SOAP POWDER SANDWICHES

I never thought Victoria Wood's comedy was all that edgy. Funny! But not edgy.

I'm looking through her (autographed) sketchbook and thinking, 'Couldn't do that today. Wouldn't get away with this today. Nope, nor this one..."

But many are simply comedy standards.

In "In The Office" Beattie and Connie are chatting while they are at work.

The chat is around everyday topics, family, friends, the news, but some of the responses are ridiculous in the extreme. If you imagine it as a challenge to make the other person laugh first, while keeping a straight face yourself, you'll understand better how she did what she did.

For example, Beattie asks, "What's in your sandwiches?" and Connie replies, "Soap powder. I think it's these drugs I'm on. Quite nice, though."

On the last line, one of them answers the phone, giving away the organisation they work for. And we already know from clues dropped into the conversation that they know nothing at all about the subject.

It's two minutes worth of comedy banter with the realisation as a punch-line that neither of these confident ladies should be doing the job they are doing.

Pick a department, an advice line, a call centre, and have your two characters go at it between calls. Remember, don't make them each as odd as the other - have them be different sorts of odd!