Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar
by2 books in this series
#1 - Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar: Series 1-3
All three series of Alexei Sayle’s hilarious stand-up and storytelling show
The Godfather of alternative comedy, Alexei Sayle, mixes memoir and philosophy from behind the counter of his imaginary sandwich bar, serving up wit, wisdom and illusory baguettes as he muses on a multitude of topics.
In these twelve shows, he explores his impulse to pretend and his love of sandwiches, discusses his childhood in a communist household and his physical attraction to Boris Johnson, explains why he will never go on Strictly Come Dancing and draws a striking comparison between capitalism and all-you-can-eat buffets. He also reveals where all the Millets shops have gone, considers the appeal of Donald Trump, tells us how to get a cheap drink in the centre of Paris and recounts the difficulties he faced when tracking down his lost cat.
From considerations of ethics and political discussions to anecdotes about celebrities and tales of his family, his freewheeling flights of fancy and madcap monologues will make you laugh out loud. So why not drop into Alexei’s deli and listen in, as one of the leading lights of the foccacia revolution shares his weird and wonderful worldview.
Cast and credits
Written and performed by Alexei Sayle
With Jake Yapp, Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton, Sean Baker and Ian Smith
With additional material from Liam Bearne, Sarah Campbell and Ben Partridge
Original music and lyrics by Tim Sutton
Produced by Joe Nunnery
Production Coordinator: Beverly Tagg
A BBC Studios production
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 15 November-6 December 2016 (Series 1), 9-30 November 2017 (Series 2), 12 September-3 October 2019 (Series 3)
The Godfather of alternative comedy, Alexei Sayle, mixes memoir and philosophy from behind the counter of his imaginary sandwich bar, serving up wit, wisdom and illusory baguettes as he muses on a multitude of topics.
In these twelve shows, he explores his impulse to pretend and his love of sandwiches, discusses his childhood in a communist household and his physical attraction to Boris Johnson, explains why he will never go on Strictly Come Dancing and draws a striking comparison between capitalism and all-you-can-eat buffets. He also reveals where all the Millets shops have gone, considers the appeal of Donald Trump, tells us how to get a cheap drink in the centre of Paris and recounts the difficulties he faced when tracking down his lost cat.
From considerations of ethics and political discussions to anecdotes about celebrities and tales of his family, his freewheeling flights of fancy and madcap monologues will make you laugh out loud. So why not drop into Alexei’s deli and listen in, as one of the leading lights of the foccacia revolution shares his weird and wonderful worldview.
Cast and credits
Written and performed by Alexei Sayle
With Jake Yapp, Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton, Sean Baker and Ian Smith
With additional material from Liam Bearne, Sarah Campbell and Ben Partridge
Original music and lyrics by Tim Sutton
Produced by Joe Nunnery
Production Coordinator: Beverly Tagg
A BBC Studios production
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 15 November-6 December 2016 (Series 1), 9-30 November 2017 (Series 2), 12 September-3 October 2019 (Series 3)
#2 - Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar: Series 4 and 5
The Godfather of Alternative Comedy returns with eight more shows blending stand-up, memoir and philosophy
Alexei Sayle’s two favourite things are pretending and places that sell sandwiches, and in his hit BBC radio series he mixes both to hilarious effect. As he welcomes made-up customers to buy notional snacks, he dispenses outlandish monologues, fantastical flights of fancy and a bumper helping of hilarity.
There’s plenty of politics on the menu, as Alexei makes a case for becoming the UK’s defence minister, considers the motivations of the rich, debuts a new slam poem entitled ‘I Hate Keir Starmer’ and reflects on changes of government and global power struggles. But Alexei has other topics on his mind too, from his own involvement in the ‘spy cops’ scandal and the time he made up gossip for a living, to his unorthodox upbringing in Liverpool, our ultimate life quests, and a strange house plant that refused to die…
Also included on this release is some bonus material, in the form of extra verses of songs that were not included in the original broadcast episodes.
Winner of a BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Scripted Comedy (Sketch Show), this side-splitting series is a satirical smorgasbord of jokes, music, sketches and surreal streams-of-consciousness. If you’re hungry for anarchic comedy, give it a listen – you’re sure to find it deliciously moreish...
Cast and credits
Written and performed by Alexei Sayle
Additional material by Tom Whyman
With original music and lyrics from Tim Sutton
Musicians in Series 5, Episode 2: Sophie Creaner (clarinet and sax), Tom Ellis (acoustic guitar),
Matt Sharp (cello)
Produced by Joe Nunnery and Richard Morris
Production Co-ordinator: Jodie Charman
A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 October-10 November 2022 (Series 4), 1-22 March 2025 (Series 5)
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Alexei Sayle’s two favourite things are pretending and places that sell sandwiches, and in his hit BBC radio series he mixes both to hilarious effect. As he welcomes made-up customers to buy notional snacks, he dispenses outlandish monologues, fantastical flights of fancy and a bumper helping of hilarity.
There’s plenty of politics on the menu, as Alexei makes a case for becoming the UK’s defence minister, considers the motivations of the rich, debuts a new slam poem entitled ‘I Hate Keir Starmer’ and reflects on changes of government and global power struggles. But Alexei has other topics on his mind too, from his own involvement in the ‘spy cops’ scandal and the time he made up gossip for a living, to his unorthodox upbringing in Liverpool, our ultimate life quests, and a strange house plant that refused to die…
Also included on this release is some bonus material, in the form of extra verses of songs that were not included in the original broadcast episodes.
Winner of a BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Scripted Comedy (Sketch Show), this side-splitting series is a satirical smorgasbord of jokes, music, sketches and surreal streams-of-consciousness. If you’re hungry for anarchic comedy, give it a listen – you’re sure to find it deliciously moreish...
Cast and credits
Written and performed by Alexei Sayle
Additional material by Tom Whyman
With original music and lyrics from Tim Sutton
Musicians in Series 5, Episode 2: Sophie Creaner (clarinet and sax), Tom Ellis (acoustic guitar),
Matt Sharp (cello)
Produced by Joe Nunnery and Richard Morris
Production Co-ordinator: Jodie Charman
A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 October-10 November 2022 (Series 4), 1-22 March 2025 (Series 5)
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd