The Riot Act

[ffutures]

What a shame that they don't read the riot act any more. I love the language...

"Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons being assembled immediately to disperse themselves and peacefully depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George for preventing tumultuous and riotous assemblies. God save the King."

Obviously it gets changed to Queen if the monarch is female. Imagine being the poor sod who has to read that out in the face of a raging mob...

Many years ago the BBC radio Today Show broadcast a version of the riot act recorded with the background sounds of a tea-room (chamber music, the quiet rattle of cups, etc.) gradually escalating to smashing cups and shattering windows as the act was read. Is it on line anywhere? Can't find it if it is.

Comments

[frandowdsofa.livejournal.com]

Jack de Manio said it was read by Spike Milligan, with sound effects by him with stuff he found in the studio or had in his pockets. I've always assumed it was gone forever, along with the regular appearances of Colonel A D Wintle.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Right - that's where I read it, in one of de Manio's books, I'd forgotten he said it was Milligan.