Clara’s Verdict
There is something both admirable and quietly eccentric about the continuing appetite for The Navy Lark – a BBC Radio 2 comedy series that ran from 1959 to 1977 and featured the hopelessly incompetent crew of HMS Troutbridge stumbling through Naval service with magnificent inefficiency. This collection gathers Series 10 and 11 in their entirety: 34 remastered episodes spanning broadcasts from 1968 to 1970. For listeners who grew up with Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, and Stephen Murray, this is straightforwardly wonderful. For those coming to it fresh, it is a valuable document of a particular British comedy tradition – and, in places, genuinely funny by any era’s standard.
About the Audiobook
Series 10 and 11 find HMS Troutbridge in characteristically chaotic form. A new Captain arrives – the seasick Commander Trotter – while the ship’s established cast of incompetents continue their established routines of evasion, promotion-gaming, and elaborate scheme-hatching. Over 34 episodes, the ship is hijacked by Forbodian spies, Captain Povey prepares for a visit from Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and Murray is promoted and gets married to the Admiral’s daughter. The individual episode titles – “Harold Wilson Reviews the Fleet,” “CPO Pertwee’s Long Service Medal,” “Sub Lt Phillips to Leave for Dartmouth” – give a flavour of the gentle, character-driven comedy at work.
Lawrie Wyman’s scripts are the foundation. His talent was for constructing situations that escalated reliably from mild misunderstanding to complete institutional chaos, sustained by an ensemble cast who understood each other’s comic timing after years of working together. The show ran for nearly two decades for good reason. The BBC’s note that “some of the language on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast” is worth acknowledging – the show carries the period limitations one would expect, and listeners should approach accordingly. The remastering by Ted Kendall is noted to be as good as the original material allows, with some variation in sound quality across episodes.
The Narration
This is a full-cast radio production rather than a narrated audiobook. Stephen Murray, Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Richard Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans, and Michael Bates are the core ensemble. Phillips and Pertwee in particular are in characteristically fine form – Phillips’ suave uselessness and Pertwee’s scheming petty officer are comic archetypes that the actors have refined over years into something close to perfection. The BBC Digital Audio production runs to 17 hours and 10 minutes across all 34 episodes.
What Readers Say
No customer reviews are currently available for this specific Audible edition, but the show’s longevity and the existence of the Navy Lark Appreciation Society (based in Yoxford, Suffolk, if you’re inclined to write) speak to a devoted fanbase that continues to find new listeners. For those who remember hearing this on family car journeys or Sunday afternoons, the remastered BBC Digital Audio releases have been warmly received. The combination of 34 episodes in a single collection makes this an attractive proposition for both returning fans and curious newcomers.
Who Should Listen?
An obvious recommendation for fans of classic British radio comedy – Round the Horne, I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again, The Goon Show – as well as anyone with an interest in mid-twentieth-century British popular culture. The format is accessible for family listening, bearing in mind the period context notes. It’s also an excellent companion for long journeys, particularly by sea, though no nautical competence is implied or required. Available on Audible UK. Listen to The Navy Lark: Series 10 and 11 on Audible UK and let Troutbridge muddle through once more.
