Trouble with You Lilian, The

1 9 7 1 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes

This six-part comedy series from London Weekend Television centred on the lives of two elderly ladies – Madge (Dandy Nichols) and Lilian (Patricia Hayes) – who shared not only a house in London but also their own peculiar brand of logic.

Madge (the provocative, spiteful and self-centred homeowner) and Lilian (the shy, insecure, apologetic, paying lodger who was very much the underdog) – both pensioners living on low fixed incomes – lived together in a perpetual state of chatter.

The “crises” in their lives were sparked off by the smallest of things and blown up out of all proportion by Madge, who created her own dramas and diversions – making mountains out of molehills – because of the monotony of her life.

In the premiere episode, ‘The Presence’ – which was broadcast on Saturday 3 July 1971 –  Lilian thought she heard a prowler – which kept the two ladies up half the night and wasted the time of a passing gas fitter and a tolerant policeman (it was, in fact, a pair of wellington boots) – while in ‘You Lose on the Swings’ (9 July), Lilian decided – against Madge’s better judgement – to have her fortune told at the local fair by Gypsy Maud (Stella Tanner).

‘Fault On The Line’ (23 July) found the pair discovering that the telephone could be a menace, while in ‘The Long Wash’ (30 July), Freddie Jones participated when Lilian and Madge ventured forth on a daring night trip to the launderette.

The final episode – ‘Long Way To Go’ (6 August) – had Lilian and Madge showing unprecedented daring when they decide to go on holiday abroad. But no sooner had they plucked up the courage than the first obstacle – applying for passports – proved more of a problem than they bargained for. Tim Barrett played the unfortunate Travel Agent who had to deal with the ladies.

The series was produced and directed by Howard Ross, and the script was by Jennifer Phillips, who won a Writers Guild award for a previous radio version of the show starring Patricia Hayes and Beryl Reid.

Guest artists during the series included James Beck, Norman Mitchell, Harry Towb, Joe Ritchie, Alison Leggatt, Hal Dyer, Siobhan Quinlan, John Barrard and Barbara Oglivie.

Lilian
Patricia Hayes
Madge
Dandy Nichols

Episodes

The Presence | You Lose on the Swings | Outside Patients | Fault on the Line | The Long Wash | Long Way to Go