Putting on the Dish

Polari was dying out as I approached adulthood in the late 60s. I knew some from the older men I naughtily knew but it's lost in the mists of time now in terms of speaking it. However, I was gratified to realise that I understood maybe 70% of the language used in this short even now fifty odd years later.

The other way of learning polari was to listen to Julian and Sandy on Round the Horne. My parents and I used to be in stitches at their antics but I'm sure neither of them realised where the slang came from. In fact, I'm amazed they never asked me where my knowledge of it came about when I explained one or another word.

This film took me back to those times. It was a simple pleasure to watch and I don't care about themes or characterisation. I was having a laugh just trying to take all the language in.

I'm so glad I watched this. It was a reminder of a different age that I came in on the tail end of. Things have changed so much.

Anyway, I'm off to zhoosh my riah before I vada some TV.