffy to the park. Ashley Clish plays Saffron as a child in the flashback.
4 Reviews
"Eddie... Eddie? Is it.. is it a beeee?"
Jonny-ironica7 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
"Eddie, find it-KILL IT!" This episode is the absolute best and my all time favorite episode of Absolutely Fabulous. It starts off with Eddie and Patsy doing some with drugs(I could never tell if they were organizing or just doing them) and they start hearing a ringtone that is a high-pitched note. Because they're blitzed and stoned, they freak out and panic only to discover it's on Eddie. Eddie quickly pulls it out and throws it on the kitchen table, then hits it with a wine bottle. Then she picks it up to Patsy's 'realization': "Oh it's a small shoe." Eddie answers the phone to hear her son screaming for help and calls the police.
Patsy, who is the best comedic character to come out of this show, panics,"Not the filth! Not the porkers!" and starts flushing some of their drugs, hiding some of their drugs, burning some of them and flat out swallowing them.
Upon Saffron entering the room without Patsy realizing it, she startles Patsy who screams,"I'm a registered addict!" After the police leave, it's discovered that Eddie heard a rehearsal from part of Saffy's play.
Fast-forward to the play, which Eddie is deeply upset is premiering, and you really had to have seen a lot of previous episodes to appreciate it's hilarity.
Overall, this is the most amazingly hilarious episode of Ab Fab and I recommend it to everyone who watches the show.
Patsy, who is the best comedic character to come out of this show, panics,"Not the filth! Not the porkers!" and starts flushing some of their drugs, hiding some of their drugs, burning some of them and flat out swallowing them.
Upon Saffron entering the room without Patsy realizing it, she startles Patsy who screams,"I'm a registered addict!" After the police leave, it's discovered that Eddie heard a rehearsal from part of Saffy's play.
Fast-forward to the play, which Eddie is deeply upset is premiering, and you really had to have seen a lot of previous episodes to appreciate it's hilarity.
Overall, this is the most amazingly hilarious episode of Ab Fab and I recommend it to everyone who watches the show.
Best Episode of the Season
Kencrogers30017 May 2019
I really enjoyed this episode the most out of all of season #5. It is funny, and to see Saffy's dramatic play take a turn into comedy was hilarious. I love how going into this episode I thought it would be dull and of course it turned out to be the best of the best!
Ulti matimum.......
Sleepin_Dragon18 September 2022
'It's not the same kitten.'
Eddie and Patsy are happily cataloguing all manner of drugs and substances, when their evening is turned upside down by Saffy, who explains that she's made a play about her life.
The standout episode of the series, it is absolutely brilliant, it's hilariously funny, original, and served as a great reminder of the show's earlier years.
It's great to see Bubble back, having suffered another Katy Grin scene, having Horrocks back to what she does best, Katy Grin, I know she's intentionally annoying, but she's not a patch on Bubble.
I love that we get to see how Eddie and Patsy dressed back in the 80's, and of course they were punks.
Full horror movie casting... They're all here, Marshall, Justin and Bo. It's always wonderful to see them all back.
Watch our for a glorious young Emma Pierson, who is excellent as Kasha, Lill Roughley is a Scream as Jude.
A favourite, 10/10.
Eddie and Patsy are happily cataloguing all manner of drugs and substances, when their evening is turned upside down by Saffy, who explains that she's made a play about her life.
The standout episode of the series, it is absolutely brilliant, it's hilariously funny, original, and served as a great reminder of the show's earlier years.
It's great to see Bubble back, having suffered another Katy Grin scene, having Horrocks back to what she does best, Katy Grin, I know she's intentionally annoying, but she's not a patch on Bubble.
I love that we get to see how Eddie and Patsy dressed back in the 80's, and of course they were punks.
Full horror movie casting... They're all here, Marshall, Justin and Bo. It's always wonderful to see them all back.
Watch our for a glorious young Emma Pierson, who is excellent as Kasha, Lill Roughley is a Scream as Jude.
A favourite, 10/10.
See also
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